r ' " "> 4 O .y ,^' vv ^^^ V- V "='0' '^^ 0* : '^ %^'*r?^* ,^^ ^: ^v V \' ^ % .<^ > A \ MANY INCIDENTS AND REMINISCENCES OF THE EARLY HISTORY OF WOOD COUNTY rOGETHER WITH SOME OF THE HISTORIC EVENTS OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY CONTAINED IN THIS PIONEER SCRAP-BOOK 4AVE1BEEN COLLECTED FROM THE PAPERS AND MATERIAL OF THE LATE C W. EVERS AS GATHERED BY HIM FOR YEARS PAST "Lest We Forget BOWLING GREEN, O., 1910 'i cX c3^ cl^ (l*! cX c?. cX cX cX (T. cX tX e* *6'icXtXcX(X tXcX(XtXcXcXi*>* rSrS ?«?« *£*;5 The Democrat ?»?* »;g>^ Bowling Lireen ^^ rS« ^ ^ = S^S!* rS»;S = 9*9* . ^ *:S*:S Printers and 9*9* lu '^'^ D LI- L 5^5^ ^ 1^1^ Publishers ^9^ ^^WVVVVVVVVlf9* =^^' PREFACE ' I *HE purpose of this book is to preserve to the people of Wood county and the ■*■ Maumee Valley some of the historic facts and interesting incidents of its early days and to present them in an entertaining and readable form. The plan of making it scrap-book-fashion originated with my father and an outline of the work had been arranged by him and left — an unfinished task. The further preparation and compilation was then entrusted to the trained hand of Mr. F. J. Oblinger, who has, with pains-taking care, from a mass of manuscript, notes, clippings and other material, condensed the gleanings of a liffe time into these pages. I am also under obligations to Mr. John E. Gunckel, of Toledo, for his kind- ness in permitting the use of a number of cuts from his "Early History of the Maumee Valley." The publication I have undertaken, personally, as a memorial to my father, from whose pen most of the articles have come. * Some are now in print for the first time, while others have appeared during his years of active newspaper work. My father's labors in this direction were purely out of love for the work. All history appealed to him, but the early struggles of Wood county pioneers was a chapter so replete with tragic interest, so tinged with romance, so filled with human endeavor and its achievement that it called forth his highest admiration. It seemed fitting, therefore, that the final effort of his life should have been a record of these events and with this thought in mind and the grateful encour- agement and friendly interest extended by his old associates, both personally and as members of the Pioneer and Historical societies, I have ventured to complete the work. MAY EVERS-ROSS. Bowling Green, 0., Nov. 17, 1909. OUR PIONEERS At a meeting of the Maumee Valley Pioneers some years since, Mrs. C. W. Evers wrote and read the following poem: All honor due ye, hoary heads. Assembled here to-day, A power higher than man's own Hath guarded your pathway; Else not one aged pioneer Would answer to the call Which brings the few remaining ones With each successive fall. Where swale and marshes yielded naught To energetic men, Are orchards now of choicest fruit And fields of golden grain. Not a cabin left which sheltered Our fathers brave and true; They've crumbled like their owners. And mansions rise to view. 'Tis good to meet and here relate ^The hardships each hath borne. You know of toils and sorrows pass'd O'er which none others mourn; You know when the rude little cabins Loomed up in the distance afar ; Each one brought joy to your household. For a neighbor, a friend would be there. 'Mid joyful songs and stories Your evenings slowly waned, When the choppings, and the raisings. And the husbands all were gained. Think not that we would feign forget Your fearless courage tried. Nor less appreciate the boon Your efforts have supplied. Our eyes behold an Eden, Where once the forest stood. Where generations more than one Have wrestled with the wood. Where grew the bramble-bush and trees. Are lawns of velvet green. Imagination scarce can paint The changes there have been. Products alone are not her wealth — Our Pioneers have cause To justly feel a pride in those Who consecrate their laws. E'en from the swam^js came talent fair, And self-made men are here. Schooled in a little hut of logs, No college then was near. We oft bewail, declare our roads Are not quite smooth enough; Well, forty years ago to-day Wood county roads were rough. The farmer laid aside the wheels. And, mounted on his horse. Would ride for many weary miles To reach the old Court House. But now instead its dome appears, As centrally behest, P'rom seat of Justice speed the trains. North — South — yea, East and West. All nature smiles upon you now, God bless your later years ! The time will come, we'll call in vain For our dear Pioneers. WOOD COUNTY'S BIRTH Its Development from the Misty Past — Our Love for the Memory of Our Heroic Pioneers, Whose Splendid Results We Novv^ Enjoy "Gimme back the dear old days — the pathway through the dells To the schoolhouse in the blossoms; the sound of far-off bells Tinklin' 'crost the meadows; the song of the bird an' brook, The old-time dictionary an' the blue-l)ack spellin' book. "Gone, like a dream, forever — a city's hid the place Where stood the ol' log schoolhouse, an' no familiar face Is smilin' there in welcome beneath a mornin' sky — There's a bridge acrost the river, an' we've crossed an' said "good-by." — Atlanta Constitution. By Charles WHO is there who does not love to hear of their ancestors and their ancestral home, even if that home was ever so homely — nothing but a log cabin with a stick chimney? Even though the father and mother and grandparents, — long since passed away — were plain, every-day people, dressed in home-spun garb, yet our thoughts to our latest hour in life go back to the dear old home and to those dear old people with tonderest emotions. Heroic, were they? Ah, yes. We of Wood county may not deny that virtue to our ancestors. Go back if you will half or three-quarters of a century and view the wilderness landscape of swamp, plain and forest as they found it, in your worst vein of imagination and say if they who buffeted with those discouragements w^ere not untitled heroes. The Wood county of today has mucli to be proud of. We need no self-glori- iication, but our pride may justly go back ^Y. Evers. to those pioneer ancestors who amid poV' erty, sickness and privation of every kind laid broad and enduring, the foun- dation of our present prosperity. It is the story of such as these — indi- viduals, communities and nations, to- gether with the land they inhabited which makes biography and history — two of the most interesting branches of hu- man knowledge. Wood county with its accumulation, tiirifty people and historic years, has an interesting contribution of this kind, now fast passing into oblivion, which if fittingly and truthfully told is well worthy a place in the annals of the nation. Much that belongs to and be- comes a part of our history occurred be- fore our land had a place marked in the Geographical Atlas. Our homes of today lay in the track of great events. The martial tread of armies, men upon whose valor the fate of the nation hung, disturbed the silent wastes of Wood long before she had so 8 THE PIONEER much as a name, and the forest echoes repeated the startling roar of the cannon which proclaimed that the final contest between Civilization and Barbarism was in deadly issue at her very threshold. The story of her early settlement and progress, while a fruitful theme for the chronicler's pen, will derive increased in- terest from a brief narration of some of this preceding outline history which has become a part of the written story of the nation. In this we are told that Wood county was a small fractional part of a vast extent of territory, of which the French were the first white claimants, basing their claim as other Europeans did on the right of discovery and con- quest. This nominal possession had ex- isted about one hundred years when, in 1763, the English, who were also claim- ants of contiguous territory, dispossessed the French, after a bloody war, of all their lands in America. That twenty years later, in 1783, England, in turn, after a war of eight years, was forced to quit- claim all her possessions south of Can- ada to her own rebellious Colonists, who started a new Government of their own styled The United States of America. The open page of our history after this nominal ownership by these two most powerful and enlightened nations of Europe, for a period of one hundred and twenty years, was still a blank. No marks of civilization were left behind. Adventurous explorers and fur-traders had passed through the forests or by the river in expeditions to points beyond, but otherwise tliis land, since called Wood county, Avas nought but a vast game preserve for vagrant bands of In- dian hunters. But a change for the better is coming slowly. Civilization has set its course westward with relentless tread. War is sometimes a great educator. The vari- ous desultory expeditions in the west had been the means of promulgating wonder- ful stories in the east of the beautv and fertility of the western country, and shortly after the birth of the new Gov- ernment a vast tide of immigration was sweeping across tlie Alleghanies to the fertile region of the Ohio and its tribu- taries. It should be kept in mind that each of the civilized nations claiming any part of the country, held it always subject to the claims of the Indian tribes occupying it. There was this serious cloud on the title of all land in the west at that time. In the present boundaries of Ohio not less than thirteen tribes and bands laid claim to title. As will be readily foreseen the great inundation of white settlers into their fine hunting grounds soon aroused the jealousy and hostility of these tribes and stealthy murders and brutal, fiendish outrages on the whites soon followed. The Government, then under the wise ad- ministration of President Washington, had ohserved so far as possible a humane and pacific policy toward all the tribes and had spared no efforts to secure peace with them by treaty and purchase of their lands. But through the mischiev- ous advice and influence of British trad- ers, who were profiting by a lucrative traffic with the Indians, they insisted on the Ohio Eiver as the boundary between them and tJie whites, and no treaty which all the tribes would respect and sanc- tion could be made, only on this basis. Finally an army under Gen. Harmar was sent against them, but was defeated on the Maumee near where Fort Wayne I now is. Another army under Gen. St. Clair, then Governor of the Northwest Territory, was organized and sent against them. Again, the savages fell back, though by a more direct course toward the Maumee. Again the Americans met with overwhelming defeat and were routed with great slaughter and the bar- barous butchery of all their unfortunate wounded and prisoners, and the loss of all their cannon and military equipage. This po emboldened the Indians that Se'KAP-BOOK. 9 all the whites north oC the Ohio were compelled for safety to shut themselves up in forts and block-houses and from all sides came loud demands for strong and vigorous measures by the Govern- ment, which was far too slow and lenient in its policy to suit the distressed settlers. President Washington now sent for General Anthony \\'ayne, an old army associate of his in the Kevolution. Wayne, who was a resolute man of auda- cious courage, came on and organized his army and though assailed and opposed by every strategem o.f savage warfare, he marched to the Maumee, where on the northerly Ijank of the Maumee about two miles below the present townsite of Wa- terville, August 20, 1791, he met the confederated tribes and fragments of tribes of the ISTorthwest who had assem- bled their warriors to dispute his further -advance by the wager of battle. Wajme assailed them with his characteristic fury and impetuosity. The issue was not long in doubt. The Indians were •completely routed, many of their chiefs being killed, Avhile the rest, Avhen the bat- tle was over, were flying fugitives. They had been encouraged and assisted by the British, who had a fort, in violation of their treaty with the United States, just t)elow where Maumee is now. Some of the Indians fled there for protection but the gates were sluit against them. The Eng- lish commander liad douljtless a pretty wholesome respect for Wayne as a soldier and did not care to take any chances in provoking him to storm the fort and therefore prudently refused to give shel- ter to the fugitive savages. The Americans destroyed all corn- fields and Indian villages on their re- turn up the river, subsisting much of the time, especially while they were con- structing Fort Wayne and Defianc'\ on the corn and vegetable ])atches of the Indians. After garrisoning these forts "Wayne marched back to Fort Greenville, now in Darke countv, and left the tribes to ponder over the situation until spring to decide whether they would make peace or have more war. The effect of Wayne's victor}^ over the Indians cannot be correctly measured by the number of savages slain in battle. The campaign had convinced them of their inability to successfully make war on tlie whites. They had seen an army come among them led by a chief whom they could neither surprise nor defeat. They had seen the hollowness of the Eng- lish promises of help; when danger came they had seen the king's soldiers creep into their forts like ground hogs, and when the Indian went there for protec- tion the gate was shut in his face and he was left to the mercy of Wayne's victori- ous soldiers. They had seen their corn- fields laid waste, their villages burned and their women and children left des- titute for the winter and had seen five garrisoned forts placed in their country to enforce peace. There was a logic in all this that the Indian could under- stand. He saw that he must do one of three things, make peace, leave tlie coun- try, or be annihilated. British agents still endeavored to pre- vent a treaty, but hollow promises and fine talk did not allay the pangs of hua- ger and the pinching cold of winter; and the following year the basis of a treaty was made at Greenville, Darke county, on the 3d of August, 1795, by which the Indians relinquished all claim forever to more than three-fourths of Ohio, besides sixteen cessions of land, located from each other at great dis- tances, and distributed over an extensive area of wilderness country, the lands upon which are now established those great centers of commerce, Chicago, De- troit, Toledo and Fort Wayne, besides other distant posts, as Versailles and Mackinaw. This treaty was signed by the war chiefs of no less than twelve tribes of Indians. Then came treatv after treatv and 10 THE PIOXEER grant after grant during tlic years that followed — Treaty of Fort Industry, 1805; at Detroit, 1807; at Brownstown, 1808; treaty where Maumee now stands, in 1817, and one of the most important to the ]\Iaumee Valley; treaty at St. Marys, 1818; treaty of Saginaw, 1819. One by one the different grants were extinguish- ed. The Delawares ceded their reserva- tions in 1829. The Wvandots ceded thf'ii-s Ijy a treaty made at Upper San- dusky, March 17, 1842. This was the last Indian treaty in Ohio — a state, says Henry Howe, every foot of whose soil has been fairly purchased by treaties from its original possessors. The last Indian title extinguished was that of the Wyandots, and they left for Kansas in -July, 1843. EARLY FORMATION Miamis and other tribes their hunting grounds. •Inimcd it as Wood County Seat Once at Detroit Struggle Over Location — Rivalry Between Orleans and Perrysburg Mlv. EVEES compiled the following bit of interesting history of Wood county in its early days: The territory now known as Wood county, belonged to tlie Eries, or, as some historians say, the Neuter Nation. The French explorers and missionaries first saw the shores of Lake Erie, and next to the Iroquois, invaded the country about the close of the first half of the Seventeenth Century. From the beginning of French exploration to 1713, it formed a part of the original province of Quebec: from 1713 to 1764, it was a part of Louisiana; from 1764 to 1769, under the British parliament statute, it belonged to Quebec ])rovince: from 1769 to 1778, under authority of the Virginia legislature, it was attached to Boletourt county, Va., and from 1778 to 1787, it formed a part of Illinois county, Va. When the territory northwest of the Ohio was established in 1787, Wood county was its wildest and most inhos- pitable part, and later off of Wayne coun- ty (organized in 1796). The Ottawas, The First Legislature Of Ohio, in March and April, 1803^ esta])lished the counties of Green, Mont- gomery, Oallia, Butler, Warren, Geauga, Scioto and Franklin, and all of Wood county, south of the Fulton line was de- tached from the great county of Wayne. Our county seat was then at Detroit. Congress had since chopped us off, so to speak, and, like a chip from a great log, we were lying over in the state of Ohio, and our late county seat, Detroit, was in Wayne county still, but in Indiana ter- ritory. The ]\Iaumee country had been divorced. We were in that fragment of Ohio that liad been Wayne county, North- Avest territory, but now we were in a new state, without a seat of justice or county government, nor even a county name. No Use For It It is true that the hordes of Indians and few white traders and half breeds here had but little use for a county seat, but still it was the fashion to preserve the semblance of civil government, by attaching all territory to some organized county for such purposes. It had been the rule too, on the Ohio, where the set- tlements began, to extend the limits of tlie now counties to the northern bound- SCKAP-BOOK. 11 ary of the territory. So it happened, when Green and Franklin counties were organized on the northern borders of the settlements, they were extended north to the state line, possibly to include the 12 mile reserve, and took in the present ter- ritory of Wood. The present tier of eastern townships of Wood were in Franklin, with the county seat at Frank- linton, now Columbus, and the remainder of Wood was attached to Green county, with seat of justice at Xenia. But the fact that this territory had two county seats caused but little inconvenience; ex- cept the U. S. Eeserve it was all Indian territory; there were no taxes to pay or deeds to record. Settlements, however, ^\ere extending up the Mad river very fast, and two years later, 1805, Cham- paign county was formed of parts of Green and Franklin counties, and in 1817, Logan county was organized. Wood county was in Logan county from 1817 to 1820 as well as in Erie county in the territory of Michigan, for the Michigan authorities jnstly exercised jurisdiction over a part of it. Dr. Horatio Conant had no sooner made his home within the old limits of Wood county, than Governor Cass com- missioned him a Justice of the Peace of Erie county, with headquarters at ]\Lau- mee. To oppose this action, and as soon as Waynesfield township of Logan county Avas established, the governor of Ohio commissioned Seneca Allen, of Fort Meigs, a Justice of the Peace for Logan county, and thus it was in two distinct jurisdictions until 1835-36, when the Toledo war woke up congress to apply a remedy. A County of Their Own Now that the Maumee Rapids people had a county of their own, and a seat of justice right in their midst, it might reasona1)ly be presumed that they would, after the gi-eat inconvenience they had endured, be happy to a man. Xot so. lliuikan naliire is not shaped thus. Jt was the same then as it is today ; never satistied. ^laumec had the county seat ti'mporarily, but not by general approval. Orleans and Perrvsburg were not pleas- ed. The settlers were pretty evenly di- vided on each side of the river. But in the new counties then forming, the seats of justice were fixed temporarily by the legislature until the developments of pop- ulation should indicate where the prop^u' place for the county seat would be, when three disinterested commissioners were appointed, whose duty it was to carefully investigate the situation and fix upon the location of the county seat. Had the location of tlie seat of justice been by a vote of the settlers, no doubt Maumee Avould have held it at that time. Both Sides Were Envious Orleans and Perrysljurg, both on the south side of the river, were envious of each other and would not act in unity, and in a triangular battle, Maumee could out vote either of them. The ques- tion has often been raised in later years as to how Perrysburg got the county seat away from her stronger neighbor, Maumee, and we believe this is the first time an explanation has appeared in print. The County Seat Located At the session of the legislature, in the winter of 1821-22, Charles E. Sher- man (father of Senator and General Sherman), Edward Paine, Jr., and Xehemiah King were appointed commis- sioners io fix the pennanent location of the county seat of Wood county. At the May term of court in Maumee, 1823, the report of these commissioners, a copy of which had been placed on file with the clerk, was read in open court, and froin which report (following the language of the journal), "it appears that the town of Perrysburg in said county of Wood^ was selected as the most proper place aa 12 THE PIONEEE a seat of justice for said county of Wood, the said town of Perrysburg being as near the center of said county of Wood, as to situation, extent of population, quality of land and convenience and in- terest of the inhabitants of said county of Wood, as was possible, the commis- sioners aforesaid designate in-lot No. 387, as the most proper site for the court house of said county of Wood." Fought Till the Last It must not for a moment be supposed that Maumee surrendered up this coveted prize without a protest, or that Orleans looked on with an approving smile. Both opposed it with every possible in- fluence, but Perrysburg had a powerful ally. Just at this critical juncture, the United States gave some friendly aid to her protege. A Gift of Great Benefit In May, 1822, Congress enacted a law vesting the title to all unsold lots and out-lots in Perrysburg, in the Commis- sioners of Wood county, on condition that the county seat should be perman- ently located there. The net proceeds of the sale of the lots were to be used in erecting public buildings, etc. There was a considerable number of these lots unsold and the gift proved of great bene- fit to the county in its early poverty, in getting a jail and court house without much expense to the tax-payers. Re- gardless of this help to the county, the decision of the commissioners who locat- ed the seat of justice, was a wise and also a just one, either in the light of the views set forth in their report, or of what subsequently occurred, the dismember- ment of Wood county to form Lucas. A Complicated Question There was. too. nt time a compli- cated question of jurisdiction between Ohio and the territory of Michigan, which well nigh provoked a war 15 years later. According to the claims of Michi- gan, most of the territory north of the Maumee belonged to her. The tinal de- cision of the question rested with Con- gress, as Michigan was not yet a state. This uncertainty of jurisdiction may also have had its influence with the commis- sion which .fixed the permanent county seat at Perrysburg. It was known to the friends of the latter place, and the Hollisters, Spaffords and others, who had at that time invested in property in Per- rysburg, were tacticians enough to work the point for all it was worth. Although the decision of the commission in favor of Perrysburg was made in May, 1822, there does not appear to have been any haste in the removal. The Commissioners Meet The first meeting of the county com- missioners in Perrysburg, as shown by their journal, was on the 3rd of March following, nearly ten months after the decision had been made. Their minutes of the proceeding in Maumee, during al- most three years, show a light amount of routine work. They had constructed a log jail and taken some steps looking to the establishment of roads. Their record for the entire time covers only about 20 pages, and the auditor, Am- brose Rice, received $29.75 for his ser- vices in the year ending March 4, 1823. Thomas W. Powell, then prosecuting at- torney, was appointed auditor for the year 1823, and filled both offices, getting an allowance of $30 for his services as auditor, which was 25 cents more than Rice got. SCEAP-BOOK. 13 THE TREATY OF MAUMEE Most Important to Wood County Opposed by Some of the Indian Chiefs Thrill- ing Scenes This Section at Last Placed on the Map THE conclusion of the series of great events by which the United States acquired a clear title deed to the lands now embraced in Wood county was that of the Maumee Treaty in 1817. In September of that year Duncan McAr- thur and Lewis Cass, as the authorized agents of the United States, met the Wyandot, Ottawa, Chippewa, Pottawa- tomy, Seneca, Delaware, and Sha^\a"iee tribes to the number of about 7,000 In- dians, at a treaty council at the Maumee Rapids and purchased from them all their remaining lands in Ohio except some scattering reservations. Only one of these touched the present limits of Wood county. Of all the great treaties from that made with the Iroquois at Fort Stanwix in 1784, down to this at the Maumee Rapids, none was so important to North- western Ohio. Campaigns had bean made and battles fought — sometimes to end in defeat, sometimes in victory. Treaty had followed treaty, bnt each and all had consigned this land to the sway of the savage. Almost three decades had passed from the time the Marietta Colony was planted on the Ohio in 1878, until the power of the government was invoked in bringing the unshadowed noonday light of Civilization to the Mau- mee country. Now, for the first time could it be said that this section stood on an equality with the rest of Ohio, free from the fetters of ownership and dominance of a race whose interests, habits, customs and mode of life were entirely opposed to the improvement of the country. It is possible that this land was, in that early time, thought unfit for white occupation, or rather that it was better suited to the uses of Indians than whites. It was doubtless true that in some re- spects this portion of Ohio was not the most desirable of any in the State. That, however, coupled with the fact that it was held as Indian territory for about thirty years after settlement begun in other portions of the State, explains why some of the counties were, for a time, way behind the procession. A line drawn from Sandusky Bay south along the west end of the Con- necticut Reserve to the Greenville treaty line, near Mount Gilead, thence wester- ly along that line to the Indiana line, thence north to Michigan, and including all the west part of Ohio as far as De- fiance, and down the Maumee to its mouth, would about embrace the Ohio land bought at that treaty, and since cut up into about eighteen counties. Wood, as she is today, lay entirely within this purchase, aside from the half of the twelve-mile square Reserve on the north side of the Maumee, bought at Wayne's treaty. The land on the north side of the Maumee, west to Defiance, was bought at the treaty of Detroit, 1807. The treaty was regarded by the people of the state with great interest. This part of Ohio north of the Greenville line was a blank space on the map. It was simply the Indian territory and the "Black Sw^'"iir,." Its name caused a shrug of terror to many. In others there was a belief that while it was not an earthly paradise, yet it was a good place to go and "grow up with the coun- try" The Indians too, did not agree as to the advisability of soiling it. There was a division among ihem and some stout opposition developed at the treaty. Signing the Treaty of 1817 Gen. Hunt, in his reminiscences, says: 14 THE PIONEER There was an Indian present whose name was jMashkeman, who was a great warrior, and prided himself on being a British subject. He had been bribed to oppose the treaty. Wlien he found the Indians giving way to Cass and McAr- tbur, our commissioners, it made him very angry. He said in his speech that *'the palefaces had cheated the red men, from their first landing on this conti- nent. The first who came said they wanted land enough to put a foot on. They gave the Indians a beef, and wore to have so much land as the hide would cover. The palefaces cut that hide inlo strings, and got land enough for a fort. The next time they wanted more land they bought a great pile of goods, which they offered for land. The red men took the goods, and the palefaces were to have for them so much land as a horse would travel round in a day. They cheated the red man again by having a relay of horses to travel at their utmost speed. In that way they succeeded. Now, you Cass," pointing his finger and shaking his tomahawk over Cass' head, "ISTow, you Cass, come here to cheat us again."" Tluis closing he sat down. Cass replied : "My friends, I am much pleased to find among you so great a man as Mashke- man. I am glad to see you have an ora- tor, a man who understands how much you have been cheated by the white peo- ple, and who is fully able to cope with. them — those scoundrels who have cheat- ed you so outrageously. 'Tis true what he has said, every Avord true. And the first white man Avns your French father. The second Avhite man was your Englisli father you seem to think so much of. "NoAv you have a father, the Presi- dent, Avho does not want to cheat you, but wants to give you more land west of the IMississippi than you have here, anrl to build 7uills for vou, and help yoii till the soil." At which Mashkeman raved and froth- ed at the mouth. He came up to Gen. Cass, struck liim on the breast with the back of his hand, raising his tomahawk with the other hand, saying, "Cass, you lie; you lie!" Cass turned to Knaggs, who was one of the interpreters, and said : "Take tliat woman away and put a petticoat on lier; no man would talk that way in council." Tavo or three Indians and interpretors took liim off out of the council. Tlie treaty resulted in buying from the In- dians the northwestern part of Ohio and tlie southern part of Michigan. Another warrior, Otusso, meaning White Cloud, and his mother were also ]u-esent and are thus spoken of: Otusso, son of Kantuck-e-gau, the most eloquent warrior of his tribe, was a very intelligent Indian — quite the equal of Tecumseh in mental acumen, but lacking the force and vigor of the latter. Otusso was a descendant of the I'enoAvned Pontiac, and at tlie time of his death the last of his family, and the last Avar phief of his nation, remaining on the Maumee river. His mother was a sort of Indian Queen and grandniece to Pontiac. She Avas held in great reverence by the In- dians — so much so, that at the time of this treaty in 1817 (she then being very old and Avrinkled and bent over Avith age, her hair perfectly white), no chief Avould sign the treaty until she had first consented and made her mark bv touch- ing her fingers to the pen. At that treaty there Avere 7,000 Indians gather- ed together. When the treaty was agreed upon, the head chiefs and war- riors sat round the inner circle. She had a place among them. The remain- ing Indians, with the Avomen and chil- dren, comprised a crowd outside. The chiefs sat on seats built under the roof of the council house, Avhich was open on all sides. The whole assembly kept si- lence. The chiefs boAved their heads and cast their eves to the ground and Availed S(']JAr-F.OOK. 15 patiently for the old woman until she rose, went forward, and toucliod the pen to the treaty, after it had been read to them in her presence. Then followed the signatures of all the chiefs. More Encouragement to Settlers Following close after this treaty an- other helpful thing to the settlement took place. The Government in the previous year. 181fi, liad not only plat- ted the town of Perrysburg but had re- surveyed the 12-mile Reserve. It was in this survey that a change was made and the land along the river subdivided into river tracts instead of the usual form of survey. The land office was at Wooster, Ohio, and in 1817 the sale took place, which proved of great advantage to the settle- ment. It gave a fixedness and perman- ence to the improvements started. Hith- erto when all were squatters without fixed tenure there was but little incen- tive to go into extensive improvement. — ('. IF. E. WOOD COUNTY BORN In the Track of Startling Events Long Before It Had a Name WOOD COUNTY, in name and boundary, was bom into the sis- terhood of Ohio counties April 1, 1820, by an act of the Ohio Assembly. She drew her first breath of official corporate life in the following month, May 12, in the second story of a little store room in Maumee. There the first Board of Com- missioners (Daniel Hubbell, John Pray and W. H. Ewing) held their first meet- ing and made the first page of the official records of Wood county. The beginning was small, but the ex- pectations were proportionately great. It is safe to affirm that there was not at that time a more unpromising member in the family of Ohio counties. Possi- bly tliat gallant soldier, Captain Wood, who was Gen. Harrison's chief engineer at Fort Meigs, and who helped to defend that post in 1812, and for whom Wood county was named, did not feel ver}' highly complimented. But were it pos- sible that he could rise up from beside the marble shaft built to his memory on the Hudson at West Point, and view this land now touched by the magic wand of three generations, he would not be ashamed of his progressive namesake. The biography of these hardy pioneers and the historic events of the memorable past rightly form a part of the story of Wood county. An account of the land and of the individuals and communities who occupy it makes l)iography and his- tory, two of the most interesting branch- es of human knowledge. Wood county, with her accumulation of historic years and thrifty, progressive people, has a contribution of this kind now fast passing into oblivion, which, if truthfully and fittingly told, is well worthy a place in our national history. ]\Iuch that belongs to and becomes a part of our history occurred before our land had a place marked in the geography of the world. The homes which we enjoy to-day lay in tlie tracks of great events of the past. Long before the silent wastes of Wood liad even a name, the martial tread of armies responded to the call of the na- tion, when its destiny hung trembling in tlie l)alance. It was then the startling roar of cannon proclaimed that the final contest between Civilization and Barbar- ism was in deadly issue at her very threshold.— C. ^Y.' E. 16 THE PIONEEK CATHOLIC MISSIONS First Established in Ohio Interesting Sketch by D. W, Manchester, of Cleveland THE following interesting sketch of the first Catholic explorers and mis- sionaries, was furnished Mr. Evers some years ago by D. W. Manchester, Secre- tary and Librarian of the Western Ee- serve Historical Society, with headquar- ters at Cleveland: There has been much published relat- ing to early explorations in North Amer- ica and the West, but a great portion from the different sources does not seem to assimilate, or there seems, rather, to be a disagreement with the whole. There has been less published, because of less general interest, perhaps, respecting the first priests and their missions; but what has been published appears to be more definite and reliable. I suppose there is no doubt that LaSalle was the first white man who "looked into the Maumee Val- ley," although Jolliet undoubtedly was the first Frenchman who navigated Lake Erie; and while the latter may have coasted along the southerly shore of that Lake, there is no probability that he pen- etrated at all the interior. There is scarcely any ground for question that La- Salle did make explorations within the present state, and he is believed to have been at Cleveland and in the vicinity of Canfield, Mahoning county. On this expedition LaSalle set out from Mon- treal, July, 1667, "with five Canoes and three Canoes of Sulpitians guided by some Senecas who had wintered in Cana- da." Col. Chas. Whittlesey, until his death president of the Western Eeserve Historical Society from its organization, speaking of this expedition, the only record of which, so far as I am aware, being that of Galinee, "still in deacon's orders," who accompanied LaSalle, says, "LaSalle's plan might have been to cross Lake Ontario to Grand river, down it to the lake, thence along the north shore of Erie to the mouth of the Maumee river on the route referred to by him in 1663." The Colonel also says, "He (La- Salle) may have spent the winter (1669- 70) in Ohio, where game was abundant and beaver numerous. We have no re- liable evidence that he was at Montreal between July 1669 and August 1672." There is much mystery about the move- ments of LaSalle, and an unfortunate lack or reliable data, arising largely from the fact that the Catholics make as little mention of him as possible after what they term his "apostasy." Gen. Garfield, in a valuable address, published as Tract 20, publications of the Histori- cal Society, entitled "Discovery and Ownership of the Northwestern Terri- tory and Settlement of the Western Ee- serve," follows much the same line of thought as Col. Whittlesey, and speaking of LaSalle's expedition says, "We find him with a small party near the western extremity of Lake Ontario boldly enter- ing the domain of the dreaded Iroquois, traveling southward and westward through the wintry wilderness until he reached a branch of the Ohio, probably the Alleghany." Before the death of Col. Whittlesey, Pierre Margry communicated to him an extract from an unpublished letter (with- out date) of LaSalle's, in which the lat- ter mentions "the river which you see marked on my map of the southern coast of this lake (Erie), etc." The original of this letter was sent to Francis Park- man, who says, "On the map described 'Discovery of Great West' the Maumee river is clearly laid down, with a portage direct to the Ohio, which is brought close to Lake Erie." This map is clearly an- terior to 1680. I might add that an additional reason ^fhy there is so little account of LaSalle's travels and explorations, is found in the fact that a part of the papers were SCKAP-BOOK. 17 lost in the attack of the Iroquois on the post in 1681, and that on his assassina- tion in 1687, his brother, the Abbe Cavalier, burned the most of the papers that were found with him. Mr. Gillmany Shea is of the opinion that we may conclude that "unauthor- ized trappers, traders and Coureurs de bois, both French and English, were among the Indians in advance of the explorers." It is a fact, I believe, that the early explorers and priests (and they were in- separable) came direct from Canada to the Northwest Territory, and Mr. Shea says that Father Joseph Ix> Caron was the first Catholic priest from Canada who penetrated into the present territory of the United States. He was one of four Fransiscans whom Champlain obtained from France in 1614. A year later, Le Caron was laboring among the In- dians at Lake Huron; but I think there is no evidence that he was in the limits of Ohio. Mr. Shea is unquestioned authority on Catholic missions in America, and in an article contributed by him to the Catholic Universe of Cleveland in 1881, and which paper the E«v. G. F. Houck, Chancellor of the Cleveland Diocese, which embraces tliirty-three counties in Northern and Northwestern Ohio, has embodied in his book entitled "The Church in Northern Ohio," says, "The first trace of Catholic missionaries having visited the territory now within the limits of Ohio, is foimd as early as 1749. It was then that the Jesuit Fathers, Potier and Bonnecamp, came to evangelize the Huron Indians living along the Vermillion and Sandus- ky rivers, in Northern Ohio. He also states that the first permanent chapel within the confines of the present state of Ohio, was erected near Sandusky in 1751, by the Jesuit Father de la Eich- ardie, who, with his companions, had come from Detroit and Canada to the southern shore of Lake Erie. A part of the Huron tribe was brought by Father de la Eichardie, in 1751, to Sandusky, where, under the name of Wyandots, they soon took an active part in the affairs of the West. They were also conspicuous in the last French War, and at its close were implicated in the conspiracy of Pontiac, though long checked by the influence of Father Peter Potier, S. J. During the exciting times of the war these missionaries were driven from Sandusky, Father Potier being the last Jesuit missionary among the west- ern Hurons. He died in July, 1781. The Indian missions in and near San- dusky thence depended entirely on the priests attached to the French posts in Canada and Michigan. When the Society of Jesus was sup- pressed, and Canada lost to the French, the above mentioned Indian missions were abandoned. From 1751 to 1795 no record is found of any further effort made in Northern Ohio to continue the missionary work begiin by the Jesuits. In the early part of 1796 the Eev. Ed- mund Burke was sent by Bishop Hubert, of Quebec, from Detroit, to the north- western part of Ohio, near Fort Miami, just built by the British govermnent on the IMaumee river, opposite the present site of Perrysburg, Wood county. Here he resided about one vear. minis- tering to the few Catholic soldiers in the fort, and endeavorinp^ witli little success, to christianize the Ottawa and Chippe- wa Indians in th<^ noio-hborhood — the latter work having been for long one of his aims as a missionary priest. Father Burke left this unpromising charge about Februarv, 1797. From that time, and until 1817, no priest was stationed in Northern Ohio, and in fact none in the entire territory of the present state of Ohio."— 77. W. Manchester. 18 THE PIONEER DISASTROUS CAMPAIGNS Under Gens. Harmar and St. Clair Terror of Settlers Grief of Washington The Man Chosen for the Emergency — Washington and Wayne Contrasted EARLY in the year 1790, a short dis- tance north of Marietta, twelve white settlers were inhumanly butchered and their bodies burned by the Indians. 'This was the beginning of what is some- times known in history as Wayne's War. The Government still entertained hopes of avoiding a general war, but it was thought best at the same time to ■ chastise the Indians severely for this out- rage and make them feel the power of the "thirteen fires" as the Indians termed the United States. Accordingly Gen, Harmar, an old continental officer, with ■ a battalion of regular troops and twelve hundred Kentucky and Pennsylvania vol- unteers, marched against the hostile war- riors. These latter fell back to the Mau- mee at the junction of the St. Joseph and St. Mary's rivers, now Fort Wayne. Gen, Harmar' s Defeat There, after some bad generalship by Harmar, a part of his army was ambush- ed by the Indians under command of a Miami chief named Little Turtle and many of the regulars with their officers killed. The volunteers saved themselves by inglorious flight. Thus, disastrously ended the first at- tempt to punish the Indians. Embold- "^ened by this victory and stimulated by the plunder it secured them the savages '"became more defiant and bloodthirsty vthan ever. The situation of the settlers ;at this time was one of great peril. Sev- eral desultory war expeditions by the Kentucky and Virginia volunteers were made, whicli resulted cliiefly in destroy- ing some Indian villasres and their corn- fields, but this only exasperated the re- vengeful savages to additional atrocities. Gen. St, Clair's Disaster A second expedition by the Government was commanded by Gen. Arthur St. Clair, at that time Governor of the Northwest territory. On the approach of this army the Indians, this time fell back on a more direct route to the Mau- mee. St. Clair, who had seen service in the war of the Revolution, was a gouty old man, lacking not only in vital energy, Init in the qualities of an Indian fighter. He pursued the retreating foe until they had reached a point (since called Fort Recovery near the head of the Wabash, on the line of the present counties of Darke and Mercer) , where, one morning at day- light the Americans were suddenly and unexpectedly attacked by an overwhelm- ing force of Indians, again led by the wily chieftain Little Turtle. St. Clair's army was utterly defeated and routed with a loss in slain of over nine hundred men, nearly half of his fighting force, to- gether with his cannon, ammunition, liuggage and other equipment. An Appalling Calamity No such appalling, ghastly disaster had ever before befel the whites in Indian warfare; not even Braddock's defeat equaled it in loss of life. The prisoners and wounded were put to death with the most diabolical tortures known in savage warfare, while the dead were mutilated in the most horrible man- ner. The eyes of these were gouged out and the sockets as well as the mouth and ears filled with earth — as if in a grim, hideous satisfaction of the white man's demand for more land. The brutality and demoniacal vengeance of the savages was never more atrociously exhibited than in this defeat and pursuit of the whites. The direful news spread rapid- ly from the frontier to the Atlantic and the helpless l)order settlers spoke of the GENERAL ANTHONY WAYNE Hero of The Battle of Fallen Timber. Born in Chester Co., Pa., Jan. I , I 743. Died at Presque Isle, Erie, Pa., Dec. 15, 1796. SCEAP-BOOK. 21 calamity with bated breath and terror. The situation was now deplorable in the extreme. Washington's Great Grief President Washington, it is related, wrung his hands and shed tears of an- guish when the news reached him and both swore and prayed in the conflict of frenzied emotions which almost distract- ed his mind. He was inconsolable, doubtless in part, for his share of the re- sponsibilit}', in appointing a man Avho had proved as incompetent as St. Clair. The whole country clamored loudly now for active and strong measures by the Government. A leader was in de- mand to go to the frontier, organize an army and punish and subdue the sav- ages, an undertaking of no small mag- nitude as the case then stood. The Pres- ident, after much serious deliberation, sent for Gen. Anthony Wayne A former military associate, living at Chester, Pennsylvania, a small farmer and surveyor by occupation. Wayne mounted his horse and rode to the capital city to see what his old commander want- ed. He was then in the prime of life, a fighter by nature, of audacious courage and had the greatest degree of confidence in the wisdom and judgment of the Presi- dent, in all things. He promptly consented to go and fight the Indians if the President would allow him time to recruit, equip and drill his aimy before he was required to march against the enemy, which reasonable pre- caution, of course, was assented to. Wayne and Washington Anthony Wayne, whom President Washington had called to his aid in this grave emergency, was a rugged, pictur- esque character of the Eevolutionaiy period. It seems even at this distant da}', an anomaly in the character of the great President that he had always placed such implicit trust and confidence in one so much unlike himself in nearly every characteristic. Wayne, while not dissipated, loved grog and jovial companions. Washington, was sedate, dignified and sober. Wayne was subject to startling ebullitions of profanity when angry or excited and it mattered little either who his auditors were. Washington was self-poised and devoutly religious in character. As soldiers, too,, they were unlike. Wayne in battle struck with the furry of a tempest, regardless of consequences. He was by some called reckless and had even then won the soubriquet of "Mad Anth- ony," which followed him to his grave. Washington was slow and deliberate, cal- culating carefully the, effect of every movcmient. Wayne had the dash and impetuosity of Murat, fonning his conclusions on the impulse of the moment. Washington liad the crafty strategy, foresight and in- flexibility of purpose of Frederick the Great. Wayne sought victory over his enemies by the sliort, sharp method of bloody an- nihilation. Washington compassed the destruction of his foe by adroit and far- reaching combinations and steady, hard fighting to a finish. Each was great in his sphere. Each devoutly loved his country, and this de- votion harmonized all differences or pre- judices in habits and character. Such were the men of the Kevolution. Illustrative somewhat of Wayne's pe- culiar characteristics an incident is told of him, whether true or not, during the dark days of the Eevolution. A council of war had been held at Washington's headquarters, and Wayne, who commanded a Pennsylvania brigade some distance away, had been decided on as a suitable leader of a storming party to assault and carry the high, rocky for- tress of Stony Point on the Hudson. The fortress was not only strong by nature. 22 THE PIONEER but was defended by six hundred trainpd British soldiers, and the mere thought of carrying it by a night attack was sug- gestive of desperate work. Storming Stony Point Washington sent for Wayne, with whom at that time he had but little per- sonal acquaintance. Watching closely the effects his question would have, he said: "Gen. Wayne, I have sent for yon to ask you a question; can you take your brigade and storm Stony Point?" Quick as a flash the general was on his feet and with a wicked light in his eye, staring straight into the face of the commander, he said : "General, I can storm hell, if you will lay the plan for me." This bluff, warlike answer, in the con- templation of so hazardous an enterprise, almost startled the sedate commander, but he saw in the resolute rough and ready soldier before him the very man he had been looking for to lead the as- sault on Stony Point. Wayne did not disappoint his com- mander's expectations. He led his men up the rocky precipice over the British parapets in the face of a deadly fire with the sweep of a rising tornado. When near the top a bullet struck Wayne on the head and knocked him down, but with a blasphemous oath on all the Brit- ish he commanded his men, who thought him fatally hurt, to carry him into the fortress, where he met the English com- mandant, paralyzed and dumfounded at the audacity and suddenness of the at- tack and who surrendered without con- ditions. This daring and successful ex- pedition led by Wayne, was pronounced by Gen. Charles Lee to be the most bril- liant achievement of the war. A Soldier and Leader Wayne fought in nearly all the prin- cipal battles of the Revolution and al- ways with distinction. If there was any desperate work to bo done his was the first name mentioned. His savage at- tack on Cornwallis in Virginia, in which he inflicted heavy loss on the British, doubtless saved Lafayette from serious disaster in that campaign. Wayne was sent to Georgia and routed and dro\^e from that state a large force of Indians on their way to join the British. The Georgia Legislature voted him their thanks, and also gave him a large tract of land for this service. In this cam- paign Wayne acquired some useful ex- perience in Indian diplomacy and war- fare, which afterwards came in good play in dealing with his Indian foes. It should not, from these jottings of Wayne's early career, be inferred that he was a reckless or unsafe commander. There was neither lack of method nor of tactics in his mode of warfare. He was a leader and shared all the dangers and hardships of his men. He had good executive ability, unerring judgment and an acuteness of perception amounting al- most to intuition. Shrewd and quick in expedient, watchful, cautious and ener- getic, Anthony Wayne was A Dangerous Antagonist Either in savage or civilized warfare. Such was the man chosen to carry the stars and stripes- — the banner of Civiliza- tion to the ]\Iaumee wilderness and whose career we have deemed wortliy of more than a passing notice. In his memory, there should be here, «. bronze statue the base of which should be the famous Turkey Foot Rock, which yet marks the place of his last battle. The President was delayed in getting the necessary appropriations l)y Congress, hut Wayne in the meantime went west to Pittsburg, preferring to recruit his army from the border men, who made l^etter soldiers for an Indian campaign. It Mill not be difficult to understand why there was at first a reluctance on the part of men to enlist to fight the savages after the disastrous termination of the SCEAP-BOOK. 23 two previous campaigns. It seemed, like signing one's own death warrant to en- roll to fight Indians, the way things had been going. Bnt Wayne's prestige as a soldier, with his other characteristics so well suited to western men of that time, soon won the day, and his army, which was to be called The Legion, divided into four sub-divisions, soon begun to assume figliting proportions. Terms of Peace Rejected In the meantime all emigration north of the Ohio had ceased. The settlers already there lived in, or close to block houses and even in this way were in peril of their lives. The Government all this time had beeii putting forth every effort to bring the tribes together in a grand council and, if it wore possible, to yet avert a general war. Five different mes- sengers had been sent among them on peace missions and all save one had been murdered, and this one was unable to effect any arrangement satisfactory to both sides. "The Ohio river must be the boundary or blood will flow," was the Indian ultimatum. Wayne, while awaiting the result of the Government's peace efforts, was drill- ing and practicing his troops. In the early part of October, 1793, he advanced northward from the Ohio to a strong po- sition in the enemy's country, where he established Fort Greenville, now the county seat of Darke county. It was already too late in the season to hope to bring the campaign to a success- ful issue before winter, but the position of his army was such that he could afford protection to the settlements and at the same time keep his line of communica- tions open for supplies. Gen. Wayne, therefore, decided to remain here until spring. About one thousand mounted men from Kentucky who had joined him went home for the winter, but had formed so good an opinion of his army and of Wayne's generalship, that tliey promised to come back in the spring, which they did with their numbers increased to 1,600 troops. Burying St. Clair's Dead After establishing his men securely in winter quarters Wayne sent a detachment of troops to the place of St. Clair's de- feat, twenty-three miles in advance of his army, where he established another strong outpost called Fort Recovery. These troops had first to perform the melan- choly duty of gathering up the bleaching skeletons of St. Clair's illfated men. Ko less than six hundred skulls were picked up and buried. It was the wisli of the President that Wayne should establish and garrison a chain of military posts from the Ohio to the stronghold of the Indians at the Mau- mee, so as to more effectually check all hostile expeditions and to make the In- dians understand that the Government had power at hand and could summarily punish its enemies and also protect its friends. The Indians had bv tliis time l)eoome pretty well satisfied tliat the Government meant to deal vigorously with them and exerted themselves correspondingly. Ind'an Trihes Uniting Under the advice of Brandt, Blue Jacket, Roundhead, Little Turtle and oth- er leading chieftains, influoud'd by Brit- ish and Canadian emissaries, who prom- ised them aid to drive back the hated Americans, the tril)os were to all unite and make common cause against the ad- vancing enemy. Runners were sent to distant tribes to urge them to hurry forward their war- riors for the impending struggle. The medicine men were invoked to aid by all the infernal arts of which superstition was master, to stir up the embers of ha- tred against the people of the thirteen (now increased to fifteen) fires, by addi- tion of Vermont and Kentuclv}^ Wavne. with his knowlcdu-c of Indian 24 THE PION^EER character, from the start had serious doubts of the Government's ability to effect any satisfactory treaty. For this reason he had been restive at the restraint placed upon his movements, which practically delayed him almost a year. Still it is to the credit of the Gov- ernment and humanity that nothing was left undone that could tend to avert the bloody argument of the sword. Wayne's theory of handling savages i was a good deal like the famous 'Method- ist preacher, Peter Cartright, said about I his methods of converting the rough sin- ^i ners in the west at an early day. "Shake them over hell until they can smell brim- stone, and then they are willing to accept salvation.'"— C. W. E. EARLY HISTORY Pertaining to Wo ad County Wayne's Victory and Its Results The Several Treaties That FoUowad, Securing This Wide Domain IX giving the story of Wood county the reader is asked at the outset, to kind- ly bear in mind, that for a period of nearly one huiidred and fifty A^ears after the coming of the first whites. Wood county had neither name nor place on the Atlas of iVmerica. To make the story reasonably intelligible to the stu- dent of her history, some account of the events of that antecedent period becomes necessary. This will be given with due regard to avoiding too m;iny tcdioiis de- tails. The county as since constituted was, for more than one hundred years, a very insignificant part of a vast extent of territory under tlie nominal ownership of France. That ownership ceased in the year 1763 and passed to the Englisii, who, after retaining possession twenty years, surrendered in 1783. all their lands south of Cimada to the United States. That pai't of our history, like the unknown ages before the coming of the whites, is a blank. There are no written lines on its pages. There was nothing to write. The Freneli and Eng- lish left behind scarcely a visible trace of civilization in the Maumee country. Adventurous explorers and fur traders had visited it, occasionally, or passed through on their Journeys to distant points : that was all. The county re- mained in its primeval condition just as the forces of nature had left it since the dawn of creation. It Avas but a vast game preserve for vagrant bands of In- dian hunters. Indeed this condition of things continued during the first decade of ownership by the United States, when occurrences remote from here brought about a gradual change. The Indian tribes occupying the stretch of unbroken wilderness between the ^lau- mee and Ohio rivers began a relentless, murderous warfare on the infant Ameri- can settlements then springing up on the north side of the Ohio. This warfare, in whicli tlie tribes had the counsel and advice of mercenary British agents and traders at Detroit, was Avaged for the purpose of exterminating the whites or driving them to the south side of the Ohio. That Avas the boundary line the Indians had set. for the Americans. Treaties had been made for the pur- chase of the territory, but the claims of tlie tribes Avero so conflicting that one tribe would refuse to sanction or respect the agreements of another and the dead- ly strife continued. So numerous and Avarlike Avere the Indians that defeat or disaster had attonded nearlv everv Avar I si'i?ai'-]:();)a. expedition the xVmericans had sent against them. In the language of one of the Peace Commissioners sent to thein by the Government, "The savages hud become insolent with triumph." The settlers had flod to the forts and bloclc- houses for safety and it was evident that the country woukl have to be abandoned or the Government would have to adopt vigorous measures to break the power of the tribes, by inflicting severe chastise- ment u]ion them. In this emergency President Washing- ton, then at the head of the Government, sent out to the Ohio an old military as- sociate of his in tlie Kevohition, Gen. Anthony Wayne, a man of known fighting qualifications and l)y his habits, well suited to the rough and ready men on the frontier. Wayne made a success of the work he was chosen for. From the moment he organized his army and led it into the wilderness the panic-stricken settlers felt liope and, confidence. The Indians fell back slowly in the di- rection of the Maumee, watching for an opportunity to ambush or surprise the Americans as they had successfully done in two previous campaigns. Several sav- age assaults were made during the ad- vance, but the warrioi's, wlio fought like Spartans, were so rouglily handled bv Wayne's soldiers tliat they became more cautious. All devices and stratagems of savage warfare failed them. In the language of their alilest chieftain," Little Turtle, they had met a white chief whose eyes were never closed ; to whom the night and the day were alike. The more sagacious of the chiefs saw plainly that they were over-matched at last. With a sort of crude statesmanship that one cannot but admire in them, they at once cast aside all old tril)al diff"rences for the time being, senl runners to dis- tant tribes and bands for help and jnit forth every effort to rally a force ])owi'r- ful enough to destroy tlie ne\v invader. At that time the Maumee was tlir head 25 of Lake Erie, in fact the whole country to Detroit was the seat of a dense Indian population. A good descriptive writer of that time says: "The Maumee River was a de- lightful home and a secure retreat for our savage enemies. Its banks were studded with their villages, its rich bot- tom lands were covered with their corn, while their light canoes glided over a beautiful current, which was at once a convenient highway and an exhaustless reservoir of food. Forest, stream and prairie produced, spontaneously and in superabundance, game, fish, fruits, nuts — all things necessary to supply their simple wants. Here their wise men, without fear of molestation, gravely con- vened about their council fires, and de- liberated on the means of checking and rolling back the tide of white immigra- tion — a tide which they dimly foresaw would ultimately sweep their race from. the face of the earth. From here their young warriors crept forth, and stealth- ily approaching the homes of their nat- ural enemies, the palefaces, spread ruin and desolation far and wide. Here their booty and savage trophies were exhibited with the exultations and boasts of the returned 'braves.' Behind an impene- trable swamp, their women, children and propertv were safe during the absence of their men. Exempt from attack or pur- suit, the savage here enjoyed perfect freedom, and lived in accordance with his rude instincts and the habits and customs of his tribe. iVmid the scenes of his childhood, in the presence 'of his an- cestors' graves, the red warrior, with his squaw and pappoose, surrounded by all the essentials to the enjoyment of his simple wants, here lived out the charac- ter which nature had given him. In war. this valley was his base line of at- tack, his source of supplies, and his secure refuge: in peace, his home." When Wayne in the progress of his march arrived at the ;Mainnee where De- 26 THE PIONEER fiance is now, to his surprise he found the country had been abandoned by the enemy, but in his farther advance down the river on the northwesterly bank and when about two miles below the present town of Waterville, he found himself in the immediate presence of the confed- erated tribes of the northwest who had assembled their warriors in a well chosen position to dispute his further advance. The place chosen, some time previously, had been visited by a tornado that had prostrated nearly every tree in that forest and these trees lay as they fell in inde- scribable confusion. That battle ground has thus taken the name of "Fallen Timber," although some historians desig- nate it as "The Battle of the Maumee," and others refer to it as "Wayne's Battle." In the language of the missionary, Eev. James B. Finley, "It was the last united effort of Barbarism to check the swelling overflow of Civilization." This was on the 20th of August, 1794. It should be stated here also as showing the humane spirit of Washington toward these tribes, that while Gen. Wayne came with the sword of an Ajax in one hand, he carried the olive branch of peace in the other. Four days before the bat- tle Wayne sent a peace message to the tribes, but it was treated with contempt. Wayne, after making the necessary dis- position of his force, promptly assailed them. He swept everything before him. Such of the warriors as escaped the deadly bullets of the Americans sought safety in flight. Some fled to the Brit- ish fort "Miami" below where Maumee now stands. Eight here occurred a thing which had mueli to do in subsequent negotiations between the Americans and Indians. The latter had no doubt been furnished before the battle with arms and ammuni- tion by the English. They had also been encouraged by the English, whether from official sources or not is not so clear, that in case thev met with defeat thev would receive shelter at the fort. The- English commandant knew that the fort was there in violation of treaty rights with the Americans. It was on x\meri- can soil. He knew too, that should he give shelter to Wayne's armed enemies it would be a justifiable cause for the- Americans to storm the fort. At all events he prudently kept his gates closed and left the Indians to their fate. For this act of perfidy on the part of their - friends, the English, the Indians justly made loud complaint and in their treaty diplomacy with tlic Iribes that followed the Americans made good use of it. Gen. Wayne destroj'ed all the corn- fields and Indian villages on both sides of the river, and everything else that could shelter or subsist an Indian that he could lay hands on far and near from tlie ]\Iaumee Bay to Fort Wayne and be- yond, built and garrisoned Forts Wayne and Defiance and then marched back to Fort Greenville (now the site of the county seat of Darke county) and went into winter quarters, thus giving the tribes until spring to decide ;is to their future course; whether it should be for peace or for more war. So horrible a visitation and such con- dign chastisement had never befell them before. They had met a white chieftain who defied all their arts of warfare and whipped them on their own chosen field and wlioso genius for destruction sur- passed the Evil Spirit itself. The swampy fastnesses and the forest depths of the Maumee country proved no safe- retreat for the red man. That ark of safety had been broken. Their pretend- ed friends, the king's soldiers, had crept into their fort like cowards and left the Indians to escape tlie best way tliey could. There was a logic in all these things which the savage warriors could easily compre- hend. They saw the hopelessness of further contest. In the following spring the leading chiefs of the twelve principal iribes came- SCRAP-BOOK. 27 in and declared for peace and during all the early part of summer these chiefs waged a diplomatic war with Gen. Wayne in defense of, and to secure all their rights which would have done credit to the statesmanship of enlightened people. They held to every vital point affecting their interests with the same desperate tenacity with which they had fought the last battle of Fallen Timber. The treaty known ever since as the Greenville treaty, when signed, gave to the United States about three-fourths of the land in- cluded within the present boundaries of Ohio in the south and eastern part. The Greenville treaty line, which be- came important in subsequent surveys, and which is indicated on most Ohio maps, will be pretty correctly indicated by drawing a line from Cleveland south- ward to the northeast corner of Holmes county, thence west to the northwest corner of Darke connty, thience south to the Ohio, at the mouth of the Kentucky river. For this they were to receive annuities and other considerations. On the part of the United States, it relinquished all lands north and west of the Greenville treaty line, except sixteen blocks located in various places and roads thereto, known as United States Eeserve lands. The Government also held a protectorate right over the relinquished territory, that is, it agi'eed to protect the Indians and they agTeed not to sell their territory to anyone else. Among these reservations were the present sites of Fremont, Fort AA'ayne, Chicago, Detroit, Mackinaw, etc. One among the largest of these blocks, or Reserves, and the one in which we are more particularly interested, in this nar- ration, was one of twelve miles equare at the foot of the rapids of the Miami of the Lake (Maumee). This Reserve in- cludes both sides of the Maumee from the heart of the present city of Toledo to a point nearly three miles above where Waterville now is. Its southeast corner is the southeast corner of Ferrysburg township, thence north, passing through the city of Toledo, twelve miles, west twelve miles, thence south twelve miles (the southwest corner is near the canal opposite the middle of Station island), thence east to place of beginning. The south line passes a little north of Hull Prairie, and crosses Station Island east of the center. As Wood and Lucas counties have since been constructed, making the Mau- mee the boundary, to the east limits of the Reserve, AVood county has about two<-fifths of this 92,160 acres and Lucas three-fifths. This was the first land in what is now AA^ood county to which the United States had a clear title and here began her settlements and civilization. AVhy should we not award Mad Anthony and his hardy soldiers first hon- ors as pioneers with the sword and can- non preceding the plow and ax? At least they may have the honor of being first here in "proceedings to quiet title.'' How those beleaguered people, penned up in forts, rejoiced when they heard of AVayne's decisive victory on the Maumee, and when, a year later, news of his treaty of peace reached them and they knew they could come forth in safety, how their shouts went up in gladness. An enthusiastic chronicler of that period says: "Peace opened the garrisons, and the valleys of every river resounded with the woodman's ax. Never since the golden age of the poet did the siren song of peace reach so many ears or gladden so many hearts." In the following year, 1796, a treaty was ratified between England and the United States under which all English troops were withdrawn to the Canada side of the boimdary, thus removing an- other cause of dissension and distrust and giving Americans possession of De- troit. In the same year a county of (■nlo>;.5?il dimensions was organized, em- 28 THE PIONEER bracing what, is since jSTortheastern In- diana, Northwestern Ohio and the lower Peninsula of Michigan, and named Wayne, in honor of Mad Anthony, with Detroit as the county seat. If any white man had lived where Wood county is now and been in need of a marriage license, or tax receipt or wished to attend court, his county seat would have been Detroit. The latter place had been the great focus point in the lucrative fur trade, which the French, and later on the English, had enjoyed for many years. The Maumee Eapids, which was con- sidered at the head of navigation, was, next to Detroit at that time, regarded as the most advantageous place on the lakes. Bright visions of the great city yet to spring up here had, even then, flitted across the brain of many an enthusiastic prophet. Wayne's men had spread mar- velous stories of the beauty and fertility of the ]\Iaumee country and of the enor- mous catfish and muscalunge in the riv- ers, but always concluded their encomiums with an "if" it was not for the ague. But so long as the country remained so largely in possession of the Indians it was evident that its advancement would be retarded. In tlie meantime a large per cent of the immigration was locating north of the Ohio. The west was making history. Kentucky had been admitted into the Union and in 1803 Ohio, with a popula- tion of upwards of 72,000, was admitted, with substantially her present boundary limits. This new relation at once inspir- ed the people of Ohio with a desire to get the Indian title extinguished in their northwestern border. In 1805 Michigan territory was organ- ized and William Hull appointed Gov- ernor, and in the same year a treaty was held at Fort Industry (now Toledo), at which the United States purchased a strip of country along the south shore of Lake Erie about fifty miles wide, extend- ing from tlio ('iivahoii-a river west to a point on the Lake between Sandusky Bay and the mouth of the Portage river, cor- responding with the present west line of Huron and Erie counties, and south to the 41st parallel and corresponding with the present soutli line of Medina, Por- tage, Summit and Huron counties. This purchase formed the western part of what has since been known as the Western or Connecticut Reserve. This important treaty, freeing as it did, that fine body of land covering near- ly the entire Ohio front on Lake Erie, gave a new impetus to immigration from New England and New York to which the new territory was easy of access up the Lake. In 1807 another treaty was made at Detroit by which the United States ac- quired that block of land lying between the ]\Iaumee river and the Canada bor- der bounded east by the Lake and west by a line running due north from Fort Defiance. In the year following, 1808. another treaty was made which was the beginning of what has since been one of the most important highways in the state, the Maumee and Western Reserve Road. The tribes ceded rights of way for a road 120 feet wide from the foot of the rajn'ds to the western line of the Con- necticut Reserve (east line of Sandusky county) together with a strip of land one mile "^vide on each side of the road grant given to aid in its construction. Thus gradually the agencies of advancing civ- ilization are opening the way ahead. By this time Peter Navarre and a num- ber of other French families from De- troit, had located on the Bay and later John Anderson, a Scotch fur trader, well known among the Indians, had located a trading post at Fort Miami. Peter Manor, an adopted son of the Indian Cliiof Tondoganie, also located at the foot of the Rapids in 1808. There was at this time a growing in- terest in this pnrt of the IMaumee coun- SC HAP- BOOK. 29 tiy, more especially on account of the extensive fur trade with the Indians. There were then living along the Bay and river about eight thousand Ottawa Indians with some small bands of several other tribes who made their homes with the Ottawas. Considerable commerce was carried on by light sailing craft, owned mostly in Detroit, the distribution of goods in exchange for furs and otht-r forest products forming the bulk of the trade. This grew to such dimensions that in 1810 the Governor appointed Major Amos Spatford Collector for the Port of Miami. The Major, who also served as Postmaster, Avas the first civil officer in this part of Ohio. His first quarterly report shows the exports for three months to have been $5,610.85 worth of skins and furs, and $30 worth of bear's grease. After careful research and inquiry we are of the belief that to Maj. Spafford belonged the honor of having been the first permanent occupant and owner of land in what is now Wood county — the first pioneer. Although the collector's office of the Port of ]\Iiami and the Post- office were on the north side of the river, the Major built his cabin on the south side, just above where Fort Meigs was afterward located. Like the other set- tlers, he became a squatter. — C. W. E. WAYNE'S DARING SCOUTS They Were the Eyes and Ears of His Army Welles, Miller, McClellan and Others WAYNE'S prestige as a soldier and his manl}^, bluff, honest nature drew about him the most adventurous, dare-devil characters on the frontier — men, who not only talked the Indian language, but in all the arts of wood craft, in war and hunting, excelled the Indians themselves. Such men were Wm. Welles and Hen- ry and Christopher Miller. Their com- rades in these scouting expeditions were Hickman, Thorpe, May, Mahaffy and Robt. McClellan. The latter, McClellan, \\as doubtless the most athletic, at least the most active man on foot that ever trod the western wilderness. No white man or savage could escape if McClellan pursued, or could overtake jMcClellan if he chose to flee. Old Andrew Kace, who was with Wayne and afterwards settlod on the Maumee, told of an officer at Greenville, who had a standing offer of a fine horse to any man, red or white, who could outspeed IMcClellan. He would back off a few paces and spring over a covered army wagon with the ease of a deer going over a seven-rail fence. Then too, in courage and endurance McClellan was unexcelled. To Wayne and his army these men were invaluable. They were the ears and eyes of his army. If he wanted informa- tioiT from the enemy's camp they brougnt it. If he wanted an Indian brought in alive tho\- brought him and enjoyed the excitement and hair-breadth escapes more than the dull monotony of camp. An account of these reckless dare-devil spies who accompanied Wayne, and their many exciting adventures would make an inter- esting chapter in border history, but like much of that historv, it has been lost. It had passed away forever when the act- ors themselves were gone. — C. W. E. 30 THE PIONEER GRAND ORGANIZATION The Maumee Valley Pioneer and Historical Association What It Has Ac- complished THE Maumee Valle}^ Pioneer Associa- tion was organized in 1864, and its first president was Gen. John E. Hnnt. It held annual reunions from that time until Sept, 10, 1909, when it was merged into the Maumee Valley Pioneer and Historical Association, which had been incorporated in 1902, for the purpose of purchasing sites and accomplishing more practical results than could be achieved under the Pioneer Association. In re- gard to the work of this bod}^, Mr. Evers says: It is fitting that a word of commenda- tion be spoken for the unselfish and de- voted work of the Maumee Valley Pio- neer and Historical Association to re- claim and preserve these historic grounds and care for the graves of those wlio per- ished in defense of their country. Some of its members have for yeai's lent their influence and put forth their best efforts in this work, at ptH-uiiiarv loss and often under the most (!is;ouragiiig circumstances. And now that their in- domitable efforts are being crowned with success, no one has more reason to rejoice than those faithful and indefatigable old workers, who for so many 3'ears have de- voted themselves to this lal)or of patriot- ism and love. Without these efforts Fort INIeigs would never have had a monument, and the hundreds of graves thereabouts would have remained unmarked in tlie pasture fields as they have boon in the scores of years that have passed away. All honoi- to the Association and tbcir co-workor-. as well as those of the Ohio Assembly, through whose patriotic action this tardy act of justice to our heroic dead was made possible. All honor, too, to the old Pioneer Association that kept alive and stimulated the interest in social and pa- triotic advancement. Under the incorporation and plan of the Maumee Valley Pioneer and Histori- ial Association, the purchase of the Ken- tucky burial ground was made possible. It is under tliis business-like method that most of the real progress has been made and so much has been accomplished. This association is still in splendid work- ing order, not for gain or profit (for not an officer receives a dollar for his ser- vices), but to aid in every way possible to jireserve and mark the historic spots in the Maumee Valley and to mark the burial places of the soldiers who laid down their lives in reclaiming the land from savagery and from the rule of kings in Europe. As such, may not this Association claim, without overstepping the bounds of modesty, this fine monument overlook- ing Fort Meigs and the graves of its dead, as one of its proud achievements? But there is much yet to do. Still, with the aid Ohio has already given, the Associa- li(ni expects to be able to. accomplish very much in the future. With these unselfish and worthy motives, the Association is most certainly entitled to public confi- dence and substantial support. The officers of the Association are : President, D. K. Hollenbeck, of Perrys- burg; Secretary, J. L. Pray, of Toledo. The Association holds its annual meet- ings in Toledo, on the 32d of February. 'I'be Fort Meigs Commission comprises tlio following membership : John B. Wilson, Chairman ; Charles W. Shoe- maker, J. L. Pray, and Wm. Corlett, Socrotarv. SCK'Al'-HOOK. 31 WOOD COUNTY Its Organization in 1820 — The Counties In- cluded in Wood Township of Perrysburg WOOD COUNTY was organized by an act of the Legislature of the State of Ohio, passed February 12, 18"^(), and took effect April 1, follow- ing. The act provided, "that all that part of the lands lately ceded by the Indians to the United States, which lies within this State, shall be erected into fotirteen counties to be bounded and named as follows: No. 11, to include all of ranges nine, ten, eleven and twelve north of the second township north in said ranges, and to run north with the same to the State line, and to be known by the name of Wood." This included the county of Lucas with the exception of two small fractions taken from the counties of Henry and Ottawa. The two counties remained united until by act of the Legislature passed June 20, 1835, the county of Lucas was formed with the first countv-seat at Maumee City. In the formation of Lucas county all that part of Wood then lying north of the Maumee river was severed from the original county of Wood. The channel of the river thereby becoming the bound- ary between the counties. By the act providing for the original organization of Wood county, the counties of Han- cock, Henry, Putnam, Paulding and Wil- liams were attached to the county of Wood to remain until otherwise provided by law. At their meeting on the 4th day of March, 1823, the cotmty commission- ers organized the county, and the terri- tory attached to its jurisdiction into two townships, Waynesfield and Auglaize. The township of Waynesfield was made co-extensive with the counties of Wood and Hancock, and the township of Au- glaize included the counties of Williams, Putnam, Henry and Paulding. jMaumee City remained the seat cf Justice of Wood county, and the courts were held at that place, and the otlier county business was there transacted from the organization of the county in the year 1820, until the year 1823. By this time the settlements on the south side of the river at or near Perrys- Imig. had become so large as to require a separate township organization, and accordingly the County Commissioners on the 28th day of May, 1823, "ordered tliat so much of the township of Waynes- field as is included in the county of Wood and lying on the south side of the Maumee river, be set ofP and organized into a township by the name of Perrys- burg, and that the election of township officers be held on the 19th day of June, 1823, at the house of Samuel Spaiford in said township." This ordtT organizing ail of the coun- ty of Wood south of the Maumee river into a townsliip, rendered the reorganiza- tion of a township for Hancock county, which up to this time had been a part of Waynesfield township, necessary, and accordingly the Commissioners organ- ized it into a separate township by the name of Findlay. And Henry countv, wbicli by a former order had been in- cltided within Auglaize township, was erected into a separate township by the name of Damascus. Battle at Providence, near Grand Rapids, battle on the site of Perrysburg, siege of Fort Wayne, two sieges of Ft. ]\Ieigs. Dudley's defeat near Miami, bat- tle of Eiver Eaisin, defence of Ft. Stephenson and Perry's victory were all fought on or within 40 miles of the Mau- mee river. 32 THE PIONEER DEDICATION Of the Granite Monument at Fort Meigs in the Presence of Thousands — Inspiring Addresses by Representatives From Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Vir- ginia and Ohio THE 1st of September, 1908, will long be remembered by the citi- zens of Northwestern Ohio, On that day the beautiful gi-anite monument that now adorns Port Meigs was dedicated with inspiring ceremonies. The monu- ment rises to the height of 82 feet, anJ has been erected in memory of the dead of Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Virginia, who fell in the battle around Fort Meigs during the war of 1812-1813. The Toledo Blade in its description of the monument and the commemorative exercises of that day, says it was on this point on the banks of the Maumee that the progress of the British was forever checked. Here the soldiers of the king, even when amalgamated with the savage hordes of the lake country, met their superiors. The onward march of Brit- ish possession was first checked, then halted and then put to flight. The Brit- ish held Detroit and from that outpost made strenuous effort to encroach furth- er and further upon the lands claimed by American settlers and the American nation. The garrison in Fort Meigs, and the men under Dudley, that bravo Kentuckian, and the troops under men like him, declared that the soldiers of the king could go no further. They fought, bled, and hundreds of them died, to uphold that proposition. The Fort Meigs monument says to the people of all the world: "This far the British came, further they could not go, for the volunteer soldiers, many of whom lie buried within the walls from which they fought, so declared." The Monument On two sides of the big shaft are | bronze inscriptions, and on the others are phrases in raised granite letters. All four tell of the deeds of these men who fought and bled to save their country from the English, and who, dying, were buried on the Fort Meigs grounds, on which the monument stands. There is nothing extravagant about the monument, no great figures surround it. It is simple; a magnificent stone column symbolic of the patriotic spirit of the people of today, and of their great love and gratitude for the hardy men of the war of 1812, who by their bravery and death, made it possible to erect a shaft in their memory on United States soil, instead of on a possession of the British. Tliree hundred and twenty-two tons of Vermont granite, the wliitest and purest, are in this Fort Meigs monu- ment, and twenty-five cars were required to haul the huge blocks of stone. Forming a foundation for it is 6,000 cubic feet of concrete. The base of the shaft is 34 feet square, rising step-like for 16 feet, where rests the obelisk. The obelisk is 66 feet in height, and from the base it tapers from six feet square to four feet square near the top. At the tip it has been cut to a perfect point. In the whole are 3,778 cubic feet of stone. Fight for the Monument The history of the fight for the monu- ment is almost as interesting as the his- tory of the battles in commemoration of which it was erected, and like the history of the war, the story of the monument fight, though bloodless, contains many records of unselfish deeds and noble ef- forts. Especial honor is due to the Mau- mee Valley Pioneer and Historical So- ciety, to the Oliio General Assembly and S("KAP-BOOK. 33 to Governor Harris, for the labors (.f these made the magnificent shaft a pos- sibility. For years the graves of Ohio's dead in Fort Meigs battles were nnmarked. Cattle wandered over them, slowly munching at long grass. The burial ground was a pasture. The Maumee Valley Pioneer and Historical Associa- tion protested, but its protests were little heeded. Then, lest the shame of such a condition should always rest on the heads of the people of Ohio, the associa- tion members quietly bought up land where the dead lay. But the association wanted a monu- ment fittingly commemorating the brav- ery of these heroes, to grace the vicinity of the spots where their tired bodies lay. They wanted a monument that would properly mark in the very heart of the Maumee valley region, the limit of Brit- ish victoi*j' and the end of her encroach- ment upon American territory. So, in the Ohio Assembly a resolution was introduced, authorizing an appro- priation of $25,000 for such a shaft. It was pushed by Lucas and Wood county Senators and Eepresentatives and adopt- ed in 1904, but the resolution necessita- ted a further vote on a bill allowing the appropriation. The assojciation worked might and main in the Assembly, night and day. In addition to the author of the measure and its chief supporter, oth- er legislators fought for it, and Gover- nor Hai-ris, himself an old soldier, aided by suggestions and advice to the Com- mission. Successful Issue These efforts resulted triumphantly. Tlie Ohio Assembly made the appropria- tion in March, 1906, and Governor Harris at once set to work to . bring the monument plan to a completion. In ac- cordance with a provision of the biH granting the appropriation, July 23, lOOn, he appointed a commiission of three, J. L. Pray, of Toledo, C. W. Shoemaker, of Waterville, and J. B. Wil- son, of Bowling Green, to start the ball rolling. June 12, 1907, the ground on which the monunuent stands, consisting of Eiver Tracts 65 and 66, comprising 36 acres, was purchased from the Hayes heirs for $10,800. October 22 of the same year the contract for the shaft was let by the commission to Lloyd Bros., Toledo's monument builders. Throughout the winter, stone cutters worked on the great pieces of granite, cutting them to proper shape and size. June 15 of 1908, the stone was on the Fort Meigs grounds. Great cranes rap- idly swung the blocks into place after the foundation of concrete had been com- pleted, and August 1, the last piece was laid. It cost $14,000, or a total, with the grounds, of $24,800, $200 less than the appropriation. While the stone for the shaft was be- ing prepared, interested ones were still at work in the Assembly, with the result that a law was enacted providing for the care and protection of the monument and grounds. By this law an additional appropriation of $5,000 is made, to mako improvements in the way of trees, fences and landscape work, and also to erect a cottage, which is now completed for the care taker of the grounds, and to bo used as the headquarters of the Commi:V sion.- Unveiling the Shaft In the morning a salute of four guns was fired by Battery B, field artillery, which came from Toledo the night be- fore to carry out the flag raising cere- mony. A beautiful day, a lavish display of the national colors, the numerous re- freshment stands and comfort tents, the encampment of the battery and the in- s]3iring scene were enjoyed by the thou- sands asseml)le(l from far and near. The feature:^ of tlie morning program 34 THE PIOXEER were the addresses of Col Bennett H. Young, of Louisville, Ky., who was a Confederate officer, and J. C. Morgan, of Maumee. Early in the afternoon, Governor Har- ris, of Ohio, and his party arrived, when a salute of seventeen guns was thunder- ed from the field pieces of battery B, under command of Captain Grant S. Taylor. When the bunting which draped the newly completed monument was ..drawn by the hand of David Robinson, jr., whose father was a soldier at the siege of Fort ]\Ieigs, four guns of the ll)attery belched forth another salute and the band burst into patriotic music, which was almost drowned by the cheers from thousands. A beautiful silk flag was presented to the State by the Toledo National Union, which was run up on the 100-foot steel flag pole that will permanently mark the site of the fort, as it stands in the exact penter of the ancient strong works. Gov. Harris Presides The assemblage was called to order at 2 o'clock by J. B. Wilson, Chairman of the Et. Meigs Commission, followed by an invocation by Rev. J. P. Michaelis, of Maumee. Gov. A. L. Harris was introduced as president of the day, and in an address by Chairman Wilson the State of Ohio was presented with the completed monu- ment, through Gov. Harris, who accept- ed the same in a fitting reply. Upon the completion of the Governor's address, he introduced successively the following gentlemen, representing their states : Hon. Robert S. Murphy, Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, on behalf of the Keystone State. Gen Bennett H. Young, of Louisville, representing Kentucky. Major Robert W. Hunter, the repre- sentative of Virginia. Hon. Joseph B. Foraker, of Cincinna- ti, representing Ohio. All of these gentlemen gave terse, vigorous and patriotic addresses, and if frequent applause by the thousands as- sembled is an indication, they were thor- oughly appreciated. Rev. R. D. Hollington, of Toledo, pro- nounced the benediction, and the patriot- ic exercises -were ended. These exercises were interspersed throughout with patriotic songs, render- ed by a choir of 75 voices from Water- ville, which proved to l)e a most pleas- ing feature, and one that was thorougli- ly enjoyed. The night previous was spent in plac- ing markers throughout the grounds, showing different points of interest at the Fort and its surroundings, well cal- culated to give those visiting the spot a more intelligent view of the situation during the memorable sieges of 1813. These were arranged imder the direction of the late C. W. Evers, well known as a student and expert in the pioneer his- tory of this section of Ohio. He had worked faithfully several days in assist- ing the Commission to get ready for the commemoration, and paid the penalty for his unselfish and patriotic enthus- iasm in promoting the Fort Meigs monu- ment project. He was taken seriously ill and instead of witnessing the fruition of his arduous labors, he passed the weary hours in a hospital. This work, so auspiciously inaugura- ted on that day, will, as the years go by, result in the further improvement of these grounds, and can not fail to elicit the interest of all the citizens of the Valley in its transformation to a scene of beauty well deserving of the memory of the heroic dead. >SC'KA1'-J'.()()K. CENTER TONWNSHIP Something of the Early Pioneer Days — Land Entries First Settlers and Other Points of Interest FIFTEEN years ago C. W. Evers gave an extended account of the early history of Center township^, from which we condense the following: Benjamin Cox was the first white set- tler in Center township. He built a cab- in near the Portage, on the northea.st quarter of section 32, now the Infirmary farm, in the latter part of 1837 or early part of 1828. Collister Haskins was under the impression that Cox did not bring his family in until 1828. Benja- min did not enter the land ; still we must not grudge him the honor of being the first settler, since he located and made his improvements with that intention, but after four years sold out aud moved otf. The First Land Entry His son, Joseph Cox, however, made the first land entry in Center, January 13, 1831, the east half of southeast fourth of section 28, which, in April, 1835, lie sold to Joseph Russell ; the land lying on the Portage, three miles east of Main street, was for years known as the Wil- liam Underwood place. A daughter ol Benjamin Cox, Elizabeth, uiarried Jacon Eberly, and was among the most respect- ed of that galaxy of nolile pionwr wo- men, who, witli llieir husbands, braved the deprivations of l)ygone days in the black swam]). Another daughter, Lydia, 'born at Findbn- in 181 ;. was, according to Beardsley's history, the first white child to see the light of day in Hancock county, where the same authority credils Cox with being the first white settle i-. Cox. who had performed useful military service in the war of 1812, was a native of Virginia, and seems to have possessed thai restlcs?; s]nrit of most of tlie old Ix);-- der men of that day who were never con- tented unless fully abreast of, or a little ahead of the westward advance of white settlements. That class usually led the van and blazed the way. Kobust and fearless, these restless, adventurous fel- lows, were, in a sense,' scouts for the more timid multitude then hastening over the AUeghenies, and, like the ocean spray, sc-attering itself in the valleys of the Muskingum, Scioto and the two Miamis, nntil in its northward and westward march, it had swept away the Greenville treaty line, advanced to and passed the ^lanmee. Wrested From Savages That hardy class of men, the coarser, stronger fibre of civilization, was not only usofu], but absolutely indispensable. Their like never was before, nor can be again. The conditions which required the hard, dangerous service which thev performed, have passed, never to return. The smoother grooves and easier lines on which we move today demand qualifica- tions so varied and changed that, in our haste to keep up with the march, we al- most forget that there ever was a race of pioneers, our forefathers, who lived in cabins and, with flint-lock guns, freed this land from the bondage of kings and wrested the wilderness from the dominion of barbarous savages. x\ll honor to them. Their manhood and sterling virtues in life can never suffer by comparison with their successors. Uncrowned heroes and lieroines they were. Though most of tbem sleep in graves unmarked with stone or bronze, we can do them the more en- during honor of passing their names and deeds down to future generations on the brightest pages of our annals. Benja- min Cox moved to Indiana, where he • •Insod bis life at an advanced age. Built a Cabin Tlie next entrv in Center, after Joseph Cox. was tli(> nni-tbwest corner, 48 acre? 36 THE PIONEER of section 31, by Joseph A. Sargent, October 31, 1833, lying on Main street next south of the Bender road. For some years this tract was owned by Nancy Flickinger. Sargent built his cabin on the Avest side of the street, in Plain, where he also owned land. Twelve days later, November 1, 1832, Adam Phillips entered the Infirmary tract, the improve- ments of which he had previously bought of Ben Cox. The First Wagon In the following spring, April, 1833, Phillips brought his family, wife and six children, out from Stark county, coming by way of Fremont, then Lower Sandus- ky. When he got as far west as Wood- ville with his outfit, consisting of a wagon covered with boards, and drawn by two horses and four oxen, Phillips left the road and followed the Indian trail up the Por- tage through the wilderness to the Cox cabin, being the iirst man to bring a wag- on through on that route, now one of the best and most traveled roads in the coun- ty; he had taken the precaution to bring two good axmen, Jacob Phillips and George Hemminger, with him. The Phillipses were so well pleased with the lo- cation that Adam soon after bought more land. Few persons who came into Wood county at that early day were better suited to withstand the deprivations of life here than Adam and Catherine Phillips; both were rugged and determined; they were ambitious to have a prosperous home; their courage and hopes were boundless; everything in those first days looked bright; the bow of promise was great. Alas, how often that bow was to be over- cast with clouds of discouragement — of sickness, of destitution — almost despair; yet this was almost the identical experi- ence at one time or another, of all who came. Still there were few obstacles so great that Phillips would not find some way to overcome them. He was a medium sized, dark complexioned man with keen black eyes, hair long, and usually parted in the middle; he had a loud, clarion voice and though of limited education, he had a ready flow of language and when a bit excited would get off some startling figures of speech especially on religious subjects, which were always favorite themes with Adam. The End of the World He had a striking resemblance to some of the published pictures of Lorenzo Dow. PhillijDs was in many ways as eccentric as Dow, and his peculiar appearance and voice would attract attention in any crowd of men. Pages might be filled with incidents, both laughable and pa- thetic, told about him by his neighbors. One incident related, whether trvie or not, suggests how completely religious emo- tions took hold of him at times. It was at a period when the "Millerite" craze was being boldly promulgated, and a day had been fixed upon not far ahead, when the world was to be burned. Some of the zealous Millerites had been dinging the doctrine in Phillips' ears pretty indus- triously until it had to some extent be- come a subject of serious thought to him. One dark night about that time, as the story goes, the smoke house in the yard, where was stored the hams and bacon, took fire and the lurid glare of the rising flames soon flashed with blinding effect on Adam's bedroom window. With a piteous deep moan he sprang out of bed, shouting, "My God, Catherine, the judg- ment day's upon us and my soul is unpre- pared; call the boys," and immediately fell upon his knees, half asleep yet, and began praying so loud that no further fire alarm was needed. This story, en- joyed by none more than Adam's best friends, was told so often on him that it had doubtless like most stories, gained a little by the telling, but is given here in rather an abridged form. Phillips at once took a leading part in all improve- ments in the settlement; at every cabin SCEAP-BOOK. raising or road chopping ho was on hand have faded away in the corroding mists and did his part well. of time. A Grand Pioneer Woman When the great meeting was held at Ft. Meigs in 1840, he, with his neighbors cut and hauled a buckeye log as Center township's contribution for the log cabin at the fort. Of dame Phillips, his wife, it may truthfully be said, thai she was a good second to Adam in all his ^Aorthy eiforts. Besides the cares of a large fam- ily of children, she often had to feed from meal ground by her own hands in the mill, sold them by Cox, and also found time to do many generous deeds for her sick or otherwise needy neighbors. None went from her door unaided, if it was in her power to afford relief. With this very inadequate sketch of the Cox and Phillips, the two pioneer families of Cen- ter, it will now be in order to briefly no- tice some others, who came early. These are George Stacy, Thomas Cox, William DeWitt, Thomas Slight, Jr., and Samuel Snyder, who entered lands in 1833. Joseph Ralston, Joseph Wade, John M. Jaques. Joseph Eussell, Henry Shively, Wm. Zimmerman and Adam Household- er, who entered lands in 1834. D. L. Hixon entered his land in 1835. John Muir and William Munn made their entries in 1836. These random notes from the land books, comprising but the small fraction- al part of the original entries and of the names of purchasers, are given here as showing who the first comers were. Most of tliese Imvers named became actual residents on their land. Other early set- tlers, such as the Lundys, Klopfensteins, Andersons and otliers, not enumerated in the list, no doubt bought their lands of second hands. The chief purpose here is to show who the actual beginners were — a task not so easy after the lapse of three score years, when nearly all the actors Survey and Organization Center township, originally six miles square, was surveyed by Samuel Holmes, deputy U. S. surveyor, in- 1819; that is, the exterior lines were made. In 1831 the sub-divisions were run by S. Bourne. The county commissioners at their March session, 1835, granted the request for a township organization, under the name of Center, and ordered an election of township officers to 1)0 held, on the first ]\Ionday of April following, at the liome of Adam Phillips. At the time of this action. Center was a part of Portage and had been since June, 1833, prior to whicli time it liad been a part of Middle- ton, since that township was cut off from Perrysburg. When, in 1846, Webster was created, six sections were set off to that townsliip. In 1844, on petition by tlic residemts therein, the south half of section 31, Middleton, was given to Cen- ter. It lies at tlie northwest corner on the Perrysburg road, so that as now con- strticted, the township comprises 301,4 sections. Converted into Roads The trails between the settlements, at first mere foot paths, indicated by blazed trees, were gradtially converted into wag- on trails, barely passable, by voluntary Utbor among those interested. Some of these trails eventually became permanent highways, since they were usually located on the most favorable ground for the ])ur- posc. The first object of the newcomer after his cabin was built, was to get into road communication with the market, which in this case was Perrysburg. There lake boats landed regularly in the open season. The first wagon trail in Center, after Hull's trail, was from Cox's cabin up the Portage to Haskins' trading ]dace. The next was the Phillips wagon trail, along the Portage, from Woodville. 38 THE PIOXEER A MEMORABLE FOURTH In Which the Prosperity of Wood County Was the Theme IN commemoratiou of the completion of the new court house, united with the celebration of the national birthday anni- versary, the 4th of July, 1894, proved a day that will long be remembered by the thousands who participated. It was a day of oratory. Among other things Mr. A. B. Murphy said: "Wood county is the garden of Ohio. "It is unique in its history and splen- did in its record. It is the parent of many of the counties of Northwestern Ohio. It is rich in soil, rich in intelli- gence, and rich in patriotic history. It has been the birthplace of ideas that have shaken the continent, and its soil has drank the blood of heroes, and been con- secrated by the bones of patriots. It was here that a mighty party had its begin- ning. It was here that America's great- est leaders assembled in convention, Sw- ing, Harrison and Clay, and Ohio's black son, Tom Corwin, all of them long since sleeping in their graves. The children of this county ought to be taught that it is bounded on the north by Perry's Victory, and on the east by the home of Gibson, and on the south by Fort Findlay, and on the west by the battle ground of Meigs and Miami. "The man who cannot make an honest living here cannot do so anywhere upon this round globe. This county is greater in extent than any one of those famous states of ancient Greece. It comprises more territory than Christ walked over while on earth, and has more inhabitants than that Sacred City over which He wept. It is greater in resource, and rich- er in fertility and more splendid in pro- duction than the Holy Land seen in the beatific dreams and visions of the proph- ets, and promised l)y Jclmvnlt to the He- brew Patriarchs of old. It has been re- deemed by sweat and toil from the woods and the water. It has arisen as all things worth having arise, by conflict and sacrifice. Every achievement in this world represents sacrifice somewhere." An extract from the address of Hon. B. F. James follows: "With what loyalty and devotion such a county should be cherished. "Young men, study more thoroughly the history of your county; ascertain the steps in its great growth; study the pre- cepts that actuated its founders and de- fenders; let it inculcate in your young minds and hearts a deeper love of coun- try, law and liberty; surely it will instill within you ideas of loyalty and the re- sponsibilities of citizenship, ^lay the summit of that new edifice tower no higher than your worth; may its founda- tions be no firmer than your convictions and truth ; may the green and fertile soil of this great county, on whose bosom it reposes, and which gi'ows great liarvests, be no richer than your long and lofty labors in the service of your country and mankind. Then are vou assured a fame which, mid the shadows of a century, will suffer no eclipse." That matchless orator and loyal sol- dier, Gen. Wm. H. Gibson, graced the occasion with one of his masterly efforts. Among many other good things lie used this language: "This county was taken from the civil jurisdiction of Logan and at its organiza- tion in 1820, its area covered more terri- tory than many of the European kingdoms. It contained less than five hundred peo- ple, and in 1830 eleven hundred, in 1840 less than six thousand, and in 1850 scarce ten thousand. For thirty years its pro- gress was slow, and in 1860 the ])opula- tion was little over seventeen thousand. Though the savages were harmless and the frontiers were not disturl)ed by 'war's dread alarm,' the pioneer settlers in your county were confronted with hardships SCRAP-BOOK. 39 and privations from which the stoutest hearts might recoil. No portion of Ohio presented such difficulties in its develop- ment. The adventurous men who came hither with their families to reclaim the flooded forests and water-soaked prairies, and rear their children, were and are the real heroes, entitled to our gratitude and admiration. "In war, the imposing pageantry of field evolution, the touch of elbows with comrades and the shout of battle thrill the soldier with confident enthusiasm, and he plunges into the deadly conflict heedless of all danger. But the Wood county pioneer, remote from neighbors, toiling to open a farm in the wilderness and support and educate his children, exhibited a fortitude and heroism sub- lime for high purposes and manliness. A remnant of those rugged adventurers, who led the way in reclaiming 'the wil- derness and solitary places' of ycur coun- ty, have been spared to join in this great demonstration and share the festivities of this auspicious day. We greet them as winning heroes, who have earned the gratitude of coming generations! "With bent forms and blistered hands they planned and toiled, that this county inight be gilded with inviting homes; en- riched by abundant harvests, and senti- neled with churches and school houses." THE PITTSBURG BLUES Complete List of Those Who Are Buried at Fort Meigs THE following list of the members of the Pittsburg Blues, obtained through a Patriotic Pennsylvania Soci- ety, by the eftorts of Mrs. Ellen Mc- Mahan Gaspers, was published in the Wood County Denuocrat of April 18, 1902. The Democrat says: At last an authentic list of "The Pitts- burg Blues,"' who lie buried at Fort ]\teigs, has been obtained through the efforts of the society known as "The Wives and Daughters of the Boys in Blue,'' of which Mrs. Ellen McMahan Gaspers of Detroit, formerly of Perrys- burg, is president. Mrs. Gaspers wrote the mayor of Pittsburg for information as to this list. This letter was referred to Mrs. Felicia R. Johnson, president of the Pennsylvania society, U. S. D., 1812, and vice president of the national society, who secured what the Wives and Daugh- ters of the Boys in Blue consider a price- less list. It contains the names of volunteers famous as "The Pittsburg Blues," who fought under General Harrison. One of the three burial grounds at Ft. Meigs was assigned to the noted Blues, and there lie buried the remains of those who were killed in battle. Here is the list of "The Pittsburg Blues," buried at Fort ^leigs, as furnish- ed by Mrs. Johnson : James Butler, Captain. Mathew McGee, Lieutenant. James Irwin, Ensign. E. Trovills, First Sergeant. J. Williams, Second Sergeant. J. Willock, Third Sergeant, G. Haven, Fourth Sergeant. IsT. Patterson, First Corporal. J. Benney, Second Corporal. S. Elliott, Third Corporal. J. Eead, Fourth Corporal. Privates E. Allison, D. C. Boss, J. Chess, Clark, J. Davis, J. D. Davis, R. McXeal, J. McMasters, N". Matthews, J. Maxwell, J. Marcy, P. Xeviile, 40 THE riONKEK J. Deal, T. Dobbins, J. Dodd, A. Deemer, J. Elliott, A. English, J . Xewman, E. Pratt, J. Pollard, (*. Pontland, M. Parker, .!. Park, X. Fairfield, F. Kicards, S. Grraham, W. Richardson, H. Hull, W. Richards, Samuel Jones, (1. X. Robinson, J. Lewis, S. Swift, P. Leorlon, \. Thompson, F. Lonsong X. Yernon, X. M. McGiffin, ('. Widner, 0. McKee, ,1. Watt, T. McClarnin, ( '. Wohrendorff, George ]\IcFall. (i. Wilkins. Mrs. Johnson, in writing Mrs. Gaspers inclosing the above list, sa3's in part: ''M}^ own grandfather served under General Croghan and was with him at Fort Stephenson, and I presume at Forr Meigs, so my interest is personal as well as patriotic. ''This societ}^ which I represent, is com- posed of tbe descendants of the soldiers of 1812, and we will be glad to co-operate with you in any effort to preserve the battlefields tbat liave become resting places of those who preserved the inde- pendence of the nation. "We have a society in Ohio — Mrs. Greves, of Cincinnati, is president. I do not know how they are working as they are rather new in organization, but will M'rite them to help you if needed." Tins letter is very gratifying to the Maumee Valley Pioneer and Historical Association, organized for the purpos<^ of preserving tlie historical sites of the Mau- mee Valley. In this connection it should be said that the Toledo society of the "Daughters of the American Eevolution" is co-operating with the Maunyee Vallev ]-*ioneer and Historical Association in its cftorts to preserve the historical sites of the ]\raumee Valley, and that matters liave now begun to- take definite form. It is now believed that the objects of this association will be accomplisbed. PETERSBURG VOLUNTEERS These^Virginian Heroes Honored by a Granite Monument at Petersburg, Va. DUKING the preparation of this Pioneer Scraij-Book-, an interest- ing and valuable letter was received by Wm. Corlett, Secretary of the Maumee Valley Pioneer and Historical Associa- tion, from Wm. M. Jones, Mayor of Petersburg, Virginia, in which the writer gives historical facts concerning a com- pany of Virginia soldiers who fought under General William Henry Harrison in the war of 1813-13, and who were active in the defense of Fort Meigs and the Maumee Valley against the combined force of British and Indians. This is the first time a full roster of the officers and privates has been made known in tlie Maumee Valley. Mayor Jones says that the Virginia company raised in Petersburg to assist in the defense of the Maumee Valley was composed of some of the fiower of that state, and that the city of Petersburg erected a monument to their memory in the local cemetery, consisting of a granite shaft about 15 or 20 feet high, surmounted by a gilt American eagle, and on which is inscribed the following: "Tribute to Patriotism" "In memory of Captain Richard Mc- Rae, late commander of the Petersburg- Canada volunteers in the war with Great Britain. 1812, a corps who, under the SCEAP-HOoi 41 GRANITE MONUMENT To Petersburg Volunteers at Petersburg, Va. iinflucnce of holy patriotism, in the hour ■of their country's need, leaped from their ■downy l)eds and, foregoing domestic com- forts and ease, instantly organized and took up the line of march for the Cana- dian frontier, when, under the supreme command of General Harrison, they met the disciplined armies of their country's enemies, on the fifth day of May, 1813, •and after a hloodv conflict defeated tli(ni. winning for their home the exalt- ed and imperishable appellation of the •('oi-kade City of the Union.' " A second inscription is a? follows: "Petersburg Vo'unte.rs" ''Who embarked in the service of tiieir country in the war of 1813 with Great Britain, on the 31st of October, 1813, and consecrated their valor at the battle 42 THE PIONEER. of Fort Meigs, May 5, 1813 — command- ed by Capt. Richard McRae. ''Lieutenants — William Tisdale, Hen- ry Gary, Shirly Tisdale. "Sergeants — James Stevens, Robert B. Cook, Samuel Stevens, John Henderson, "Corporals — M. B. Spatswood, John Perry, Joseph Scott, Thomas Gr. Scott, Joseph G. Noble, G. T. Clough. "Musicians — Daniel Eshon, James Jackson. 'Privates" Andrew Andrews, Richard Adams, John Bignall, Richard H. Branch, Thomas B. Bigger, Robert Black, Benjamin Pegram, Thomas W. Perry, Daniel Booker, George Booker, Joseph R. Burtley, John W. Burtley, Edmund Brown, Edward Mumford, Reuben Clemments, Moses Clemments, James Chalmers, Edward Chensworth, James Cabaniss, Edward H. Cogbill, John H. Saunders, AVilliam P. Rawlings, Herbert C. Lafton, Benjamin Lawson, Alfred Loraine, George P. Layburn, William R. Leigh, Benjamin Middleton, Nicholas Mansenbury, On the south face are the following: David Mann, Anthony Mullen, Ikozer Mallory, .Joseph Mason, Thomas Clark, Samuel Miles, James Page, elames Peterson, h'iehard Pool, George Burge, William Burton, John Potter, John Rawlings, George IJichards, William Lacy, William Lanier, John Shore, John Shelton, Richard Sharp, John H. Smith, John Spwalt, Robert Stevens, Ezra Stith, James Jeffers, Daniel Worsham, Samuel Williams, James Williams, John F. Wiley, David Williams, of the monument "General Orders" "Headquarters District, 17th Oct., 1813. "The term of service for which the Petersburg volunteers were engaged hav- ing expired, they are permitted to com- mence llu'ir march lo \'irginia as soon as they can be transferred to the south, side of the lake, in granting a discharge to this patriotic and gallant corps, the general feels at a loss for words adequate to convey his sense of their exalted merits. Almo.st exclusively composed of individuals who had been nursed in the lap of ease, they have for twelve months- borne the hardships and privations of military life, in the midst of an inhospit- able wilderness, with an alacrity which has been unsurpassed. Their conduct in tlie field has been surpassed by no other corps, and wliilst in camp they have set an example of subordination and respect for military authority to the whole army. "The general requests Capt. McRae,. his subalterns, non-commissioned officers and privates to accept his warmest thanks, and bids them an affectionate farewell. "By command of "William Henry Harrison. "Robert Butler. "Acting Assistant Adjutant General."" Edward Tiffin was the first Governor of Oliio and served from 1803 to 1807. From 1803 to 1810 the seat of govern- ment was at Chillicothe; from 1810 to 1812 in Zanesville, and from 1812 to- 1816 in Chillicothe again; Columbus be- came the capital in 1816. A man named Samuel Charter, living: on the Foote farm, went to Girty's Is- land to make sugar. On his return, . somewhere near Defiance he appropriat- ed a grindstone and put it in his pirogue with the sugar. He was followed and- his place searched, but no stone could be- found. Many years afterward the stone was fou]ul in a dense thicket about forty rods from his cabin. SCRAP-BOOK. 43 SHIBNAH SPINK Interesting Sketch of One of the Most Active of Wood County Pioneers FEOM a lengthy sketch by C. W. Evers of the career of Shibnah Spink, who lived in Perrysburg, we condense as follows : Shibnah Sjiink of Perrysburg, was one of the early settlers of the county, whose life has been so largely connected with the general history of this county that a sketcli of the same must prove valuable as a contribution to the history of this secti(«i of the county. Mr. Spink was born in Berkshire county, Massachusetts, in Feliniar}', 1802, where he remained until 1811, when his father removed to Chautauqua county, New York. In 1836, young Spink, having grown to manhood, went to Pennsylvania and took a contract on the Pennsylvania Canal, where he remained about two years, at the end of which time he went to Wooster, this State, where he remain- ed until 1832, at which time he came to Perrysburg. At the latter place he open- ed a dry goods, grocery and hardware store, but the crash of 1836-'37 caught him unprepared for such an emergency and he retired from business. From 1837 to 1850 he was chiefly employed in run- ning a steamboat during the summer and in purchasing furs during the win- ter. In the summer of 1834, Mr. Addison Smith, then unmarried, came to Perrys- burg to visit his sister, Mrs. Dustin. Mr. Spink's clerk in the store became fright- ened on account of the number of In- dians encamped near the store and left, leaving Mr. Spink alone in his business suffering with the ague. Mr. Smith was in the habit of spending much of his time in the store and when Mr. Spink was too ill to wait upon customers, would go behind the counter and play the role of clerk. Finally he consented to act as clerk for Mr. Spink, and remained in the store several years. In the fall of that year Mr. Smith's sister, Mary A., came to Perrysburg to visit her brother and sister, remaining through the win- ter and the following summer. During tliis time, the friendship between Miss Smith and Mr. Spink ripened into love, and in the fall of 1835 they were mar- ried; and it is seldom that two more con- genial spirits spend life together. The Stone Road In the winter of 1837-38 the old mud pike through the Black Swamp was so completely worn out and so impassable for loaded teams that a movement was made for the construction of a macadam- ized road from Lower Sandusky (now Fremjont) to Perrysburg. Jessup W. Scott, Capt. David Wilkinson, John C. Spink, and Shibnah Spink, were select- ed to visit the Legislature at Columbus, and secure such assistance from the State as would insure the construction of the desired and much needed road. They went in a carriage. As there liad been a fall of snow and the ground was frozen they found the roads good and made the trip to the State Capital in three days. After remaining at Co- lumbus a few days and being satisfied that the measure proposed would pass, Capt. Wilkinson and Shibnah Spink de- cided to return home, leaving their two companions at Columbus to see the meas- ure through. On the day on which they started for home, the weather became warm and rain set in, rendering the roads almost impassable. On the evening of the sixth day after leaving Columbus, the two lobbyists reached home, in a sad- ly dilapidated condition, on foot, having left their carriage and baggage eight miiles this side of Lower Sandusky. TJs- in^ their blankets for saddles they 44 THE PIONEER mounted the horses and rode until they reached Toussaint Creek, which stream they found so swollen that it was im- possible to get their horses to the bridge spanning the channel. The whole coun- try was flooded. They put up for the night, and as the weather became cold, and there was little or no current in the A'ast sea of water Ijefore them, ice was formed of such thickness that in the morning it woukl bear a man. They were fully thirteen miles from home and the Captain was a cripple ; but they de- cided to make the balance of their journey on foot. After breakfast the two men started, but before going far the Captain gave out and they were compelled to hire a boy and pony to bring him in. Mr. Spink walked the entire distance, reach- ing home with only the whip and the clothes on his back as representatives of the entire outfit of the Columbus party. Mere of Pioneer Hardships Another incident illustrative of pioneer life in this section of the country, oc- curred at an earlier date than the fore- going one. In the spring of 1833, Mr. Spink started out in search of cows, milk being in demand at Perrysburg. He was gone for three days through the country overcoming many obstacles and making a circuit that now could be ac- complished in a few hours. In 1839 Mr. Spink was in the employ of Judge John Hollister, who at that time owned a line of steamboats which ran between Pen-ysburg and Buffalo, and also transacted a large business as agent for the American Fur Company. Mr. S]nnk Avas master of the General Vance. As there were no railroads in those days, the lakes were the gi-eat commercial high- ways and boats ran as long as the river was open. On returning from his last trip that fall, after having been absent from his family nearly all of the season, he went into Hollister's store in the evening happy with the thought that he should have a little rest and enjoy the comforts of home, but was told tliat they wanted him to start the next morning for southwestern Indiana in the interest of the fur company — that somebody must go, and that he was the only person who could fill the bill. Hard as was this task and great as was his disappointment, Mr. Spink consented to go, and after remain- ing with his family over night, he and B. F. Hollister mounted their horses and started on the journey. The distance t) be traveled was four hundred miles, and they made it in eight days, averaging fifty miles per day. Mr. Spink remained in southern In- diana, buying furs and skins until the first of June, v^hen, being an earnest Whig, he hast-ened to the monster gath- ering at Ft. Meigs in 1840. Although suffering from ague he made the trip in good time. His First Public Office In 1850, when General Taylor was President and General G. A. Jones, of Mount Vernon, was U. S. Marshal of Ohio, Mr. Spink was appointed Deputy ^larshal. His duties required him to \-isit every house in the county for the ]»urpose of taking the census. In 1830, v>hen Wood county embraced what is now Lucas county, and also a portion of Fulton county, the entire population was less than 2,090, but in 1850 Mr. Spink found nearly ten thousand persons liv- ing within the present limits of this eounty. Elected Sheriff In this year Mr. Spink was elected Sheriff of Wood county. The county was strongly Democratic in politics, but his personal popularity secured success. About this time many leading Democrats becajne tinctured with free soil senti- ments, and when the Missouri comprom- ise measures were adopted by Congress, manv of them joined with the Whigs, SCEAP-BOOK. -L5 and the count}' finally passed into the hands of the Whigs, and since the organ- ization of the Republican party has been strongly Republican. Mr. Spink contrib- uted largely to these results. An en- thusiastic partisan, liberal in his views, and genial in his manners, he was always at work and none could accomplish more. At that time the entire fees of the Sher- iff's office for two years did not amount to over $500 — $100 of which was receiv- ed in cash and the balance mostly was ne\'er collected. Beaten for Treasurer At the next election after his success- ful canvass for Sheriff, Mr. Spink was nominated for County Treasurer l)y the Whigs. At that time John Bates was the strong wheel-horse of the Wood county Democrats, and he was Mr. Spink's opponent. Bates was treasurer for a number of years and it was be- lieved that he could neither be beaten in convention nor at the polls. Spink was equall}^ strong with the Whigs, and the county was Democratic by about 300 ma- jority. When the votes were counted it was found that Bates had but barely nine majority. Elected Treasurer When the time came for the election of Treasurer again, tJie Whigs nominated Mr. Spink. The Democrats were a lit- tle afraid to put forward John Bates for another trial with Spink, so they nomi- nated Samuel Cliilcote. who, it was suj)- posed, could carry more votes than any other Democrat in the county. Chil- cote was in every respect a most worthy man, but Spink beat him and was re- elected, serving four years in that office. Plis natural desire to accomlinodate the people, which often led him to advance the taxes for men throughout the count}', and his well known integrity secured for him a degree of popularity with the pub- lic which is seldom enjoyed by persons so active in political work and so decided in partisan convictions. Other Offices Filled In 1862, under the Internal Revenue laws, Mr. Spink was appointed Deputy Assessor, a position which he filled in a creditable manner for two years, when the office was abolished. After this he turned his attciitidii to farming, until 1871, when he was appointed Superin- tendent of .the Western Reserve & Mau- mee Road, a position which he filled for nine montlis, after which he continued his residence in Perrysburg and for many years enjoyed the confidence and esteem of all who knew him. A JAIL IN THE WOODS Its Builder^How Sheriff John Webb Kept Prisoners It Stood in a Dense Thicket FEW of the dwellers in Wood county today will remember the old wood- en jail at Perr}'sburg, indeed, we doubt if there are many who knew of its existence. It was built many years ago at a cost of $■486, and the contractors took part of their pay in Perrysburg town lots at $13 each. It was made of square oak logs, cut mostly on the present corporation limits of Perrysburg and served its pur- pose as well, and was as much a terror to evil doers as are the costly structures of stone, iron and brick of the present day. Wood county's population was then less than two hundred human souls. The projectors of that jail were no doubt 46 THE PIOXEER aware of the fact there was but little in the county at that time to steal, and that where there is no temptation there are apt to be fewer rogues. This primitive structure served as a calaboose for the confinement of some of the frisky veteran volunteers in the Michigan war, who at times indulged too freely in Maumee ague medicine and then got boisterous. It was located on Front street near the old Exchange Hotel. Sheriff John AVebb had charge of the jail, at the time George Porter was im- prisoned in it, in 1830; it stood alone in a dense thicket, the brush and timber hav- ing been cleared away only far enough to admit the teams tliat liaulcd the jail tim- bers. The fine macadamized road now known as Front street, was only a tor- tuous wagon track between trees and stumps. There was no building near except the log court house. Mr. Webb lived in a little house up the river near the bayou nearly or quite half a mile from the jail, and during Porter's im- prisonment Mr. Webb carried him his meals to his dismal cell in the thicket three times a day, and at night locked him in his cell and went home. Such an arrangement would not in these jail breaking times be regarded as entirely safe, but people in those days did as peo- ple do now, made the best of the means they had. In 1823, after the county seat was removed from Maumee, "Uncle" Guy bearing took the contract for removing the little log jail from Maumee for $45. In 1824 Nearing and Hubbell took the contract of building a court house, also for repairing the jail, which was further enlarged in 1826, or '27 by him and Elisha Martindale, though they were not tlie contractors, Wearing at that time be- ing a county commissioner. The jail, as lu-eviously mentioned, was built two sto- ries high, of logs about a foot square, se- cured at the ends by tenons and mortises with a wooden pin through. The floors were of the same solid square timber. The windows were but little more than long cracks where the halves of two logs had been taken out and perpendicular iron bolts passed through for security. I'here were two dark cells also made of strong solid square timber. The doors wore rude massive wooden structures well spiked with wrought nails and swung on strong iron hinges. The roof, gables and general exterior of the building appeared similar to any hewed log cabin. — C. W. E. OLD TIME TRAGEDY. Atrocious Murder of Summundewat, One of the Most Noble Chiefs of the Wyandots IN" his Log Cabin sketches Mr. Evers gives the following description of the murder of Summundewat, a Wyandot chief : During the autumn of the year 1845, Summundewat, a Wyandot chief from the Sandusky Plains, with his daughter, her husband, seven ponies, two colts, and five dogs, passed through Portage town- si lip on their way to Turkey foot, Henry county, on their annual fall hunt, and slopped a day or so in Portage town- ship. While here they visited Jacob Eberly's blacksmith shop on the Portage river, one mile below the present village of Portage, for the purpose of getting a knife and hatchet made, and a gun-sight repaired. In the employ of Eberly was a young man named John Anderson, who was quite intimate with and kept the company of one James Lyons, who lived with his widowed mother, on the middle branch SCRAP-BOOK. ■of the Portage. La'oiis, who was consid- erably okler than x4.nderson, possessed all the elements of character for a desperado of the worst type, and dark suspicions rested on him of counterfeiting and other •deviltries. The Indians had with them two excel- lent coon dogs, either of which could scent a coon tree without the trouble of tracking the animal on the ground. Dur- ing the visits of the Indians at Eberly's shop, Lyons had tried to buy or trade for these dogs, which ho coveted very much, but without success. Lyons and Ander- son both visited the camp of Summunde- wat, and by some means learned that the party had some money. Shortly after the Indians left for Turkeyfoot, where they were to join an- other party from the Plains in a hunt. The old chief and his little party had not been gone long, when Lyons and An- derson also left. Not many days after ■one of these men while passing down the river was noticed to have with him Summundewat's coon dogs. Old Benjamin Cox, who was familiar i\dth Indian habits, and could speak their language, remarked when he saw the dogs that they must have been coaxed away, as no Indian would sell his dogs at the beginning of the hunting season. Not many days elapsed before a start- ling rumor reached the settlement that Summundewat, the Indian preacher, and all his party had been murdered, and on the following Sunday, Avhile the few scat- tering settlers along the river were as- sembled at quiet worship at a little log school house where now is the town of Portage, a party of Indians accompanied by a white trader from the Plains, and led by a chief called Snake-bones, made their appearance, causing a sensation and no little anxiety among the settlers. Anderson Seized and Bound After a brief halt and short parley amonir themselves, and a few remarks with a man whom they met, the Indians marched directly to the school house which they quietly and almost unper- cH'ived, surrounded. Anderson, who was in the school house, was almost the first man to discover the dusky red men at the door, and divinad their purpose in an instant. He grew deadly pale and shook as if awakening from a dream of horror. The chief singled out the guilty man whom he had never seen before, with that unerring certainty with which a dog tells his mas- ter. Anderson was seized and bound. At that same moment, unconscious of las danger (but with a presentiment as he afterward told, that for three days and nights somebody or some shadow was pursuing him), Lyons was one mile below on the river at Jacob Eberly's shop, trying to induce him to shoe his mare, a splendid race mare, the fleetest in the country, which Eberly did not care to do as it was Sunday. Lyons presently left and passed down the river to where Anderson lived, and waited some time for his return, but of course waited in vain. The settlers after learning of the ter- rible murder that had been committed, and that the blood-stained perpetrators were from their midst, became excited almost to frenzy. Not only because of the cruel and revolting nature of the tragedy, but because it exposed them to the fury and revenge of the exasperated red men, and as may well be supposed gave every assistance in their power to give the offenders over to the law, in order that their punishment might ap- pease the wrath of the savages. Avenging Indians Snake-bones had learned where Lyons lived and thither he led his party, and with that unerring certainty which had enabled him to follow the footsteps of Lyons and Anderson, from the scene of the tragedy on Turkeyfoot to Haskins settlement throuofh unbroken forests and 48 THE PIONEER pathless prairies, and which seems ahiiost an intuition, lie soon revealed in that secluded cabin the evidences of terrible guilt. Mrs. Lyons lay on the bed feign- ing sickness. The chief made a brief survey of the cabin, and, stooping lifted a puncheon from the floor, and the two coon dogs sprung forth. He lifted the bed clothing and beheld the bloody blankets of the ill-fated Summundewat. The white spectators stood mute and aghast. In another place they found the jerked venison and furs concealed, and near by the ponies. They then retired; a short parley followed, and that night a cordon of pickets guarded that lonely cabin. Twice the two sisters of Lyons attempted to pass that line to warn their guilty brother — twice they were sent back. Long after the shades of night had gathered over all and nothing disturbed the silence except the hum of the beetle or the song of the katydid, a horseman was heard approaching, and the rider, Jim Lyons, all unconscious of danger entered the cabin. Lyons Captured Scarcely had the door closed on his back ere the wary footsteps of the Wyan- dot chief were heard on the threshold, and all of Lyons efforts to get his favor- ite race mare were unavailing. She would have distanced all pursurers. She was his tried and trusted friend in case of apprehension or pursuit for crime. No telegraph or railways then to out speed her. But no — he was a prisoner, his wily captors gave him no chance of escape. He was bound hand and foot, and, with Anderson, lodged in the jail at Napoleon, the crime having been commit- ted just within the Henry county line. The jail was a log building, and shortly after, Lyons, Anderson, and an Irishman confined on charge of murder, all escap- ed. Anderson was afterwards through the influence of friends, induced to give himself up, under promise that he would turn state's evidence. This was done un- der the belief by the settlers that there was another and third party implicated in the crime, of whose dangerous pres- ence they desired to rid themselves. And now, reader, would you like to hear a recital of this dark deed of blood which even at this distant day makes one shudder? If so, follow us through the Confession of John Anderson As has just been stated, suspicion rest- ed on a third party. That man was John Ellsworth, who owned and lived on the farm now belonging to John Z. Smith, in Liberty township. The con- fession of young Anderson more than confinned their worst suspicion. This Ellsworth, who was a little past the prime of life, was one of the most dan- gerous men of his time — a man who with a certain class of people could gain a strong influence, capable of strong friendship when it suited his purpose. Though professedly ignorant — so much so that he never while here, was known to write his owai name or read a sentence, and yet he was one of the best educated of mien. It is said that he had, before lie removed to the depths of the Black Swamp, saved himself from the peniten- tiar}^ on a charge of forgery by proving l)y bribed witnesses that he could neither read nor write, and in this state of ig- norance he remained to the world about liim, to the last day of his residence in Wood county. A Polished Villain But long after, when all old scores were outlaw^ed, we hear of his occupying the Judge's bench in one of the Western States, to which he emigrated, and to which position he was elected. He was of fine address and plausible demeanor, yet no man more cunning in devising deep laid plots of deviltry and crime, and at the same time keeping his own skirts clear of the consequences. He was SCRAP-BOOK. 49 several times apprehended and impris- oned, but each time managed to break jail and get the damaging testimony dis- posed of, and in somie way escape the law, while those of whom he had made tools would sufEer the severe penalty. In fact he was supposed to be at tlie head of a gang of counterfeitors, horse thieves and robbers. The route of the Indians to Turkeyfoot led a little north of where Ellsworth lived. Anderson stated that he and Lyons followed the trail until they got in the vicinity of where Ellsworth lived when they went to see him. As soon as he learned that the Indians had money, he volunteered to go along with them, and during the journey he Planned the Murder and Robbery But when they reached a point near the Indians he suddenly stopped and said, "Boys, I can go no further. I am already resting under suspicion, and if this job is done, I will be the first man called upon to prove my whereabouts. I will go back and keep watch of matters until you return with the plunder, which is now to be had for the taking." Ells- worth went home and Lyons and Ander- son went to the camp of the Indians, where they were well treated. The In- dians, said Anderson, seemed to be sus- picious of some impending evil. They were wakeful and restless at night, so much so that no opportunity offered to take their lives, until finally on the third day, under pretext of trying to find the other party of Indians, they broke up camp and moved about two miles; well had it been for them had they never stopped until they had found the other ]iarty. Lyons and Anderson followed at a distance, blazing trees as they went, niiirking the route. That night they again made their ap- pearance at the Indian camp, pretending to be lost, tired and hungry. They were kindly received, and the poor woman busied herself in getting them something to eat, and spreading some blankets for their bed. By previous arrangement, Lyons was to kill Summundewat and Anderson was to kill the husband of the woman and then dispatch the woman. The Indians had been broken of their rest so much tliat sleep soon overcame them. A Crime of Horror At a prearranged signal, each of the vi'hite men sunk his hatchet in the head of the sleeping men. The poor woman sprang to her feet and implored Ander- son's mercy in such pitiful terms, that he hesitated. Humanity had not entire- ly forsaken his breast; his arm faltered. Said he, I could not strike that woman who had treated us so kindly and never had done me harm. Lyons upbraided him with a terrible oath for being chicken-hearted, and with one blow of his hatchet struck her to the earth never to rise again. They dragged the bodies n short distance and covered them beside i\ log. They then proceeded to gather up the effects of the murdered people, and lastly the ponies, as they were now in finite a hurry to hasten away. So far all had gone well with them; no human eye was witness to the deed they had done. The depths of the lonely forest far, far from any settlement or habitation, was a fitting and safe place for such a crime. Safe — did we say? — ]^o, not safe. There is an Eye that notes the fall of the sparrow, and numbers the hairs of our head. There is a Power to avenge blood beyond the ken of man. There are witnesses of all our thoughts and actions when we least suspect them. Sometimes it seems as if an overruling Hand directs mute, dumb witnesses to testify. Just as the murderers were catching the ponies to leave, after having, as they supposed, destroyed all evidence of crime. 60 occurred the circumstance which re- vealed all. Two colts that were not tethered and that followed the ponies, were very wild and fled at the approach of the white men. They could not be driven or coaxed to follow, but remained about the place whinnying and making a great fuss. The Crime Revealed It so happened that the other hunting party from the Plains arrived about this time and passed not far from the place, and the noise made by the colts was heard by them, and the ponies of the Indians answered the call of the colts, and the colts soon after joined and fol- lowed them. This was the first intima- tion to the hunters that they were in the neighborhood of the Summundewat party. Still they heard no guns and saw nothing of them. They felt certain, how- ever, that they could not be far off, since the colts would not otherwise be there. After a day or so one of the hunters took the trail of the colts, and following back a short distance, came to the desert- ed camp. He soon became satisfied that there was something wrong and reported at his camp. A number of hunters went with him and they soon found the bodies of the murdered people, and with the pursuits and results as before told. An- derson stated that not far from Ells- worth's house the crafty old villain met them and inquired. What luck? On be- ing told what they had done, he said. How much money? They produced it; he took it, and after looking at it said, "Boys this is no place to count money, we will meet again;" and that was the last they saw or heard of the illgotten gold and silver. Ellsworth Involved The confession of Anderson implicat- ing Ellsworth intensified public feeling to fever heat, and the officers of the law wore soon after him in hot haste, but : THE PIO^EEK they were too late. He had gone. Re- wards were offered, and he was hand- billed, and finally was discovered and ar- rested in an out of the way town in one of the western states, but soon made liis escape, and finally after Lyons and Anderson were out of reach, he boldly presented himself for trial, and of course went unconvicted and unpunished. Anderson told how they made their escape from jail, which was built of solid i square timber. With an iron poker they succeeded, by long perseverance, in burn- ing a log of timber overhead, filling up the marks of their work with bread so as to avoid detection. On the night set for the escape, they discovered that Lyons, who was a large, full built man, could not work his body through the hole in the ceiling, but he had a will equal to the emergency. He sent Anderson through into the loft. Then stripping off all his clothes, he pushed them through, after which he thrust his body into the hole where he stood, as if he had been wedged. Then commanding Ander son to pull up and the Irishman to push up, he went through after much labor J and excruciating torture, leaving a part ' of his skin on the rough, jagged edges of the timber. A Anderson was last heard of in Indiana, 1 where to all who ever knew him he van- ished forever, nor has search or inquiry ever been able to even get the faintest clue to him. Ellsworth, as before stated, went west and wore the ermine of a judge, wheth- er worthily or unworthily is a question we leave to our readers. Lyons Lynched Lyons finally came to the surface in California at a court organized by Judge Lynch, accused of a diabolical murder and robbery. He confessed his guilt, al- so to his true name, and confessed to having murdered eight men. He was b.ung to the limb of a tree, and his execu- SCKAi'-BOOK. 51 tion closed the chapter of the trio of blood-stained men, who enacted a dark tragedy whicli produced a state of excite- ment never equalled since civilization be- gan in the "Black Swamp." In this connection the editor of the Henry County Signal, who was well ac- quainted witli tlic murdered chief, says : "Summundewat was one of the most enlightened and noble chiefs of the "Wy- andot nation, and was not only held in high estimation by his own people, but by all the whites that were acquainted with him as well. He had been convert- ed to the Protestant religion, and was a leading member in the Methodist church of that nation. He was always a firm friend of the whites, and used his en- deavors to maintain peace and friendly relations between his people and the Tale Faces' at that day. His murder caused great excitement among the In- dians and the whites at his old home, and quite a number of the latter took their guns and assisted in ferreting out the murderers. These men insisted on staying and guarding the prisoners after 1heir arrest, until court convened, fear- ing that they would be permitted to es- ca])e. but after some time were prevailed to leave them to the keeping of the jail- or, and we know that the escape of Sum- mundewat's murderers was connived at, and permitted bv those who had them in custodv." LOGICAL REASONS Both Historical and Sentimental, Given by C. W. Evers Why Toledo Should Be the Place for Holding the Ohio Centenary IT will be remembered that preparations were being made to hold the com- memorative centenary of Ohio's admis- sion into the Union, at Toledo instead of Columbus, in 1903. Mr. Evers, at that time gave the following lucid points as to why Toledo should be selected with- out question : If historical sentiment has anything to do with it, Toledo is the place. Toledo is not only the proud metrop- olis of this section, favored by the prox- imity of river, bay, lake, islands and numerous railway arteries of travel and commerce, but she is rich in surrounding liistoric associations which inspire pat- riotic sentiment in the breast of everv American. There is no locality in Ohio of equal historic interest. The place where marked events in the story of a nation have transpired — where great acts of heroism, or other noble liuman virtues have been displayed, and have crowned momentous issues with success, always calls forth emotions of admiration. Who that has visited Bunker Hill, the plains of Yorktown, the tomb at Mt. Yernon, or the sacred precincts of Jeru- salem, has not felt this thrill of senti- ment? "If such there be, go mark him well." etc. Almost at Toledo's portals on th(^ high l)ank of the Maumee is the site of Fort ]\'[iami, yet plainh' distinguishable in its martial outlines cf grassy embankments. It was here a paity of old Count Fron- 1< nac's liardy French explorers landed in 1ho winter of 1679-80, and unfurled the I'rench flag — the first symbol of eiviliza- lion ever planted on Ohio soil. In the Mad Race For empire later on, l)etween Gaul and THE PIONEER Anglo-Saxon, France lost, and the tri- color gave place to the cross of St. George; twice since, this same historic spot has bristled with English cannon, contesting the mastery here with the American republic. Farther away, across the river, but within hearing of Toledo's Sabbath bells, is another memorable landmark — Fort Meigs. Memory's filmy thread, in men yet living, almx)st spans the cleft of time — the short years back, when Ohio's fate hung trembling in the lurid Smoke of Deadly Conflict The misfortunes of war had suddenly transferred the battle ground from the Canada border to the Maumee. The sandy plains, from the Eiver Raisin to the Maumee rapids, had drank the blood of scores and hundreds of patriotic Ken- tuckians who had hurried to Ohio's aid. The exultant Britons, with their hordos of Indian allies, had advanced and were at the throat of Port Meigs, then garri- soned with a small force under General Harrison. This fort was all that stood between the defenseless settlements of southern Ohio and the infuriated savages. The heroic stand made under an almost incessant cannonade night and day, the unspoken prayers for help, the arrival of a midnight messenger bringing tidings of nearby reinforcements, and the deadly strife that ensued when that force landed fit the fort are among the Most Thrilling Episodes Of war's dread annals. The invaders were driven back, Ohio was saved, and the story of Fort Meigs is an inspiration of patriotic sentiment, heightened greatly by a visit there. The earth work lines, smooth and grass grown, are yet distinct in outline. Its quiet environfhents give scarcely a suggestion now of grim-visaged war that once frowned on its fair brow. As you glance across the beautiful sweep of wa- ter, your eye rests on the plain where Dudley's brave men were beaten down and massacred by Tecumseh's insatiate savages; where the diabolical revels of the scalp dance Made Night Hideous The waters, as. they sweep past, seem to breathe a sad rhythm — a requiem, as it were, in memory of the heroes there, in •] unmarked graves. But there are other consecrated grounds here; other mailed warriors were here. There were other tragic events, where the nation's safety hinged upon the mar- tial valor of its patriotic sons. Just above the fort and across the river by the road, near tlie margin of the water lies the huge granite boulder known far and near as "Turkey Foot" Rock Young man, did you ever visit that spot? No ! Then you should ; there is a sul- phur spring or well near — very strong. John Oviatt used to say it was here Mad Anthony let loose a big blast of sulphur- ous profanity because a few of the red- skins got away alive. This rock is in- teresting in several ways. It is large; no relic hunter can carry it off; it marks the place of high tide in the battle of Fallen Timber; and let me say just here what any soldier will see at a glance, who visits this interesting field, thai; the In- dians showed soldierly skill in selecting a defensive battle ground. Had not Wayne's Daring Scouts Apprised him of the situation, ho might have fallen into a fatal trap, skillfully laid for him. It is not only a battle ground monu- ment, but is believed to be the rugged and fitting mausoleum of a sub-chief, Mas-Sas-Sa (Wyandot for turkey), of the turkey elan of the Wyandots, who was one of the unlucky fellows who tried SCEAP-BOOK. 53 to stop Wayne's saldiers that day. The totem, or emblem of his clan was a pic- ture of a turkey's foot or track, which his devoted clansmen afterwards cut in this rock as a memorial to their chief. Mas-Sas-Sa was not a leading chief, but of all the chieft-ains, red or white, M'hose deeds in war have made the Mau- mee historic, none other that I know of has a monument. It is a reproach on the enter}. rise and patriotism of our people, that while we lavish so much on doubtful projects, we neglect to beautify these historic spots and properly commemorate the names of the heroes who came here to deliver the land from savage bondage and from con- quest by kings. It is unpleasant to think what mignt have happened, in case of Wayne's de- feat. Did you ever think of it? The government was weak in resour- ces. Two American armies had been de- stroyed, and Wayne was leading a third one into the swampy fastnesses of the ]\Iaumee — a Veritabh River Styx Then, the chosen rendezvous of the allied savages of the northwest, who were aid- ed and goaded on l\v Bi'itish agents and traders. England had advanced from the Canada border and planted her flag and garrison on the Maumee at Miami. Behind Wayne was the buried skele- tons of St. Clair's butchered army, and three feeble settlements on the Ohio from Marietta down, all cooped up in block houses. Blue Jacket and Little Turtle, insolent with victory, had made the Na- poleonic decree that no American could come north of tlie Ohio and live. That was Ohio on that eventful August day. Xo wonder the victory Wayne achieved there thrilled the nation witli joy and brought loud acclamations of gratitude From All Border Settlers Wayne was the first to jdant tlie sym- bol of the new republic on the Maumee and no power has ever been able to dis- place it. Anthony Wayne was a man of auda- cious courage, skilled in strategy, prudent in detail as Washington himself, invinci- ble and strong of will as Kleber, impetu- ous in attack as Murat and profane as Swarrow. He seemed well fitted for the rough and tumble border warfare Wash- ington chose for him. A fitting monument should perpetuate iiis heroic memory on the Maumee. Another great actor in border drama, Pontiac, the greatest red chieftain of tho north, made his home with his tribe, the Ottawas, on the Maumee just below To- ledo, shortly after the collapse of the startling and wide spread conspiracy which he had planned with consummate ability. His kindred lived there many years. His son Ottuso and his widow, Kan-Tuck- E-Gun Were at the treaty at the Maumee Rap- ids, 1817, and not 3n Indian would sign until the aged woma:i would first touch the pen. Toledo is, as I just said, the focus |)oint where more of historic interest centers than any point in Ohio. The ])atriotic element love and cherish these associations. It is our duty as loyal citizens to cultivate and encourage pa- triotism in every way. The rising gen- eration should be taught to feel a pride in the noble deeds and virtues of their ancestors; it makes us all better citizens and nuikes our form of government more enduring. With Toledo's enterprise, her re])utation for generous hospitality and higli standard of social culture, together with her incomparable facilities for handling a crowd and making their stay comfortable, there ought to Ix^ no ques- tion of her standing at the head of the list of candidates for the Centennial. 54 THE PIONEER INDIANS FOILED In Vain Did the Strategy of the Red Hostiles Succeed with Wayne NO sooner luul Wayne's column begun its line of march through the wil- derness than hostile warriors assailed the troops at every opportunity — hung on their fianks, attacked the rear guard, plan- ned ambuscades and by every stratagem tried to draw the army into their deadly toils as they had done with Harmar and St. Clair, but in every attempt they were foiled. They always met a warm recep- tion whenever or wherever they attacked the American line. — C. W. E. PIONEER FAMILIES That Settled on the Site of Bowling Green The Martindales and Others IN October, 1832, Elisha Martindale en- tered 40 acres of land directly west of and joining the present fair grounds, and put up a stack of wild hay at a point about due west of the floral hall, and on the west side of the present Haskins road, where the great willow tree stood, and long known as tiie Clinton Pay place. That was the first land entry in the present limits of Bowling Green as shown by the records. In the spring of 1833 Martindale brought his family, and a few household effects out from Maumee, crossing the river on the ice aiid following, much of the way, the old army trail until he reached the cabin of a settler named Wil- son on the ridge on the Haskins road, where the family stayed until a cabin could be built, except the two girls, Louisa, Avho later became Mrs. Van Tas- sel and later Thurstin and Eliza Jane, who married Warren Gunn; tliey were taken over to the Portage settlement and left with a family named -Jaques until the cabin was ready. Mr. Martindale, who was a man of restless energy, was nothing discouraged to find his stack of prairie hay had gone up in smoke in a l)ig prairie fire late in the fall, started likely by Indians on their hunting excursions, but went right to work and in less than four weeks had a cabin 18x24 with "shake" roof, ready and his family moved in. They got a supply of meat from Wilson, who, with fi hunter named Decker, took their pick from the bands of wild hogs that fatten- ed on nuts and acorns in the vast for- ests. The girls were brought home, a shelter was made for the cow, a well dug and Bowling Grei^i's pioneer family was settled in their new home. It was paid for and all their own. Soon after they had got settled the old- est girl, Sally, arrived, bringing with her a gingham dress pattern and other fix- ings for a dress suit. In a few days William Hecox, a young man from Mau- miee, came with a license, and Squire Elijah Huntington, of Perrysburg, on April 15, 1833, solemnized the first mar- riage in Bowling Green. The only neighbors, the Wilsons, were invited, also four friends from the mis- sion station on the Maumee. When the young bride left the humble cabin that day on horseback sitting behind her hus- band on the same horse, there was no rice or second-hand shoes to throw after her; those articles were scarce then. Other cabins followed among them that of Alfred Thurstin, in the year, 1833, who entered land and built a cabin just east of the present Eeed & Merry block. — C. W. E. in Wood County Tribune. TECUMSEH Prominent Chief of the Turtle Tribe of Indians— Killed October 5, 1813. SCKAP-BOOK. 57 PETER MANOR How He Was Remembered by His Adopted Father, the Indian Chief Tondoganie PETER MANOR came to the river to reside in the year 1808. He had been here prior to that time but not to settle, and he had most likely acquired a knowledge of the locality through his connection with some of the French Can- adian exploring parties, for at a much earlier period they had made their way up the Maumee river and carried their canoes from the head waters of the Mau- mee to the Wabash and passed down that river to the Ohio. Manor was adopted by the Indian chief Tondoganie and by the treaty at the foot of the Rapids of the Miami of the Lake, concluded Sept. 29, 1817, his adopted father caused a section of land to be granted to his son. The treaty say< it was granted at the special request of the Ottawas. The ^rant is in these words: "To Sa- wan-de- bans, or the Yellow Hair or Petar Manor, an adopted son of Tondoganie or the Dog, and at the special request of the Ottawas, out of the tract reserved by the treaty of Detroit, in 1807, about Roche De Boeuf, at the village of the said Dog, a section of land to contain 640 acres, to be located in a square form, on the north side of the Miami at the Wolf Rapid." This land was within the original limits of Wood county. It was Manor who saved the settlers at the foot of the Rapids from the hor- hors of massacre by the Indians. He learned of the surrender of Hull from an Indian runner, and that the Indians would come in three days' time and would massacre all the Yankees in the valley. * * Manor lost no time in making this known to the settlers, and they fled, but not too soon, for they heard the yells of the savages, and saw the smoke of their log houses as they passed down the river in their frail bark. Thus tragic- ally ended the first settlement within the limits of Wood county, and the space A'acated by the destruction of their houses became the theatre of war, always dread- ful, but revolting when carried on by a savage foe, and still more so, Avhen those claiming to be Christians, use the savage scal]iing knife. LITTLE TURTLE The Wisest Indian Diplomat, Remained Faith- ful to the Greenville Treaty IX making the Greenville treaty. Gen. Wayne, who was a pretty skillful, far- sighted diplomatist, nearly found his match in some of the Indian chiefs who displayed wonderful tact and crude statesmanship. Especially was this true of Little Turtle, whose skill, tenacity and faithfulness in trying to guard the rights ■of all the tribes, won encomiums even fiom his enemies. It may be further said of this Indian and of his tribe, the Miamis, that after the treaty was signed they always remained faithful friends of the Americans. The same can not be said of some of the other tribes, especially the Shawanees, a portion of whom, under Tecumseh and his brother, turned against the Americans in the war with England in 1813.— C. W. E. Wapakoneta was the home of Tecumseh and Logan, where their families lived. Logan, the famous Shawanese chief, was a nephew of Tecumseh. his mother being a sister of that distinguished In- dian warrior. 58 THE PIONEER ELOQUENCE OF TECUMSEH His Forcible Address to Gen. Proctor in Be- half of His Warriors WHEA^ Proctor began to make pre- parations to retreat from Maiden, the quick eye of Tecumseh soon detected it. He called his warriors about him and in their behalf addressed Proctor as fol- lows: "Father, listen to your children ! You have them now all before you. The war before this, our British father gave the hatchet to his red children, when our old chiefs were alive. They are now dead. In that war our father was thrown on liis back by the Americans; and our father took them by the hand without our know- ledge; and we are afraid that our father will do so again this time. "Summer before last when I came for- ward with my red brethren, and was ready to take up the hatchet in favor of our British father, we were told not to be in a hurry, that he had not yet deter- mined to fight the Americans. Listen ! When war was declared, our father stood up and gave us the tomahawk, and told us that he was then ready to strike the Americans; that he wanted our assist- ance, and that he would certainly get our land back, which the Americans had taken from us. "Listen ! When we were last at the Eapids, it is true we gave you little as- sistance. It is hard to fight people who live like groundhogs. Father, listen ! Our fleet has gone out; we know they have fought; we have heard the great guns; but we know nothing of what has happened to our father with one arm. (Commodore Barclay, who had lost an arm in some previous battle.) Our ships have gone one way, and we are much as- tonished to see our father tying up every thing and preparing to run away the other, without letting his red childrerL know what his intentions are. You al- ways told us to remain here and take care of our lands. It made our hearts glad to^ hear that was your wish. Our great father, the king, is the head, and you represent him. You always told us you would never draw your foot oft British ground ; but now, father, we see that you are drawing back, and we are sorry to see our father doing so without, seeing the enemy. "\^'e must compare our father's conduct to a fat dog, that carries its tail on its back, but when affrighted, drops it between its legs and runs off. Father, listen I The Americans have not yet de- feated us by land; neither are we sure that they have done so by water; we, therefore, wish to remain here and fight our enemy, should they make their ap- pearance. If they defeat us, we will then retreat with our father. "At the battle of the Rapids (Wa3nie's) in the last Avar, the Americans certainly defeated us; and when we returned to our father's fort at that place, the gates wore shut against us. We were afraid that it would now be the case; but in- stead of that, we now see our British father preparing to march out of his gar- rison. Father, you have not the arms and ammunition which our great father sent for his red children. If you have an idea of going away, give them to lis, and you may go and welcome, for us." Shortly after the delivery of this speech a considerable body of Indians abandon- ed General Proctor, and crossed the strait to the American shore. — C. W. E. The coldest day on record in this coun- ty was January 36, 1873, when the mer- cury stood 30 degrees below zero. Gen. IjcBaum, in 1780 attempted to capture Fort Wayne, known then a» Kekionga. hut Avas defeated and his en- tire command massacred. SCRAP-BOOK. 59 TECUMSEH DESCRIBED By Gen. Leslie Combs of Kentucky, as He Saw Him GEN. LESLIE COMBS, in a letter to tlie Historical Eecord in 1871, gives the following description of the noted Indian Chief, Tecuinseh: You ask me for a description of the celebrated Indian warrior, Tecumseh, from my personal observation.' I answer that I never saw the great chief but once, and then under rather exciting circum- stances, but I have a vivid recollection of him from his appearance, and from inter- course with his personal friends, I am possessed of an accurate knowledge of his character. I was, as you know, one of the prison- ers taken at what is known as Dudley's defeat on the banks of the Maumee river, opposite Fort Meigs, early in May, 1813. Tecumseh had fallen upon our rear, and we were compelled to surrender. We were marched down to the old Fort Miami or Maumee, in squads, where a terrible scene awaited us. The Indians, fully armed with guns, war clubs and tomahawks — to say nothing of scalping knives, had formed themselves into two lines in front of the gateway be- tween which all of us were bound to pass. Many were killed or wounded in running the gauntlet. Shortly after the prisoners had entered, the Indians rushed over the walls and again surrounded us, and rais- ed the war-whoop, at the same time mak- ing unmistakable demonstrations of vio- lence. We all expected to be massacred, and the small British guard around us were utterly unable to afford protection. They called loudly for General Proctor and Colonel Elliot to come to our relief. At this critical moment Tecumseh came rushing in, deeply excited, and denounced the murderers of prisoners as cowards. Thus our lives were spared and we were sent down to the fleet at the mouth of Swan Creek (now Toledo) and from that place across the end of the lake to Huron and paroled. I shall never forget the noble counten- ance, gallant bearing and sonorous voice of that remarkable man, while addressing his warriors in our behalf. He was then between forty and forty- five years of age. His frame was vigor- ous and robust, but he was not fat, weigh- ing about one hundred and seventy pounds. Five feet ten inches was his height. He had a high, projecting fore- head, and broad, open countenance; and there was something noble and command- ing in all his actions. He was brave, liumane and generous, and never allowed a prisoner to be massacred if he could prevent it. At Fort Miami he saved the lives of all of us who had survived run- ning the gauntlet. He afterwards re- leased seven Shawanese belonging to my command, and sent them home on parole. Tecumseh was a Shawanese. His name signified in their language. Shooting Star. x\t the time when I saw him he held the commission of a Brigadier Gen- eral in the British army. I am satisfied that he deserved all that was said of him by General Cass and Governor Harrison, previous to his death. The names of the settlers who located within the limits of Wood county, prior to 1810, so far as can be ascertained, are Maj. Amos Spafford, Andrew Race, Thomas Leaming, Halsey W. Leaming, James Carliu, Wm. Carter, George Bla- lock, James Slawson, Samuel H. Ewing, Jesse Skinner, David Hull, Thomas Dick, William Peters, Ambrose Hickox, Richard Gifford; these all resided within a radins of five miles of the foot of the rapids. 60 THE PIONEEE DEATH OF TECUMSEH Killed at the Battle of the River Thames and His Body Skinned GEK GEOEGE SANDERSON, who died in 1871, at Lancaster, Ohio, was with Gen. Harrison in the battle of the river Thames, as a Captain in the regular army. Regarding Tecumseh's death Gen. Sanderson says: My company shared in the glorious rout of Proctor and his proud army, that result being attained Ijy the victory at tlie river Thames. It was on the memor- able day, October o, 1813, that Tecumseh fell. I remember Tecumseh. I saw him a number of times before the war. He was a man of huge frame, powerfully built, and was about six feet two inches in height. I saw his body on the Thames battlefield before it was cold. Whether Colonel Johnson killed liim or not, I can- not say. During the battle all was smoke, noise and confusion. Indeed, I never heard any one speak of Colonel Johnson's having killed Tecumseh until years afterwards. Johnson was a brave man, and was badly wounded in the bat- tle in a very painful part — his knuckles — and also, I think, in the body. He was carried past me on a litter. In the even- ing on the day of the battle I was ap- pointed by General Harrison to g-uard the Indian prisoners with my company. The location was near a swamp. As to the report of the Kentuckians having skinned Tecumseh's body, I am personally cognizant that such was the fact. I have seen many contrary reports, but they are untrue. I saw the Kentucky troops in the very act of cutting the skin from the body of the chief. They would cut strips about a half a foot in length iind an inch and a half wide, which would stretch like gum elastic. I saw a piece two inches long, which, when it was dry, could be stretched nearly a foot in length. Til at it was Tecumseh's body which was skinned I have no doubt. I knew him. Besides the Indian prisoners under my charge continually pointed to his body, \\'luch laid close by, and uttered the most Ix'wailing cries at his loss. By noon the day after the battle the body could hardly be recognized, it had so thoroughly been skinned. My men covered it Avith brush and logs, and it was probably eaten by -wolves. Although many officers did not like the conduct of the Kentuckians, they dare not interfere. The troop.^ from that slate were infuriated at the massacre at the river Raisin, and their battle cry was, "Remember the River of Raisin." It WHS only with difficulty that the Indian prisoners could be guarded, so general was the disposition of the Kentuckians to massacre them. ERASMUS D. PECK, M. D. The Record of a Busy Life — One of the Leading Physicians of Our Early History ERASMUS D. PEC!K, so well known to the older citizens of this county, was bom at Stalfovd. Conn., September ](;, 1808, and died December 25, 1876, at the age of G8. His medical education was o])t^ined at Yale College and Berk- shire Medical College, gradiiating from the latter in 1827. He came to the Mau- mee Valley and settled in Perrysburg in 1834, and at once engaged in the arduous duties of his profession. Aside from his profession Dr. Peek for many years engaged in luany business en- SCEAP-BOOK. 61 terprisos. Among these may be euumer- ated drugs, merchandise, ship building, hardware, warehousing and fiour-mill. He also built tlie hydraulic canal at Per- rysburg. In all his money-making he turned it to some practical account. He did not keep it for show, nor wear it for ostenta- tion. As soon as earned, it was invested in some useful occupation. There was in his composition but little of the imag- inative. Dreams and visionary theories he discarded, and with wonderful tenac- ity clung to the practical business of the country, and through life kept every dol- lar employed in active business. At the election in the spring of 1869, he was elected to Congress to fill tlie va- cancy caused by the death of Hon. T. H. Hoag, who had beaten Mr. Ashley the fall before. He was re-elected in the fall of the next year for the full term. At both of these elections, the citizens of Perrys- burg testified to the high esteem in which they held him, by largely ignoring party and casting almost the entire vote for him. His Work During the Cholera In a paper read before the Maumee Valley Pioneer Association on the char- acter of Dr. Peck, among other things Hon. Asher Cook said: "I feel the story of the doctor's life would be incomplete without some ac- count of his noble work during the chol- era, which raged with unexampled fatal- ity at Perrysburg in the summer of 1854. Between the 20th of July and the middle of August one hundred and twenty per- sons died. ]\Iany of the citizens left, and of those who remained, all who did not die were engaged in taking care of the sick and burjdng the dead. Stores wera closed and business suspended. No one came to the suffering town. Even trav- elers whose route lay through the town went round it. The reality of death stared everv one in the face. At first the terror and excitement among the citizens vvere indescribable, and ail who could sought safety in flight. Some of these indiscreetly advised Dr Peck to go with them, telling him he could not stop the progress of the epidemic, and he was only exposing himself unnecessarily, where his lal)ors would be unavailing, aud in all human probability he would lose his own life without saving others. But amid all the consternation around him, he was cool, although he had greater cause of alarm than any, being constantly exposed. The door of his drug store was left open night and day, and the people helped themselves to such medicines as he would direct them to take, as he met them on his rounds to visit the sick and the dying. At the commencement of the epidemic his partner, Dr. James Kobert- son, was among its first victims. This left him alone to contend with this "in- comprehensible desttt'oyer single-handed. But he never faltered, nor for a moment quailed before the death-dealing scourge, that was blindly putting forth its unseen power, which killed where it touched. Wearied and worn down by i-onstant fa- tigue, he nevertheless rallied his powers, and hurried with unfaltering footsteps to each new demand for his aid. "During those days and nights of ter- rible anxiety and suffering, lie was al- most constantly on the go, in no instance refusing to obey a call, until threatened with inflammation of the brain from loss of sleep. The citizens placed a guard around his house at night, to keep away callers, and allow him a few hours' rest to prepare him for the labors of the com- ing day. "His answers to those who sought to induce him to abandon his duty, was: 1 camo to Perrysburg to minister to tlie sick, and I shall not abandon them now when they most need my services. The pliysician's place is at the bedside of the sick and dying, not by the side of roses in gardens of pleasure." 62 THE PIONEER MAHLON MEEKER His Early Settlement in Plain Township — His Hard Struggle — Incidents of His Pioneer Days MAHLON MEEKER, who came to Wood county in 1833, passed away in 1876, aged 78 years. He came from Butler county, where he left his wife and two children, until he should find and locate their future home. In company with Johnston White, a resident of Mil- tonville, he visited, says the Wood County Sentinel (edited by C. W. Evers), the beautiful wild meadow north of what is now Bowling Green, and discovered, accidentally, a large stool of clover in blossom, the only thing in the tame grass line he had seen since he left But- ler county. He called White to him and said: "I am not afraid to trust myself on land that will grow such clover as this." That spear or stool of clover, Mr. ]\Ieeker thought, grew near where he aft- erward built his barn. That circum- stance decided him in his location. He built his cabin there. Afterwards he went to Bucyrus and entered the land for $1.25 per acre, and owned and lived on it to tbe time of his death. Startling Incident Mrs. Meeker says after she arrived and saw what a desolate life lay before them her heart sank within her, and only for her children, she would have prayed God to relieve her from further struggle with a life of discouragement. One night shortly after her arrival and during the absence of her husband, she heard the voice of a woman screaming from a little pole shanty about a quarter of a mile dis- tant where a family named Decker had just moved. She did not dare leave in tlie darkness, but next morning went over and found a dejected looking woman sit- ting before the fire cracking walnuts, wliile over against the side of her shanty on the puncheon floor, lay hvv husband, Jesse Decker, dead. He had died in convulsions from an overdose of lurpi-n- tine taken for some bilious ailment. Mr. Meeker and a man named Howard broke their way through the ice to the Otsego mill with a yoke of oxen, got some rough Itoards and a few nails with which they laade a rough box and hauled Decker's hcdy to the ridge known as Union ceme- ti ry. and the burial, which was perhaps the first at that place, was conducted without ceremony. Mr. Marker was an excellent and exem- plary citizen, a sincere friend and kind neighbor. Before his death he was the oldest pioneer of Plain township. By his enterprise in early introducing im- proved varieties of fruit and live stock, he contributed in no small degree to the advancement of the central part of the county and may justly be classed first ninoii"- useful citizens. 'LAND SHARKS" Mahlon Meeker's Narrow Escape from Being the Victim of One NEARLY all the land in Plain town- ship at one time belonged to the government and was subject to entry. Most of the settlers, at first "squatted" on a tract and began improvements, trust- ing to the future to get the means to enter land. But in too many cases on account of sickness or wet seasons it re- quired their utmost efforts to gain even a tolerable subsistence, let alone getting anything ahead, and many of them lost nil the fruits of their labor by those ghouls of the western frontier, called "land sharks." Mahlon Meeker narrow- The PETER NAVARRE Famous Scout Under General Harrison. SCEAP-BOOK. 05 ly escaped becoming a victim to one of these land plunderers. He had made considerable opening before he got ready to pay for his land. There came into the ku-ality a fellow who pretended to be buying cattle. The stranger bought no cattle, however, but in conversation at John Wilson's, where he stopped to feed his horse, he let drop some remark by which Mrs. Wilson at once detected his business. She went at once to the Meekers, and on his return home that night she told him the business of the stranger. Mr. Meeker Avent to Perrysburg that night, borrowed the money of John Hol- lister and immediately took an Indian trail for Bucyrus, which was the U. S. land office for this part of the state. He rode as far as his horse could carry him the first day, then left his horse and footed it all night. He made his entry at the register office and went from there to the receiver's office. On returning short- ly afterward to the register's office he was told by the officer that a man had been there only a few minutes after him to en- ter the same land. In his description Meeker at once recognized the bogus cat- tle buyer, who was just a little too late. — • C. W^ E. GRAND RAPIDS The Original Plat Made in 1831 Roads Petitioned For and Located FIKST of the villages laid out in Wes- ton township, was Gilead, now called Grand Eapids. The first or original plat of Gilead was made by J. jST. Graham in 1831. In 1832, Guy ISTearing built a saw mill at Bear Rapids on the Maumee, and with Joshua Chappel, laid out the vil- lage of Otsego, which for a time bid fair to outstrip its competitors in growth and importance, but in the progress of human affairs, the village died as did the vil- lage of Benton, which David Hedges laid out, about one and a half miles below Otsego. All travel to and from Gilead, was along the river road to Perrysburg, at the head of navigation on the Maumee river, from which place all goods, pro- visions, etc., destined for the up-river settlements must be hauled, over the al- most impassable roads with ox- teams, and all the peltries accumulated and produce raised must seek a market down the river in like manner. In 1828, Alexander Brown and his father-in-law, Jos. North, were the first settlers to move back from the river into tlie dense forests that lay thick and dark between the river and the broad, grassy swamp known as Keeler's prairie. Mr. Brown located a heavily timbered tract of land along Beaver Creek, or as it was also then called, "Minard's Creek," and built the first cabin in a beautiful beech and maple grove. The beautiful bluff banks of Beaver Creek, covered thickly with forests of sugar maple, beech, oak and hickory timber, rapidly attracted the attention of settlers, and ere long Mr. Brown had neighbors on all sides of him. Cutting Out First Road The first township road petitioned for and located, was the road from Grand Rapids to a little above Potter; where it intersects the Wapakoneta road. It was located in the fall of 1830, and was the first regularly surveyed road leading from the river into the wilderness of the in- terior. Its length was a little over four miles and all the distance was through (iO THE PIONEER the most dense forest imaginable, such as the Maumee country was justly cele- brated for along in the "thirties." The Wapakoneta road was not all cleared out yet at this time, so Alexander Brown took a contract to chop the timber out of a portion of the road from Gilead to the Wapakoneta road, and also for ten miles up the "Wapak" road. This furnished employment for a number of the settlers during the winter of 1830 and '31. The first choppers camped on their work. The first camp was near what is known as the John Pugh farm, in the edge of Henry county. There was at this point a deserted Indian village, and in the bark wigwams of the Indians, the chop- pers found shelter. The next road laid out in the township was that very accommodating road still in use, called "the Grilead road," which ran about wherever there was dry land enough, and wherever there was a set- tlement, and finally brought up at Collis- ter Haskins" place, where the Findlay road strikes the Portage river. On the surveyors map of the road made and filed with the commissioners, the place where Ralph 0. Keeler and his herders were camped on the Hollister cattle ranch, was called "HoUister's Prairie.'" This was the first name applied to the Keeler prairie and the settlement which afterwards becanne "New Westfield," Westfield, Taylortown and finally Weston. This road gave great latitude to the en- gineer who surveyed it, and he followed the "best" route frequently when not really the "nearest," though the old "Gilead road"* is still one of the best roads as well as one of the most used roads and is the nearest route still, from "HoUister's Prairie" to Gilead. It was completed in 1S34.— C. W. E. AN ILLUSTRATION Showing a Desire for Social Friendship John Gingery' s Disappointment TO illustrate the neighborly instinct, and desire to be sociable, felt by all settlers in a new country. Uncle John Gingery tells the following story: The choppers were at this time camp- ed at Avhat is known as Wilcox's bend, in Beaver Creek. One morning in mid- winter found the choppers' camp bedded in a foot of snow, and a stiff blizzard blowing from the northwest. Uncle John, driven out early by the cold, set about kindling up the smouldering camp fire. While engaged at this, he heard away ofi: to the southeast, dim through the quiet of the frosty morning air, the faint, shrill crow of a rooster. Much elated at this evidence of growing civil- ization, and the proximity of Christian neighbors, he at once set out in the di- rection indicated by the voice of the rooster, to make the acquaintance of the venturesome owners of the bird; guided by the occasional crowing, he floundered on through the deep snow, over logs and through tangled brushwood, for more than a mile, and at last pulled up at a miserable little settlement of Indians on the banks of Beaver Creek. Uncle John looked about for the rooster, and at length spied him, tied with a piece of bark by the leg to the hut of his red skinned captor. The little fellow crowed as merrily as ever he did in the civ- ilized settlements, from which he had un- doubtedly licen stolen by a chicken loving Indian. Uncle John didn't regret the tramp of over a mile, as the cheerful little bird had taught him a good lesson on making the best of circumstances, and SCRAP-BOOK. 67 he returned to his camp without disturb- ing the sleeping braves, but with a strong desire to pummel the red skin that stole the chicken. On his way back to the choppers' camp, Uncle John found that his trail had been crossed by an enor- mous bears trail, but, unarmed as he was, he was glad not to have a near in- terview, as at that season of the year, they were apt to be hungry and fero- cious. As their job of chopping was nearly completed, Mr. Gingery and Mr. Brown arranged to visit that locality and have ;1 grand hunt, which they did in Febru- ary, camping in their old chopping camp, and securing a fine lot of bear pelts, and (•thor game, without injury to themselves, but losing several of their dogs from the too ardent embraces of old bruin. Bear hides were worth from six to seven dol- hirs each at Perrvsburg at that time. FISH AND AGUE Two Distinguished Characteristics in the Early Period of Maumee Valley History SOLDIEES who came with Mad An- thony to the Maumee country, never afterward tired of extolling its beauties, its fertility, its fine forests of oak, walnut, poplar and other valuable timber — its rivers swarming with the lovely musca- lunge and sturgeon, its myriads of "red horse'" (suckers), the gamey black bass and the fat, lubberly cat fish of such enormous proportions that a single fish made a meal for one of Wayne's cavalry companies at Defiance. If the few old settlers now left on the ^Laumee were to explain to the present generation the numbers and size of the fish of the early times they would be suspected of having bad memories or of telling professional fisherman's "yarns." But there were other things about these rivers not so enticing as its fish — its fever and ague. It was not usually fatal, but it was dreadfully uncomfortable. Few escaped it. Wayne's soldiers had it. He dosed them with whisky as his surgeon's reports show, but Mononghahela whisky was no match for Maumee ague in those davs — in fact the fish and ague seemed to have held, for size and number, nearly relative proportions; they were hard to beat. The soldiers and early pioneers had two theories about how they got the ague. Some thought it was carried by a malarious poison in the air, arising from decaying vegetation. Others thouglit it got into their systems through the fish tliey ate. Both sides of the question had plenty of advocates and both proved the truth or fallacy of their theor}^ as might be, by having the ague. All had i;. It was no respector of persons. It was a singular complication or com- bination of attacks on the human sys- tem. The victim begun the ordeal with a feeling of extreme chilliness; lips and finger nails turned blue as if the blood were stagnant. Then greater chilliness followed by shivering and chattering of teeth. By this time the victim, feeling as if every bone in his body would break, had crawled into bed if he was fortunate enough to have one, and call for more cover, shaking meanwhile as if just out of an icy river in a bleak day. This chilly period lasted from three- f|uarters of an hour to one hour or more, and was followed by a raging fever in which the ]iatient constantly called for more water whicli he gulped down by the quart, and still the thirst was unquenched and unquoncliablo. This fe\(M- in turn would, be followed 6S THE PIONEER by a relaxation of the system and the most profuse and exhausting perspiration until the sheets and clothing would be wringing wet, leaving in the clothes a disagreeable odor hard to describe, but al- ways the same. There was no mistaking an "ague sweat" by its odor. From this "siege" of three or four hours the patient would rise weak and dizzy and go about his or her duties and, as the ague fit only came on in most cases every other day, the patient had some respite in which to recruit a little. Usu- ally in the "off" day the patient would be tormented with almost an uncontroll- able hunger. Quinine, when it could be had was the chief antidote. The ague and chill fever as it used to be known, is seldom heard of now. With the clean- ing up and drainage of the land it has l^assed away or taken some new form of development in the system. The last general epidemic of ague was in the wet season of 1852.— (7. W. E. PETER NAVARRE The Famous Indian Interpreter and Gen. Harrison's Scout THE stirring events of the early life of one of Maumee's most active and loyal citizens, in his day, Pierre Na- varre (Peter Nevarre), should have been preserved, if it had been possible; but being an uneducated man, he was little known after the war closed except by a few of his old and intimate friends. This energetic young Frenchman, was a favorite scout and runner of General Harrison's and other officers during the war, and was much employed, both be- fore and after the close of the war, in carrying important dispatches for the Government, from Detroit to the settle- ments at the foot of the Maumee, and also to Fort Wayne, and down the Wa- bash and as far west as Vincennes and St. Louis. He was employed as Indian interpreter at the councils held on this and the Wabash rivers, as trusty scout sent with notice to the different tribes, when a council was to be held by the agents, or officers of the Government or army; knew all intricacies of the wind- ing Indian trails, that led along the rivers, and across wide prairies from one point to another, and always knew where to find the different hunting parties on their remote hunting grounds. I met, and afterwards became well ac- quainted with an old Pottawatomie chief. Captain Billy Colwell, on the upper Mis- souri, in 1840, who was well acquainted with Navarre. Capt. Colwell was in the immediate command of the Pottawa- tomies, at the battle of the Thames, and described Peter as one of the most active and dangerous of the scouts of Harrison on that bloody field. The chief attempt- ed several times during the day to get a shot at the wily scout (as he was easily recognized in his highly ornamented suit of buckskin), but at each time was elud- ed, when the sights of his rifle were al- most drawn upon him. Capt. Colwell gave Navarre credit for being the most active on foot and in general movements on a field of battle, that he ever knew. These men met frequently after the war, and became fast friends, being about the same age, both having passed through many of the same stirring scenes of that day. These worthy men have both gone to SCRAP-BOOK. 69 their long rest. Peter Navarre, lies in the little French burying ground near the mouth of the Maumee, and the old Pottawatomie chief, Capt. Colwell, is taking his last sleep, on the east bank of the Missouri, near Council Bluffs. What an interesting history could have been written of the stirring incidents of the early settlements of this country, in which these men were among the active; but they are gone, and many of the in- cidents of historic interest are buried with them. — I). W. H. Howard. THE CAMPAIGN OF 1840 The Great Tide Which Carried Harrison into the Presidential Chair — The Monster Gathering at Fort Meigs Who Placed That Log in the Well at the Fort THE following account of the cam- paign of 1840, and the monster meeting at Fort Meigs in that year, was written by Mr. C. W. Evers, and pub- lished in the Sentinel some years ago : Perhaps the most remarkable event in the political history of this country, was the campaign of 1840. General Harrison was the Whig candidate for the Presi- dency in 1836, but suffered defeat. The Whigs \\'ere not discouraged by their re- pulse in that year, nor did they lose con- fidence in their leader, whose war record gave him popularity Avith the masses of the people in all sections of the country. The campaign commenced in 1836 was not permitted to die out. The Whigs kept up their organizations, did not lay down their arms, but fortified their posi- tion and made every preparation for a renewal of the conflict in 1840, never for a moment losing confidence in their lead- er or abating their zeal in his support. The conflict on the part of the great leaders of the two parties was transferred from the stump to the halls of Congress, and there the battle was carried on with a zeal, eloquence and ability unequalled in any partisan struggle since the organ- ization of the Government. The Whigs held their National Con- vention at Philadelphia on the 4th of December, 1839, nearly a year before the election. This showed how earnestly they were enlisted in the fight, and the confidence which inspired their action. They felt that a long campaign would result to their advantage. They had no fear of discussion, no dread of investi- gation. Log Cabins and Hard Cider A Democratic correspondent of a Bal- timore paper, before the campaign of 1843 had fairly opened, made the sneer- ing remark that General Harrison's habits and attainments were well calcu- lated to secure him the highest measure of happiness in a log cabin with an abundant supply of hard cider. The Whigs caught this up and from that lime forward log cabins and hard cider played conspicuous parts in the campaign. Van Buren, the candidate of the Demo- crats, was held up as a dapper little Imnd-box fop, using gold spoons and hav- ing not tlie least sympathy with the great working and producing masses of the people. This was a strong card for the Whigs and they made the most of it. At every convention log cabins were haul- ed in processions and hard cider was free and plentiful as water. Harrison hail- ing from the Buckeye State, buckeye l)ushes were used as the Whig emblem, and Imckoves were strung and worn as THE PIOXEEK beads by tbe ladies attending Whig gath- erings. The tide set strongly in favor of the Whigs, and even the correspondent of the Baltimore paper who spoke so sneer- ingly of the capacities and social charac- ter of General Harrison, was carried in- to the current and swept into the Whig party. Opening of the Campaign in Ohio The campaign was 02:)ened in Ohio by a monster ratification meeting in Colum- bus on Washington's birthday, February 22. On the evening of the 21st all W hig residences and business houses in the city were illuminated. The streets were thronged with people from all parts of the State, and it was necessary to open nearly everv house in the then city of six thousand inhabitants to accommo- date those who iiad arrived from a dis- tance. The means of traveling were at that time very limited. Canals were closed, there were no railroads, stage coaches could carry but few persons, and the roads were so bad that they could make but slow progress, passengers often being compelled to get out and walk up hills or wliere the roads were particularly bad. But these things did not discour- age the zealous Whigs. They hitched up their own learns, hired teams, and sought conveyance to the capital of the state in every conceivable manner, determined to be on hand and participate in the inaug- uration of that eventful campaign. Not only this, but log cabins of huge dimen- sions were mounted upon wheels and hauled long distances to the capital. But the most striking feature of that great gathering was the representation of Fort Meigs — being a miniature copy of the Fort in every particular, hauled by six fine horses, it was 28 feet in length, the embankments were six inches high, surmounted by pickets ten inches high. Il was garrisoned by 40 men, contained seven block houses, twelve cannon, and was ill every respect a complete and per- f ( ct representation of the Fort at the foot of the rapids of the Maumee river. There were three flag-staffs on the Fort 30 feet high. On one was the inscrip- tion, "Fort Meigs, besieged May, 1813"; on another was Harrison's celebrated re- sponse to the demand of the British of- ficer for the surrender of the Fort, "Tell General Procter when he gets possession of the Fort he will gain more honor, in the estimation of his King and country, than he would acquire by a thousand capitulations," and on the other was the dying words of the brave Lawrence, "Don't give up the ship." This miniature fort was made at Perrys- burg and hauled from that place to Co- lumbus. John C. Spink was Captain and went through with the Fort and the men. One of the guns on the Fort — a small brass piece — was cast at Toledo. The other guns were of iron and one of them was carried on the Commodore Perry the next season, and while being fired as the boat was coming up the lake on the fourth of July, exploded, severely wound- ing E. Graham, then the boat's carpenter, but subsequently treasurer of this coun- ty and Internal Revenue Assessor. On the morning of the 22d, the large numbers of people who had collected from a distance from Columbus during the previous day and night, foimed proces- sions on the various roads leading into the capital, and, notwithstanding the rain and mud, the wildest enthusiasm prevailed, and by ten o'clock the streets of Columbus were literally filled with the drenched delegations. Numerous mili- tary companies and bands were there,- and all marched through the streets in rain and mud, their enthusiasm seem- ingly heightened by the difficulties under which they were assembled. At that con- vention, after full consultation, the fol- lowing resolution was adopted: "Besolved, That it be recommended to the young men of the States of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, SCEAP-BOOK. 71 Western Xew York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, to celebrate the next anniver- sar}- of the raising of the siege of Fort Meigs, in June, 1813, on the ground oc- cupied by that Fort/' Preparing for Fort Meigs Gathering The tide had set in so strongly in favor of the Whigs that the Democrats were thrown into confusion. They lost their temper, became demoralized, and those who did not enlist under the Whig ban- ner conducted a guerrilla warfare, mere- ly seeking to annoy the Whigs without securing any decided advantage. The greatest enthusiasm, amounting to al- most a degree of wild excitement, per- vaded the ranks of the Whigs, and from all parts of the country notes of prepara- tion to attend the Fort Meigs demon- stration were heard. Very naturally these indications of the coming gather- ing of the greatest partisan demonstra- tion ever witnessed in this country ex- cited and cheered the Whigs of Perrys- burg and Maumee, encouraging them to the greatest efforts in arranging for the complete success of the important enter- prise. The two villages, which were then about the only important places in tlie Maumee Valley, acted in concert, and no one was ever heard to complain of the manner in which they performed their ])art of the work. The Log Cabin It was decided that a huge log cabin should be erected upon the Fort, to be used as a sort of headquarters by General Harrison for reception purposes. One log for thisi cabin was to be furnished by each township in Wood and Lucas coimties. The first log to arrive was brought from the neighborhood of the present village of S wanton. It was a fine stick of timber, about fifty feet in length. Its arrival was the signal for a jollifica- tion. The cannon was In'ought and taken to the Fort, followed by three barrels of hard cider. The Whigs of ■Maumee and Perrysburg united in this demonstration, and of course they had a jolly time^ which lasted until in the evening, when many of the men and a host of boys gave evidence of familiarity with these barrels of cider. The Fate of the First Log After tile Whigs had got over their jubilee, the next day some of them went up to the Fort to take another look at that log which had met with such a warm reception. Judge their surprise when they discovered that the guerrilla Demo- crats had gone to the Fort in the night and stuck said log into the Fort well. The well was about 50 or 60 feet deep. It was perhaps 15 feet from the top of the well to the water, then there was about fifteen feet of water and the bal- ance was mud. Not only .this, but the said guerrillas had bored a hole in the end of the log which projected out of the well about five feet, then they had got a hickory bush, shaved the end to fit the hole in the log and then planted said bush in the log. The bush was removed but the log could not be lifted out of the ^\ell, and it remains there to this day and is seen by all who visit the Fort. It fitl}' illustrates the style of warfare adopted by the Democrats in ISIO. Who Placed the Log in the Well Until very recently only those engaged in the act knew who placed that log in the well. Time has served to cool the Whig blood which was made to boil on account of that outrage, and recently one of the actors in that drama gave us the history of how it was done and the names of those who did it. The parties who did it were Chas. F. Wilson, brother of the late Hon. Eber Wilson; Henry Ew- ing, Samuel Bucher, who lived in a cabin near the Fort; S. D. Westcott, a well known citizen of Perrysburg, and 72 THE PIONEER John Westcott, of Vaulue, Hancock coun- ty. Just how so few men could plant so large a log in a well the reader will be curious to know. A man by the name of Radway lived on a farm about half a mile above the Fort. He had a pair of breachy oxen and was in the habit of turning them upon the commons in their yoke. These cattle were at the Fort and the guerrillas drafted them into the ser- vice. Bucher got a log chain, the oxen were hitched to the log and it was drawn into position, the butt at the well and the other end resting upon the embank- ment. Thus situated the men managed to raise the small end and slide the log into the well. The Whigs were not discouraged by this little episode, but the logs kept com- ing in until every township had its re- presentative for the cabin. An eye wit- ness informs us that he never saw so fine a collection of logs. They ranged from 40 to 60 feet in length, were straight as an arrow and smooth as a ramrod. The Whigs were proud of their logs and contemplated the beautiful cabin to be made of them with great satisfac- tion. Another Guerrilla Raid It is singular that the fate of the first log did not operate to warn the Whigs against further raids from the Democrat- ic guerrillas, but they evidently thought the success of the first venture would satisfy their enemies. In this they were deceived, for one dark night some rascals, armed with cross-cut saws, entered the Fort and cut those beautiful logs into old fashioned back logs. To this day it is not known who handled those saws. Like the man who locked his stable door after the horse was stolen, the Whigs now built a bark guard house and hired a man, armed with a shot-gun, to keep watch. Other logs were procured and a huge double cabin was erected, Geo. W. Newton, of Perrysburg, acting in the capacity of master builder, and we be- lieve, John C. Spink, Julius Blinn, Judge Hollister, J. W. Smith and other Whigs of Perrysburg were the leading spirits in this preparatory work for the great con- vention. The Demonstration The Fort Meigs demonstration was worthy of the campaign of 1840. In fact, everything considered, it was the most remarkable political gathering ever witnessed in this country. It must be re- membered that facilities for travel were very limited at that time, and that Fort Meigs was then a point on the frontier. Notwithstanding these facts, the crowd assembled was estimated at from 40,000 to 60,000 persons. It is safe to say that there were 50,000 peojile at the Fort on the 11th day of June, 1840. They came from all parts of the country, in all man- ner of conveyances. Capt. Wilkinson, with his Commodore Perry, escorted six- teen steamboats up the river, all loaded to their utmost capacity. Men are said to have sold their last cow to get the means to take them to that convention. Military companies from various cities were present, and a large number of bands furnished music. The processions on the roads leading to Perrysburg were simply immense, while thousands upon tliousands were streaming in for two or three days before the grand demonstra- tion, from all parts of the country. A mock siege occurred on the night of the tenth, and cannonading by the several batteries in attendance is described as having been sublimely grand. Every house and out-house in Perrysburg and Maumee was crowded with weary men who had rode in buggies and wagons hundreds of miles. Thousands slept up- on the ground in the woods adjoining the Fort. The wells in the upper portion of Perrysburg were soon pumped dry in re- lieving the thirst of the multitude. Gen- eral Harrison was present and while in SCRAP-BOOK. 73 Perr3'sburg was the guest of Judge Hol- lister, who then owned and occupied the residence recently owned by H. E. Peck. In the evening, in response to the calls of a great crowd of people, he appeared upon the grounds in front of the resi- dence and briefly addressed the moiltitude. The General, Tom Ewing and a large number of other distino-uished Whigs were present and addressed the people at the Fort. General Harrison spent a portion of his time in Maumee, the guest of Judge Forsythe. Thus was inaugurated and successfully concluded the greatest political demon- stration, all things considered, ever wit- nessed on this continent. THE WINTER OF 1842-43 Referred To by Old S3ttlers as a Record Breaker Wholly Unsurpasse''. THE late Mr. C. W. Evers some years since wrote up the following ac- count of the severe winter of 1842-43, in Wood County : J. E. Tracy of Toledo, who was an early pioneer of Bowling Green, tells some of the incidents of the memorable hard winter of 1842-3 which is referred to by all the old people as a record break- er unsurpassed since white men planted their cabins in this part of the country. The autumn of 1842 had been a mild aud delightful one. The mazy Indian summer had hung over the landscape like a protecting curtain from the chill blasts of boreas. On the 25th day of Novem- ber in the after part of the day, came a change, sudden and severe. First dark, dense clouds overcast the sky; towards night rain fell. This soon changed to sleet, driven by a strong wind and so cold that men caught out with teams on the road had to leave their wagons and walk to keep from freezing. This, later turned to snow which covered the ground heavily in the morning. That snow, increased in depth from time to time, lay until some time in April, 1843. The ice in the Maumee at Waterville, was frozen solid down to the rocks on the day of spring election in April that year. The weather at times, in fact much of the time, was extremely cold, though there were no thermometers here then by which to gauge the temperature, as now. The mild autumn had lulled the scatter- ing settlers into neglect and their scanty supplies of vegetables, fruit and corn fod- der had been frozen solid in the unherald- ed storm, no more to be released till the following May. By March the scanty supply of prairie hay began to fail. The poor cattle starved, shivered and froze. Their pitiful bellowing and moans were harrowing to hear. The owners would drive them into the forest where elm and basswood trees were felled and the starv- ing brutes ate the buds and tender twigs. Other owners later, when the ground thawed, dug prairie dock (root of the rosin weed) and fed it to their horses and cattle. Despite all the efforts hun- dreds of cattle perished and those that survived were mere skeletons. Hogs could get no acorns from under the icy crust and there was no corn to feed them. They crawled into bunches where they were found in the spring frozen solid as rocks. Poultry and small animals, wild and domestic, perished. Squirrels, coon and birds were found frozen in hollow trees and logs, even the muskrat in his icy home. ^ That was 61 years ago, but none who lived at that time will ever forget the harrowing vicissitudes of that winter 74 THE PIONEER and the destitution and sickness of the following spring and summer. The present winter though unusually severe, would not, though equally as cold as that of 42-3 bear upon us of today as it did upon those scantily prepared pio- neers of that time. We have warm hous- es, clothing and stores of supplies both for man and beast. There can be no comparison. We can never know nor even imagine the terrors of that gloomy period, to those who lived here and shared its hardships. The unprecedented conditions that exist now in the Maumeo river are only a sample of what dangerous surprises nature's working forces may bring when a certain combination of circumstances exist. Then it is that man's best efforts are set at naught. He is as puny as the fretful ant. His bridge spans are not high enough. His dykes and dams are not strong enough. His granite and steel walls are not proof against the de- vouring breath of llame and heat. Man's efforts only help to make the destruction gi-eater. The Maumee is hedged and ob- structed with piers, docks and earth fill- ings. The raging torrents armed with l)locks of floating ice only mock at these artificial contrivances of man and sweep them away as if but tinsel or cobwebs. How like the ant hill or the cobweb of the spider are the works of man, in that each alike are only subject to power of destruction. Had not man planted his cabin here nor disturbed the Maumee we would not be comparing the present winter with that of 42-43 in points of severity and dcstructiveness. So long as man asserts himself along side of and against nature's modes, which will be as long as he exists, so long must he cope with hard winters, hot summers, drouth, floods and other pleasant and un- pleasant manifestations of nature's ca- prices and whims. SAGE CHILD TRAGEDY Most Horrible Child Murder by a Father Whose Mind Was Wrecked by Religious Fervor VALENTINE SAGE married a full- blooded Indian girl, adopted by and raised in the family of Eev. Isaac Van Tassel, one of the early missionaries to the Indians, on the Maumee. Some- time in 1852-3 their oldest boy named George, aged about thirteen years, took sick and died, which threw him into a despondent state of mind, and he gradu- ally turned his thoughts to religious mat- ters, and would shout, sing and pray alternately in the wildest manner. Some six months afterward Sage at- tended a religious revival held by Rev. P. C. Baldwin, at the old Plain Church, and became so wrought up by religious excitement that he would shout and- pray at the top of his voice all the way home irom the church at night. One stormy, snowy morning in March, during the progress of the meeting he arose quite early and made a fire in the stove, singing loudly all the time. Pres- ently he went to the bed where his wife and child lay and took the cliild, as his wife who was awake- supposed, to the stove to keep it warm while she dressed herself, but she saw him hurry out of doors. She sprang up and ran to the door just in time to see the head of her darling child dashed against a log on the wood pile. She gave an agonizing scream, when he seized the ax and com- pelled h(^r to go to bed, after which he SCRAP-BOOK. 75 brought the dead child to her. He sung and shouted and seemed to be entirely happy, while his wife expected every moment that either her own or some of the other children's lives would be next sacrificed. He forbid any of them leav- ing the house, holding the ax all the time. Finally the oldest girl escaped from the chamber window and ran to a neigh- bor's, Mr. John Whitehead, about a half a mile distant. Whitehead hurried down but was threatened his life if he came even in the yard. He saw that he was powerless to relieve the prisoners in the house and that his presence only increas- ed the rage of the madman every mo- ment and rendered the fact of Sage's family more perilous. He hurried away for help and returned shortly after, with, we believe, Henry Huff, S. W. St. John and John Evers, all active and determin- ed men. They came up unobserved by Sage. Two of them made an attempt to hold a parley with him, but he stood in the door brandishing his ax threaten- ing any with death who should attempt to approach. While two of the men at- tracted his attention from the front, Evers climbed in at the chamber window and down the ladder, and unnoticed by Sage, stole up behind him and clasped him tightly around the waist under the arms. Even with this advantage it was hard to avoid the blows of his ax. His strength seemed superhuman. Some one finally seized him by the throat, and once out of wind they succeeded in tying him and he was sent to the jail at Perrysburg, ^\■here ne afterward died a raving mad- man.— C. W. E. HOLLISTER'S PRAIRIE A Wild Region, Picturesque and Attractive for the Hunter of Wild Game ABOUT eight miles southeast of Gil- ead lay that stretch of low grassy prairie or swamp, as it was most of the year ; only in the very driest of seasons, in mid-summer did it become terra firma, its tall grass, growing from 6 to 10 feet high, and with skirting thickets and forests, furnished a paradise of security for deer and bear. The reports of this prairie, carried by hunters to the settle- ment at Perrysburg, attracted the atten- tion of the Hollisters, then living there, and they located a cattle ranch with Ralph 0. Keeler as partner and manager of the business. The headquarters of the ranch was on the high ridge Just north of Weston, where the old Keeler homestead house formerly stood. The ridge is now a portion of the Weston cemetery. Soon the Hollisters and Keel- er had large droves of cattle, roaming at will over the prairies and through the forests on what was yet all government land. The tall prairie grass furnished ample pasturage, and the sink holes in the prairie, such as the ''Stone Pond" in Plain township, furnished drinking plac- es in the driest of seasons. Such a scene as the herds on the broad acres of pasturage, viewed from the over- looking ridges, at its best ana most pic- turesque, might well have tempted the coolest brain to visionary dreams of Ar- cadian bliss, such dreams as caused the educated and wealthy German, Carl Xil^elung to sink his fortune in the swampy pasture at the northeast side of the prairie, in later years. — Sentinel, 18S1. Wood county was organized April 1, 1820, with 13 other counties, and Mau- mee was the coimty seat until 1823. 76 THE PIONEER MILTON TOWNSHIP The Struggles of the First Settlers — Their Privations— At Work on the Hand Mill IN the Sentinel of April 21, 1881, a pioneer says: About the year 1834-35, began the first white settlement, in what is now known as Milton township, in Wood county, Ohio, Prior to this time it was a howl- ing wilderness; the foot of a white man had scarcely trod on its territory. The wild Indian o-r red man of the forest, the bear, the wolf, the panther and wild cat, held full sway, unmolested by the ap- proach of civilization. About this time there began to be a movement made in some of the eastern counties of Ohio, to go west. The Maumee Valley had its attractions, and the traveler in search of a home had his attention drawn to Wood county by its rich and inexhaustable soil. Landing at Perrysburg, they would wend their way up the Maumee, and striking the mouth of Beaver Creek, a mile be- low Grand Eapids (then Gilead), they would ascend the creek to explore the rich country before them. The earlier set- tlers began to locate along the creek in Henry county and soon they began to spread out over more territory. To tell the story of pioneer life in the wilds of Milton and adjoining townships it may seem strange to some why I should connect Henry county and Liberty town- shi]i and associate the names of those at sueli remote distances. In those days we understood and ap- preciated that word neighbor. It was not used then in that narrow, contracted sense in which it is used now, but it was born of that higher and prouder philan- thropy, as taught in Bible lessons, where a man fell among robbers; so we in the earlier days of our pioneer life in the wilds of Milton and adjoining townships were all neighbors, for miles and miles, and when we met, there was a happy greeting, a cordial and hearty shaking of hands, as though it really meant some- thing. We had no roads either, we just went zig-zag through me woods, around trees, over and around fallen timber, through the water, fighting the mosquitoes, to a neighbor's with a sack of corn on our backs to grind it on a hand mill, to get corn meal to make johnny cake for the family (it was johnny cake, coon and possum fat), and glad to get that. We had no water mills nearer than Perrys- burg, and not much to get ground when we got there. And it took us from four to five days to go and come; the only conveyance was by ox teams and a cart. Old Billy Hill (as he was familiarly known) had a hand mill, and it was kept going from morning until midnight, people coming from miles and miles around. Dozens of men and women have licen there at one time waiting their turn to get their opportunity to turn the mill, and some times, when so thronged, some would leave their corn and go home to their hungry families, and come again to take their places at the mill. Of course this mill was a rude structure; four upright posts framed together and the stones set in them, and the propelling power was applied by an upright shaft, with an iron spout placed in a thimble in the upper burr, and the top held by passing through a hole in a board, and then two men taking hold of this up- right shaft and turning the burr. It was a slow process, but it was the only alternative we had. This was afterward changed, so as to make it more conven- ient; it was arranged, so four men could take hold of cranks like a grind stone and made to grind much faster. Then we all thought that we had found a para- dise. SCKAP-BOOK. 77 GOING TO MILL How Wood County Pioneers Took Their Grist to Mills on the River Raisin A PIONEER writes to the Sentinel in 1881, the following gi-aphic de- scription of "going to mill" : The nearest grist mills for the settlers along the Manmee were located at the mouth of the river Raisin in Michigan, where the city of Monroe now is, and at Cold Creek in what was then Huron count}^ — now Erie county, Ohio, near where the village of Castalia now is. The distance in either case being not far from seventy miles, and with the easy going ox teams and the horrible roads, going to mill was a vast undertaking, the Journey often taking ten days or two weeks to perform even if the hungry pio- neer did not have to camp out, or hunt work in the neighborhood of the mill, and wait for sufficient water to accumu- late in the crazy old dams, to enable the miller to turn out their grist. Alexander Brown, once worked, log- ging, at Cold Creek, and then had to turn in and help grind his own grist on Sunday, and even then did not finish be- fore the water gave out, and he was forced to leave a portion of his grist at the mill, the miller promising to grind it and send it to Perrysburg by the first chance. Mr. Brown got his grist in a little over two months all right. When an expedition was fitted out to go to mill either to the mouth of Raisin river or to Cold Creek, it usually be- came a neighborhood affair, and was con- sidered a bigger undertaking than a trans-continental journey would now. A "team," consisting of two or three yokes of oxen, would be rigged to a wagon, and the grists of the whole neighborhood be loaded on, with feed for the cattle and a sack of potatoes, coffee pot and frying pan, and other needed camp equipage, and amidst much excitement and great shoutings of "good byes," the expedition would gaily flounder away on their trip of a week or two to mill. For the meat supply of such expeditions, the settlers depended upon the chance of game sup- ply along the route, and usually some noted hunter accompanied the caravan as chief forager, whose unerring rifle would easily, every day, from the woods, supply the meager larder with juicy veni- son steaks, or a young bear roast. Sometimes, when the country was flooded, and the rude trails through the forests back to the older settlements were impassable even to a man on horseback, the bread material of our hardy pioneers was prepared as was that of the ancient Hebrews, every family doing its own grinding, in their handmills, or as their Indian neighbors did theirs, in a sort of rude mortar attached to a spring pole, always remembering that among the In- dians the ladies manipulated the hominy mill. Uncle John Gingery has in his pos- session today, a coffee mill that he pur- chased in Wayne county, Ohio, in 1826. The old mill is still hale and heartv, ai.d has good teeth yet for a pioneer of 57 years old. Bushels of buckwheat and corn have met the crushing influence of that old mill, and bolted through a fine meal sieve have furnished "Snap Jack" material that fried in "bar" fat, went far toward nourishing the sinewy arm of the old pioneers when by reason of the impassable condition of roads or the in- clement weather, they were prevented from going to mill. It is a matter of fact that in the Mau- mee Valley a greater number of battles have been fought, and with greater re- sults than in any similar extent of ter- ritory in the Union. THE PIONEER ATTACKED BY WOLVES Mahlon Meeker's Struggle at Night With a Pack of These Animals OA'E night as Mr. Meeker was going home followed by one of his dogs he suddenly heard the howl of a wolf near the trail he was following. This was instantly answered by another wolf and presently a wolf appeared in front of him. The dog slunk close to him. He had no means of defense and so Icnew it was just as safe to go ahead as to turn back. So he walked boldly up to the one in the trail until almost within reach of it when it sprang to one side and joined with two others in the rear, when they all broke out in a deafening, startling chorus of howls. After going a mile or so he came to where a tree had been l)lown down and ran into the top to get a stick. While here, four more wolves joined in the chase, and on taking the trail again they became so fierce and bold and approached so close that several times he succeeded in striking one with his club, after which they would howl and snap their teeth in disappointed rage, but continue to follow him until he arrived on the ridge at the cabin of Howard, who had a great fire in his fire place, the light of which shone through the unchinked cracks and which with two savage dogs finally scared the wolves off. Meeker thinks if he had tripped his foot and fallen they would have all attacked him at once. They were of the large brown species and seemed maddened with hunger. — C. W. E. WILD HOGS Some Startling Experiences With Them by Mr. Meeker THE earliest recollections we have from the first settlers all speak of the great numbers of wild hogs that frequent- ed the woods in the Black Swamp. They were more numerous at times than the deer and many years later they were cap- tured in the dense woods north of what is called the "Devil's Hole." Some of the early settlers claimed that they were not, nor could not be the pro- geny of the domestic hog, being entirely wild and untamable and fierce of dis- position. But we incline to the belief that they were originally strays, or cast offs from the quartermaster's ' department of Hull's or Harrison's army. Perhaps Mad Anthony Wayne and his legion in 1794, after tlio victorv, felt so well that they turned all their hogs loose, if any they had, to devour the Indian corn- fields growing along the Maumee. At all events it is known that large droves of hogs were brought in during the war of 1812, and it is not at all unreason- able to suppose this the origin of the \ast herds of wild hogs which roamed the woods many years ago. We refer to this matter in this place in connection with a couple of incidents related by Mr. Meeker. Wild Hogs Tree a Wcff While in search of some horses one day in company with one of the Deckers, they heard a loud commotion some dis- tance away among the wild hogs. It grew louder and louder until their cu- riosity led them to cautiously approach the place or as near as they dared, when they spied a wolf on a high fallen log barely out of reach of the infuriated ani- mals, which seemed to have gathered tlu>re by hundreds — at least the ground SC'KAP-BOOK. 79 was covered with them. But the wolf may have seen the men, for he sprang off his perch and was instantly torn to pieces and devoured. The hunters were only able, after the hogs left, to find a small string of his hide. Meeker Treed by Wild Hogs At another time ]\Ir. jMccker was re- turning home M'hen he heard the cries of a young pig, which seemed to have been deserted by the rest of the herd and was too weak to get along. Mr. Meeker took it up thinking to take it home with him, when it set up such a squeeling as soon l)rought the whole drove upon him. He heard them com- ing just in time to drop the pig and hastily climb a small tree as the excited animals gathered beneath him foaming and gnashing their teeth, while several ferocious old l)oars fought with each oth- er for the privilege of gouging the bark off the tree with their tusks. After much iictisy demonstrations and watching the l)risoner for a time they began to drop oft' and finally the siege was entirely raised by the departure of the last hog — a surly old boar, a very patriarch whose large tusks and fierce mien might have well challenged comparison with any dwellers of his kind in the famous Black Swamp.— C. W. E. THE MAUMEE COUNTRY Once Regarded as One of the Most'Dreary, Desolate and Uninviting Regions of Earth THE late Dr. Geo. B. Spencer wrote to the Sentinel early in 1884, as follows : Before the year 1820, Wood county wa« a part of an indefinite, undivided, un- explored wilderness, known as "Xorth- west Ohio," with its county seat at Belle- fontaine, and but few settlements in all the "Black Swamp" of the "Miami of the Lakes." Waynesfield township of liOgan county, included within its limits, all of the present counties of Wood and Hancock, and in that year, 1820, the total tax for all purposes collected in the said township was $139.15. In 1823, on the 28th of May, the township of Waynes- field was divided by the organization of Perrysbvirg township, which included all of the present county of Wood. "The Manmee Country", was by this time celebrated from one end of the United States to the other, as the most forsaken, desolate and ague-smitten wil- derness of tangled forests and inhospit- able swamps, only excelled in dreariness and desolation, perhaps, by the great "Dismal Swamp"" of Virginia, or the un- ])enetrated everglades of Florida. Hull's troops had cut and floundered a passage through this country on their way to the disgraceful surrender at De- troit, in 1812. Mad Anthony Wayne's victorious army, liad 18 years before this, iu 1T91, followed down along the swampy "Miamji of the Lakes"' from Fort Defi- ance to Fort 3Iiami, to punish the re- I'lactory Indians, and as the soldiers of \V;i\ne. Hull and Harrison dispersed to their homes back in the old colonies, they carried with them their soldier sto- ries of the horrible swamps of the "Miami of the Lakes," as the Maumee river was then called. See how names are changed, and new words made. The river was by its earl- iest French settlers, called the Miami, ]-)ronounced by the French "Me-ah-me," and by the cornipted influence of the 80 Indians' and backwoodsmen's attempts at pronunciation, it became first "Me-aw- me" and then "Mau-mee" until now as we pronounce the "Mi-am-i" of southern Ohio and the "^'Maumee" of northern Ohio 3'ou wouldn't suspect any blood relation. x\nd as "Maumee" it became a famed locality and went heralded in song and wierd story as the place where "Potatoes they grow small on Mau-mee, on Mau-mee." But in spite of its drawbacks, and un- pleasant natural features, and the unfa- vorable reports circulated far and wide about the country, the speculating spirit of some of Wayne's soldiers and those of the war of 1812, was attracted to the Maumee Valley by its wonderful game suppl}', and the hopes of a remunerative traffic in furs and peltries with the In- dians, and traders; posts were establish- ed at several places in the valley im- mediately after the peace following the war of 1812. Settlements started first near the shore of the lake, then gracmally spreading up the rivers and tributaries. In 1821, THE PIONEER enough settlers were located about Fort Meigs, at the foot of the rapids in the river, to demand a better means of com- munication with their county seat, Bellefontaine, than was presented by HulFs old trace, in its serpentine wand- erings southward through this county; so what is called yet the Wapakoneta road, was petitioned for, granted, sur- veyed, and work begun on it in 1821. The road led from Fort Meigs along up tlie river on the south side, to near the mouth of Beaver Creek, then followed nearly the course of Beaver Creek, and so en south of Wapakoneta. Then the trade of the Indians at the head of the rapids, attracted settlers along up the river. At that time there were no other white settlers between that point and Fort Defiance, where the town of Defi- ance now is. There was quite a good sized Indian village on the Maumee and scattering outlying settlements along up Beaver Creek, and on the sand ridges south from the river, the Indians dwelling in peace and harmony with their white neighbors. WESTON TOWNSHIP Gradual Accession of Settlers — Organization and the First Election IN his reminiscences, the late Dr. G, B. Spencer wrote to the Sentinel in 1884, as follows: Year after year during the Twenties, white settlers came, and by occasional accessions of other families, the little settlement at the mouth of Bear Creek and at the head of the rapids of the Maumee, grew, until in the spring of 1830, they demanded a township organ- ization for themselves. The reader will please remember that up to this time all of what is now Wood county, was in- cluded in one big township called Perrys- Ijurg, which township has been divided and sub-divided since that time. So in the spring of 1830, the settlers at the head of the rapids and mouth of Beaver Creek and at Bear Rapids or Otsego, petitioned for a new township to be called "Ottawa," and the township was duly created by the county commis- sioners, but before the time came to elect township officers in the spring of 1831, the name was changed from Ottawa to I Weston. The township as first organized includ- ed all of what is now Weston, Milton, Jackson and the west part of Washing- ton townships, or a strip of land six SCEAP-BOOK. 81 miles wide, and extending back from the river to what is now the southern limit of Wood county. First Election The first election ever held in Weston township was on the 4th day of April, 1831, when all of the voters met at the house of Edward Howard, and proceed- ed to elect themselves, for at that first election there were barely enough voters to intelligently fill the offices. The first ofi&cers were as follows: Trustees, Ed- ward Howard, Wm. Pratt and Emanuel Arnold; treasurer, E. M. Howard; clerk, 11. A. Howard; poor overseers, M. P. Morgan and Jas. Donaldson; constables, Wm. Korth and Wm. Wonderly; fence viewers, Wm. Loughry and Joseph North; Justices of the peace, Alexander Brown and Emanuel Arnold, who did not receive their commissions from the governor until in August of that year. James Donaldson was also elected road supervisor, and the only road that came under his supervision was the road lead- ing along down the river bank from the settlement to Fort Meigs, which was a poor excuse for a road at that time, being only partially chopped out and not worked at all. For the care of this, the only road in the township, except the Indian trails, Mr. Donaldson, received the princely salary of seventy-five cents. The only officer who received any sal- ary during the first year was the treasur- er, E. M. Howard, who drew, all at one time, seventy-five cents. So for $1.50 Weston township was as peacefully gov- erned as she has ever been since that date, and I find no record of any specula- tion or defalcation. The Fence Viewers' office in 1831 was almost a sinecure, unless they went to inspect the rude brush fences that surrounded the first clearings. But the settlements were looking up. new people coming in every year, and during the next five years, niore than 50 families came into Weston township. Start of Village We may say then that the village of Weston was not started until in 1854 when the Taylor saw mill was put in operation. Thirty years ago the site of our town was all farm land and used as such. In 1854 Jonathan Crom built his shanty, started a saloon and kept a few groceries. Benjamin West came in 1854, and wishing to get an eligible site for his blacksmith shop, went directly across the street from Crom's saloon, and located his forge just about where Indle- kofer's bar stands in his saloon today. His shop was a mere shanty. In 1855 Levi Taylor built the front half of the l)uilding now owned by Ames, and in the fall of that year, put in the first stock of dry goods and groceries that tlie village ever saw. Van Tassel Killed Many of our older citizens frequently speak of the celebrated missionary, Isaac Van Tassel, one of the pioneer preachers who frequently visited Weston and talk- ed to the few citizens in the little old school house. He was found dead on the Gilead road, about 20 rods west of Avhere Allen Bortell now lives. He was on his way to his home in Plain town- ship, from Gilead. It is not known whether his horse threw him off, or whether he died suddenly of heart dis- ease. It occurred March 2, 1849. In 1697 French forts were built at Fort Wayne and at the foot of the Eapids. The entire ISTorthwestern territory for some years had but three county organ- izations. These were Washington, Ham- ilton and Wayne, the latter embracing Wood countv. 82 THE PIOXEKU ATTACKED BY SAVAGES Settlers in Flight Their Homes Burned The Account of Navarre Manor Proves a Lame Guide THE late Hezt'kiah L. Hosmer said, on tlie autlioritv of Peter Xavarre and others, that Pierre Minard, known as Peter ]\lanor. received the news of war from a Delaware named >Sac-a-niane, who in passing through the settlement said : "I shall go to Owl Creek. I shall kill sonie of the Ijong Knives before 1 come back, and will show you some of their scalps. In ten days after 1 get back all the hostile tribes will hold a council at Maiden : very soon after that, we shall come to this place and kill all the Yan- kees. You, Manor, are a good French- man, and must not tell them what I say." Sac-a-manc returned, after an absence of six days, and showed Manor three scalps, which he said were those of a family he had jiiur(k']'e(l on Owl Creek. He repeated to Manor in confidence that it was the intention of the Indians to come to the valley in Force suflicient to massacre the Amei-icaii settlers. This intelligence ^lanor communicated to Major S]iaffoi-(l, accdinitaiiicil witli advice t(' leave the valley immediately. The major laughed, and dismissed the subject witli some remark expressive of incredu- lity, and ^lanor \oft him, promising that >lioidd he Icai'n of any further cause of alai'ui lie would lei him know. About a montli after iliis conversation, a num by the iiamr of Miller (some ac- counts say Gordon ). who bad lived many years with the Ottawas. and who was well known to Major S])afl'ord, entered his house in breathless haste, and told him that at no grcali'f distance than Mon- clova tlu've Mils a hand of fifty Pottawa- tomies. on the march from their country on the St. .los"|)h i>i\ci-. to join the hos- tile Indians at Maiden, and take part in the council spoken of by Sac-a-manc. 'I'hev bad plundered and set fire to the huildings at ^lonclova, and would soon he at the foot of the Eapids. P>ut little time was left to escape. '1 he majoi' with his family and the few settlers that had remained in the valley, hastened immediately to the river, where they dislodged and launched a large liarge. in which some officers had de- scended the river from Fort Wayne the year before. Kaising a sail made of a bed blanket, they were enabled, by dint of hard rowing and a favorable breeze, to I'ound the point and get under cover of old Fort Miami just as the Indians made their appearance on tln^ bank, where ]\Iaumee City is built, ami before the boat ])assed Eagle Point they saw the tlanu's ascending from the "homes they bad just deserted. This little band of fugitives, favored with fair winds, made a safe ])assage in their crazy craft to the (^uakei- settlement at Milan, where they remained until after the war. Ma- nor says they wt-re ])anic-stricken, and left their horses, cattle, and most of their household goods. Their property was taken by the Indians, who completed their work by burning every dwelling, 1)elong- ing to an American, in that part of the \alley. This accomplished, they pursued their course to Maiden, to attend the In- dian council spoken of by Sac-a-manc. Not long aftjer Hull's surrender, the French settlers remaining at the foot of the rapids, received a call from a party of sixty Delawares, who arrived there in adA'ance of the main body of the British anny, on their march to Fort Wayne. ^Fanor says that he, with some of his neighbors, was standing in front of Beau- grand's store, at Maumee, when the In- dians came nut of the woods — that they drew up in line, and each put his gun i( his sbouldei' and aimed, as if to fire at the little grou]) of settlers. Beaugrand came out and waved a white handker- Si'HAI'-HOOK. So ( liicf. TIr'V dro})pc'(l tlK'ir inuskcls, aiul approached the ^^tore on a mm, and re- mained a few minutes. An hour after their departure, ahout 100 British sol- diers, and as many Pottawatomies and \\'yandots. came up. Tlieir first inquiry was for guides, ^lanor. fivaii ])rudential motives was seized with su(hleii and se- vere himeness ; l»ut it wouhl not (h). The oilieer in eonnnand pressed him into ser- Aiee as a guide, and hnne as he seemed, lie was eompelled to eonihiet this eom- ]iany,to xhv head of the rapids. Here his lameness so inei'easi'd. that his ])eTse- cutors dismissed liim. and he si't out on Ids return home. At the foot of Pres(pie isle Hill, he met Colonel Klliott, the of- ficer in command of the detachment, and the remainder of the troops and Indians composing it. Elliott examined him closely, and on learning that he had heen employed as a guide, pei'mitted him to go on his way, Mr. C. W. Evers makes the following criticism in regard to the incidents ahove criven : The al)()\e dilfers d'oni other accounts as to the time the settlers left the Kapids. Jn this. Mr. Hosmer quotes Manor incoi-reetly. no douht. Hull had news of the declaration of war Julv 2nd. ih' surrendered his army August 16th. From Mr. Hosmer's statement, we wouhl \:: led to helieve that the settlers fled on hearing wai- had heen declared. Mrs. C'reen ami Clark hoth say the flight was :;fter the surrendt'r of H\dl. Their ver- sion is douhtless the correct one. In the history of Erie county, incidental men- tion is nuuh' of ^lajor Spatford heing at tlie mouth of Huron river, with his fam- ily, in a Ijoat, about September 1st. The reasonable inference is that he had but recently sailed from the Maumee, that is, ill the latter part of August, after the surrender. The i)robabilities are that in the inqn'mling danger, after Hulks sur- rendei', the settlers foresaw that they were no longer safe for even a single day: that in the confusion and anxiety of the liour each acted as his hopes or fears impelled him. BOWLING GREEN Something About Its Early History The First Log Cabin How the Town Re- ceived Its Name Interesting Inci- dents of the Past PPOBABLY there has been no more accurate and succinct account of the eai'ly history of Bowling Green, than the Icl lowing, jjcnned by the late C. W. Evers, wliose studious efforts in gathering every i]u-ident connected with the pioneer his- ■tory of Wood county, rendered him a ]-elial)le authority in all that pertains to t hat eai'lv jx'riod : Hull's March The tii'st time white men came to dis- turl) the forest solitudes where Bowling (ireen now stands, was in June, 1812, when Hulks army passed here, marching 'Voni Dayton to Detroit. 'Idiat column of troops, preceded by guidt's, scouts and axnien. followed in tui'u hy tlu' ca\alry hatlalion, with its gaudv ])ennons, escorting the command- ing geneial with his gaily uniformed >taff retinue, then the infantry, field hands, artillci-y and trains formed a pageant which even to-day would attract all Bowling (ireen to the east side of town, aboui where the T. it 0. C. rail- vav track liis. That is about on the line the troops held, until lU'ar Kidge >ireet. when they tui'ned a little to the west, coming out on the Maumee nearly opposite Walerville. That was the first \.ai:-on trail thi-oui^-h the interior of Wood 84 THE PIONEER county^ and the only one for the two suc- ceeding decades. The land was then owned by the Indians. After the war, in 1817, at a treaty at the foot of the Maumee Eapids, the United States bought the land, at a price slightly less than four cents an acre, and in 1819 sent surveyors liere, which was the second appearance of white men on official business. In 1821 the final surveys were completed and the plats made, 'when the lands were ready for market. The Black Swamp Unfortunately the Black Swamp coun- try, after the war of 1813, had a worse reputation, if possible, than ever; the soldiers and others who had been here, told horrible stories about it. Few buy- ers of land came — none to the interior of the county. Those who stopped inva- riably located on or near the river; so that, aside from roving parties of In- dian hunters and occasional white fur- traders, or the weekly trips of the old Bellefontaine mail carrier, the interior of the county was practically unknown and shunned by settlers for more than a de- cade after its survey. Prior to the year 1828, Collister Haskins, at Portage, was the only settler between Findlay and the Maumee settlement. The First Cabin Some few land entries were made in Plain and Center in 1831, but the pio- neer entry in the present corporation of Bowling Green, was made October 29, 1832, by Elisha Martindale; the tract, 40 acres in the northwest part of town, lying on both sides of Haskins road or street, is known as the Clinton Fay place. Martindale later bought 120 acres more; he built his cabin where the present Fay house stands, near the great willow tree just west of the road, the following spring, 1833. Careful inquiry has failed to discover evidence of any cabin here prior to that date; Lee Moore, Henry Walker, Jacob Stoutfer and others came and built in the summer and fall of '33. Alfred Thurstin began his cabin in No- vember, 1833, as did Joseph flollington sr., but so far as known the Martindale cabin was the first, and stood on the first land entry in what is now Bowling Green. (Without going into all the particu- lars of the land entries given at that early day and noted by Mr. Evers, we will simply give the names of a few of those who entered land. Among them v/ere Joseph Hollington, Benjamin Eeed, J. M. and Samuel Lamb, Stephen Ward, Thomas Tracy, Henry Walker, Andrew Eace, Jonathan Fay, Eobert Barr, Alfred I'hurstin, Lee Moore, David Hickson and others.) A Few Came to Stay These few notes from the land entry books, though not including all entries embraced in the present corporation of Bowling Green, neither the names of all purchasers, are yet sufficient to afford the reader some idea of the pioneer real estate men of the town and when they first came. Some, perhaps only one or two^ of all those named bought merely for speculation. Most came in quest of homes. Some tried life here, got tired of it and left. Of those faithful ones who remained to buffet with adversity and fight the battle thr.t was eventually to make a town here, of which they never even dreamed perhaps, most, alas, have passed from this stage of action; their toils and trials have ceased. They did their part bravely and well; their work of subduing the wilderness, begun more than half a century ago, and its results, are before us to-day. Their descendants and successors surely have just cause to remember them with respect and pride. If the story of their humble start in the race and their faithful stewardship to the end, shall inspire us with the ambi- tion and will to do our part as well, then SCKAP-BOOK. 85 this story will not have been told in vain. Struck by the Panic A glance at the okl land entry books shows the rapid iutlux of settlers from 1833 to 1836 or 1837. That was an era of speculation. Everyone had a mania to buy land, but the money panic and business crash of 1837 brought it to a sudden end. That was a paralytic stroke from which the western country did not entirely recover until the Cali- fornia gold discovery, more than a decade later. Wood county was especially pros- trateel. There was nothing here that the people could ^11, not even their homes; but there was most everything in the way of necessities even, to buy. There was in those gloomy years, little to in- spire hope; much to thwart and discour- age effort. The Mail Carrier By the middle of the year 1834 the ridges and higher spots within a radius cf three miles of this place were mostly patented from the government, and in n.'any instances the owner had built and occupied his cabin on his new purchase. This brought the population largely to the west and north, where the most ridges lay. The mail can-ier between Perrys- burg and Bellefontaine passed on the old army trail once each week, at first every two weeks, and this group of set- tlers petitioned for a postoffice in their midst: they were distrustful, however, that Collister Haskins, of Portage, might not approve of the move and went about it a little cautiously. The story of this enterprise incidentally reveals How Bowling Green Got Its Name The civil history of a town is but the biography of its founders and their suc- cessors, in which every incident, some- times the most trivial, has an interest to the dwellers tlierein. Not only the name of a town, but what or who suggested that name, often becomes of interest. Since Bowling Green has become the thriving seat of justice of one of the most prosperous counties in Ohio, inquiry it- often made how it happened that it \^•as so named. For the first time, in print, the story is here told, with the incidents that led to the naming, as told to the writer by two of the pioneers who liad a part in it at the time, and several others personally known to all the cir- cumstances. Bowling Green was chris- tened after, or for the capital town of Warren county, Kentucky, by Joseph Crordon, a veteran mail carrier of the pioneer days here. Of one who perform- ed so important a part for us in our in- fantile state, we naturally ask. Who was he? In his paper, the Findlay Courier, January 1847, William Mungen wrote editorially of Gordon as follows: Who Gordon Was "Joseph Gordon was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, on the 29th day of January, 1784. In the year 1801, when but 17 years old, he commenced carrying the mail, on horseback, from Ifussellville, Kentucky, via Bowling Green, to Glasgow, a distance of 85 miles, once in two weeks, for which he received $12 per month. In 1802 he took a con- tract to carry the mail from Shelby ville, Kentucky, to Nashville, Tennessee. In consequence of the route being changed, lie carried the mail only two months. From that time till October, 1804, he carried it from Shelbyville to Kussellville, Ky. In October, 1804, he commenced carrying the mail on liorse-back from AVheeling, Virginia, to George Bey- mer's in Oiiio, a distance of 50 miles, with a led horse and a heavy mail on cneh. In 1805-6, he carried the mail from Wheeling, through St. Clairsville, Zanesville, and New Lancaster, to Chilli- cothe. In February, 1823, he commenc- ed on the route between Bellefontaine 86 THE rioXEEK and Perrvsbin-g', a (listaiiee of 81 miles, tlirough a wilderness, there Ix^ing but one family residing in Hardin county, and hut one postoitiee on tlie rout*-', and that (Eindlay) at tliis [)lae:'. Mr. (ior- don was the only contractor on this route from February 7, lH2o, to December 31, 1839. Since 1839, he has carried the mail SL'mi-weekly from Bellefontaine to this place, 55 miles." Few indeed liavc constitntions suffi- ci^'iitly stroiig to ( inhii'e snch labor for such a length of time. It is to such men a.- Gordon — to oiii' hardy pioneers, who \\ere r;'ady to t'licounter all kinds of toil ajid ])ri\ati()n. that Ohio owes her pres- ent slat ' of |)rosperity and advancement. For such men we c^annot but cherish sen- t'lnents of respect. The Postoffice Jacob Stouifer's . cabin here was the central ])oint of the new postoffice move- ment. Heni-y Walker, son-in-law of Stoufi'ei- was to be th? i)ostmaster. The A\alkers and Stouffers occn])ied the same cai)in : it stood on the high ridg,' just east of Main street. ikiI far north of -\lerry avenue. Uordon on one of his northward trips had stopped at Stou Iter's as was his usual custom, in passing; the petition for the new office was ready, except that the movei's, two or three of whom were pres- ent, had not yet agreed upon a name. 1 he old mail carrier wlio stood on the cabin stei)s listening to the discussion, said to Stoutfer, half jestingly, "if you v.ill give nu' a tund)ler of cider EH give you just the name." Drank to Bowling Green ^ Stoutfer who had brought out a keg of cider from Columbiana county, filled a glass and handcMJ it to Gordon : the latter briefiy'<'X])laining how a])])ropriate the name he would suggest was to the landsca])e about them, said with a swc^p of his aim, "Here's to the new postoffice of liowling (ireen," swallowed the cider and was in the act of mounting his horse when those present detained him a mo- ment while they could write a name in the ])etiti(Mi. which, sure enough, was the one (Joi'don had suggested. Till' papei's were soon folded and on th(ir way to Perryshurg for some addi- tional endorseni'.nts, after which thev vere sent to Washington. The office was established March 13, 1834. In 1835, \\'hen Walker sold his place, he and the Stouifers moved over to the west side of Main street, where the office was kept for a time, since which it has had many dif- ferent locations and masters. Afterwards in 1855, when the village \\as incorporated, there seemed no good reason why it should not take the same name as the jiostoffice, under which name it had been going in fact since in the early fifties. That is the way Bowling Green came to have its name. White Ha I Tavern Aside fi'oni school and church work Bowling Green had but little history prior to the time she was inc(n-])orated, that does not ]n-operly come within the purview of the histories of Plain -and Center io\vnslii])s. K'obert ]\Iackey's store enterprise at the .\a])oleon road in the south part of town, intended as the nucleus of the village of Mt. Ararat, never, mider its various proprietors, met expectations. John Hannon in the north end of the strc't, with his tavern and blacksmith sho]) did not attract village neighl)ors about him. When, in 1847, Dr. E. I). IN'ck sent L. C. Locke out here to start a mercantile enterprise, most of the settlers were sure it would be a fail- ure ; the ])i'oi)rietors did not feel san- guine for th" stock was opened on a very small scale in a little room in one corner of a tavern called then White Hall, on the west side of Main just north of the intersection of Lil^erty street, where a hotel calh'd the American House has SriJAP-BOOK. 87 since stood. A man named Gossett kept ll,(- hotel then. Locke's Store Locke soon i'elt encouraged to call on his })artner for larger (juarter^ : then was Mt. Ararat's chance for resurrection; Locke tried to huy out Emerson, Eaton & Co., who were sort of successors to Mackey, though in a newer, hetter build- ing and on the east side of ^lain street. 'J he owners declined to sell and the star of ]\lt. Ararat sank to rise no more. Locke hought an acre of Alfred Thurstin, including that part of the east side of ^iain street from the First Xational Bank south, and taking in the opera liouse, and there huilt a store and resi- denee under ont> roof: his traide was pros- ])erons. and not h)ng after he was ap- pointed postmaster antl a little later built and operated an asherv, the first manu- facturing enterprise begun in the village, if we exce])t Caleb Lord's cabinet shop. Locke had l)y his enterprise practically determined where the center of the vil- lage would l)e. Anyone who came in af- ter that, and wanted to go into business, located as near Locke's as he could get. A New Era Opened The advent of a second railroad here opens a new chaj)ter — a new era in the history of Bowling (ireen. This circum- stance is of greater import to the town than the first casual thought would sug- gest. Xot in the sense that we expect the town to be a center of vast population or a great commercial or manufacturing center. Its development in these respects rests largely with those who now rule its destiny^their enteri)rise, and)ition and far-sightedness. The railroad from nortli to sonth. a distance of 30 miles through a rich and largely unoccupied portion of the coun- ty, will not only develop a vastly increas- ed trade and make hetter market facili- ties for the town, hut settle forever its status as the husincss center — capital, of one of the iai'gest and most ])ros]i)erous agricultui'al countii's in Ohio. As san- guine as many of our ])eople felt on this point, it was not settled beyond cavil un- til this road caiui>. Tliis settles it and the town now stands on solid footing in this respect. It is the ca])ital of a grand and ])opulons county. It is tlic official l\isiness center and is natui'ally the trad- ing' center. A number of htls were sohl a! pnhlie auction in I'errvshuri;-, in 182."5. THE BELL SCHOOL HOUSE Purpose for Which It Was Biilt Much In- terest Attached to It Wheraabouts of the Bell Discovered THE Bell school house was built in 1841, says Joseph R. Tracy, on Sec- tion 2(i, Plain township, by John White- head, John E. Jenkins, carpenters, and Joseph IL Tracy and other residents as- sisting. The money was contributed by the leading citizens of the township, who desired to have a house fiu' a private school, as well as for religious purposes. The bell, from which the house took its name, was fonnerly used on the Mission C'liapel on the Maumee river. It was presented to tlii' l)uilders of the school house and placed in a cupola erected for the purpose. A subscription school was carried on for a number of years, after which the house passed into the posses- sion of the common school trustees. Some time in 1857, the house was de- stroyed by fire, and another building was eivcted for the same purposes about a THE PIOXEER mile to the west. The Methodist class that used to meet there was merged into the church at Bowling Green. The same is true of the Baptist and Congrega- tional adherents. Each became the members of larger churches. Thus the particular necessity of this school build- iJig ceased. The bell has been the subject of much theorizing as to what became of it. As far as can be learned, it being the prop- erty of Isaac Van Tassel, he took pos- session of it and removed it. Mr. J. R. Judson says it was removed in 1845 on the plea that the belfry was not safe. He says he does not know who had charge of it the next 10 or 12 years, but he is pretty certain that it was placed in the Minton school house in the late 50's. Newton Stearns says it is on the Minton school house and has not been changed. He says he bought the bell for $2 and sold it for $3 to Nate Minton. T. W. Miuton, writing under date of February 1. 1909, says, "In 1870, a new school house was built on his father's farm in Plain township, five miles west of Bowl- ing Green — that his father learned where the old mission bell was and went and bought it for something like $3.00 from a party west of Bowling Green, and if I remember correctly he presented it to the district by placing it on top of the school building and it is there today if it has not been taken down.'' Mr. C. W. Evers once doubted whether the old Mission bell and that on the Minton school house was the same. But after more thorough investigation and the stati'nients of those upon whom he could rely he was less skeptical and ad- mitted till' probability that they were the same. Mr. Evers attended school in the old Bell school house in 1846-7, and had many tender associations in all that per- tained to it. In writing of the bell he says : "Its silvery peals swelled up from that little forest-hidden chapel over for- est and glade, and bore the glad tidings to the scattered settlers, far and near, that some one would preach, some one would sing, and some one would pray that day at the 'Bell'. That bell was the pioneer evangelist of this kind in Wood county, or for that matter in jSTorthwestem Ohio. It came Anth the \'anguard of Civilization." LAST OF BIG GAME The Last Bear That Was Killed Within the Limits of Wood County IN the Sentinel of November 27, 1884, Mr. Evers gives substantially the story, as told by Wm. Mears and J. G. Balston, of the killing of the last bear ever slain in Wood county: It was late in the fall of 1858; there was a nice tracking snow on the ground. Wash. G. Avery, who then lived on his farm north of town, was out hunting; had wounded a deer and was following in its track when, about three o'clock in the afternoon he came across a big brown bear poking along in the woods. Mr. Avery thought no more about his deer, but immediately turned his attention to the "bigger game." His gun was a small one, and not just the thing to tackle a bear with, but Wash did not stop to think of that, but pulled up and blazed away. The ball struck the bear in the thigh, inflicting a flesh wound of no conse- quence, and bruin set off in an easterly direction. Wash went over to Joe Eal- ston's on Sugar Ridge, and got Joe and -SCKAP-BOOK. 89 Geo. Walker, who were there visiting, and the three set out in pursuit. They fol- Icwed the trail as far as the McCutehen- ville road over in Wi'bster, and then, it being late in the night and all hands be- ing tired, they went to the Ten Mile house and stayed until morning. At daylight they were again on the trail, the crowd re-enforced by the addition of Jesse Williams, a harness maker from Pcrrysburg, and a friend of his. They followed the trail to the Ottawa county line, where they found that the bear had taken the back track, crossing the Mc- Ciitchenville road within a mile or so of ■where they had started in the niorning. As they crossed the road, they found that some one else, with a dog had taken the Jesse Williams said it was old Jake Hedinger, an old hunter who lived in the vicinity; said he knew his track. Away they all started on the dead run, whooping and halloing to Hedinger to stop and wait for them, but he did not stop. They finally heard the dogs and taking a short cut came up with Heding- er. They found where the bear had at- tempted to climb two different cotton- vv'ood trees, Ijut had been pulled down by Hedinger's big dog, and had been obliged to continue his flight by the near ap- proach of the nu^n. He fiiuilly came out and crossed the i)lank ro;id at tlie inter- section of Center and Middleton township lines. When the men came out on the plank road Williams and his friend fol- lowed the trail after the dogs, and Ral- ston went down the plank road to watch AAhat was then called the Eudolph road. Wm. Avery, AVm. Mears, and Benj. Johnson had been hunting that day in east of the John Hood place, north of the bend. Mr. Mears had killed a turkey gobbler that weighed r>r, lbs., and they were returning homeward. Mr. Johnson had left them and gone home, and the others met Jot^ just as he turned off from the plank road, and an explanation en- sued, M'hen Mears and Wm. Avery agreed to join the bear hunt. They agreed that the bear which had gone away in west of the road would attempt to get back to the Devil's Hole, and that they had bet- ter station themselves along what was known as the Rudolph ditch. Ralston, Mears and Wm. Avery accordingly went over on the ditch. Joe Ralston took up liis station on the ditch-bank, while Wm. Avery stood about 15 rods east of Joe, and Mears about the same distance east 0'' Avery. As it began to get dusk they lieard the dogs coming, yelping at every jump. Pretty soon bruin came in sight of Joe, lumbering along to within a few 3^ards of him, with back bowed up, mouth open and tongue hanging out, looking tired and savage. Joe pulled up his gun — and it snapped. Tried it again, but it was no good-. By this time the bear had passed on to Mr. Avery, who, owing to the gathering darkness could not see to shoot very good. He fired, however, striking the bear in the back, hut not inflicting a serious wound. Now came Mr. Mears' turn. He waited until the bear was within a few fet't of him, and had just cleared a 14-foot ditch at a bound, when he put a half-onnce l)all through his heart. Bruin fell, apparent- ly dead, and the dogs coming u]) at that instant, sailed in, and then immediately sailed out again, for, with his last strength, the bear strack one of them a terrible blow with his paw, knocking him about 20 feet away, whereupon the two dogs set off through the woods, howling as if "the old Nick" was after them. When they found that the Ijear was dead, jMears, Avery and Ralston set up a shout of triumph which soon brought Wash., Williams and Hedinger to the scene. After a consultation it was de- cided to take the bear up to Thomas' tavern and there divitle up. They ac- cordingly dragged the carcass through the snow to the place of destination. Arriving at the tavern, tliose who felt !)() 'IMIK IMOXHKPi tlis])()si'(l to do so ci.'lrlii'aTcd tlii' occasion tii'cd and worn oul. hut well pleased with bv indiilgiii^ii' in a little taiiiile-fool. aftei' the day's adventure. which they divided, the bear, which This is the story of the last "big game"' weighed about 250 potmds. Wash, took ever brought down, or wliich probably the hide, and the meat was divided among ever will be brought (h)wii in Wood the others, after wliicji all went home. county. TURKEY FOOT ROCK A Boulder Monument Commemorative of Wayne's Great Victory T 11 111 large boulder called "Turkey Fool Kock"" which lays on the north bank of the Mauniee denotes the point ou the river where Gen. Wayne gained a decisive \ictory over the combined Indian tribes of the Xorthwest, on August 20, 1794. The Indians were principally directed and commanded by Bhie Jacket and Little Turtle, and the tribes engaged included the vShawanese, Miamis, Wyandotts, Pot- tawattomies, Delawares, Chippewas, Otta- was and a few Senecas and other rem- nants of tribes. The Wyamlotts, a once powerful tribe lost all their chiefs, nine in number, at that battle, and tradition says that one of the bravest of their clan, called '"I'urkey Foot,'' was slain by Wayne's infuriated followers near this rock and tluit after Wayne, whom the Indians called the "Whirlwind'" was gone, the fvw scattering members of the Wyandott nation re])aired to the s])ot where their beloved chief had fallen and carved the rejjreseiitation of a huge turkey's foot on the rough boulder with their hatciiets. This roughly chiseled turkey's foot is still to be seen, although the rock has been sadly defaced by sacrilegious and disrespectful hands. The armies of Harmer and St. Clair had been liutcliered and destroyed, and the savages, encouraged by the British agents, were exultant and blood thirstv. Kut ' berabl'd across tlu' Alleghanies in shouts of triumph. I'hat boulder is a mute reminder oi' the battle of Fallen Timber. A Piece of Fiction In a communicatio]! to the Sentinel, the late C. W. Fvers thus disposed of the prevalent theory tliat Turkey Foot was an Indian chief: I notice in your daily of June 15 that Dr. Dwight Canfield in his review of the battle of Fallen Timber has fallen into the usual mistake of people who wilte about Turkey Foot rock. There is such a ixK-k as we all know, but that there was a "noted Indian chief" named Turkey Foot, as lie stated and as many others have done, 1 deny. I know I am going in the face of a long standing legend — breaking an idol as it were; but it is best, that we get our history of the long ago correct before it is too late. If any one interested, will take the trouble to consult a book writt-Mi per- TURKEY FOOT ROCK At the Presque Isle Hill, Where It Marks the Site of the Battle of Fallen Timber SCKAP-BOOK. 93 haps some time in 1830 or possibly earl- ier when the Indians were still here, by T. M. Coffinberry, called the Forest Eangers, foot note, page — (I have not the book before me, though several of them are owned in Toledo) they will get the facts, regarding Turkey Foot rock. Mr. Coffinberry was a lawyer, lived at Perry sburg, was well educated and ming- led, out of curiosity perhaps, much with the Indians, and knew their habits, cus- toms and history quite well. According to his statement, I give the substance rather than his words, the In- dian killed, at or near the big boulder, August 20, 1794, was a sub-chief of the turkey clan of the Wyandott tribe, whose totem or coat of arms or monogram was the imprint of a turkey's foot. Each tribe is divided into more or less clans; the beaver, the muskrat, the eagle, the dog, the bear, or any favorite object may be adopted as the emblem of a clan. A turkey in Wyandott is Massas. This warrior, killed that day was evi- dently popular and beloved of his clan for they not only carved the emblem of the clan, a turkey's footprint on the big granite boulder, but always, when pass- ing that way, some of his kin or clan would stop and leave some little tribute of their affection, oftener plug tobacco than anything else. Thus it was the stone took the name Turkey Foot rock. There was no noted chief of that name.' Xo treaty record with the Indians bears such a name, ^o such name is mentioned in the many fights before Wayne's battle. If he had been a noted warrior, some where his name would appear. It is just a fiction of some of the white men of the later years and witb some has grown into an honest belief as is the case with many other fictions we cling to as truths. There is a turkey foot rock. It is a land mark denoting the high tide spot of Wayne's battle. Near it a brave of the turkey clan was killed. He was pop- ular and his clansmen cut the clan em- blem, the print of a turkey's foot, on the stone and very naturally it has gone by the name Turkey Foot rock. Its chief importance, however, is that it marks the place of one of tbo great battles of the border war period. Until recently it was the only battle ground in this part of the Maumee valley that had a marker of any sort. The old rock should be cared for and preserved and above all when we take our school history pupils to these historic places we should give them the history straight — unmixed with any fiction or carelessly drawn conclusions formed without due investigation. UNBROKEN FORESTS Black Snakes, Rattlers, Wolves and Other Pests That Annoyed Early Settlers AN old pioneer of Perry township, in writing to the Sentinel, says that prior to the year 1830, the southern part of Wood county as far as known was without a living white settler. Its for- ests of oak, walnut, beech and poplar were primeval in beauty, and teemed with bears, wolves, deer and other animals, while countless multitudes of wild geese and ducks quacked in the tangled un- dergrowth along the various branches of the Portage. About the year 1830 solitaiy hunters would come in occasionally and chase a bear or herd of deer, but for the most part it remained an unbroken wilderness, and although speculators and those con- templating actual settlement had entered lands, they were laughed at for their i)4 THE PIONEER credulity if the}' asserted it would ever be a habitable region. The "Munchau- sen'' stories of the Black Swamp repre- sented it as being occupied by a species of genii closely allied to mother Eve's joersuader. Black snakes were said to at- tain constrictor proportions, while the dread rattler was sup])()se(l to hiss forked lightning from every stump and crevice. Gradually, however, these stories became '"old,'' and some adventurous spirits be- gan to talk seriously of making a "clear- ing." The cholera which made its first ap- pearance in the Fnited States in 1831, spread north with gi-eat rapidity and dire effects. At the old town of Gallipolis on the Ohio, its ad\'ent was felt and sent many northward, who preferred any hard- ship to a tussle with tlic^ dread malady. Named Millgrove In the election of '34: the number of voters had increased to twenty-eight, and during the fall aud winter the settlement at tlu' ^reOonuick entry was sufficiently large to warrant James McCormick in sur^'eying a piece of his land and laying it out in lots. He secured the services of Davis, and lots wore laid on the Mc- Cutchenville road, aud the road to Fre- mont and the streets named Main and Sandusky. Since that time several addi- tions have been made and new streets laid out. McCormick named the town Mill Orove, to wliich has been suffixed West to distinguish it from Mill Grove in jMorgan county. The sale of lots was slow and ))uihling slower. The Wolves One of the greatest pests to the raising of any kind of stock were wolves, the forests seemed literally alive with them, and in the winter they were ravenous, attacking every li\'ing animal from a chicken to even the settler himself. Gradually, however, they disappeared, drew deeper into the forest, and it has been many years since the wolf lost his identity in the county. Settlers used different modes to protect their stock from them, the steel trap and chain be- ing veiy effective. jMany daring exploits are related of the old hunters then young men, chuck full of grit. One is worth relating. George McCormick at tliat time a mere boy, went out one morning to see liis tra]), and found a very large wolf fast luit nidiurt. Now as there were some new settlers just come in, George deter- mined they should have a close view of a live wolf. After considerable planning he succeeded in tying the wolf's mouth and feet. He then very coollv strapped liim on his back and walked home, a distance of OATr a mile. THE HOLLINGTONS Like Other Early Settlers They Shared in the Sufferings of Pioneer Life AMOXG the list (.f early settlers of Plain townslii}), may be mentioned Picliard Hollington, who came out to tile ^laumee conntiT in the year 1834. hy tlie lake, and almost directly from Enudand. ilc cntei'cd 4(10 acres of land, endtraeing what is now a fine farm south of Bowling Green. j\Ir. Holling- ton selected a spot al)out one-fourth of a mile west of the Findlay road as his future abiding place, and in course of time had a fine orchard of apple trees |)lan1e(l from the old Station orchard on the Maumee. After contracting with a man named McKnight. for the ))uilding of a log house, and hnying two yoke of oxen (the first e\'er owned in the township) he re- SCHAr-BOOK. 9o turned to Buffalo for his family, wlioni lie had preceded in search of a home. He had a wife and. five children, fonr sous and one danghter. l\ichard, tlie eldest son. then 13 years of age, became a resident of Williams county, this State. Mary became the wife of Hon. (>cta\ius Waters, of Fulton county, .lost'ph was a resident of Bowling (ii'een. William, the youngest of the family, be- came a resident oF Missouri. Ambrose, next to the youngest, will be remendiered Ijy many ol' the ])resent day throughout this section of Ohio, as Kev. Ambrose Hollington, who was classed among the most eloquent of ])ulpit ora- tors. His son. Dr. H. I). Hollington, of St. Paul's M. E. church. Toledo, is des- tined to l)ecome as famed as his father. Privation and Inexperience In dui' time the llollingtons ai'rived at tlu' (h>ck in I'ei-rysburg. where the rough side of life's reality in the Black Swamp, set in. Mr. Hollington had in the old country been a tradesman, while his wife, who was a wi'll educated woman, had bt'i'u ac- customed to all the comfoi-ts and con- venieut-es of lib'. But lirf piano had been Irft across the ocean, and lln' only music she would be likely to hear fin- many long months would Ije a medley of uncouth sounds of frogs, mosquitoes, ^ild beasts ;ind birds. Hollington knew noth- ing of woodcraft, did not know how to rise an ax. in fact with his wife, he was enter- ing upon an undertaking remU'red doidily trying because' of their int'xperience. After a toilsome journey tbi'ough >wanip> and forests, they ilnally arrived at tlie cabin of -Joseph Mitchell, who bad settled a short time ])revious near the south boundary of the township, and about two miles north of (*ass' Corners, in TjilnTty townshi]). The ]\[itchells had barely got their cabin coverech A ])lace for a door and small window had been cut out. l)ut lumber for a door oi' glass for windows wvw practically out of tlie ([Uestion then, nor bad the cabin even a puncheon tioor, but such as they had the early settlers shared freely with each other, or with the stranger who came among them. It was hei'e in mid-winter, al'ler the last weary day of their long journey was done, that the Hollingtons l)egan fully to take in the situation. They had reached the goal of their ambition, free America, where every mait is a law unto himself, no kingly power, no lU'cks galled with the yoke of oppivssion. no t'X- cisemen, a land of plenty and unmixed happiness. But alas, how different the pictun^ of fancy and the homely reality. A Triumph Through Tears Mrs. Hollington, of ail the souls gath- ered there, was the most disheartened and most keeidy realized their discon- sobii'.' situation. ()\t'iconK' at hist by her feelings, she sank down on one of the floor sleepers and burst out crying. But her grief was not the grief of de- spair. It was a transition in her life pilgrimage. This evanescent storm of tears s^'cms to ba\;' washed awav all the weakt'r elemenls of lu'r wonumly na- ture, and instead of the d.'pendent. timid woman, she becanu' llie strong arm, the jiillar o'clock, we were just 30 feet in the Trenton when we heard a noise in the well which began to fill. We stopped the drill and were hardly out of the way when the oil spout- ed u]! over the derrick and 85 feet in the air. We quickly put the fire out under the boiler and withdrew from the field. The flow was so continuous that we were not able to get our tools out until Thurs- day. A representative of the Sentinel visit- ed the gusher when it had been flowing for four days at intervals averaging about 18 minutes, and he says it seemed sure- ly that if there was one there were 4,000 barrels of oil running on the ground. A wagon path in the woods was nearly a foot deep in oil, which run each way for many rods from the well. A half acre of land was covered with it, and a man walking a log made a misstep onto the ground and went over his boot top. The derrick and surrounding trees were drip- ping with the crude material and the men at work were covered with it. This was the first well of any import- ance drilled in the county, and in 1887 four gushers were completed, yielding 1,200, 4,800, 1,500 and 800 barrels re- spectively. Two gushers in 1888 gave .3,000 and 1,250 barrels. Eight gushers in 1889 vielded 27,100 barrels. In 1890 one gusher gave 6U0 barrels. Nearly a score of wells drilled in 1891 yielded 7,300 barrels. In 1892 twenty gushers yielded 36,600 barrels. In 1893 there were recorded 22 gushers yielding 16,000 barrels. In 1894 four gushers yielded 3,300 barrels. Several gushers were re- corded in 1895 yielding 4,000 barrels. Other gushers were recorded in the years 1896, 1897 and 1898, yielding an average of 500 barrels each. In 1901 a 1,200 barrel producer was drilled in Liberty township. These figures are taken from the oil reports as given in the newspapers at that time. Hundreds of other gushers too numerous to men- tion were completed throughout Wood county, making it one of the wealthiest counties in the state. Since then the oil industry has con- tinued to be a paying one. Here is what an old oil expert says with regard to the future of Wood county: "With the richest land, with inexhaustible soil, with a county agriculturally standing at the head, and add to it the natural gas advantages which is bound to bring man- ufacturing, and oil with the attendant business outgrowing therefrom — I say, with all these things taken into consider- ation, I know of no spot in America with a brighter future. Eeal estate in any event is bound to boom and good results follow from what has already taken place." The earliest tradition has it that at one time there was a continuous water route from the Lakes to the Mississippi, navigable for canoes with the exception of a "portage" about nine miles across at the head of the Mauraee, and that this "portage" was owned or controlled by an Indian woman who exacted tribute for all goods tlial were transferred across it. 106 THE PIOXEEE EARLY SCHOOL DAYS The "Little Red School House" of the Past — The Enjoyment of Spelling Matches M ANY there are who may yet re- sj member something of the educa- tional facilities sixty or seventy years ago. Then they knew nothing of the grades in schools. The settlers were few in number, their wants were few and these were bountifully supplied. The benches were crude, seats had no backs, and yet there was little or no complaint, as they knew of nothing better in the way of conveniences. Pu^jils were com- pelled to trudge through brush and mud and cold from one to three miles or more. The average wage paid to the teacher then was $10 a month of 26 days, and three months was about the limit of the contract. Included probably in the con- tract was that of- "boarding "round," as was the custom in those days. One of the customs of that time was to bar the scliool master out of the house, and keep him out until he yielded to the demands of the scholars to treat them to apples, candies, raisins, or such hixuries as could then be had. Gov. Foster in speaking of those early days, himself a teacher in that early day, says that James Pillars, who after- \\ards graced the bench for ten years, as the Common Pleas Judge of this judi- cial district, when a young num contract- ed to teach a school for ten dollars per month, of twenty-six days; one-half to be paid in cash, and the other half in provisions. In those days the great feature of our schools was the attention given to spell- ing. It is seriously doubted whether the schools of the present day can produce so much excellence in spelling as did those of that day. One-fourth of the time, probal»ly, was ilcvoa'd to spelling exercises, and in addition, at least one- niglit of eacli week was devoted to what was known as spelling matelies. These were attench'd by the b;'s1 s[)ellers from the neighboring schools. Tlie highest ambition of tlic pupil was to be the best sjicller in school. In an address on those early days, I he late Gov. Foster says that he is per- fectly safe in saying that he attended spelling school three nights out of a week, during the three months of school for several years — visiting alternately three different school houses. He believ- ed that his sister, Emily, was the best speller of all, and she w^as under twelve years of age. The larger scholars used 1(1 carry her on their backs as they went to the different schools on foot, the only way of going to thesL' meetings. The (lovernor relates this incident in his boy- hood school days. "1 remember of go- ing one nigiit, to the Kiser school house, through the woods the most of the way, and alone, to attend a spelling match. 1 broke through the ice, and was wet up to my knees when I reached the place; yet I do not think I ever felt better re- l)aid for a day's work than I did over my success on that occasion, for I spelled down the entire school.'^ Those good old days are only reminis- cences now in the dim and distant past, •■(iood old days*" may be said deliberate- ly and seriously without exaggeration, for it is very doubtful if any of the pupils of the present day experience more delight and genuine pleasure in any equal number of days at the present time. At the meeting of the C'ommissioners, May 5, 1820, Attorney McCurdy present- ed an order of Court for $20, his com- pensation as prosecuting attorney of Wood county, for the May term of 1820. SCKAP-BOOK. 10^ HENRY DUBBS One of the Early Settlers of Liberty His Son Lewis Built a Tannery. With HENRY DUBBS was the first settler in the west part of Liberty town- ship. He came from Ashland county and entered the land upon which he biiilt his home. He had one son Lewis, now de- ceased, and two daughters, i\.nn, who married Ebenezer Donaldson of Grand Eapids, and Sarah, who married Daniel Barton of Milton township. Mr. Dubbs and his son Lewis, were tanners by trade and soon after their ar- rival, built a tannery on their lands, probably the first in the county, and did a large and successful business. Lewis Dubbs was Justice of the Peace in Liberty for 37 years. He was prom- inent in advancing the best interests of the early settlement and a leader in pub- lic improvements; educated, kind and generous, and his name is remembered with respect by those who know him. — • r. w. E. MAIL ROUTE Established in 1829 Between Perrysburg and Bellefontaine AS this uurtliwestern part of Ohio began to be opened up a mail route was established on March 12, 1829, be- tween Perrysburg and Bellefontaine, and the first post office in the interior of Wood county was located where Portage now is, with Collister Haskins for post- master. Soon after this Haskins built a log store on the south bank of the Port- age river and stocked it with goods best adapted to his customers, a majority of ^\•llom were Indians and with whom he built up a large fur trade. Thus it will be seen that Haskins was uot only the first resident of Liberty township, but also established the first store in Portage and might be called the founder of the only village in Liberty township. This store was probably the third regular trading point started in Wood county, others being at Perrysburg ;ind Grand Eapids. The first mail carrier on the route above mentioned was James Gordon who carried the mail on horseback, made one trip a week each way and usually an'ivcd at Haskins at noon where he took his dinner.— C. W. E. INDIAN SKELETON Exhumed Over Thirty Years Ago — Somewhat of a Mystery ThatlMay Never Be Solved IN the spring of 1879, a skeleton was exhumed five miles west of Bowling Green, by brick yard men, who were en- gaged in excavating sand for their yard on the top of a somewhat noted sand dune, on the north side of Keeler prairie^ known to the early settlers by the Indian name of Shut-nok. In the Sentinel Mr. Evers says this skeleton is supposed to be the remains of an Indian, or some other human of giant stature. He had been buried with his head to the west. Between his legs sat a two gallon brass kettle in a good state of preservation excepting the bot- tom, which is partially gone. Inside this kettle set a small iron kettle which is nearly consumed by rust, except the bail. 108 THE PlOXEEfi Near the side of the skeleton lay a rust- eaten tomahawk, scalping knife and a flint steel for lighting fire, also a stone smoke pipe. The bones, of which but few if any are missing, even to the toe and finger bones, are in an excellent state of preservation and indicate by their size that they were once the mechanism of a powerful man. The skull on which still clings some frizzy substance like hair, is one which phrenologists would say indicated the Indian to have been no common fellow in his tribe. It is a well-shaped, large skull for an Indian, though the prominent cheek bones and low forehead are distinctly recognizable. The fellow had, in his day, an excellent set of teeth — small, sound and evenly set, though well worn and only two missiug out of the two and thirty."^ One arm had, in his lifetime, been broken and the bone had knit together very clumsily, deforming the aim by a great bulge and crook. In the back of his skull is a small hole, but whether this hole had anything to do with Jiis taking off, is an uncertainty. Mr. Avery says from the best informa- tion he can get from the old settlers, the grave has been there not less than 45 years, that is, no burial has taken place there since the neighborhood was settled. He also thinks that the grave was not less than four feet deep original- ly, something not usual in Indian burials. Avoided by Indians Shut-nok, on which this grave was found, is, or was before its surface was disturbed by the plow, the highest sand mound in Wood county. How it came to bear this name, none of the old set- tlers seem to know, though the belief has been current and has been handed down from generation to generation tliat it bore the name of a chief of one of the fragmentary tribes inhabiting the Maumee country after Anthony Wayne broke their power in 1794. There are others who have been led to believe this spot M^as the burial place of a chief whose name it bore. But why a chief or any other influential man in his tribe should be buried in this then lonely place when the burial ground was only a few miles away on the j\Iaumee, we cannot understand. There is another story that comes to us more directly from an early chronicler, who was once connected with the Indian mission at the Station Island. He states that the Indians avoided the place under the superstitious belief that the Great Spirit had set its seal of displeasure — a curse upon the place for some sin com- mitted by his children, the secret of which was hidden beneath the grassy sur- i'ace of the mound. An Indian Legend In this connection a story is circulated that the chief Tondoganie had a daugh- ter either his own or an adopted daugh- ter — a beautiful girl who was loved by a young Indian of the Shawanee tribe, and of noble birth, but whose tribe had dwindled down to only a fragment, so that he had lost his greatness in the eyes of the chief Tondoganie, who looked up- on him with disfavor. The young In- dian's love was reciprocated by the girl, and was a secret between them. Her lover's home was at Sandusky plains along with the great chief Black Hoof or Tarhe, but he often made visits to the Maumee ostensibly to fish, but for no other purpose than to see the dark eyed maiden. This secret love was de- tected by the quick perceptions of the chief, and with flashing eye and angry voice, he pointed the young man to the plains and told him to GO and never return. Both the lovers knew the penal- ty of disobeying. The girl secretly stole away and fol- lowed her lover in the direction of his home until they reached a high mound, the highest perhaps in the county, on the SCKAP-BOOK. 109 north side of what is now known as the Keeler Prairie, when she bade him fare- well, and watched his receding form un- til he passed from her sight forever. The heart broken girl returned to her father's wigwam, but fell into a despond- ent state of mind and could not be roused. She would be missed at times for days and nights together, and some of Tondoganie's runners reported to him that she was wont to stand on the high mound looking to the south chanting a mournful song. Finally she was missed and came back no more and a supersti- tion prevailed that in the darkness of night the figure of an Indian girl with her blanket about her shoulders, could be seen on the mound and that strange sounds as of some one singing a funeral dirge could be heard echoing in the grove below. The mound has ever since gone by the name of Shut-nok, said to be the name of the girl. The same authority for the above ac- count, stated that Tondoganie's anger was such because of the love of the girl against his wish, that he called upon some of the young men of his band to rid him of the cause. These young men stealthily dogged the movements of the girl until they discovered the place where she met her lover, whom they waylaid, murdered and buried in the mound, and on the final disappearance of the girl the chief forbid his tribe from visiting the place which only brought him memor- ies of remorse and sorrow. Such is one of the stories handed down from mouth to ear and which may have lost many details of what was a tragic romance, or it may, as is often the case, have gained much by repetition. A FIERCE BATTLE Fought in the Fall of 1812 on the Ground Which Perrysburg Now Occupies IT may not be generally known that the site of the present town of Perrys- burg was once the scene of a tierce battle between the Indians and Americans, but such is the fact. The news of the cowardly surrender of Gen. Hull at De- troit in August, 1813, spread like the wind throughout Ohio, and struck the frontier settlers with dismay. It aroused the people from their lethargy, and showed the government the necessity of greater activity and skill in the conduct of the war. In the fall of 1812, General Tupper, of Gallia county, raised 1,000 men, mainly from the counties of Gallia, Lawrence, Jackson, and marched to the foot of the rapids of the Maumee river. From TJrbana they followed Hull's trail. As they approached the river the Indians appeared on the opposite bank. Tupper endeavored to cross the river in the night, but owing to the rapid current and the inexperience of his men, he failed and went into camp on the ground where Perrysburg now stands. The enemy soon after collected a superior force, and at- tacked him in his camp but after a short, sharp engagement, they were defeated with considerable loss and returned to Detroit. The Americans fell back on Fort McArthur. In 1701 Cadillac, with a Jesuit mis- sionary and 100 men, laid the founda- tion of Detroit, naming it Ponchartrain. 110 THE IMONEER THE DREAD CHOLERA Dr. Kinnaman, First Practicing Physician in Perry — Rude Tools for Surgical Operation IiSi October, 1835, says a correspoudent of the Sentinel in 1877, 0. Diver en- tered 8U acres one-lialf mile south of Mill Grove, this being undoubtedly the last entry near Mill Grove. About this time the cholera made its appearance at Eon)e (now Fostoria) and Kisdon in Seneca county, but few died. However, its advent sent terror to the hearts of the settlers in Perry, who with or without — for they were often without — (juinine, could battle the "shakes'^ from July to late in September, and without a physician would successfully cope with the malarial fevers that followed. Cholera, however, the very word itself made the boldest quake. Dr. John Kinnaman a graduate of Philadelphia College was the first practicing physic- ian. He was a young man highly edu- cated and a lover of his profession. His coming was hailed with delight by the settlers. He located about two miles south of Mill Grove. A very large wal- nut stiimp served him for a laboratory, drug repository and general reception room. He laid out a town at this point and named it Royalton, but it died in its infancy shortly aft^r the demise of its founder. Dr. Kinnaman's patients were scatter- ed over the entire southern part of the county, and his inde fatigability in riding was wonderful and denoted a man of iron nerve. Many times in riding he would cut down a tree, hitch his horse to oiu' of its branches and let him browse until his patient was out of danger, often from eight to ten hours. The following is an instance of this iiKuTs ni'rve and ability in his profession. Swane a settler of Perry was hurt by tlie falling of a tree. In a few days it was found necessary to amputate the leg. Dr. Kinnaman was sent for and arrived. Without any assistance and with no surgical implements but a razor and old saw, the Doctor amputated the limb neat- ly and speedily, and the man got well. Dr. Kinnaman died in '38 a victim of excessive attention to medical study and overwork. PASSED AWAY A Once Powerful Tribe That Enjoyed a Happy Life Clos2 to Nature THE first settlers of Washington township, found here the remnants of a once powerful tribe of Indians. Their old men and warriors liad listened to the counsels and obeyed the commands of their great Chief Tondoganie. Tlieir wigwams were in the belt of timl)er which skirted the river; and the l)road prairie which has become so fertih' uii(l<'r skill- ful cultivation, afforded ihcni huntino: grounds and space for the young warrior to practice himself in imaginary battles to improve his skill in an art which fortunately, he has never since had an op- portunity to practice. The river and creek furnished them with hsli, and on the flowery banks they passed a happy, indolent life. They were the remnants of a race which ac- cording to the laws of nature, had had its time on earth, and in obedience to that inexorable law, they were fast yield- ing to those who were to succeed them and hero they lived to meet and see the mighty race of men who were to take their places. For ages they have lived SCKAP-BOOK. Ill on the bounties of nature without mak- ing her any return. The}' were a race governed by instinct; they made no advance in agriculture, commerce or the arts. Tlie son made his canoe and armed himself with the bow and arrow as his father had done, as mechanically and with as little im- jDrovement as the young robin builds its nest in imitation of the parent bird. Their time had come; their race was doomed; and here on the banks of this beautiful stream, where the dark eyed Indian maiden had taught the young chief to love her, a fairer maiden was to take her place and by the graces of a purer virtue, teach a noble heart to love her. A SUMMER OF GLOOM When Northern Ohio and Indiana Suffered The Cholera Scourge in Perrysburg In 1854 OLDER citizens will undoubtedly re- member the fatal summer of 18o !-. It was indeed a summer of sorrow and gloom. This was not only true of Xorthern Ohio, but of Northern Indiana as well. 'Not a village between Buffalo and Chicago that did not furnish its quota of suffering and death from the malarial poison that impregnated the very atmosphere, spreading intermittent and typhoid fevers, as well as that dread- ed scourge, cholera. These afflictions became epidemic, and in some localities there were not enough persons well to take care of the sick. Take Goshen, Indiana, population 1,500 then. For two months there was a funeral daily, sometimes two or three. Xot a family escaped affliction. Two cabinet shops were busy night and day making coffins, and physicians had mighty little rest from their strenuous labors. Probably no town suffered like Perrys- burg. The scourge started, it seems from a ball that was held on the night of the -ith of July, when the first case of cholera made its appearance, and from that time until the 19th of August following there were 117 deaths — at least that is the number buried in Fort Meigs cemetery, and there may have been many more. x\mong that number are included Albert D. Wright, editor of the North- western Democrat, Dr. James Robertson, Dr. Frederick, Jarvis Spafford, John J. Spink, and many others. The deaths were startling in their suddenness and sadness. The epidemic was one of great virulence. So great were the ravages of this terrible visitation at that place, that it put a check upon business of every kind, no paper was issued and no other business transacted for seven weeks or longer, excepting that of caring for the sick and the burial of the dead. In- cluded among those who passed away were some of the most active business men of the place. Dr. E. D. Peck and Dr. James Robertson were on duty night and da}^, the latter falling a victim to the scourge in the very midst of his strenuous labors. Two-thirds of the res- idents fled from the town, leaving a comparative few to fight the dread epi- demic. Among those noble men and women, aside from the physicians may l)e mentioned Joshua Chappel, Seth Bruce, N. H. Callard, Mrs. A. E. Fred- erick and Mrs. Amelia Perrin, who were volunteer nurses during the terrible calamity. There may have been a few others, but we have not their names. All these have passed away, but they nol)ly performed their duty during their 112 THE PIOXEER life's span. Pernshiirg was indeed "a deserted village.'" Grand Kapids fared but little better, with a score or more of cases and a number of deaths, the disease beginning like Perrysburg at a 4th of July ball. A^ever perhaps in the history of the cholera were its ravages so fatal as in Perrysburg, and never did the few who remained meet death with more resolution or endure suffering with greater fortitude. Seth Bruce made coffins in the hall of the log court house and no victim was buried without a colSn being furnish- ed. Only one person of all that number (lied alone, a young man who had a room jji a tenement house. He breathed his last before the return of his attendant, who bad gone for medicine. The women were patient and heroic in their care for the sick, and there were brave, noble men who remained and stood beside them in the terrible conflict. The physical condition of the inhabi- tants, reduced by fever and ague, and their systems poisoned by well water rather than by miasmatic exhalations, left them an easy prey to the ravages of I his sweeping epidemic. WOOD COUNTY FAIRS A Grand Feature of the County's Prosperity — Origin and History of These Exhibitions THEEE is no question of the fact that much of the superiority of the agricultural products of Wood coun- ty has been due to the stimulating in- fluences exerted by the Agricultural So- ciety. It has lifted the science of agri- culture to a higher plane. It has brought forth observation, comparison, thought and efforts on the part of the farmer as well as those interested in mechanics and arts. Each one learns something of value from a competitor, while it is apparent that there has been much of benefit from the results of com- bined effort. The following account of its early origin and history is taken from the premium list published in 1877 : Middleton township, at an early period in the history of the county, contained a number of intelligent and enterprising citizens. In these respects, it surpassed any other township in the county, and it was natural that the movement for the organization of a County Agricultural Society should originate there. On the 26th day of April, 1851, a meeting of the farmers and mechanics of the town- ship was held, at which David Creps presided and H. H. Pain acted as Sec^ retary. The object of the movement was stated to be the promotion of the inter- ests of farmers and mechanics, and it was decided to call a mass meeting of the i^eople of the county at Bowling Green, on the second ]\Ionday of June, 1851. In addition to the President and Se- cretary, the following citizens of Middk- ton township signed the call for the mass meeting, viz; David Whitney, Henry Sarvis, Henry Hood, James Mc- Ginness, Francis E. Meagle}^, Patrick Mclsaac, Robert Clark, W^m. Ewing, John Hood and Martin Byers. The call was subsequently signed by the following persons: E. Huntington, John Bates, John Brownsberger, David Ladd, J. Spafford, James Hood, Asher Cook, James Hall, Jolni Groves, Joseph A. Creps, Gabriel Yount, Henry Crook, L. F. Robertson, Amelius Robertson, James W. Frazer, and John Taylor. On the 9th of June, the people con- vened at the Methodist Meeting House, SCEAP-BOOK. 113 iii Bowling Green, when Emelius Wood was chosen chairman and Asher Cook Secretary. J. K, Tracy, Henry Hood, Patrick Mclsaac, James Bhiom and Geo. Powers, were appointed a committee to draft a constitution for the Wood County Agricultural Society. David Whitney, John Bates, N. D. Blinn and S. W. St. John were appointed a committee, to nominate officers for the following year. Thomas Jolly, L. C. Lock, and Henry Groves, were appointed a committee to "procure suitable persons to address the meeting and explain the objects of the contemplated organization." In the after- noon, in response to the request of the last named committee, the meeting was addi-essed by Messrs. Elliott, Cook and Bloom. The committee for that purpose reported a constitution, made up of 13 articles, which was adopted and signed by 56 persons, who became members of the society. Then a series of by-laws were adopted. The following persons were appointed a committee in each township to collect statistical information to be reported to the Secretary of the Society: Perrysburg — ^^. D. Blinn, Asher Cook and James Hood. Middleton — I). Wliitney, Henry Sarvis and Patrick Mclsaac. Washing-ton — Martin Warner, Jr., John Bamber and Geo. Warner. Weston — B. Bassett, S. Jefferson and Benj. Olney. Liberty — James Bloom, Henry Groves and John C. Wooster. Plain — S. W. St. John, Xathan Min- ton and J. E. Tracy. Center — L. C. Lock, Lee Moore and Henry Shively. Portage — Collister Haskins. Bloom — E. Gorton. This was an important work, but there is no evidence that any of the commit- tees were ever heard from in an official capacity. The following officers were chosen for the ensuing year: President, John McMahan; Vice-President, W. E. Peck; Eecording Secretary, E. Elliott; Corresponding Secretary, George Powers; Treasurer, John Bates; Managers, Benj. Olney, David Ladd, Edwin Gorton, Henry Hood and John Groves. Aside from the fact that a meeting was held on the 36th of July, 1851, to arrange for holding the first Fair, and also the fact that the Fair for 1852 is designated as the "second Fair," there is no recorded evidence that a Fair was held in 1851, nor is there any record of the place where it was held, tho\igh probably the first County Fair was held at Bowling Green. The foregoing facts respecting the or- ganization of the Society are quite com- plete, except the almost total omission of reference to the first Fair, in which the people of to-day would feel a lively interest. Subsequent Fairs were ignored by the Society's secretaries with equal care, and the points of real interest are thus largely omitted. The second Fair was lield at Perrysburg, the third was held at Bowling Green, the fourth and fifth at Portageville, and the sixth and seventh at Bowling Green. At the seventh annual meeting of the Society, the board elected for the ensuing year was authorized to "procure suitable grounds for the xA.nnual Fair and per- manently locate the same." At a meeting held in July, 1858, a vote was taken upon the permanent loca- tion of the Fair, when Bowling Green received five votes and Portageville two votes. The next Fair was held at Bowl- ing Green, but the permanent location of the Fair was not satisfactory to rival villages. Portageville inaugurated an in- dependent Fair, and in 1860 the County Society held their Fair at Perrysburg. Subsequently, perhaps in 1865 or 1866, the Society purchased grounds at Tontogany and permanently located the Fair at that point. This result grew out of the countv seat contest and is 114 THE PIONEER understood to have been brought about bj' Perrysburg in the hope that it might result to the disadvantage of Bowling Green. The latter village naturally felt resentful and organized an Independent Society, but it proved a losing operation and was soon abandoned. Space will not permit further record of the Society's history here, but it may not be improper to mention the fact that the fairs of Wood county have compared favorably with any exhibitions of a simi- lar character in the state. With the richest of soil in the hands of intelligent and enterprising farmers, the products of Wood county have excited the pride of citizens of the county and command- ed the admiration of strangers. At state fairs, Wood county has carried oif her full share of i^remiums, and seldom fails in a competition with other localities where she has a fair chance. Further Growth In addition to this piece of ancient history it may be said that this Society has grown and expanded with the years and its exhibitions hold their own in popularity and are visited by hundreds throughout the State. It stands in the van of all similar exhibitions in North- western Ohio. Within a few years past the needle work, art and educational exhibits have proven to be a strong feature and have attracted the interests of thousands of visitors. The erection of buildings and other equipment are added from year to year, and this expansion can not fail to give added interest to all classes of our people, and thus keep pace with the pro- gress and prosperity of all. Under the stimulus of the great and instructive ex- hibitions, such as have been given, new ideas are brought out, new sciences de- veloped and better and more profitable methods learned, and we will go on in the march of progi-ess until we of to-day will be as far behind in comparison as that first Fair here years ago is behind to-day.— C. W. E. AN HISTORICAL CRISIS The importance of the victory at Ft. Meigs to the nation is thus summarized by a i^ioneer chronicler of the times: As a pivotal point in the war of 1812, no battle was of greater importance than the battle of Ft. Meigs. Had Gen. Har- rison been compelled to surrender, the battle of the Thames would never have been won. Perry's conflict on Lake Erie would never have been fought, the whole Northwest would have been in the hands of the British and Indians, and the frontiers along the whole continent would not have been safe for an hour against the attacks of the wily savages. Gen. Jackson might have been_ defeated at New Orleans, the British under Prevost and Ross might have won at Ogdens- burg, or captured Baltimore. Gen. Brown and Gen. Scott might have lost Lundy's Lane, and still the defeats would have left the nation safe.~ But the cap- ture of Ft. Meigs by Gen. Proctor would have lighted the torch all over the North- west. It would have made the British masters of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Ill- inois and Kentucky. It would have en- abled the allies to push on to the foot of the Alleghanies and even the Eastern states would not have been proof against the attacks of Proctor and his savages. Fort Meigs is indeed historic ground. Hull's trace through Wood county was designated many years ago by the dis- covery of a large pile of gun barrels, locks, flints and bayonets near Portage. The discovery was made by a little girl in search of cows. At anotlior time the entire iron work of an army wagon was found near the same place. SCRAP-BOOK. 115 THE MAUMEE PIONEERS Written by Mrs. Kate B. Sherwood for the Reunion of the Maumee Valley Pioneers, Held in Toledo, February 22, 1880, and Recited by Mrs. Elizabeth Mansfield Irving Come, friends, around this festal board, Where peace and plenty smile And memories in each bosom stored Are quickening the while; Come, let your hearts go back again. With more of joy than tears. Unto that sturdy race of men. The Maumee Pioneers. Our feet are on historic ground. The very streets we tread Ke-Gcho to a solemn sound Above the shroudless dead. Now French, now British we define, Xow red ally appears, — They form a vast and shadowy line. The Maumee Pioneers. Let others tell the tales of Dee, The Danube and the Don, The Rhine that ripples to the sea. The Iser rolling on; — New England's glades and palisades, Virginia's vaunted years, — We'll tell of sturdier men and maids. The Maumee Pioneers. Here sleeps the braves of Pontiac, There Harmar's hosts go down. And bold "Mad Anthony" brings back The knights of old renown; There Harrison's battalions glance Along the burnt frontiers. And in the trail of arms advance The Maumee Pioneers. We'll tell how came the brave La Salle, Two hundred years ago, To list St. Mary's madrigal, Responsive to St. Joe; To speak the vows that woke the trance Of long unfruitful years, And give to Frontenac and France The Maumee Pioneers. Of Couthenianehe whose lonely fort A century before. Stood guard where Fort Miami's port Heard British cannon roar; How stripped Perrot the faggot sees Flash through Miami's jeers, 'Till save the swift Outagamis, The Maumee Pioneers. I mind me in those bloody days Of Foxes, Sacs and Sioux, Of Miamis and Ottawas, And Iroquois and Pous, An Indian woman 'tis we see Before her Priest in tears; Her prayers have saved from massacre The Maumee Pioneers. Fort Meigs and Fort Miami show A sweet and solemn truce, And old Fort Industry I trow Has met a nobler use; So wc aboAc our levelled graves. Across the flood of years, May name with once dishonored braves The Maumee Pioneers. For valor's not of any race, And right of grace has none. If Wayne is given a hero's place, Tecumseh's fame is won; If Wells be praised for warlike deeds That wring the heart with tears. Then Simon OirtvV t'l-alty leads The Maumee Pioneers. The days of bow and spear are fled, Of tent and bark tepee. The ax is ringing in their stead, The woodman zones his tree; And where the Indian village stood The cabin chinked appears. And white-haired children scour the wood, — The Maumee Pioneers, 116 THE PIONEER They fight no barbed and painted foe, They run no gauntlet where The Indian tomahawk is slow A captured foe to spare; Tliey fly no cruel massacre Of plundering buccaneers; But deadlier foes they stricken see, The Maumee Pioneers. The wind is up, the sails are spread. The gales of traffic blow; The Yankee comes with level head. The Teuton sure and slow; The thrifty Scot, the Irish true, — And Quaker grace appears A wholesome leaven running through The Maumee Pioneers. They fought the famine and the cold. They conquered field and flood. They drove the murrain from the fold, The fever from the blood; Their triumphs blossom in the vales, And blush along the piers. And fleck the lake with snowy sails. The Maumee Pioneers. free born sires ! from whom there runs A tide of valor through The hearts of sons' remotest sons ! wives, and daughters true ! — • Who toil and spin, and spin and pray, And hiding homesick tears Keep heart and hope that crown to-day The Maumee Pioneers ! Blow soft above their lowly grave, North wind swift and keen ! And South wind that the lily waves Keep aye their grasses green ! Spirit of the Centuries ! Blow on his heart who hears. And wake to fragrant memories The Maumee Pioneers ! BUT THE SHOT MISSED On a clear, bright morning in the early spring of 1813, writes a pioneer chronicler. Gen. Harrison was standing on the earth works of Ft. Meigs. As he stood there his eye rested on scenes which have since become famous in the history of the state and nation. In the clear sunlight every foot of ground for miles around was visible. At his feet flowed the rapids and to the southward the river was lost behind the hills. For- ests stretched away in every direction. Through an opening among the trees an Indian chief and a companion were seen. A sentry fired and the parties disap- peared. Had the aim l)een more true and the arm of the sentry been more steady a vast amount of bloodshed and cruelty might have been averted, for that Indian chief was the notorious Tecum- seh, his companion — the hated Proctor. At one time during the siege of Fort Meigs the ammunition was nearly all gone, and Gen. Harrison offered a gill of whisky to any man who would bring in a cannon ball from outside the fort. The soldiers kept a score to see who would bring in the most, and in this manner cannon balls were obtained only to throw them over at the British batteries. MAUMEE RIVER AND VALLEY View Taken from British Point, Maumee City— Foot of the Rapids SCEAP-BOOK. 119 COL. SELDEN A. DAY This Young Officer of the U. S. Artillery Had Charge of Jefferson Davis at Fort Monroe COLONEL SELDEN ALLEN DAY and his talented wife, Helen H. Gardener, will be remembered by many cf the citizens of Bowling Green, as they visited Wood county several years since, when the accomplished lady gave a lec- ture. As writer, author and speaker, she is widely known on account of the many books she has published of a semi-medical nature along the line of heredity. They are written in such form and language as to make them understood and appre- ciated by the general reader. Her suc- cess is demonstrated by the fact that the products of her pen, put out partly as fiction, occupy the reference shelves of Cornell university and other scientific libraries of natiojial reputation. All this has required much earnest study on the part of this earnest writer, to whose work is attached more than a literary value. No less interest attaches to Colonel Day than to his talented wife and he is known from the Atlantic to the Pa- cific seaboard, where he commanded Fort Mason, San Francisco, for four years. His military career began in 1861, when he raised a volunteer company at the first call for troops, serving continuously in the field until the close of the war and was finally made captain for "gallant and meritorious service during the war.'' Colonel Day's record in the war with Spain was also notably brilliant. He commanded the first troops that entered Porto Eico and on July 28, 1898, ran up the American flag on the custom house, the first American flag raised over the island possessions. In addition to his career as a soldier, Colonel Day is the successful inventor of a series of military and scientific appliances. Mr. Day chanced to be the first ofiicer of the prison guard at Fort Monroe, when Jefferson Davis was brought there a prisoner after the close of the war. Notwithstanding the account of Ben Per- ley Poore of the distinguished prisoner being put in irons, the experience of Col. Day, while he was in charge of Mr. Davis, shows that the prisoner was of a most tractable and gentlemanly disposi- tion. Here are extracts from a letter written by Colonel Day in February, 1890, from Fort Schuyler, New York: Day's Letter An article in a New York paper head- ed "Grateful to his Guard," alludes to kindness on my part to the distinguislicd prisoner, the late Jefferson Davis, while he was confined at Fort Monroe. While I did my duty as best I could I disclaim now, as I did then, the idea of kindness in doing what any man ought to have done for another whom the fortunes of war had placed in his keeping. The kindness in the case was rather the other way. Although I had seen four yt-ars of solid war, I was still a youugstor in the service, while his experience includ- ed the entire range of promotion from West Point cadet to Secretary of War, and extended from the fall of Eichmond back to and through the war with Mexico. It so happened that I was the first officer of the prison guard, detailed from the regulars when we came to Fort Monroe after the close of the war, and of course I took charge of the State prisoners, Messrs. Davis and Clay. This was after their removal from the case- mates to Can-oil Hall. Mr. Davis' room, or cell, was on the second floor, and ad- joining it was a room occupied by the officer of the guard. Though many a time during the early part of the late war I had, as a young 120 THE PIONEER volunteer, trudging along on the march under the weight of knapsack and gun, joined in the chorus: "We'll hang Jeff Davis on a sour apple tree/' yet, when brought face to face and introduced to him by the officer, whom I relieved as his custodian, I need hardly say I recog- nized a gentleman and treated him ac- cordingly. This was the sum total of my kindness to him. No one could have been more particular or careful that the orders governing the prison should be carried out than was the prisoner him- self. One little incident may serve to show how delicately the prisoner had to be dealt with. His cell was scantily fur- nished with only an iron single bedstead, a hospital mattress, a small table or stand, bucket, bowl and pitcher, and two straight-backed, hard wooden kitchen chairs — one for the prisoner and the other for any visitor he might have; and the visitors were few and far between. We, officers of the guard, used to have our easy rocking chairs brought from our quarters (nine were in the same building) to sit in during our hours of duty, sending them back when relieved. One day I offered to exchange my easy chair for one of his for the time being. "Xo !" said he, "these are the ones fur- nished l)y the authorities for my use, and it might not l)e right to exchange them." '"Oh,"' said I, "if need be I will speak to the General about it, and 1 have no doubt it will ])v all right." "No," he said, "don't do it on any. ac- count," and T knew he meant it. Still. I did not feel quite easy in my rocking chair, seeing him sitting bolt upright reading day after day on his hard seat. One evening as I was about leaving, my colored servant had not come up, as was usual, to take away my things, so gather- ing up luy l)ooks and papers, and with hotli hands full. I naid, "Mr. Davis, John has i.ot conu' I'oi' my things, won't you be kind enough to take charge of my chair until I send for it." "Cer- tainly," said he, and emptying one of my hands into the other, I dragged it ijito his room, came out, closed the door and bade him "good evening," just as my relief entered the outer room. The next night when I came on guard again, the prisoner was standing at the grating looking out, pipe in hand, and said after greeting, "I have your chair here." "Oh, yes !" said I, looking over my shoulder into my room, "but I see Jolin has brought up another, just keep it, won't you, until I want it." y Mr. Davis made no reply, but he gave ' me a look that Avill remain in my mem- ory, as a ray of sunshine. He had seen viirough my little ruse. After Mr. Davis was given the parole of the fort, all was changed for him, as well as for us of the garrison. We offi- cers then got more tlian "one night in bed," as the soldiers say, and the duty vv'as not so hard. Mrs. Davis joined lier husband and they were assigned a set of officers' (juarters, which by the way, included his old "prison cell," and they lived like "white folk." With Mrs. Davis came their little daughter ("Pi"' we called her then), now "Miss Winnie," or the "Daugh- ter of the Confederacy," as she is some- times spoken of. With them also for a time was Mrs. Davis' sister. Miss Mag- gie Howell, all of Avliom made a sunny addition to the social life of the garrison in a quiet and becoming way, and they changed the atmosphere for Mr. Davis in many respects. I could fill a volume of reminiscences and incidents connected with our invol- untary intimacy during Mr. Davis' im- prisonment, at Fort Monroe, but I will mention only one more in closing this letter. Mr. Davis had a grim sense of the humorous under all circumstances. On one occasion Doctor Craven, who had been the post surgeon and attended Mr. SCKAP-BOOlv. 121 Davis during his severe illness in the casemates, came back to Fort Monroe on a visit, and called upon the prisoner in his cell. In the course of conversa- tion tlie doctor said, '"Do you know, Mr. Davis, that at one time, over there in the casemate, I reall}- thought you were go- ing to die?" "Ah, doctor," said Mr. Davis, "that is tlie last thing I am going to do.^' UNCLE" GUY NEARING A Remarkable Man — His Athletic Build and Strength — Interesting Incidents in His Life I^^' the Sentinel of December 20, 1883, Mr, Evers gave an extended account of "Uncle" Guy Xearing, as he was called by the early settlers, and "Nawash" by the Indians, from which we clip the following : Guy Xearing in his early manhood came to the Maumee country from Cayuga county, X. Y. The date was about the year 181*, and he first located on what is now the Forest Pratt place, Perrysburg. Xearing was a remarkable man in many respects, and is better re- membered and oftencr and more kindly spoken of by the early settlers than any one wlio lived on the Maumee. In ])bysic!il make up he was a num of almost gigantic stature and strength; broad shouldered and l)()ny : be scarcely knew his own strength, and his power of endurance was something wonderful. He was a sort of local Hercules of that day, and a terror to the Indians, great and small. His qualities of head and heart were no less marked than his phy- sical powers. He inherently loved and trusted his fellow men. He had great big bumps of generosity, and benevo- lence. He always had a cheering word for tbc despondent and friendless, and would divide his last piece of corn bread witb tbe needy. It is not denied bv his manv friends that he possessed a ''rough side," and was given sometimes to fearful ebullitions of temper, and startling profanity, nor tluit he was averse occasionally to having a good time, when, more than at any other time he prided himself on his ath- letic powers, and feats of great strength. At a Circus One day he was in Pcrryslnirg after it had become quite a village, attending a circus, an event he never missed if he heard of it in time. He was leaning against the cage in which was a large zebra and the keeper cautioned the spec- tators lest the animal which was vicious, should kick some of them. In an instant Uncle Guy thrust his hand into the cage and seized the zebra's hind leg which he } lulled out between the bars and held with one hand in spite of the animal's wild struggles. Guy would have done the same with a young lion only that the keeper prevented him. Cut His Toe Off Though rather slow to anger he was like most of that kind of persons very wrathy when he did get warmed up. It is told'of him that the little toe on one of his feet had a habit of getting on top of the next toe and the friction of the boot kept it constantly sore. In a fit of anger one day he jerked off his boot, seized a chisel and mallet and off went the offending tor. to 1i-oubb^ him no more. Always Kind to All Still with all his eccentricities and faults, be was, as before mentioned, a 122 THE PIONEER kind-hearted sympathetic man. If a stranger moving in, needed help to get his wagon out of the mud, Guy would take his team and assist him without pay or thanks. If a newcomer wanted to find land for a home, Guy would leave his own afEairs and go with him, board him besides, accepting no compensation, es- pecially from the poor. If the pioneer needed help to raise his log cabin, Guy would take his men and go and help him. Anything he had or could do was always at the command of a needy neighbor or stranger. Such a man was "Uncle" Guy ISTearing. He was fitted by all his phy- sical and mental qualities for a leading and useful man amid the rugged vicissi- tudes incident to pioneer life, and well he filled the bill. Two years after ISTearing came, his family followed, wife and three children. There were two sons and a daughter. Minerva afterward married Wm. Ewing. Neptune Nearing, one of the sons, father of G. C. Nearing, now of Bowling Green, settled at an early day on the ridge and prairie three miles west of Bowling Green, or where the town now is. Another son, Henry, who is well known and respected in the north part of the county, and who in stature and appear- ance, much resembles his father, lives now near White House, Lucas county. Thrashed an Indian Here is an incident by Henry Nearing, explaining why his father, "Uncle'' Guy, was called "Big Nawash.'' Nearing's cabin was on the route fol- lowed by the Indians in passing up and down the river. The red men, while un- usually quite peaceful, got fire water down at Hollister's trading post some- times and some of the bucks were a trifle ugly. A big buck of some prowess and athletic pretensions who frequently, when tipsy, would boast of blood-thirsty deeds he had perpetrated on white men at the massacre at Eiver Raisin, one day entered Nearing's cabin where he saw no one in the room but a couple of women, and drew his hunting knife and began to talk Indian and make murderous flourishes. The women were terrified, as the old buck had a satanic gleam in his eye which was threatening to behold. They con- cealed their terror as well as they could until one of them on some pretext slipped out and told "Uncle" Guy, who was mak- ing an ax handle in a shed near by. Guy was angry in a minute, and seizing a big Mack whip, he went round to the door and pulled the buck out, and between the sounds of the terrific blows of the whip on old Nawash's breech clout and his hideous screams, there was a small bedlam there for a little while. An ac- count of the incident soon went up and down the river and reached the other In- dians. This buck was a sort of revenge- ful fellow and some of Guy's neighbors did not know but he might try to retal- iate, but he was too much humilated, and in a day or so came back and shook hands with Uncle Guy and said, "Me bad Injun ! me good now." Pointing to Nearing he said "You big Nawash." After that Nearing was nicknamed "Big Nawash," and quarrelsome Indian Inicks never troubled his family again. Contractor and Builder In the latter part of 1825 Nearing took a contract to build five miles of the Maumee and Western Reserve pike, which he did not complete till 1827, and at about the same time he took five miles of the Maumee and Monroe pike. In 1823 when the county seat was moved from Maumee to Perrysburg, there was not much to move except the little log calaboose. This, Nearing haided over for which, and the rebuild- ing, he received $45. In 1824 he helped to build for Wood county its first court house, a little log structure located on Front street, Perrys- burg, but torn down some years ago. In SCKAP-BOOK. 133 1826 and '27, he and Elisha Martindale built a new log jail near the court house and took their pay in part, in town lots at $12 apiece. On Christmas day 1829, Uncle Guy with his men and teams, went to Bear Eapids, since called Otsego, and built a cabin on the hill, to board and lodge his help in. He had previously bought GO acres of land there, of the Mason estate. Stickney had also built a cabin near there, to prospect for free stone, and expected to open a grind stone quarry. Built a Mill By New Near's day, 1830, all was in readiness, and next day all hands began work on timber for a dam. The winter was mild and dry, and the river low. By May Xearing had a dam in, and a saw mill in operation, and by the middle of June a grist mill with one run of stone, and by September a second run of stone with bolting facilities. This was a great help and convenience to the pioneers, and people patronized the mill from a distance of 20 to 30 miles. I^earing owned the mill until the spring of 1833, when he sold it to a New Yorker named Asa Gilbert, and the mill went by the name of Gilbert's mill. Later Gilbert sold to a man named Flanders, who lost the mill by a gi'eat freshet. Flanders re- built it and a little later the mill passed into the hands of Samuel Clymer, who owned it until the freshets finally de- stroyed both mill and dam and it was never rebuilt. The old mill, the build- ers, and owners have all passed away and the town of Otsego, a name once familiar to all the early settlers, is a thing of the past and exists like many of the noble race of hardy men and women of that early day only in memory. WORST OF ALL ROADS" Graphic Description of the Maumee and Western Reserve Road AGEEEABLE to the treaty of Browns- town in 1808, the Indian tribes ceded a tract of land for a road 120 feet wide from the foot of the Maumee Rapids to the western line of the Con- necticut Eeserve, and all the land within one mile of said road on each side thereof for the purpose of establishing settle- ments along the same. By an act of Congress December 11, 1811, the Presi- dent was authorized to appoint three commissioners to survey and mark the road. It seems this work was not satis- factory. Hence Congress passed an act on April 16, 1816, authorizing the Presi- dent to make such alteration in the survey as he may deem proper. Nothing, however, seemed to have been done, for February 28, 1823, Con- gress passed an act granting to the State of Ohio all the land for this purpose ob- tained by the treaty of Brownstown. By an act of the Legislature, the State of Ohio accepted the grant made to her by the last recited act of Congress, and at once set about building the road. In locating this road it was so laid out as to pass through Perrysburg and Lower Sandusky. The contracts were let and work commenced in the year 1824, but the road was not completed until the year 1826, if, indeed, such a road could be called completed, but such as it was, it was accepted and for years served as the thoroughfare over which the 124 THE PIONEER thousands in search of a paradise in the West, . were obliged to travel the almost impassable Black Swamp. It would be difficult to describe this "worst of all roads, and the agony border- ing on despair to which the emigrant was reduced in his etfort to pass over to the land flowing with milk and honey beyond. It is said, nature is equal to all emer- gencies, and it proved so here. On the desert the caravan may stop at any point and pitch their tents, but travelers wad- ing all day in mud and water, require a place of rest for the night, where they can dry as well as rest their weary limbs. On the route of this road, their wants in this respect were Avell supplied, for there was a tavern to each mile of the distance between Perrysburg and Lower Sandusky, and travelers were sometimes compelled to stay two nights at the same tavern, notwithstanding the most vigor- ous efforts to proceed. Things remained in this situation until the year 1838 when the state commenced to macadamize the road, which was completed in the year 1841, and from that time to the present has been one of the best roads in Ohio. From this period the real prosperity of Wood county began, and was materially aided by the completion of the Wabash and Erie Canal a few years later. LAKE COMMERCE An Extensive Commercial Traffic Carried on at Perrysburg at an Early Date BETWEEN the years 1838 and 1810 there was transacted at Perrysburg as large a commercial business as any port on Lake Erie, excepting Buffalo and Cleveland. This business was trans- acted chiefly through the forwarding and commission houses of Hollister & Smith, and Bingham & Co. Through these houses nearly all the goods con- signed to Northern Indiana, and a large portion of Northwestern Ohio, and South- ern Michigan were forwarded by teams from Perrysburg, to the head of the rapids of the Maumee river, where they M^ere taken on keel boats, pirogues and flat boats, and transported to Fort Wayne, and thence distributed to their several destinations. These boats returning brought back furs, skins and dried meats, Avhich were brought to Perrysburg by the teams which had carried goods to the head of the rapids. From 1835 to 1840, tliis Inisiness, together with the emigration wliicli came to this port by water, afford- ed a very lucrative business for nearly all the schooners and steamboats in the service. There were between the above dates steam boats enough running from Perrys- Ijurg to Buffalo, to form a daily line had they been so arranged, besides many schooners, as the steamers could not carry all the freight offering for this port. In addition to the above, there was a daily line of steam boats running between Perrysburg and Detroit. It may be asked, what has become of this commerce ? The answer is, it still exists, but the headquarters have been removed, and other modes of transit have driven the steam boats and vessels from the river. The last siege of Ft. Meigs lasted about eight days and was most obstinately re- sisted by Gen. Clay. The siege was finally abandoned liy Gen. Proctor after 300 men and officers had been killed and wounded. No less than six wagon loads of balls and iinexploded shells were picked up and utilized by the Americans. SCRAP-BOOK. 135 AN AMUSING INCIDENT John C. Spink's First Introduction to This Region— His "Maiden" Speech THE late ^". H. Callard i'urnishes the following incident of an early date : Among the earliest lawyers residing in Wood county may be named John C. Spink and Willard V. Way. The latter mentions in his notes a ludicrous in- cident that occurred to Spink when on his way from Wooster to Perrysburg to commence the practice of law. As show- ing the condition of travel through the Black Swamp, and its inconveniences of transit it is worthy of note. It was on this occasion that he made liis first or maiden speech as a lawyer. Spink was on his way in company with a young preacher, who like himself, had left his home for the first time. He stated that the roads were simply terrible, being like a sea of mud and water. At that time many immigrants were moving from the eastern parts of Ohio to places further west. It was frequently the case that they could not advance with their wagons more than two or three miles a day, and they would return at night to the same tavern they had left in the morning. Spink and the preacher had left what is now Fremont in the morning and reached a small log tavern at Sugar Creek a few miles west late in the evening. They found the house crowded with moving families, with apparently no room for them to find a bed. At that time there were only two beds in the house. They could not well return neither could they advance with the chance of getting better accommodation, as they would have to flounder in the mud. The landlord, however, was equal to the emergency. He did not want to lose two guests so prominent as the lawyer and the preacher and assured them that he would give them a good bed. They took their sup- per and on getting into the sitting room found that the movers had all disappear- ed. How this had been done they could not tell. That, however, was soon re- vealed. They were shown to the only spare bed in the house which was located on the off side from the door, and ihey discovered there were ten females and four males extended on the floor covered by tlieir own bed cbithes, he and the preacher making tlie number sixteen in what was but a small room. They picked their way through the sleepers as best they could, when getting to the bed side they found just light enough from the burning wood in the fire place op- jwsite them as to show everything in the room. It appeared to them as if all eyes were upon them, and they were at a loss to know how they could get into bed. The preacher suggested to Spink that he would take off his coat and that he Spink should hold it as a screen between them and the floor occupants. That was speedily done, the preacher jumped into bed on the off side and covered himself up, and left Spink in the lurch. This took him by surprise — he was at a loss what to do. He could not go to bed with his clothes on him as they were wet and covered with mud. He concluded that as a lawyer he should have to make his living by his wits, and he might as well begin then and there as at any time, and make a speech, yes, a maiden speech, supposing that they were as wide awake as himself. His speech was brief and to the point, he said: "Ladies, this is my bed, and there is nothing to screen me from your obser- vation while I get into it. This is my first introduction to a new country life, and probably it is yours, as you appear to be moving, I will therefore take it as a great favor if you will kindly duck your heads under the clothes while I get into bed." All heads were instantly covered, he got into bed and concluded 12G THE PIONEER that he had made a great fool of himself, for they were all of them asleep, and he had waked them up by his speech. This he over after det-lared to bo his maiden speech as a lawyer. Mr. Spink was highly successful as a criminal lawyer, his reputation extend- ing throughout the northwest. The late James Murray of Sidney, Ex-Attorney General of Ohio, was a student at law with him. Spink died in 1853, in the zenith of his fame. RECOVERING A STOLEN HORSE THE following incident is related by Gen. John E. Hunt : In July, 1812, my brother bought a very fine horse, which had been driven with the army from Dayton. It was a large, elegant dapple grey, and he rode it acting as the aid of Gen. Hull at the sur- render. Soon after the British took the town the Indians stole the horse, saddle and bridle from my brother's stable. He weait to the store next morning looking very much down at the loss of his fine horse. There he met Jack Brandy. Jake says, "Harry Hunt, what's the mat- ter with you? You have a very long face this morning." Says my brother: "Jack, the Indians have stolen my big horse!" Jack savs: "Dam rascal! Maybe me find liim. Give me some money, some meat and some bread." My brother gave him $5 in silver and what else he wanted. Jack mounted his pony and started up the Eiver Eouge. The next day he crossed an Indian trail, and discovered that one of their horses had large iron shoes. He followed the track and that evening camped with the party. After eating, they wanted to know where he was going. He said he was directed to go to Chicago to call the Indians in to fight the Long Knives. They told him they had a very fine Ameri- can horse. Jack says, "My horse is tired. If he is a good horse maybe in the morn- ing me swap with you," and added, shak- ing his silver in his pouch, "and give some boot." In the morning, after an early breakfast. Jack told them to put the saddle and bridle on the horse. "Well me try him, see if he is a good horse." He mounted, and it was the last they saw of Jack or the horse. We were standing in front of my brother's store about sun- down the next day, when we saw an Indian coming up the road on horseback. It proved to be Jack on my brother's grey horse. When he jumped off and delivered him to my brother, he said, "Harry Hunt, you see now, Jack Brandy can't lie." LIBERTY TOWNSHIP Settlement Begun in 1824 Collister Haskins First Settler Organization of Township THE first white settler in what is now Liberty township was Collister Has- kins, in the spring of 1824. In the fol- lowing September, with the help of kind Indians and friends from Waterville, he built a log cabin on the west side of the established route of the Findlay pike and on the south bank of the Portage river, and moved in with his family, who had resided in Waterville. Let the mind of the reader imagine Wood county one vast unbroken forest of virgin timber, without a white inhabitant ( except as their cabins now and then dot- ted tlie bank of the Maumee river), the stillness of which was only marred by the presence of the red man who built his SC]L\.P-BOOK. 127 canij) lire unmolested, and where the wolf, deer, bear and other animals roamed in their natural state; a wilderness impene- trated by a single well defined road; a wilderness containing 390,000 acres, in the center of which is one solitary cabin, with none other nearer on the north than Waterville, thirteen miles distant, and none on the south nearer than Fort Find- lay, "twenty miles away," and they have the home of CoUister Haskins in 1834. And oft* was the time of an evening, when this solitary white man of the in- terior, with his little family, would be gathered about his cal)in lire that the Indians would congregate about him and curiously survey his surroundings and as they became more familiar, converse as best they could upon topics of mutual interest. In Mr. Haskins' family besides himself and wii'e, were thi-e;' daughters, Sarah, Wealthy and Cynthia, and one son, Henry. Sarah was the first white cliild born in Liberty township. The next settler, or rather squatter, in Ijiberty was J. M. Jacques, who came f j'om New York and built a cabin. Jacques only remained about three years, for in the spring of 1833 John Sargent moved in from Eoss county and entered the land upon which Jacques had located, paid him for his improvements and moved into the cabin he (Jacques) had built. In Mr. Sargent's family were three sons and two daughters. The Mercers The next settler in Liberty was Geo. Mercer, the first of the large Mercer set- tlement in that township, to locate there, who came from New Lisbon, also in the spring of 1833, and entered the land upon which he made his home. He came with two yoke of oxen and a wagon by the way of Woodville, making the trip of 200 miles from New Lisbon in 11 days. From Woodville he came up the Portage river on a road cut through a few days previous by Adam Phillips, who settled in Portage township, and the next day cut a road from there to Mr. Haskins', making the trip from Woodville in two days. His family stayed at Mr. Haskins' and he im- mediately set to work with the assistance of Peter Johnson and Adam Phillips of Portage township, and Mr. Haskins, and soon had a pole cabin built on his own land and moved in with his family. The same spring he "'broke up" 15 acres of prairie land belonging to Mr. Haskins and planted it to corn; using five stout yoke of oxen and a big old-fashioned wooden plow to break up the prairie and says he raised about half a crop. He raised a family of nine children. The advent of new settlers into this community was now not so infrequent and on the first day of April, 1834, there were eight families in Liberty, as follows : CoUister Haskins, John Sargent, Thos. Cox, Geo. Mercer, Caleb Mercer, Horace Cady, Henry Groves, John Groves and James Birdsell, and late in the same year came Henry Dubbs, John McMahan, Joseph Mitchell, Wm. Mercer and John Mercer. Wm. Mercer was the head and father of the Mercer family, which settle- nient in Liberty numbers nearly 200. Liberty Township Organized A sufficient number of settlers having moved in, a petition was presented to the commissioners on March 20. IS:)."), lor the organization of a township, to be called Liberty. The petition was granted and the first township election held on the first Monday in April, 1835, which re- sulted in the election of the following officers : Trustees, James Birdsc4l Henry Groves and Geo. Ellsworth ; clerk, Eeuben Strait; treasurer, Hugh Arbuckle; Jus- tices of the peace, James Birdsell and John Groves. The poll books of this election contains the names of 22 elec- tors. Their choice for treasurer proved to be an injudicious one. He was a native of Scotland, a fine scholar and apparently a 128 THE PIONEER gentleman. He was in the stock business in company with a Messrs Eeed & Bishop of Urbana. During the year he was serving the township as treasurer, he sold a quantity of the partnership stock, pock- eted the money and "migrated." At the time he left he also took $28.00 of the township funds, fortunately all there was in the treasury at that time. Mr. John McMahan and Henry Dubbs were his l)ondsmon and jointly made up the same to the townsliip, but not without some pointed remarks about the defaulter. John Sargent was elected his successor the spring following and held the office I'or twenty rears. — C. W. E. ORGANIZATION OF OHIO PUESUANT to a proclamation of the Territorial Governor, members of a constitutional convention assembled at Chillicothe, November 1, 1802, and dur- ing this session of 29 days formed the first constitution of the state of Ohio as the state was named. The state government was organized under the constitution so formed on March 3, 1803. The Bill of Rights, which is a part of the constitution, includes, among other things, substantially the provisions of the ordinance of 1787; but to two provisions of this Bill of Rights particular attention is called, viz, to sections 25 and 26. The first, section 25 provides, "That no law shall be passed to prevent the poor, in the several counties and townships within the state, from an equal participation in the schools, academies, colleges and uni- versities within this state, which are en- dowed, in whole or in part from the revenue arising from donations made by the United States, for the support of schools and colleges; and the doors of the said schools, academies and universities shall be open for the reception of scholars, students and teachers of every grade, without any distinction or preference whatever, contrary to the intent for which said donations were made." The second, section 2G, provides, "That laws shall be passed by the legislature which shall secure to each and every de- nomination of religious societies, in each surveyed townsliip, which is now or may hereafter be formed in the state, an equal participation, according to their number of adherents, of the profits arising from the land granted by congress for the sup- port of religion, agreeable to the ordin- ance or act of congress making the appro- priation." It will thus be seen these are the fundamental jirinciples on which the northwest territory, and tlio state of Ohio liave been established. AS TO HULL'S TRACE IN a recent number of the Sentinel, a pioneer makes the following correc- tion regarding Hull's trace: Hull's trace in Portage after crossing the stream, turned its course west of north, passing through the village of Por- tage near the old ashery, M. E. church and Quaintances' lime kiln, passing north on tlio limestone ridge, crossing the east ]iart of the farm owned by Noah Foltz, also the premises of Jas. Taborn (de- ceased), whieli was the original Parshall lot. Parshall had a large family, all girls. These young women and their parents had been living in their log cabin near tlie northwest corner of Portage township. One day, while Sarah was taking a stroll east of their cabin, she walked out on a fallen tree in the top of which she found a load of muskets. The news soon spread SCEAP-BOOK. 129 that "Sail" Parshall had found 40 mus- kets. (Quite a prize, over $200 worth if they had not been damaged.) Hull's trail here crossed through the point of timber between the Little Prairie and another that lay in the southwest corner of Center township, passing close to the west of the original John Taborn cabin across the original Thomas Rigly lot, and so on towards the Pernot farm. The loss of the army trail near the Haskins saw mill, and the mistake made by S. B. Aljbott and others, was the mistaking our pioneer trail down stream past the "Aborginal Grave Yard" for Hull's trace. The same is true of the pioneer trail or road made by John Gallatin and others across the east end of the Sizer farm, a branch pioneer road into that of Hull's army road. THE LOST CHILD An Agonizing Search by Hundreds for a Little Tot Alone in the Woods for Eleven Days AN old pioneer gives, in the Weston Avalanche, the following some- what sensational account of the search for a lost child in the wilds of Wood county, seventy-five years ago: The child was that of Frederick Frank- fauder, who lived in Bloom township, in this county. In the year 1835, some time in the month of November of that year, on Sunday (as was their custom), Mr. Frankfauder and wife went to their place of worship, and did not return home until late in the evening. During their absence the children were gathering hickory nuts, under a tree standing in the fence corner close by the woods. There were a number of children on both sides of the fence, and the little girl, five years and six months old, was with them gath- ering nuts, and probably on the side of the fence next to the woods. The chil- dren did not miss her until the parents came home at night. You can imagine the feelings of that family when they found that little Margaret was truly lost, night on hand and very dark. They sent to the nearest neighbors for help in the hunt. They started with torches in hand and calling her by name, and ring- ing bells, but all without success. Then they sent word to Ft. Ball, Tiilin, Findlay and Perry sburg, to the search. They came with their teams, feed and provisions, to assist. The company so engaged, numbered about two hundred and fifty persons. About the third day they found tracks north of Woodbury, crossing Hull's trail, that they knew to be her tracks certainly, as a little dog was with her, and they saw his tracks also. Then the excitement grew intense; they continued the search west and north of the windfall, and bordering on the prairie, but found no sign of her, till the seventh day, when they found tracks in the windfall south of John McMahan's. There she lost her little dog, she after- wards said, "as I lay by a fire I saw a big dog come and they took Penny and killed him." They were wolves. Then all began to despair but the parents. Some left for home while others con- tinued the search. Reader, pause and think ! How must the parents have felt, when all began to despair; when a fruitless search was kept up for eight or ten days, when all gave up in despair, but a praying father, who said that his trust was in the Lord; that He would restore the child to his arms in answer to his unceasing prayers. What 130 THE PIOXEEK hope was there? The chikl gone ten days, in a wilderness like the Black Swamp forty years ago, plenty of In- dians, bears, and wolves; and the worst of all, the wild hog. On the eleventh day they sent a man around by Portage, up the Ellsworth ridge, then to Hutchinson's in Milton, and to Major McMillen's. Just before he arrived, Orlando McMillen and Sam- uel Clark got home from hunting cattle, and McMillen asked his mother if Indian children had blue eyes; she said, "jSTo, why do you ask?'' He said that he and Mr. Clark had seen one that had blue eyes, and they gave it a biscuit, and it ate it greedily. They thought it an Indian child, as they could not under- stand her language. I will just say she was German, and did not understand English. This report of the lost child explained the whole matter to them. Mr. G. Alberty and Mr. McMillen started at once in pursuit of the child, over to John Dubbs'. There they saw a man by the name of Henderson Carrothers, who was chopping in a clearing for Dubbs; he said that he saw a child playing on a log, on the north side of the clearing, an hour or so ago, Ijut thought that it was an Indian chikl. So they all went to look after the child and in a few minutes they found her in the woods on the north side of the clearing, and they soon saw that she was the long lost child, as she had deep blue eyes. You can imagine the joy and rejoicing when they found her; they took her to Mr. Dubbs' and sent word at once to her bereaved parents, who got word in the fore part of the night. You can't imagine how the parents and friends passed that night, as there was joy mixed with doubt. Before daylight Mr. Mahlon Whitaker and Mr. Frankfauder were plunging through the woods to Mr. Dubbs'. They made the distance in double quick time, and found the child all right, but quite wild and strange. The little one had wandered 14 miles for 11 days amid the terrors of the Black Swamp. That child lived to be a woman, was married and passed away some years ago. JIM SLATER'S CURSE Is There an Avenging Nemesis Hanging Over Bairdstown on Account of the Curse of a Ruined Man? THE following weird, uncanny inci- dent came in the experience of Mr. C. W. Evers, during his term of sheriff in the later sixties, when the county seat was at Perrysburg. The raving agony of Slater, crazed with his losses, his bit- terness in being ruined by a crime of which he was undoubtedly innocent, to- gether with the curse he pronounced upon the place and all connected with his downfall — these are the facts. The retri- bution that followed those connected with Slater's persecution and the calamitous incidents that have attached to the vicinity of Bairdstown, so strikingly de- scribed by the facile pen of Mr. Evers, strongly reminds one of Hamlet, when he says : '"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreampt of in your philosophy." "Say, my boy," said an ex-sheriff to a reporter some years ago, "do you be- lieve in retribution through Providential agency here on this earth, for sins done by the sons of Adam? If you do, pos- Sl'KAl'-BOOK. i;!i sibly 1 can give you a partial solution to the serious misfortunes of our neighbors at Bairdstown." "Explain and we'll see,"' said the scribe. "Well, these late calamities to the town and the mystery of their origin has set me to thinking of the place when there was no town there; and if one was in- clined to be superstitious it would not be very difficult to believe that evil spirits come back from the dominions of the dead and curse the haunts of living men Avith deeds of vengeance." But I'll give you the story as I recall it, and you may draw your own con- clusions. xVway back al)out the close of the war with Mexico, the quarter section of land where Bairdstown is, was owned by an old man named Jim Slater Old .lim was not considered very bright, or rather, some of his neighbors doubted at times if his mind — reason — was rightly balanced. He was rough and uncouth in manner, inclined to be irrit- able and violent, when ho imagined he was being imposed upon ; but with his family, worked hard, and lived poorly. In this uphill struggle, his wife, who was an estimable woman, far above Slater, sickened and died. Soon after this Slater's misfortunes began. William McMurray, a neighbor, put in a piece of wheat on Slater's land on shares. At harvesting. Slater objected to the grain being hauled off the farm for threshing. A sharp war of words and much feeling grew out of this trivial affair. Slater in his ungovernable anger, swore that the wheat would never do his neighbor any good. Possibly he took the case into justice court. I believe he did, and got non-suited or beaten. So the matter rested until some weeks later, when one night the wheat stacks were burned, and a new harness and some other articles were stolen from j\lc- Murray's or D. Wineland's barn, near by. Slater, who Avas not a favorite among his neighbors, was of course set upon at once among the gossips, as the instigator, if not the direct agent in burning the stacks; all because of the constructive threat made. No other evidences coukl be found against him except that assi'r- tion, made in anger; and on this slender tliread and a good deal of prejudice, he was arrested, and tried before a justice, and I believe bound over to court. David Hays of Fostoria, who made some pretensions to a slight acquaintance with Blackstone, pettifoggetl Slater's case. At the next term of common ])leas court, Slater was indicted; the late George Strain being the prosecuting at- torney. After heavy expense in lawyer fees and other ways, Slater was acquitted. J^avid Hays and Dodge & Tyler defend- ed his case. Public sentiment was divided as to Slater's guilt, and strangely too, McMur- ray, who with Slater was the loser by the iire, did not believe Slater guilty, though at a loss to explain the origin of the fire, which was clearly the work of an incen- diary. This prosecution, or persecution as Slater termed it, was the cause of his ruin. The lawyers got notes, secured by mortgages on his farm, and an old cred- itor in Tiffin, with a mortgage of four or iive hundred dollars, got uneasy and Ijegan proceedings of foreclosure. This scared small creditors and they began a crusade in justice court against the un- fortunate man, probably on the old rule, •'kick a man when he's down.'' Slater tried to fight them off. He was com- bative and Hays, his lawyer, was a ready servant to help him, but alas! in deeper, in nearly every instance. At last and not long either, the evil day came and the sheriff with an order of sale in which were marshaled all the liens, came with appraisers to value the property. I can see Slater yet as he sat on a log near 13 THE PIONEER his cabin, sullen and dispirited while the appraisers near by were trying to fix upon a value. He scarcely spoke during the time we were there. He asked if he could take off the gi'owing crops. He said he had not slept nights because of this trouble and the only liope he had was that none of the neighbors would bid on the farm when it was offered. The day of sale came. There was only one buyer. John Baird, a prosper- ous farmer, living some two miles from Slater's, bid in the land. A day or so after the sale, as I sat at the office table writing (this was while the court house was in Perrysburg) I heard a shuffling step at the door, at my back. I turned my head and said "Good morning, Mr. Slater!" for it was he. He said nothing, but silently took a chair near the table. After a little he said, "Sheriff, did my place sell?" "Yes." "Who bought it?" I told him. He said, "I heard so, and came clear here to see if it was true." He dropped his head on his arm on the table and trembled as ,.tJiough suffering agonizing bodily pain. ■lie did not speak for many minutes. I felt so much moved by his distress that 1 could scarcely go on with my work. I had from the first believed him innocent of the crime which l^rought this trouble on him. I had had little experience in detecting criminals, but from the first I felt that Slater was the unfortunate vic- tim of circumstances which almost com- pletely screened the real perpetrator of the crime, whoever it might be. After his agitation had subsided a little, I told him there was yet time to save his place — that he should not give it up so — that he could probably borrow money to cancel the judgment liens and secure the lender by a mortgage on the land as soon as the liens were off.- That if these liens were paid before the first day of court, the judge would not con- firm the sale. "No! No!" he said, "I cannot do it; I have no friends. All are down on me. No one has a good word for me; even my lawyer is against me; I am robbed of my place and driven from my home. There is no law, divine or human, that will justify this robbery. If there is a just God, he will curse the place to the last end of eternity as a warning. That farm will never do John Baird any good. Me has been against me. He wanted my place; he has got it, and the curse of a wronged man goes with the place and all who have had a hand in robbing me." I do not pretend to give Slater's exact words, nor could I possibly give even a faint expression of his intense agitation, bitterness and despair. Words of encour- agement or kindness were alike useless. The fires of hope and ambition were quenched — drowned forever in his breast. James Slater died a pauper. He lies buried at the infirmary. On his old farm is Bairdstown. When the B. & 0. railroad located its line through there, John Baird with the enter- prise .characteristic of himself, laid out a town and beside giving it his name, promoted the growth with all his energy. He built a fine flouring mill, hotel, etc., and the town grew rapidly. About this time misfortunes, one after another began to stop at Baird's door. His downward career, as did Slater's and as do most men's, commenced in litiga- tion. Law suit after law suit harrassed him. Creditors pressed him from every side. Judgments and executions dis- turbed his sleep until he did not know which way to turn. One or two of his sons became imsteady in habits, being a hindrance instead of a help to the father in his troubles. Next in the line of bad luck his fine mill burned, attributed at the time to incendiarism, the first I be- lieve in that line of calamities which later on have so frequently been visited upon the ill-fated town. Finally as if in sheer desperation at the bootless fight he SCRAP-BOOK. 133 was making against fate, Baird gathered up what little he could from the wreck, and taking his estimable wife and daugh- ter, went to Arkansas and engaged in hotel keeping. But fate still had mis- fortunes in store for him. His daughter sickened and died and later on the final blow, the loss of his beloved but heart- broken wife. Stripped of family and property, broken in spirit and bowed with age, Baird returned to Oliio, where with relatives, in the southern part of the state, if living, he makes his home. David Hays, Slater's lawyer, fell, too, into hard lines. He was at one time the owner of much property, but fortune, ever tickle in her ways, turned against him and, like Baird, for a time he felt like "ealling upon the rocks to cover him"" from the clutch of remorseless cred- itors. But at tlio last, by a lucky turn in the tide — a sudden advance in some city property he owned — he reached shore with something saved from the wreck, though, in the meantime, he had the sad misfortune to lose his wife — a most worthy woman — who died bereft of her reason, her death having been preceded only a short time by that of their only daughter. George Strain, the prosecuting attor- ney who drew the indictment and prose- cuted Slater, went insane, later on, and died, afterwards in an insane asylum. What has been the fate of the jurors who indicted the unfortunate man, I have not inquired. In fact, I have not cared to pursue the unpleasant subject further, lest the truth might reveal a like sad state of affairs clear through. It is a little singular, too, that, with rare exceptions, nearly every enterprise, nearly every business man, no matt<'r how worthy, starting in Bairdstown, has met with disaster or ill-success, sooner or later. The recent fires, from whatever mys- ivrious cause, are, to all appearances, but the greater culmination of misfortunes, of which previous ones have been as but muttering warning of the slumbering volcano beneath. It is but proper to state here upon the authority of Frank W. Dunn, who relat- vil the fact to me only a day or so sfnce, that a woman now living in Kansas, but who lived near Slater at the time of the stack burning, wrote a full account of the burning and the_ft, to William McMur- lay before his death. Her statement corroborated as it was by circumstances, was doubtless true and was the first posi- tive testimony as to Slater's innocence of the crime. But it came too late. The woman as is well shown in her letter, liad good reasons for not daring to reveal her storv at the time. A TEN YEARS' STRUGGLE The Intense Strife in Removal of the County Seat Half a Century Ago IT has ever been the experience that in every instance involving the removal of a county seat from one locality to another, strife and opposition have been engendered, and the removal of the county seat from Perrysburg to Bowling Green was no exception to this fact. Probably no removal was ever productive of more intense feeling or more bitter denunciation on both sides in that memorable contest. Ananias held full sway, and to such an extent that enmi- ties were provoked and friendships es- tranged. For the time the prosperity of the county was measurably checked, and the turmoil tended to weaken the popu- 134 THE PIONEER lation morally, politically and financially as well. Fifty years have passed away since that time and many of our older citizens still rememljer that prolonged struggle. It began in iSlir). and was r.ot d'.'fiMitcly and pennanently settled until in the fall of 18 T5. The first election was held in 1866, and resulted in favor of the re- moval from Perrysburg to Bowling Green. The citizens of Bowling Green entered into a 1)ond to build as good a court house and jail at Bowling Green as those at Perrysburg were at the time they were built, on condition that the material of the old buildings at Perrys- burg and the lots on which they stood be given to the removal interest. If the conditions were fulfilled the county was not to be taxed for court house and jail. But the people were taxed, and under the following circumstances: The com- missioners stepped in and demanded to be heard as the guardians of the county's interests. They changed the location from the one chosen where the founda- tion could be laid on the solid rock; the size of the court house, under their direc- tion, was also enlarged. They demanded that the cotmty required better and more commodious buildings than those at Perrysburg. The removal interest adopt- ed the suggestions and demands of the county commissioners and built accord- ingly. The commissioners also demand- ed manv d !i t improvements and pro- posed to pay for the same out of the county treasury. They took into account the increasing business of a large, rich and rapidly developing county, and their action was taken after a confer;'nco with a number of the best and most judicious men of the county. None of these im- provements were contemplated by the signers of the bond. For these improve- ments the people were taxed $3,006, The removal interest proceeded in good faith to carry out their pledge in the bond. When they were ready they made complete arrangements to carry the old material from Perrysburg to Bowling Green, but were then prevented by the court, invoked by the anti-removal inter- est, and they never received one cent from the sale of the property of the county at Perrysburg. Thus this condi- tion on which the bond hinged was not available. The auditor was then directed to adver- tise for bids under the authority of the commissioners, and an entire new jail was built for the contract price of $14,506, which was $494 less than the Bowling Green bond, and much less than the esti- mate made of the county buildings at Perrysburg. Thus there was no bad faith whatever on the part of the removal interest as was charged in the heat of that contest. Judge Phelps, probate judge, .removed his office from Perrysburg as soon as the court house at Bowling Green was ready, transacting business there a year or more before the other offices were removed in 1870. The year following the cotirt house was destroyed by fire, but after considerable litigation an enabling act was secured to give the people another opportunity to vote on the removal question, this time to take the county offices back to Perrys- burg-. The Perrvsbur"- intert'st had re- built their court house more substantial and in better condition than ever, and the vote on removal was again taken on the 12th of October, 1875. It resulted in a large vote throughout the county — it may be said an extraordi- narily large vote — but the vote in Perrys- burg capped the climax. Out of a vote that would be a large one at 1,000, the l)allot box, when opened, revealed the number of ballots cast in favor of re- moval — 3,016 ! The vote on governor at that election was very close, and when Ezra S. Dodd, of Toledo, heard of Perrysburg's vote, he at once sent a telegram to John G. SCRAP-BOOK. 135 Thompson, chairman of the Democratic state executive committee asking, "Wouki 1,000 from Wood be of any good ?" That has now passed into quite a familiar phrase. Mr. Dodd left Toledo as soon as he sent the telegram, and it was surmised by the chairman of the Eepublican execu- tive committee in Toledo, Eev. Eobert McCune, that Dodd had struck out for Bowling Green. Accordingl}' the writer with George S. Canfield, was dispatched to Bowling Green, leavino- Toledo at 11 oVlock that night in a disagreeable rain. We remained until thi' votes wrr- all received, but Dodd had not put in an appearance. The vote of Perrysburg was thrown out without much ceremony, and the vote against removal proved to be a large, un]nistaka[)le majority. Thus on. led that memorable struggle, and the present prosperity of Wood county strongly affirms the wisdom of that decision hy the people. CAPT. DAVID WILKINSON One of the Veteran Steamboat Pioneers of the Maumee Valley OX Monday, September 8, 18T3, at his residence in Perrysburg, Cap- tain David Wilkinson, in the 7-ith year of his age, passed awa}^ The relatives and a very large circle of friends were called upon to mourn the loss of another pioneer of the Maumee valley. A few days before ]\Ir. Wilkinson was visited with a stroke of paralysis which affected his left side and rendered him helpless and almost insensible, in which condition he remained until death had relieved him from his suffering. His wife and five children were all present during his last moments. The funeral services took place from his late residence on Front street, and were conducted by the members of Phoe- nix Lodge No. 123, Free and Accepted Masons, of which lodge he was a charter member. The Rev. G. A. Adams offici- ated as chaplain. The remains were followed to the cemetery by a very large concourse of relatives and friends, and were deposited in the gnnc with the accustomed Masonic honors. The editors of the Toledo Blade and Commercial were familiar with the early history of the deceased, and the following extracts are taken from the eulogy of each. From the Blade. — One by one the pio- neers of the Maumee valley are passing away, and today there are few left to relate the incidents and struggk'S through which the early settlers of this now fer- tile and prosperous SL'ction of tlie state, were called to pass. Yesterday (Mon- day) closed the life of another one of those who lived to see their hopes respect- ing the Maumee valley more than real- ized. Captain David Wilkinson of Per- rysburg, is no more. The captain was born in Februarv, 1800, at or near Buf- falo, and the writer of this has often heard him speak of th^' ■ ■' ir •■ \- n s in the village of Buffalo ditring the war of 1812. At an early age he went upon the lake as a sailor, and in 1815 he sailed lip the Maumee river on the schooner Black Snake, commanded by his uncle, Jacob Wilkinson. This was a small craft to venture upon the lake, being of but twentj'-five tons burden. At that time, where Perrysburg now stands, noth- ing but a wild forest was to be seen. This little schooner as we learn from a memorandum furnished by Capt. Wilkin- son to H. S. Knapp, Esq., for his history of the Maumee valley, brought up as passengers the family of Mulhollen, who kept the noted tavern at Vienna some 136 THE PIONEER years later, also a Mr. Hunter and family, Scott Robb, and a Mr. Hopkins, who settled on land above the present village of Perrysburg. At that time, Fort Meigs contained about forty sol- diers, who were taken to Detroit by the schooner on her return trip. From the Commercial. — The deceased was in his 74th year, having been born in the year 1800. His first advent to the Maumee valley was in 1815, as a hand on board the schooner Black Snake, a craft of about 25 tons, commanded by Jacob Wilkinson, an uncle, which brought sev- eral passengers, who landed at Perrys- burg, and most of them became settlers of the town and vicinity. This was dur- ing the year in which the war with Eng- land closed, and Fort Meigs, above Per- rysburg, was still garrisoned by United States troops. The chief industrial interest at that time was fishing. In 1817 the young navigator, though but 17 years old, was promoted to the command of the Black Snake. In 1818 he took command of the schooner Pilot, which plied between the river and Buffalo, and continued to sail different vessels until 1835. Among these crafts was the Eagle, a schooner built in 1828 at Port Lawrence (now Toledo). In 1835 he became the commander of the steamer Commodore Perry, which he sailed for ten years, when he took charge of the Superior, in which he remained until 1852, when he left the lakes. Since that time he has devoted himself to the culti- vation of his farm and to the charge of the Light-house in the Maimiee Bay, near Manhattan. Deceased was a man of great kindness of heart and geniality in disposition, whereby he won his way to the esteem of all acquaintances; while by his in- tegrity and honorable dealing he com- manded the confidence of his fellow men in an eminent degree. His independ- ence of character ever prompted him to self-reliance and unremitting effort. After a residence in the Valley of 58 years, he passed away amid a state of things in extraordinary contrast with the scene which presented itself to his youthful eyes. He leaves five children — two sons and three daughters — to mourn the departure of one who never failed in his duty to them, and whose advantages in life have been mainly due to his unceasing care. Few, indeed, of his earliest contemporaries now remain, and the last of them will soon follow him. Be it the care of those who have or shall come after them not to forget the debt due to their early enterprise and sacrifices. Capt. Wilkinson is said to have made the first chart of the Maumee river and ba}^, which was adopted by the govern- ment, and was in general use until a more accurate one was made many years later. MAIL CARRYING The Struggles and Hardships Endured by Mail Carriers in the Early Thirties THAT old pioneer, Noah Reed, thus speaks of the trials of the mail carriers in the early history of Wood county: i Tr the year 1"'^2 — the year of the '"Black Hawk war" — in the first week of that year, Hiram Wade made his first trip as a mail carrier under Guy bear- ing who had the mail contract. The route was from Perrysburg to Lima. His first trip was a pleasant one. On his second trip he got through to Lima all right, but on his return to Perrys- burg he encamped on a sand ridge near the center of Wood county, and during the night the wolves in large numbers SCEAP-BOOK. 137 flocked so closely about him that he was compelled to build a tire between a large stump and the butt of a whitewood log that was hollow as a shell. lie was somewhat frightened, and for greater se- curity he crawled into the log to keep clear of the wolves. Finally the log it- self caught tire and he was obliged to desert his quarters. However, Wade did not get out of that log unscathed. His face and hands were badly burned, the mail bag scorched, and two large holes were burned through his blanket. That was his last trip. jSText my brother, L. W. Eeed carried the mail two trips, which resulted in a lameness of his horse. He met with a mishap in which he nearly drowned both himself and horse, and lost the mail bag, which was recovered a few days later full of water. On his second trip there was no mail to collect on his way to Lima and on his return he had but two letters ^one for Gilead and one for Perrysburg. That was his last trip. JSText A. B. Crosby made on© trip. Next was Hiram Fane, who made a trip, Ijut he had no bad luck. Following him was a man, whose name I have forgotten. He came very near being drowned and his horse crippled in the Blanchard river. He left the horse and hung the saddle on a tree. This man simply un- dertook the job of carrying the mail out of curiosity, to see whether it was as difficult as had been reported by Wade and Reed. He found out, and his curios- ity was fully satisfied. ISTow, I undertook the work of carry- ing the mail. I made my first trip dur- ing the last week in February of 1833, and carried the mail until the last of November of that year without any in- jury to my horse. However, quite fre- quently I was compelled to break the ice for myself and horse, and had great difficulty in crossing the Blanchard. On one occasion I was utterly unable to cross that stream on account of the ex- traordinary high water, and could not make the trip. For this the government kept back $50 of my hard earnings in lliat perilous trip. REV. JOSEPH BADGER Thrilling Incident in His Life When Attacked by Wolves THIS gentleman, so well known and identified with the early history of Wood county, had his home in Gustavus, Trumbull county, where he began his un- selfish labors as early as 1804. A high- ly educated man, a graduate of one of the great Eastern colleges, he yet chose to tread the thorny path of a pioneer missionary, enduring the hardships and facing the dangers of the western forest that he might do good unto his fellow- men. In 1835 lie removed to Wood county, where he died fourteen years later, in 1849, at the advanced age of 89. One Sunday morning from his pulpit in Grustavus, he related the following thrilling adventure: "I had started to come through from Ashtabula, but there being no path I got ahead but slowly, and I can not say how far I had come when darkness came upon me. As I could make no headway through a pathless wood I tied my horse so that it could feed about some, and then lay down on the grass to rest. Ere long I was aroused by the cry of a wolf. This cry was answered, and soon it seemed that a hundred ravenous wolves wore howling for their prey. I quickly 138 THE PIONEER arose, tied nij horse more firmly, and, feeling about in the darkness, found a stout limb, which I cut for a cudgel and prepared for an encounter with the enemy. ^'The wolves formed a circle about me. I drew near to my horse and walked around him constantly. The wolves came so near that I could hear the snap- ping of their jaws. All night long I kept up this walk, beating the trees with my stick and shouting to keep the hungry animals at bay. My horse trembled, but trusting to my protection did not try to get away. "In the first gray light of morning the wolves began to creep slowly away. Their cries grew fainter and fainter in the distance and I found that they had left me. Blessing God for the countless manifestations of his goodness in pre- serving me through this and similar perils I was again proceeding on my way when once more the barking of wolves resounded througli the forest. There was little opportunity for me to hasten, as fallen trees, brush and bushes were in the way. The pursuers were coming quite near and their howling rent the air, when suddenly there was a crash- ing near me and like a flash of light a fine, full grown deer leaped out, bubbles of white foam falling from his mouth, and panting for breath. He thrust his head alongside my faithful horse and so came beside me until we reached a clear- ing probably four miles from the place where I had spent the night. The hun- gry wolves were again baffled and retired to await the coming of another night in which to continue their search for food." STRANGE INCIDENT Memorable Little Cabin — Three Lives Snuffed Out, and Under a Veil of Mystery ON" the right hand, or cast side of the .Haskins road, about two and a fourth miles from Bowling Green, the passerby may have noticed on the crown of the sand ridge, just inside the field, a little old dilapidated, deserted log cabin. It has stood there for years and years, like a faithful sentry noting the progress of surrounding events, and the days oi its existence exceed that of any other cabin in Plain toAvnship. It was for man}' years previous to the drainage of the country adjacent, a sort of Mt. Ararat to the unfortunate travelers on the "old"' Miltonville road. Many a weary man has sought rest in that little homely cabin. It was long known as the Wilson place, and was built by a man named Wilson, and was for a time made to do extensive hotel duty. All classes per force patronized it — emigrants from afar as well as local dignitaries, sought friendly shelter in its narrow limits. The Spinks, Hollisters, Eobys, Spaf- fords, Drs. Dustin, Peck Burritt and Conant, CoUister Haskins, W. Y. Way, Count Coffinberry, Ealph Keelcr, all the leading men of that day, had sought slu'lter under the roof of that diminutive cabin on the sand ridge. True it was but one story high and nearly all of one end was taken up by a great fire place, but for all that it was the only dry ])lace the benighted traveler, with his weary horse, could find. Stay he mtist, and some nights there were almost as many sleepers snoring away as there were split puncheons in the rude floor, on which the gatests had to lay, for bedsteads were scarce in those days. Involved in a Law Suit But enough about the old cabin. It was in the vear 1840, the veav in which SCRAP-BOOK. 139 Gen. Harrison was elected President, that the two Harris brothers, Seth and James, moved into the cabin, which had been abandoned by its former occupants. James Harris was a bachelor and lived in his brother's family, and the brothers worked together. They had a short time previous lived in Liberty town- ship, either on the premises or not far from where the late James Bloom lived. Bloom and the Harris' had become in- volved in a law suit, which suit had been taken up and was pending trial in the county court at Perrysburg. Court was in session, and both parties, plaintiff and defendants were there ready for trial. Before the case was called up, how- ever, the parties to the suit had effected a settlement, though considerable bad feeling had been worked up in the mean time. It was the current talk at the time, that all the parties met at the tavern and took a drink, after which tfee Harris' started home. On the road home, Seth Harris was Taken Very Sick And as soon as they reached the cabin James Harris went for a doctor Rice, who lived where Portageville now is. Before he arrived at the cabin with the doctor, James Harris also was taken very sick with similar symptoms to those of his brother Seth. All the efforts and skill of the doctor could, nor did not relieve them, and Seth died in great agony, and twelve hours after, his broth- er James was laid on the bed beside him a corpse. Mr. Ralston, who was about the near- est neighbor, except Eli Martindale, on the present Clinton Fay farm, was alone in the cabin, washing the body of James Harris and was in the act of putting a clean shirt on him, when Dr. Rice arrived, bringing with him another physi- cian named Thomas and a half gallon jug of whisky. Rice told Ralston not to dress the bodv as he desired to cut the man open and find if possible what caused his death. Suspicion Rice, it seems, had suspicions that the two men's lives had been cut short by something tlioy had drank or eaten. He got a butcher knife and sharpened it, but before he was ready to operate. Dr. Thomas was taken with a shake of the ague and had to lay down. Rice ripped open the stomach of the dead man and could discover nothing wrong as he said, though his frequent drafts on the half gallon jug, did not improve his sense of vision any. He then turned and cut open the breast and tliroat clear to the chin, Ralston holding the chest open while the heart, liver and lungs were examined. During the savage operation with the butcher knife, Rice scratched one of his fingers on the jagged breast bone of the dead man, but paid no further attention to it than to clap his finger to his mouth and suck the oozing blood from the skin al)rasion. The lungs of the man were discolored and showed an unnatural condition, but Rice pronounced that he could find no trace of poison, and soon after he and Thomas left. Mr. Ralston took the carved body of Harris and washed, ar- ranged and wrapped it as well as he could, and the bodies of the two men were taken from tlie cabin and buried. The Doctor Succumbs Three days after their burial, Mr. Ral- ston was in Portage, and learned that Dr. Rice was lying in a critical condi- tion. He called in to see him and the ■ doctors were just in the act of amputa- ting the frantic man"s arm, which, from the small finger wound received while oporating on Harris's liody, had become intensely inflamed, mortification followed, and the flesh came from the arm in chunks and flakes while the doctors were performing the amputation, which was 140 THE PIONEER effected near the shoulder, to arrest if possible the further progress of the poison; but it was too late. The poison had taken possession of his whole system, blood, brain and muscle. Rice was a doomed man and survived the cutting ofE of his arm only a short time, when he too, died in great agony, helped and hurried off, no doubt, by the hard usage of himself including the too free use of whisky. Thus three strong, healthy men were suddenly snatched from the sparsely settled neighborhood — from life to death, and the living, neither then nor since were able to satisfactorily answer the question, what caused their sudden death ?— C. W. E. CYGNET'S CALAMITY Flames Destroy Human Lives and Wipe Out Much Property Nearly a Score of Years Ago ON the morning of the 30th of Jan- uary, 1891, Cygnet was visited by a most disastrous conflagration. The Wood County Democrat chronicled the fact that three lives had been snuffed out and $50,000 worth of property destroyed. Here follows The Democrat's account: Cygnet, as is well known, is an oil town and is one of the incidents of the discovery of oil in Ohio. All the buildings in the town were hastily and poorly constructed affairs, and many of them were more or less saturated with the oil that not only per- meates the earth, but also the very atmos- phere, and deadens and discolors the genial current waters. Buildings of that variety are easy prey to the fire-fiend, and most woefully did he perform his deplorable mission today. The business portion of the town com- prises only one street which is intersected about middle by the T., C. & C. railroad. West of the railroad on the north side of the street, a disastrous fire occurred this morning, destroying $50,000 worth of properly and ushering three human be- ings into eternity. The fire originated in the millinery store of Mrs. Malonev and was not dis- covered until it had gained an impetus that was irresistible. It was 5 :30 when the flames asserted their presence in the bed room of Mrs. Maloney, who was oc- cupying a bed on the first floor with her domestic, Mattie Stackhouse. The fire caused an explosion of gas which awak- ened her to the danger of her situation. She immediately awakened Miss Stack- house and her five-year-old son and the two hastily donned their dresses and fled tc the rear of the building, taking the boy with them. When they got out of doors tlie two women looked back into the burning building, and saw Francis Slattery, a brother of Mrs. Maloney, crawling about on the second floor cov- ered with flames. They called to him to come out of a certain door, but he was probably unconscious. Slattery was sleeping on the second floor with Mr. Maloney and Mr. Maloney's 15-months- old child, and the three were burned to a crisp. Mr. Maloney was 30 years old and was a boiler maker by trade. Mrs. Maloney kept a millinery store on the first floor of Hie ill-fated building. The flames spread before the influence of a western wind towards the east, and in an hour had destroyed several of the principal buildings of the town. In less than an hour, the whole block was a i-inoldering ruin. The baby was burned up completely, nothing but its skull being found in the debris. The town is full of people come to see the great conflagration. SCEAP-BOOK. 141 A FALSE ALARM An Indian Rumor Frightened Settlers And This Was the "Blackhawk War" THE "Blackhawk War"' in 1832, was no war at all. All it amounted to was a senseless rumor that thoroughly alarmed the settlers for a short time. In his pioneer recollections, Noah Keed gives the following version of the inci- dent: "In the summer of 1832, as some of the Pottawatomies were out hunting they ran across some of our young Ottawa Indians. They conveyed to them the alarming intelligence that the blood- thirsty Blackhawk of Illinois, was on his way to this point, and his purpose was to kill every Indian woman and child. This intelligence so frightened the Ottawa Indians that they scattered in every direc- tion in their canoes or by other methods of escape. Many of them slept in their canoes. The Ottawas spread the rumor far and near, and were so positive of the truth of the report that the white settlers were thrown into a state of anxiety and dread. Some of them were so alarmed that they buried and hid their property, and then went to hearing's Mill as a place of safety. Some fled to Beaver Creek for greater safety, and placed guards on duty so that they might be duly warned of the approach of the sav- age chief and his warriors. "Uncle Guy Nearing learning of the consternation that prevailed among the settlers, and regarding the rumor as noth- ing more than an idle report, without even the semblance of truth, determined to have some sport with those who had barricaded themselves within the mill at Damascus. One night at 10 o'clock he came riding like Jehu of old, splashing the water and singing in the Indian style until he came up to the guard. 'Who comes there?' was the prompt query of the guard. 'Nowash,' answered Uncle Guy, giving his Indian name. This act on the part of Uncle Guy convinced the guard that the rumor of Blackhawk com- ing was a silly hoax, and those who were huddled in the mill began to regard the matter in a different light, and in some embarrassment they concluded to return to their homes, confident that all their fright was needless. And this was the sum and substance of the so-called 'Blackhawk War' on Beaver Creek." JONATHAN SALSBURY An Athlete for Work — Never Idle — In an Evi' Hour He Was Stripped "of His Possessions JONATHAN SALSBUEY and the Sals- bury farm in Liberty township, will long be remembered by the old settlers. Old man Salsbury, as he was familiarly called many years ago, was rather a re- markable man and had endured hard work and man-killing hardships enough to have killed four or five ordinary men. In the spring of 1831 he bought 880 acres of timber land in Liberty township, then a wilderness, the patents for which were signed by Andrew Jackson. He immediately set to work to clear and im- prove the tract and after staying on it about 30 years had improved over 300 acres. Aside from the work on his farm, wherever there were extensive contracts for work such as teams could be used on with advantage, Jonathan Salsbury was a competitor. When the people be- gan to open artificial water courses in Wood county, and the prairie or swamp lands were to be brought under cultiva- 14-i THE PIOiSrEER lion, Salsbui'}- Jouiid a field in wliicli lie was peculiarly a success. He fitted up an enormous plow that was gauged and guided by wheels and capable of cutting and turning a furrow 33 inches wide, and so constructed as to require nobody to "hold the plow,'* in fact the plow had no handles. To this breaking machine six pairs of oxen and one span of horses were hitched, and MJien under full head- way no ordinary root, sapling or grub would disturb its i)rogress. The cutter and shear were kept filed sharp and it was not necessary to grul) land for this ."ort of a plow. . Always at It When Salsbury started on a job it mat- tered not to him about the weather. Eain, snow, mud or water never deterred him from pushing the work from break of day in the morning until after dark at night. We remember on one occasion when he broke 100 acres of land for Dr. Cass on the Keeler prairie, to have passed across the prairie after night and seen the old man camped under his wagon with scarcely bedding to keep him off the wet ground. A cheerless fire flickered up a little light occasionally, and but for the barking of his dog, his only companion, no one would have supposed a human being to have been within two miles of the I)lace. His team grazed on the prairie near by, and before other people had taken their breakfast in the morning, Salsbury had made one "bout" with his big plow and a full half acre of prairie had been turned upside down. When George Williams began on the prairie east of here years ago, he con- tracted with Salsbury to plow a half sec- tion of land (330 acres). The old man came with his big plow and team the 17th day of March, and never left even to go home, until the work w^as completed on the 4th day of July. His feet were wet a great portion of the time, and yet he never was sick. Salsbury was not one of your men that worked hard for a season and then idled away months of time. He was ahvays on the move. Scarcely an hour of the night in the working season on the farm that he was- not up and out looking after stock, crops or fences — fact, those who knew him best wondered when he slept or how he existed, leading such a hard, grudging, toiling dog's life. Yet when he was nearing his ninetieth year he seemed as smart and active as ever. The Plague Spot of His Life With his kirge lauded estate at the start, and his working habits, dogged perseverance, he had a good start, it will be inferred, to make a fortune, and to wliich his industry and slavish services undoubtedly entitled him, if, indeed, worldly pelf can be called a compensa- tion for such a life. Yes, he made a for- tune, but it went from him in an unfor- tunate hour, else he had been the richest man in the county, and yet, after a long life of drudgery, he has but little of this world's goods to show for it, hardly a sure reliance for his old age. While convi'rsing with him he was reticent on this subject, but we will tell it briefly, and let the story not be lost on those who liear it, Jonathan Salsbury was induced to in- vest in a lottery. He was uneducated and credulous and avaricious. Like two- thirds of the sons of Adam, he was ready to invest in any speculation or game which promised a good deal for nothing or, next to it, a small investment. Dr. Eoback of Cincinnati, is the man to whom Salsbury attributes his misfortune. First $100, then $500, $1,000, $1,500, until over $3,000 was gone. The trick was baited and the old man drew a lucky ticket or so. Then he lost. Then the man who was leading him on pretended by some power of necromancy or legerde- main to be able to forecast the lucky num- bers. These Salsbury reached for to re- cover what he had already lost, and of SC'l.'AP-I'.OOK, 143 courst> drew blanks. All was gone now, Hon. George E. Pngh. The prisoner and he as a last resort cansed Roback's was so hedged about, that the law or tes- arrest on a eriniinal charge, and the timony could not reach him and he went sheriit' brought the prisoner to Perrys- free. — C. W. E. burg, accompanied ])y his lawyer, the late IMPREGNABLE Against the Vicious Assaults of Great Britain and Her Allied Savages Stood Ft. Meigs NO greater victory, none of more trans- cending import is recorded in our nation's history than that of the sieges of Fort Meigs. It was the purpose of Gen. Harrison, the commander-in-chief, to retake Detroit which had been so in- gloriousl}' surrendered by Gen. Hull. Harrison had been appointed Governor of the Northwestern territory, including Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wiscon- sin — having done much civil and mili- tai-y service, well known to history. Victory of Tippecanoe On the 5th of November, 1811, Gov- ernor Harrison marched with some regu- lars and militia, 800 strong, upon the Prophet's town (the brother of Tecum- seh), on the Tippecanoe river, in Indiana, where he was entrenched. The Indians were defeated and dispersed, their lead- er, the Prophet, being killed. This overawed the Indians, who Avere in al- most entire possession of the whole terri- tory, but war with England being im- minent, tlii'y refused a peace. Hull's Surrender War with England was declared .Tune 12, 1812. Gen. Hull was sent Avith his army to Detroit to conquer western Can- ada. In August following he surren- dered his entire army, Detroit and the Northwestern ten-itory to Gen. Brock, of the British annv. This surrender filled the \\hole country with surprise, alarm and indignation, and he was every- where denounced as a traitor, in spite of liis ])atriotic services during the Revolu- tion. He was courtmartialed on two charges, treason and cowardice. He was condemned to be shot but was afterwards reprieved. Winchester's Defeat In an address of Cassius M. Clay, in 1891, he said that on the first day of January, 1813, the Northwest army un- der Brig.- Gen. Harrison rested, with the left wing, commanded by Gen. Winches- ter at Fort Defiance, on the ^laiiuKv river, and the right wing under the com* mander-in-chief at Upper Sandusky. Detroit being the objective point of at- tack, Winchester was ordered to march with his brigade of Kentuckians and regulars, commanded on the left by Col. Lewas, to reach the rapids and await Harrison's arrival. But Winchester on the 14th, hearing of the weak garrison of Frenchtown, on the river Raisin, in Michigan, detached Col. Lewis to capture it, which was done on the 18th of Jan- uary, 1813. Winchester, hearing of the capture, marched to the support of Lewis, refused to enter liis pickets, and camped his regi- ment on the plains outside, because he would not take post on the left of Lewis — military etiquette ordering — and he slept at a farmhouse a mile distant from Col. Wells' regiment. Massacre at River Raisin A British force under General Proc- tor, marched with regulars and Indians in the night of the 21st, assaulted Lewis' 144 THE PIONEEK fort, and were repulsed with great slaugh- ter. They then turned on Wells' regi- ment and cut it to pieces, taking many prisoners, among them Col. Wells him- self. The whole British force, with six field pieces, was turned upon Ijewis, who surrendered under promise of the protec- tion of civilized warfare. The generals, colonels and men were saved as stipulat- ed, but all the wounded were massacred in Frenchtown. There was no guard left, and two houses full ot the wounded were burned. . Siege of Fort Meigs Defeat after defeat seemed to be the lot of the American forces, and after the battle and massacre at Frenchtown, Gen. Harrison was compelled to abandon the recapture of Detroit and to stand on the defensive. During the spring of 1813, he pushed forward to completion the work on Fort Meigs, so-called in honor of Gov. E. J. Meigs, of Ohio. This was a work of no small magnitude and mo- ment. For no sooner had the ice com- menced to move in the river and lake than the British general, Proctor, form- ed his plans for the invasion of the Maumee Valley. By threats, by entreat- ies, by cunning schemes and false promis- es. Proctor secured the assistance and fired the zeal of Tecumseh, promising to turn over to the Indians Fort Meigs, its garrison and immense stores, and the savages, fresh from the bloody scenes of Eaisin Valley and Frenchtown, were only too ready to join in the crusade for plunder. Gen. Proctor embarked from Detroit with 2,000 regulars and Indians, in the last week of April, 1813, and occu- pied Fort Miami, when the savages in- dulged in their favorite pastime of skirm- ishing, pillaging and scalping in the vicinity. Meanwhile, on the 1st, 2d and 3d of May, the British and their allies Avere pouring hot shot into the fort. Batteries had been erected just across the river, and the firing was something terrible. Only the strong earthworks saved the Americans from death and destruction, Kound and round, the Indians skirmished, picking off the American soldiers when- ever they had a chance, while the British kept up an untiring cannonade. Gen. Harrison had dispatched a mes- senger. Major Oliver, to Gen. Clay, who was at Fort Defiance, and on the night of May 4, came the cheering news that Clay was above Fort Meigs with 1,200 men. The historian Collins in his Ken- tucky History says: "Gen. Harrison, with the rapid resolu- tion of military genius, dispatched by Capt. Hamilton an order to Clay, to land 800 men upon the northern shore, opposite the fort, to carry the British batteries there placed; to spike the can- nons and destroy the carriages, after which they Avere immediately to regain their boats and cross over to the fort. Hamilton, ascending the river in a canoe, delivered the orders to Clay. But he, with that sagacity which distinguished his life, sent Hamilton to deliver Harri- son's order to Col. William Dudley him- self. Dudley captured the batteries and filled his orders literally — all but the im- portant one. Led off by the artifices of Indian warfare, he was killed with all his force, save about 150 men. Clay landed his 1,200 men." In a letter written by Gen. Clay to a friend in Kentucky, dated July 8, 1813, while he was in command at Ft. Meigs, he says: "On the day of the action, Maj. David Trimble accompanied me to cover the retreat of the remnant of Col. Dudley's regiment, and behaved with great cool- ness and gallantry. * * * Here the Kentuckians drove Tecumseh, where the hottest battle was fought, and then he crossed the river, and with their whole force overthrew Col. Dudley." The Bed- Rock of History Acting under General Harrison's or- SCEAP-BOOK. 147 dors, on May 5, 1813, with 1,200 men, Green Clay, defeated the immortal Te- ciimseh and the British forces, 3,000 men, in open daylight, drove them over the river, and saved 150 Kentucky sol- diers, the remnant of his brigade, from death. This was the first real victory, within the lines of this address, since the declaration of war, Janiiary 12, 1812. Col. Dudley's Fatal Error After the British batteries opposite Fort Meigs were d"ismantled, the guns spiked and the flags pulled down, in obedience to orders, a writer in the To- ledo Blade gives this account of Dudley's disaster : ^'Capt. Coombs and 30 riflemen were in advance of the main body when the Indians in ambush turned on Coombs. Dudley saw the danger and ordered his men to their assistance. The Indians were driven back and Coombs was saved. "But it was only for a moment. The Indians re-enforced turned. Dudley and his men were scattered through the woods. They were surrounded. Fighting desper- ately some of the command were pushed back towards the boats. All along the river they were driven backward and forward, fighting, struggling bravely and contesting every inch of the ground. But Dudley fell a victim to the savages while 630 out of 800 who landed with him, were either killed, wounded or taken prisoners. ''Gen. Harrison, with indescribable anguish, saw this advance movement from Fort Meigs and saw what must be the inevitable result. He tried to signal Dudley's command back, but in vain, and all the orders sent were not received. Col. Dudley had sacrificed almost all his army to save Coombs and his riflemen from destiiiction. When too late he tried to call his men back, but the Kentuckians. confident of success, only pushed on deep- er into the forest, and to their own ruin. "Col. Dudley, when last seen, was fighting the Indians single-handed in the swamp. He died surrounded by the savages whom he had killed. But they had their revenge. His body was slashed and in many places large pieces were cut out — pieces which it is thought the savages in their drunken madness cooked and ate." But the sorties from Ft. Meigs were successful. The British were driven from their ])atteries, and forced to beat a hasty retreat by the remainder of the Kentuck- ians commanded by Col. Boswell, MaJ. Johnson and Maj. Alexander. The siege was raised. The fort was saved. The Second Siege Gen. Green Clay was in command of Fort Meigs during the second siege, Gen. Harrison was at Lower Sandusky. On the 20th of July the British again ascend- ed the Maumee river. I^he united forces of Proctor and Tecumseh amounted to more than 5,000, while the Americans at the fort amounted to but a few hun- dred. Gen. Harrison having withdrawn the American forces to other forts in Ohio. When Gen. Harrison heard of the movements of the British, he sent Capt. McCune to the assistance of the garrison. His knowledge of the plans of the enemy prevented a wholesale slaughter of the soldiers at the fort. A Cunning Device Failed Tecumseh had planned a cunning strategem which almost proved success- ful. The British infantry were secreted in a ravine near the fort, the cavalry in the woods, and the Indians in the forest back from the fort. The British and their allies commenced a sham battle among themselves. So cunningly was the scheme i^lanned, and so skilfully was the fraud managed that it deceived the garrison, but not their commander. The men demanded permission to go out and assist in the battle, and were indignant 148 when this permission was denied. Had not a shower put a stop to the sham battle, the men would probably have been led into an ambush and the fort taken. A Desperate Resolve But the soldiers in Ft. Meigs would never have fallen into the hands of the enemy alive. Preparations were made to fire the magazine in case the allies THE PIONEER succeeded in storming the fort and thus all would have perished together. It is more than probable that Proctor learned of their resolvC;, for he must have guessed that after the terrible scenes at the Eiver Raisin and Maumee the garrison would never fall into his hands alive. On July 28, Proctor discontinued the siege, and discouraged and disheartened, retreated down the river in his boats. WOLF HUNTING The Method and Cunning of John Carter in His Expeditions JOHN CARTER became famous in the forties in southern Wood county as a leader among all those engaged in the dangerous sport of hunting wolves. One of his many exploits will serve to show his style and craft in this, his chosen avocation. It was in the early summer of 1839, John Carter called at the cabin of John Johnston, who had just settled on the bank of the middle branch of the Portage river, about three miles east of the village of that name, and desired to make his headquarters there while he scoured the swamps further up the river in search of wolves. He would remain at the house all day until at dark, and often not until the family had retired would he strike for the woods; and the wilder the location the better. He threaded his way through that swamp where the old corduroy road was afterward constructed — on further, in a southwesterly direction until he reached a point in that region of fat mos- quitoes, indicated on our old maps of Wood county as a lake and called "Inun- dated." Here in this inaccessible region, in the weird stillness of darkness and desolation. Carter began howling in imi- tation of a wolf which he could imitate with such accuracy as to defy detection of almost any man, and easily deceived the unsuspecting wolves. He had not howled long before he was answered. Now mark his cunning. He blazed sev- eral trees as nearly as was possible in the darkness, in the direction of the sound and laid by for the next night. Soon as the woods were still and night had shrouded the trees with their thick green foliage, in darkness almost tangible, I Carter again took his station at a point at right angles with the line of blazes made the first night, and again began to howl. Again he was answered and - blazed his trees in the direction of his I answers and awaited the return of day- light. The next day he followed the lines indicated by the trees he had marked j until they intersected each other, and not fj a rod from that point in a great hollow log, he found the old she wolf and four - cubs. From the glare of the fire of the 11 eyes of the old wolf he was able to plant a ball in her skull, and then crawling in on his hands and knees he finished the cubs with his tomahawk. Mr. Carter continued hunting until 1847, when he closed his hunting in Wood county, as the following last affi- davit of his, taken from the records of tlio clerk's office, will show: The State of Ohio, Wood County, ss. : You, John Carter, do solemnly swear. SCRAP-BOOK. 149 that the six scalps of wolves taken within the county of Wood by you within twenty days last past, and you verily believe under the age of six months, and that you have not spared the life of any she wolf within your power to kill, with the design to increase the breed ; and have received an order for $15.00, Sworn and subscribed before me, this 2d day of June, 1847. THOS. UTLEY, Clerk. The last wolf scalp redeemed in Wood county was Dec. 30, 1871, and pre- sented by Leonard Rush, and the stub in the clerk's office is signed by Geo. Wed- del, clerk.— C. W. E. TRAFFIC IN 1833 Experience of Mahlon Meeker -First Log House Built in Plain Township MAHLON MEEKER who came from Butler county in 1833, left his family and brought with him only a few head of cattle, remaining on the river most of the summer, working for Guy Nearing. Elias Hedges and others. To- ward fall he went out to the prairies to cut liay for his cattle and make prepara- tious to build a cabin, after which he and a man named Howard, took a wagon load of white bass which they bought of John Hollister at Perrysburg, to Belief on taine and West Liberty by way of Fremont 'and Fort Ball. With this they bought twelve barrels of flour and ten gallons of whisky and started back. When near Bellefon- taine, Howard proposed that he could drive the three yoke of oxen home and Meeker could go down to Butler and see his family and arrange for their coming out to the Maumee, which was accord- ingly done and Meeker started south- ward. After making a short visit Mr. Meeker soon found himself again on the prairies in Wood county. Howard had got back and disposed of all the flour excepting sixty pounds; this, with a keg of whisky, being all Mr. Meeker got out of the load. He was now ready to raise his cabin, a work which among the early settlers was attended with no little difficulty on account of living so far apart. Meeker had to get all his help from the river, some of the men coming from Perrys- burg, and even then they would not con- sent to come, so busy were they, unless h ■ would raise on Sunday, which of course he had to do. So on Saturday afternoon he made a shelter of poles and prairie grass, and with a supply of bread and meat and some blankets for the raisers and a dozen or so bunches of pea-vine grass, which he had mowed and placed about against small saplings for the horses, preparation for his help was made ; early in the evening they began to arrive by the Lidian trail in ones, twos and fours until sixteen had arrived. By the first light next morning they were at work, and now as this was the first sys- tematic house raising in Plain township, we subjoin the names of the party as near as Mr. Meeker can recollect. Elijah Herrick, Guy Nearing, ]\richael Sypher, John Whitehead, John Howard, Epaphroditus Foote, Jesse Decker, Levi Decker, Moses Decker, jSTathaniel Decker, James Spafford, Eber Wilson, Charles Wilson, Johnston White. By two o'clock the cabin was up, the roof (of shakes) on, and all cobbed oflP, with weight poles in good shape. Some of the men had got pretty hilarious by this time, not just because of tlie good work they had done, but because of frequent visits to the ten gallon keg, which in those days was an indispensable aid on occasions of this kind. After the work was done, Mr. Meeker announced that he had found a bee-tree near by, and if they would like some .150 THE PIONEER JioiieVj lie would lead them to it. A vote w^as taken, and carried in favor of the sweet undertaking. The honey proved to be of the finest kind. One man made a paddle, and as fast as the honey was put in a pail, stirred it up well, after whieh the pail was filled with whisky. Then a commissary was chosen, with in- structions to administer to each man present, a tin cup full, no more, no less, alter which they mounted their horses, and started home, on the Indian trail with such whoops and shouts as would have startled a native denizen of the forest. Shortly afterward Mrs. Meeker arrived with their five children, and a i\\v household articles, and made the new cabin their home. — From Evers Log ( (ibiii Sketches. MISSION STATION Some Doubt About Its Benefit to the Indian; NOAH REED hauled the brick for the Station chimneys from Daniel HubbelFs brick yard at Port Miami, there being seven loads, for which he received pay mostly in second-hand cloth- ing and stockings for the Nearing family. This clothing had been sent by the Home Mission for the heathen — probably white heathen. Mr. Reed thinks this Mission was of no great benefit to the Indians. 'l iie ^lission Board through their agent, got into litigation with David Hedges and others. The island, about which they went to law with Hedges, was re- turned to the Government Survey as a sand Ijar. Hedges liought his claim rroia the Indians. EDSON GOIT One of the Honest, Sterling Characters That Are Beloved ED80X GOIT was a man of strong physical constitution, tireless en- ergy, vast will power and of great indus- try and endurance. Combined with these he had honor and integrity of the highest order, and his impulses toward his fellow men were generous and noble. Mr. Goit was born 'in Oswego county, New York, in 1808. While he was yet an infant his father died and during his boyhood he had but little time or oppor- tunity to improve his mind by the aid of books; but such chance as he had, he improved to the best possible advantage and hy the time he was 20 years old he iniiulit a district school, and before he ^\as of age started for the western country, linally reaching Tiffin. He worked at odd jobs, taught school in both Tiffin and Fremont, then unpre- tentious villages, and in the meantime read law with Abel T. Rawson. In due course of time he was admitted to the bar to practice law and opened an office at Findlay. He made his home in the fi'.mily of the late L. Q. Rawson. After six months of studious days and anxious nights — six months of patient waiting for a client, none came. Six months were gone — nearly all his scanty means were gone — his clothes were well worn and only a single dollar had he earned. After he had sat down with the family at tJie breakfast table one morning, he told them that it was to be his last meal with tliem as he had decided to leave the place. While they were yet at the table there ctjme a rap at the door. A stranger was there and wanted to know if a lawyer I SCEAP-BOOK. 151 boarded at the house. The stranger was from the east and he had come on to col- lect a claim against a man who was teaching school not far away, and who owned 40 acres of land near the town. The case was somewhat complicated and papers had to be taken out. Goit pre- pared the papers through the day and a constable was quietly sent for so as to give no alarm or warning to the man of the birch-tree government. Everything being all ready they pounced down on him at night, and the result was that the stranger got the 40 acres of land, the teacher skipped out for some reason and Goit got as fee ten dollars and an ax. Then the district had no teacher and who could be a more proper man to fill out the term than Goit, which he did to the satis- faction of all concerned. In 1833 he married Miss Jane Patter- son and from this time on he was pros- perous. By the year 1840 he had accum- ulated quite a competence, owning at that time nearly 2,000 acres of the best land in and about Findlay, and having in ready cash over $10,000. His future, however, was wrecked in mercantile business and indorsing for others. The rascality of a partner brought him to Bowling Green, where he secured a portion of that due him. Through all his misfortunes Mr. Goit left in his later days a comfortable com- petence for himself and remaining fam- ily and as he himself said a short time before his death, "after so many ups and downs in my life I am glad to know that if I do not get well I shall at least die square with the world." — G. M\ E. NOT ALL A DREAM More Things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, Than Dreamed of in Thy Philosophy ON the morning of the 3d of Decem- ber, 1877, the citizens of Bowling Green were startled by the sudden death of the wife of Albert E. Eoyce, a promi- nent business man. She was sick but a few days, and her ailment was not con- sidered serious as she was in possession of all her faculties of mind up to the very last, and was up on her feet only a short time previous to her death. She was known, respected and liked by every one. Her kindly presence and cheerful aid, said the Sentinel, was al- ways ready where she could be of use or do good in the community, and few could be taken from our midst who would be more sadly missed. As she lay in the burial casket, apparently in the fullness of health, it seemed impossible to realize otherwise than that her eyes were gently closed in sleep, so natural and painless was the expression of her lifeless face. A strange coincidence in connection with her death was related by her hus- band and -friends, and given from the pidpit during the funeral services. Some- where near three years before she liad a dream in which it was foretold her that she would be taken sick on the 37th of November, 1877, and- that she would die on the 3d of December following. This dream she related to her husband who made light of it as did her parents and immediate friends when she told them the story; but with her it was not so. The matter appeared to weigh upon her mind, and several times during that time she spoke to her husband about it, re- minding him that the time was drawing near. Very naturally he , laughed the matter off, and even when on the 27th ult. she was taken suddenly ill and again referred to the dream, her friends could not be persuaded that there was anything 153 THE PIONEER in it. But when the morning of Decem- ber 3d had arrived, and at about 10 o'clock she quietly passed away, and her gentle spirit took its flight, then only, were the sorrow-stricken relatives forced to acknowledge the dreadful accuracy of lier dream. This stateiiieut is literally true as given, and is one of the mysteries that must remain forever unexplained. AN ODD GENIUS 'Judge" Lord of Perrysburg, the Butt of Local Ridicule AMOXG the early oddities, says Heze- kiali L! Hosmer, which a thirst for adventure or a spirit of enterprise brought to Perrysburg, was one Fred- erick Lord, better known to old residents as Judge Lord. He came from Maine, from one of whose universities he was a graduate, walking all the way with a pack on his back. He arrived in Perrys- burg destitute, money gone and clothing tattered. Failing to obtain a situation as a student in a law office, he took a small piece of laud and cultivated it to onions. These, eked out by an occasional loaf, constituted his principal diet. The neighbors regarded him as the very genius of famine, for he never for- sook an undrained coffee-pot or left the cat her portion. After a while he applied to the trustees for the district school. Judge HoUister's ingenious argununit that '•'every man is good for something," pre- vailed, and he obtained the position, which he filled acceptably, until his ad- mission to the bar. Meantime, however, he l^ecame unconsciously, the butt of local waggery and ridicule, and the inglorious hero of many laughable occurrences. On one occasion he was appointed lead- ing affirmative disputant in the debating club, to open that much mooted question, ''Was the English Government justifiable in banishing Xapoleon to St. Helena?'' The audience had assembled and Presi- dent Whcvler called upon Lord, who, fully prepared, commenced his argmnent. When fairly under way, one of the mem- bers suddenly sprang a question of order, and others in the secret joined in dis- cussing it, until the evening was spent and its further consideration adjourned till the next meeting. Other preliminary questions were introduced in succession, each one so timed as to break in upon and arrest the argument which Lord was al- most bursting to deliver. He bore with these delays and annoyances through three or four meetings of the club; but finally Lord's patience was exhausted. Waiving the interruption, and with his arm extended towards his tormentors, in a voice hoarse with passion, he shouted: "Mr. President : There is a point be- yond which human nature will not pass, and I give these gentlemen due and timely notice that we are now " tipon the very v-e-rge of that point." The violent gesture and bodily contor- tion with which this menace was empha- sized, rendered the scene intensely ludic- rous, and elicited from the audience a perfect yell of applause. The speaker, however, delivered his argument without further hindrance. Soon after his admission. Judge Lord opened a law oftice at Napoleon. Here he fell naturally into drinking habits, in which he indulged at the expense of his associate. When William Sheffield put out his legal shingle, Lord called on him, and after a brief interview, told him he had an important confidential communication to make to him. They walked some distance into the forest skirting the town- in perfect silence, Sheffield menniimo pondering over the SCRAP-BOOK. 153 supposed gravity of Lord's relation. Seating" themselves on a log, Lord opened the subject somewhat after the following manner : "Sheffield, you know you are a young man, just setting out in life, and have not had as mucli experience in the world as I have. 1 know these fellows })retty well, and don't want to see you taken in, and I thought I might do you great favor by telling you on the start what you ought to do. Just as fast as you make acquaintances here you will be asked to drink with them. It is their social cus- tom, and they will expect you to treat them in return, and it's pretty expensive. A'ow, my advice is, that you buy your liquor by the gallon, take the jug to your office, and whenever you feel obliged to treat your friends, just take them to the office and treat them there. It won't cost a quarter as much as to pay for drinks at a grocery. As a matter of economy you'll find it a very judicious arrangement." Lord soon left Napoleon and settled in one of the new counties in Michigan. He was elected county treasurer, and at last accounts had become a man of more wealth and influence than many of those who laughed at his oddities many years Ijefore. REV. ROLLA H. CHUBB One of the Venerable M. E. Ministers of the Maumee Valley FEW men in the Maumee Valley were better known in JSTorthwestern Ohio than Kev. KoUa H. Chubb. Born in Poultney, Vt., Sept. IS, 1812, he came west with his father at an early age, who had charge of an Indian station on Lake Superior, where he remained about five years, after wliich he accompanied his l)rother to jMichigan. When quite young he had followed the footsteps of his father, joining the M. E. church, was admitted to conference, and from that time on until about 1867, he was actively engaged in the ministry, when he retired from active work and was enrolled among the superannuated ministers of the con- ference. From 1838 to 1855 Mr. Chubb was prominent among the itinerant min- isters of the M. E. church in the Mau- mee Valley, and traveled Wood county on a four or six weeks' circuit, when he encountered all the perplexing embarrnss- ments incident to those early pioneer days, and his life and adventures as a minister of these swamps, would make a volume quite as interesting, and in many instances as pathetic or thrilling as a romance. There may now be living some who remember Rev. RoUa H. Chubb when he was young and in his full strength of manhood, and all can attest the won- derful pulpit oratory with which he was endowed. With clear conceptions, strong convictions, a retentive memory, and a mind to grasp the contents of libraries, and that power of language always at his command, he l)eeame eminent as a public speaker. His sonnon preached at Greenwich, Huron county, 0., during the war, was characteristic of the man, and was widely copied in the public journals. He was in attendance at the Ft. Meigs celebration in 1840, and about that time became acquainted with Olive Ewing (sister of Judge Ewing), whom he married March 16, 1841. She died July 14, 1863, at Ashland, 0., leaving four children, three daugliters, ^Mrs. Emily Peacock, residing at Gallatin, Tennessee; Mrs. Maria Bris- tol, of Fremont, Ohio; Mrs. W. S. Eberly, and one son, Henry, of Perrysburg, Ohio. On October 4, 1865, he married Miss 154 THE PIONEER Mary C. Hamer, of Ottawa, 0., and moved back to Perrysburg. His last regular appointment was Freeport, in 1868. He moved to Delaware, 0., in 1883, to give his children an opportunity of attending the college there. He died Friday night, Nov. 7, 1884, after a short illness, and his remains were brought to Perrysburg and interred in Ft. Meigs (.•einctcfv. — Wood Counfi/ Republican. WOOD COUNTY MASONRY History of the Masonic Order in Northwestern Ohio for Almost Seven Decades IN October, 1907, Grand Eapids cele- brated the fiftieth anniversary of its Masonic Lodge organization. Grand Eapids Lodge had its origin in Wood County Lodge No. 112. Among the ex- ercises was an address by George A. Bell, in which he gave the following interest- ing history concerning Freemasonry in northwestern Ohio : "It is quite probable that the history of Freemasonry in northwestern Ohio be- gan when xVrmy Lodge, No. 23, spread its charter at Fort Meigs, in 1813,' and worked there until the fort was aban- doned. Next, in 1818, the grand lodge of Ohio chartered Northern Light, No. 40, at Maumee. This lodge was active until 1838. A new charter, however, was granted in 1845, and the lodge was al- lowed to retain its old number. "From 1828 to 1842, there was not a single Masonic body in 22 counties of northwestern Ohio, and strange to relate, the first lodge sprang up in the midst of tht' Bhiek Swamp of Wood county. "In October, 1843, the grand lodge chartered Wood County Lodge, No. 112, naming Martin Warner, Emelius Wood, Morris Brown, Morrison McMillen, James Curtis, Leonard Perrin, David Maginnis and Sylvester Hatch as charter mem- bers. "The first home of Wood County Lodge was in the second story of the home of Emelius Wood, a primitive log house which stood — and still stands — upon the bank - of Tontogany creek a short dis- tance north of the present village of Tontogany. It was an ideal location; first because it was comparatively cen- tral, and, second, you could, as a. rule, get there from three different directions without swimming your horse. Being at the confluence of the two GrL^en Encamp- ment trails, the Perrysburg people could take the one which left the river at Mil- tonville, and the Gilead (Grand Eapidss) people could take that which left the river a short distance east from South Otsego; then, when the five trails joined at Wood's, the combined trail went on into Plain township. "For six years Wood County Lodge worked in the loft of Wood's dwelling, and then removed to Eaton's Corners- - later known as Selkirk's Corners, now a part of the city of Bowling Green. "Of the Gilead people who took the degrees in Wood County Lodge, the first was Alvin Gillett, father of Jay L. Gil- lett, of Toledo, Emanuel Arnold, John Edgar and Omar C. Carr and S. H. Steedman. "In July, 1856, the five brethren last above mentioned, together with Emelius Wood, Everett E. Wood and Daniel Bar- ton, also of Wood County Lodge, A. J, Gardner, of Youngstown, Selah A. Ba- con, a past master of New England, No. 4, of Worthington, Ohio, and Samuel Blythe, from Steubenville Lodge, No. 45, petitioned and received a dispensa- tion for a lodge, to be known as Grand Eapids Lodge, and to be located at Gilead (Grand Eapids), Wood County. The dispensation arrived July 31, nam- SCEAP-BOOK. 155 ing S. A. Bacon as the first senior war- den and Alvin Gillett as first junior warden. "The charter was received jSTovember 4, 1856, bearing date of October 3, and naming S. A. Bacon, A. J. Gardner, Alvin Gillett, Emelius Wood, E. E. Wood, John P. Nye and Samuel Blythe charter members. The three stationed officers were named as in the dispensa- tion, and the minor officers also held over. The officers were installed by E. W. Bro. Hez. L. Hosmer, of Toledo. He was a prime mover in the organization of Phoe- nix Lodge No. 123, of Perrysbarg, of Fort Meigs chapter, and of all the Tole- do bodies up to 1863, when he was ap- pointed chief justice for Montana terri- tory, and it is of record that he gathered together the Masons of that vast terri- tory and instituted lodge, chapter and council at Virginia City. "Speaking of individual Masons, the two pastmasters, who were prime movers in the organization of Grand Eapids Lodge, S. A. Bacon and Emelius Wood, had a remarkable Masonic career. Mr. Bacon was born at Granb}^, Conn., in 1797, and received the Master's degree there in 1818; removing to Franklin county, Ohio, he affiliated with New Eng- land Lodge No. 4, and was for several years its master; removing to Henry county, half a mile west of this village, he assisted, as shown, in the organization of this lodge and was for four years its master. Mr. Bacon's death occurred in March, 1883, he being 86 years of age, and for 65 years a Master Mason. Emelius Wood was born in 1797, and is said to have been the third white child born in the old fort at Marietta. He was educated at Athens and received the degrees in Paramuthia No. 35, in 1818; later he went to Somerset, the then county seat of the new county of Perry, where he served as county surveyor for some twelve years. His wife dying in 1833, he removed in 1834, with his two sons, A.. J. and E. E., to Wood county, and settled on the bank of Tontogany creek, as we have mentioned. Here he married a Miss North, and a number of children were born, the eldest being the well known surveyor, William H. Wood, of Bowling Green. Brother Wood was a principal mover in the organization of Wood County Lodge, was its master in 1847, 1848 and 1855. He was the first justice and the first school examiner of Washington township. He died in 1875, aged 78, having been a Master Mason for 57 years. "Fifty years to those who are past the meridian of life seems but a brief period, and yet, looking backward, many things may happen in fifty years. In 1856 the territory of Grand Eapids Lodge extended from Fulton Lodge, Delta, on the nortli, to Kalida, Putnam county, on the south, and east and west from Bowling Green to Napoleon. Up to date it has given of its territory to Deshler, Holgate, Liberty Center, Waterville, Tontogany and Weston. That shows some change, but let us contemplate Wood County Lodge again for a moment; it is just 13 years older than Grand Eapids lodge. When Wood county was constituted, its territory comprised more than ten thousand square miles, figuring from door to door of nearest lodges, but to-day that territory contains 110 lodges and more than 13,000 members." It is not an exaggerated belief that had Hull's arinv, which passed through the site of Bowling Green, almost a cen- tury ago, been led by a man of the nerve of Anthony Wayne, that a portion of Canada would to-day be a part of the United States. Hidl's disastrous failure compelled the few settlers at the Maumee Eapids to leave and the whole northwest was opened to the merciless raids of savages. It was indeed a national calam- ity. 156 THE PIONEER HON. THOS. W. POWELL A Veteran Pioneer Lawyer, at One Time Identified with Wood County History DECEMBER 12, 1882, says the Cleve- land Herald, Hon, Thomas W. Powell died at his residence in Delaware, at the advanced age of eighty-five years. For several years he had been almost blind. His name stands foremost as one of the greatest thinkers of the State. The following history was given by Hon. James R. Hubble: Hon. Thomas W. Powell was born in South Wales in 1797. In 1801 he came with his parents to America and settled in Utica, N". Y., in the Mohawk Valley. During the war with Great Britain, al- though a mere youth, he drove his fath- er's team with the baggage of a regiment, to Sacketts Harbor, and in the spring of 1813 entered the place at the close of the battle. In 1814 he was appointed by the military authorities to carrv dis- patches to Plattsburg, and at the close of that battle entered the town with dis- patches to Gen. McCombs. In the year 1819 he came to Ohio and studied law in the office of Hon. James W. Lathrop, at Canton, and in 1820 was admitted to the bar. He removed to Perrysburg, on the Maumee, where he filled successively the offices of Prosecut- ing Attorney and County Auditor of Wood county. In the discharge of his official duties, he was noted for his probity and indus- try as well as his abilities. In 1830 he removed to Delaware, where he resided until his death. INDIAN JUSTICE How a Chief Carried Out the Law of His Tribe ONEQUIT, a chief of a tribe of In- dians that occupied Station Island above Waterville, proved to be Judge and executioner, as the following incident will show, as related by an early settler: An Indian, who had been guilty of some crime, was brought before Onequit for trial. The cause was duly heard with Indian solemnity, after which One- quit retired, smokng over his delibera- tions. The result of this deliberation was that the chief took down his rifle and shot and killed the convicted red man. Onequit himself was then brought be- fore a magistrate near Miltonville to answer for the crime of murder. The chief admitted the killing of the Indian, but claimed that he had acted only with- in the laws of his tribe. On this show- ing he was acquitted and released. NOTABLE ADDRESSES! From Two Commanders That Thrilled the Soldiers With Enthusiasm i GEN. CLAY and his Kentuckians were at Ft. Defiance in April, 1813, having followed in Gen. Winchester's footsteps, and when he closed a ringing denunciation of the British treachery at the River Raisin, his men were ready for action. Said their general: "Kentuck- ians stand high in the estimation of our common country. Our brothers in arms who have gone before us to the scene of action have acquired a fame which should never be forgotten by you, a fame worthy of your emulation. Should we encounter the enemy, remember the fate GEN. WM. H. HARRISON I ►SCK'AP-liOOK. 159 6/ [lour butchered brothers at the River Ramu — that British treachery produced their staughter." And the Kentuckians ix'membered it. Gen. Harrison's Address Standing in sight of the battle field of Fallen Timber and under the severe can- nonade from the British batteries across the river, Gen. Harrison thus addressed his men, some of whom had fallen wound- ed, and others who were fainting and tired of the conflict: "Can the citizens of a free country, who have taken up arms to defend its rights, think of submitting to an army composed of mercenary soldiers, reluctant Canadians, goaded to the field by the bayonet, and of wretched, naked savages? Can the breast of an American soldier wlieu he casts his eyes to the opposite sliore, the scene of his country's triumplis over the same foe, be influenced by any other feeling than the hope of glory ? Is not this army composed of the same ma- terials with that which fought and con- quered under the immortal Wayne? Yes, fellow soldiers, your general sees your faces beam with the same fire that he witnessed on that occasion; and al- though it would be the height of ])re- sumption to compare himself with that hero, he boasts of being that hero's pupil. 1c your posts then fellow citizens and remember the eyes of your country are upon you." In after years in conversing with a friend about the siege of Fort Meigs, he said: "It was the greatest speech of my life." TWO LOST GIRLS Thrilling Episode Related by J. F. Dubbs in the Early History of the County THE following interesting reminiscence comes from J. F. Dubbs an esteemed pjoneer of Milton Center and was written by C. W. Evers: In 1836, the old Eevolutionary soldier and Missionary, Eev. Joseph Badger built a cabin and settled on a ridge at the west end of the Wadsworth prairie, over- looking the great marsh, stretching out miles to the eastward. When, a few years after his health failed and he moved his family away, the Aacant cabin became a sort of rendezvous for counterfeiters, and other law-breakers. They were fin- ally broken up and driven away. In 1851, Nathaniel Badger, nephew of the old missionary, came and fixed up the cabin, got married and lived there a year or so. Nathaniel had a sister Stella, a teacher, who lived in Plain township. One bright morning in .Tune, Stella and a lady cousin from "York State," nicely mounted on horseback, rode up to our cabin, on the north side of the prairie to inquire if it would be possible for them to follow the old Indian trail straight across to the Badger cabin. L was a young man at that time and far too much interested in the two nicely dressed young ladies to see them try to pass over that dangerous miry trail, and at once advised them to go around by the usual wagon trail, which was of itself l)ad enough ; they took my advice. That evening my brothers, Lewis and John, W. E. Carothers and myself were chatting around a mosquito smoke at my father's, when, about 9 o'clock we lieard some one hallooing in the distance. I told the boys of the incident of the morn- ing — that two girls had rode over to Badger's, wiiich was about two miles from our place. Carothers at once said, "that is surely a woman's voice"; we started at once for the prairie, taking with us our two well trained dogs. When we got through the woods to the prairie we could hear the cries, but very 160 THE PIONEER indistinctly, away to the east of us; we shouted so lustily that we made ourselves heard plainly by the lost wanderer, who at once turned back toward us. Soon the dogs were barking, away out in the gloomy waste in a somewliat dif- ferent direction. When Lewis and Carothers got to them, they found the intelligent brutes had done their part well and faithfully. As if guided by some in- stinct, almost providential, in this case, the dogs in some unexplained, or 1 should say unexplainable way, had understood what we wanted them to do and had done it, thereby saving a human life. There, in a grassless spot, in the oozy mire and water, her head barely above the slimy surface, speechless and exhaust- ed, was one of the girls — the one from New York. She probably could not have survived an hour longer. I need not re- late our difficulties in getting the poor girl out for she was perfectly helpless to walk for sometime, even if she had been on good ground. Soon after, Stella, whose shouts had first warned us of their danger, was . found, and not long after, brother John and I and the dogs found the horses, grazing in a place where the water was shallow, and got them out to the woods. Stella then told us how it all happen- ed : They had prolonged their stay at Badger's until quite late and then to gain time had attempted to make a short cut by the Indian trail to our house. The trail crossed a neck of prairie about half a mile wide; it was here they lost their course and went too far east. The prairie, at that time of the year, was wet in those days; no one who has not seen the Wadsworth, or Liberty prairie as we sometimes called it, in its natural state, before our drainage system went into effect, can form any true conception of its condition, nor picture to himself the magnitude of the change since. The water was from one to three feet deep, the grass from three to eight feet high; a great part of the prairie was swampy. It was infested with all sorts of beasts, birds and reptiles common to this country at that time. Wolves, snakes, turtles, frogs, cranes, pumpers, deer flies and last, but worst in early summer, Avere the end- less swarms of ravenous mosquitoes. Then the heavy fogs which curtained this gloomy wilderness made the aspect so dismal and forbidding that the strongest man might well recoil from its treacher- ous borders. Not long after the horses left the trail, they began to swamp down and the riders were unseated from their saddles with no possibility of mounting, even if it had been desirable to do so. In attempting to lead the horses the girls had their skirts trod on and torn off at the waist and were in danger themselves of being tramped into the mire by the floundering animals. By tliis time they had worked so far east as to be in about the worst part of the swamp, probably not far west of the notorious "Stoga Hole." Here the New York girl gave up to die. Stella left her friend and the horses and started as she supposed in the direction of her brother's cabin; but how could a woman, wading in water to her knees, in coarse rank grass higher than her head, blinded by mos- (|uitoes and fog, take a course without a single landmark to guide her ? She could not even see the woods that bordered the swamp. Fortunately she steered to the woods on the north side, but in a direc- tion almost opposite from what she had intended, and came out about three- fourths of a mile from our house, where she was wandering about when her screams attracted our attention as prev- iously mentioned. After we all got to- gether on dry ground, the girls, whose deplorable plight was mercifully shielded by the darkness, pleaded with us to be taken to the Badger cabin, but we per- suaded them to go to our house nearer by, where they were taken in hand by SCKAP-BOOK. 161 the women, made as comfortable as pos- sible, and next morning were able to con- tinue their journey home. One of those girls of nearly half a century ago, Stella, married Dr. Stephen Olney, brother of Professor p]dward Olney, of Michigan university, and at this time, 1894, is living in widowhood in one of the thriving cities of New Jersey. Her rosy cheeks of yore are faded; her dark hair long since has turned gray ; the voice tliat was strong enough to carry its pitiful appeal through the Cimmerian darkness for help nearly a mile awa}', is feeble now; memory too fails, Init not the remembrance of that dreadful night experience in the "Black Swamp" of Wood county. In thus imperfectly giving the details of this and other incidents, I have sought to also convey to the younger generation a dim, outline picture of the country as the pioneers first found it; also some of the inconveniences and hardships met with. Each passing day and year in our lives has its sore trials, mingled with its sunshine and joy. Each country has its drawbacks, but I think now, in looking l^ack over my three score years' experience, and that of my old neighbors here, that Wood county's early settlers had more than their full share of trials. The county was too, from causes only slightly alluded to in this narration, in very bad repute. This bad name followed it hurt- fully for years after, and kept improve- ments back until many fell, weary and discouraged in the conflict. But all honor to the old pioneers, and the new ones too; it is different now. Wood coun- ty is, at last, the first; and the miry swamp, Avhere we found the lost girls, groans each recurring autumn under its load of golden grain; and the successors of those first pioneers would hesitate to swap situations with the most favored husbandmen in the land. THE OLD EXCHANGE BELL Something of Its History and What Became of It ACOKKESPOXDENT of tlie Elmore Independent says that in the year iSo'^ or 1833, Mr. Jarvis Spaiford built a hotel in Perrysburg, and it was a very line hotel — even a model one in those days, ill order to make it complete he had to have a l)ell on top of the house. Then' hapiieiied to be a man by the name of S. Davis who had a bell foundry in Detroit, Micb., then Michigan Territory. ^Ir. Spatford went to Detroit, saw Mr. l)avis and made a contract to cast him a ta^■ern bell. For want of material to make a bell the desired size, Mr. Spafford l)ut in 36 Spanish dollars, which were melted and run into the bell. In the y;'ar 1834 the bell was cast; the name of S. Davis, Detroit, ilichigan Territory, and the year, in large, bold letters, ap- pear on the bell. After due time Mr. Spafford got the bell home, and it was a great curiosity there in the wilderness, the whole country abounding with In- dians and wild animals. However, Mr. Spafford had the bell hung up in a tree in front of his house, to ring when it was time for meals. The Indians used to gather around the tree to see and hear the bell ring; they would even climb up on the tree to get hold of it to ring it themselves, to the great annoyance of Mr. Spafford and his customers, as they supposed meals were ready when the bell rang. This annoyed I\lr. Spafford so much that he was com- pelled to dri\'r the Indians away by force, but the}', not being easily scared, came one night and stole the bell and carried n off to Upper Sandusky, which was the headquarters for all the Indians in this 162 THE PIONEER section of the country in those days. When Mr. Spafford missed the bell he was much worried, and offered a big re- ward for the thief and return of his prop- erty. As the bell cost him $75, he felt the loss of his investment, as well as the en- joyment and convenience of it, but he was not long in finding the trail of the bell from friendly Indians. He secured the services of a half-breed, by the name of Sam Brady, an old scout, who had killed a- many Indians and some white men, as any other man in those days. Mr. Frank Hollister, the first white man who settled at Perrysburg, and bought furs from the Indians, knew about all of them, and had slept in almost every Indian wigwam on the Maumee river. The three started in search of the bell, and were three days making the trip from Perrysburg to the plains of Upper Sandusky, camping out every night, with Sam Brady to pilot them through. On the morning of the fourth day, to their great surprise, they heard the sound of the bell, and leaving their camp with their scanty breakfast half cooked, they struck out fully deter- mined to get the bell. After half an hour's traveling through the deep grass and thick underbrush, with rifle in hand to shoot the first Indian they met, they came to the missing bell. To their great amazement they found it tied around an Indian pony's neck, which was considered the leading pony of the plains. Mr. Spaf- ford says that it did not take Mr. Brady long to bring down the pony with his rifle, cut the sinew that the bell was fast- ened to, and soon shouldered it and started back to camp, to finish their breakfast of jerked venison and whisky. After finishing the meal, they started back for home, a happy trio. In the meantime they kept a sharp lookout on their retreat, but met with no interrup- tion, and arrived home safe and whole, but worn out by fatigue and hunger, still full of glee and "good whisky,^^ Mr. Spafford, in order to keep the In- dians from stealing the bell again, went to Detroit to a blacksmith, and got a heavy iron bar, one inch square, made in a half circle, with a cross-bar, and hung the bell in the circle, spiked it on top of his tavern, and the bell hung there until the death of Jarvis Spafford, and for several years after. The property then fell into the hands of Willis Norton, sheriff of Wood county, and for a number of years he kept the house and bell. Finally the hotel business died out and Mr. Nor- ton had a good deal of sickness and re- verses and left Perrysburg, went west of Ft. Wayne, on a small farm, taking the bell with him, with the full intention of keeping it as long as he lived, but his health failed him, necessaries of life were hard to get, and getting an offer for the old bell from the oldest landlord in northern Ohio, who knew the bell ever since it was hung upon the old Exchange, he concluded to sell it to his old friend, D. M. Day, of Elmore, Ottawa county, 0., whore it can be seen and heard three times a day, on top of the Elmore House. GEORGE HOPPER His Experience with Hardships and Wolves in Early Years GEORGE HOPPER, an early settler, died at his home in Troy town- ship, February 7, 1879. He came to this country from England, and reached Per- rysburg in the year 1836, engaging in the service of the firm of Smith & Hollister in their large warehouse. He remained with them three years, at the end of which time he took 160 acres of land in Troy township for his pay, on which he made his home until his death. Mr. Hopper and his wife, like most of 8CKAr-B()()K. 163 the people of that date in Wood county, had to put up with hardships and incon- veniences, which to this generation of people would seem unbearable. Mr. and Mrs. Hojjper related as a fact that during their first settlement in the woods and for years after, they seldom passed a night without being disturbed by the un- welcome and dismal howl of wolves. Sometimes these ravenous brutes would come into their door yard and make the night a hideous pandemonium. On one occasion Mr. Hopper had been to Perrys- burg to get some provisions and was be- lated and came home unconscious that he was pursued until lie entered his cabin door, wiioii he heard the brutes jumping the fence, and no sooner had he closed the door behind him than they opened in an unearthly chorus, startling enough to make a dead man's hair stand on end. This sort of solitary life was continued until 18-17, when Sanmel Shreiner moved in. he being their first neighbor nearer tlian the Gorrills. In all his obligations of citizenship Mr. Hopper was a model nuin, upright and honest, and commanded the respect and esteem of his neighbors and all who knew him. — Wood County Sentinel. A SHAKING SCOURGE Chills, Fever and Ague the Result of Malaria of the Black Swamp NO'J' the least of tlie ills encountered by the early settlers in the Black Swamp, was the scourge of sickness, chiefly fever and ague, which widely pre- vailed. These ills were caused by the malaria of that day. It took from three to five years to get acclimated : every year from about the first of July until frost and cold made its appearance, the people had the ague, and they looked for it just as much, and it came with the same regularity, as sum- mer and fall came. An old pioneer says: It took hold of a person and literally shook him up. I have seen fellows go to bed with the ague, and when the shake came on the very bed and floor would rattle. So violent was the disease that at times their teeth would rattle. Many times whole families would be down at one time, so that one could not give another a drink of water. The ague usually came on every other day, and when there were not people enough they had to have it every day, for some- times there appeared to be about two agues for one man; and oftentimes they had to have it twice in one day. The well day as we used to call the day we missed it, men would be able to do some light work, and it may seem strange, but the day the chill was to come on you could look out from 10 a. m. until 3 p. m., and you could see the boys come in to take their shake, as much so as to take their dinners. We were not troubled much in those days from any disease of a malignant form. Aside from the ague, we had some bilious, intermittent and re- mittent fevers. We had no need of a doctor to bleed the patient, for the pesky moscjuitocs did all the bleeding that was necessary. Dr. H. Burritt was the physician ; he then lived at Gilead (now Grand liap- ids), and he also kept the postoffice. Oh, how he used to swear when he had to make his way through the woods and water, ten, twelve or fifteen miles to see his patients. The Maumee Valley Historical Asso- ciation was organized in 1885 for the purpose of perpetuating flic memory and preserving the historical places in the Maumee Valley. Hon. Morrison E. Waite was its first president. 164 THE PIONEER WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN If the Fulton Line Between Ohio and Michi- gan Had Been Fixed COLONEL JOHN A. SHANNON in- dulged in the following probability of Perrvsburg's future: In 1835 was fought the great ^'Toledo War." Gen. Bell, Gen. Brown, Col. Van Fleet and many others in and out of command of the forces of the state of Ohio, and the territory of Michigan, marched and counter marched their re- spective commands, and performed feats of valor and strategy which entitle them to a more extended notice than in the limits of this history can be accorded them. The net purport and upshot of the matter was, that the Harris, or pres- ent line, between the state of Ohio and the territory of Michigan, was adopted. This left Toledo in the state of Ohio, and lost to Perrysbufg the only opportunity she ever had of becoming ultimately a great commercial center. With Toledo in Michigan, Ohio would have been interested in building up Per- ry sburg, and it is probable at least, that some elfort would have been made to re- move the obstructions to navigation, known to exist between Toledo and Per- rysburg, and that the fostering care of the stat-e of Ohio would have accom- plished for Perrysburg what the state of Michigan afterward accomplished for De- troit, under similar difficulties. It is probably vain to theorize over this matter now, but it certainly does not seem im- probable that if the Fulton or southern line, between Ohio and Michigan had been finally adopted, that Perrysburg would have been now a compactly built city, from East Toledo to West Bound- ary street, with miles of wharves and docks, acres of elevators and depots, and tens of millions instead of tens of thous- ands of dollars of personal property. BLOODY WOLF FIGHT In Which the Dogs Were Badly Used Up by the Vicious Animal AN^ issue of the Wood County Sentinel in August, 1877, relates an inci- dent of a black wolf killed a few days prior to that by three dogs near Mr. Wil- lison's house in Jackson Prairie. A steer had died not far from Willison's place a day or so previous, and late in the even- ing mentioned, Mr. W. heard dogs fight- ing as he supposed, until finally he be- came satisfied from the continued bark- ing and fierce growls that the dogs, his own among tbe number, had some animal at bay. He did not go out however, that nifi^ht. Next morning Jake Wall's dog was found to be so badly chewed up that he died that day. The other dogs were found to be pretty badly used up also. Not far from the carcass of the steer, the dead l)ody of a wolf was found, a murder- ous looking brute, and near him were ])U'nty of evidences of a terrible tight l)e- tween the black monster and the dogs. It is supposed that Wall's dog, which was a gamy, powerful creature, after getting terribly punished by the wolf, had finally got hold of its throat and never let go till he had choked it to death. This is the first wolf killed in this county for several years, and the second instance of the de- struction of a black wolf, and tlie only instance we ever heard of dogs in open battle attacking and killing a full grown wolf. It is supposed there were two wolves, but that the other got away. They usually travel in pairs. SCEAP-BOOK. 165 THE DEVIL'S HOLE" An Almost Impenetrable Bog What Was the Origin of the Name? Is It a Den? A WEBSTER township eorrospondent wrote the Perrysbiirg Journal as follows : "During tlie year 1813 or "1 1 a period when the BUiek Swamp was yet a 'how- ling wildiTiU'ss." well covered by water and oecnpiml l)y Indians, wolves, bears, raccoons and wildcats, there was a low, wet swampy bog, extending from a por- tion of Wood connty where the Fenton P. 0., now is, to a point in Middleton, lately known as the Devil's Hole Prairie — it being a portion of country exceed- ingly difficult to penetrate owing to the depth of water and massive growth of timber, through which were numerous windfalls that served to render the pro- gress of tlie ]iedestrian very difficult and quite uncertain. "At the time mentioned Gen. Harrison came plunging through the wilds of San- dusky and Wood counties on his march to Fort Meigs, and while passing through the portion of Wood county near where this swamp was located, a scout, whose name the writer is not in possession of, while on ilie alert for the terror of the forest — the nol)l(' I'ed man — became en- tangled in this man-trap, and oidy after a day's persistent effort did he suc- ceed in finding the trail of his brave commander, after wliicli li" soon cuiii'iit up with the c(mimand. Upon being in- terrogated as to where he had been, he replied that he had got lost in the "Devil's Hole," asserting that he had truly dis- covered the home of Satan, and in this trifling manner (although undoubtedly appreciated at the time) originated tlie name so long attached to what is now one of the most prosperous and prolifie por- tions of this countv; a localitv tliat has outgrown its bad name; that has been changed from a dreary wilderness to an enterprising farming community." The late" :Mr. C. W. Evers, however, claimed that the name was first given to that locality by the late IMahlon Meeker. Is It a Den? The Sentinel, in an issue in Septend)er, 1872, indicates that the place may have been used by a band of marauders. It says: Buried in the heart of the tlense woods some miles to the northeast of this place, known as the "Devil's Hole," two men recently discovered a small, low built shanty, covered with bark and entirely obscure from the vision of man or beast by the dense undergrowth, at no greater distance than ten paces. It is off from any road and there is a single path lead- ing to and from it. Just behind it a hole has been dug for water, and near it are troughs cut in a log as if for the purpose of feeding horses. Some hay inside in- dicates that men have slept there, and there has also been a fire kept in it. Everything about it denotes that the ut- most precautions of secrecy have been tctken. From its location and other cir- cumstances, persons living nearest the locality are suspicious that it is a rendez- vous or stopping place for horse-thieves. C'ertainlv there seems some coloring for such a supposition. It has hti'ii well said that Thomas Jefferson was more than the author of our Declaration of lndi'))en(lence in 177(); he. more than any American, laid down the basis of popular liberty. There is r.ot a city in i\t'ntucl Learning. Xalhaniel Decker, Xnowlton Young, Xathaniel Blinn and Andrew Hoover. The sentence of the court was that he be hung on Fri(hiy, the .5tli day of the following November. There was a great deal of public sympathy shown for Por- ter. He had to be sure, taken the life of a fellow man, but that man was a notori- ously bad man and tlie deed had been done under tlie most provoking circum- stances. Poi-ter was crushed and broken in spirit and had no inlluential friends to intercede for him, a thing he was too dispirited to do for himself, even if he had his liberty. The means of communi- cating with the executive were long and lliN THE PIOXEER tedious, beside there were no good grounds, assuming tlie court's charge to the jury to be correct, upon which to base a petition asking the clemency of the governor. Mr. Webb, a man of kind and humane disposition, formed quite a strong attachment and kindly feeling to- ward the prisoner on account of his reconciled and submissive conduct, and it taxed his utmost resolution of mind to reconcile sympathy and duty. Porter was hanged on the west slope of the ravine on the east side of Old Fort Meigs in the presence of a great number of people who had assembled to witness the sad spectacle. His body was buried in the little burying ground just west of the Perry sburg jail. Whatever may have been the sympathy for Porter, or however much his claim to executive clemency, the execution no doubt had a salutary effect. Nothing is so much calculated to restrain crime as the certainty that punishment and the in- exorable exec-ntion of the law will f()l!o\v. —G. W. E. SIMON GIRTY Something of the History of That Daring, Treacherous Outlaw FEOM the columns of a copy of the old Toledo Commercial, we clip the following : There are few localities in the State of Ohio more fertile in historic reminis- cences than Henry county. About five miles up the river from Napoleon is wbat is known as Girty's island, so called from the fact of its having been the abiding place of that notorious white renegade, Simon Girty, whose treatment of white captives was more inhuman and fiendish than even that of the red sav- ages by whom he had been reared from early childhood. The history of Simon (lirty is familiar, no doubt, to thousands, but there are features in the family record of the Girty family that always afford fresh food for conjecture. The family in general was shiftless and ne'er do well. There were four brothers, Thomas, Simon, George and James. Each was adopted by an Indian tribe, Simon by the Senecas, the most warlike of all the great Iroquois confederacy. Simon Girty and Simon Kenton were at one time scouts together, and perhaps the only humane or kindly act in Girty's life was his intercession for Kenton's life in one instance where he had been cap- tured, tortured and sentenced to death by the Indians. Girt}', however, after having in every conceivable manner an- tagonized both Indians and whites by his multiplicity of inhuman and treach- erous acts, was compelled to seek refuge and concealment in the territory now embraced in what is known as Henry county. Ho had wantonly and indis- criminately murdered and pillaged right aiul left until he became a hunted fugi- tive, a veritalde Avanderer on the face of the earth. He eventually sought safety in the famous '*Black Swamp" of the northwest, and here opposite the island, on the bank of the Maumee, he erected his cabin, and whenever danger would menace him, would retire into the dense- ly wooded swamp, where it Avas absolute- ly impossible to dislodge him. How long he remained here, is not definitely known, or whetlu'r his death was the result of the infirmities incident to old age, or more tragic in its character. He was unques- tionably one of the boldest and at the same time most treacherous and inhu- man outlaws of which American history has anv record. SCRAP-BOOK. 169 WAYNE'S TWO GRAVES Mad Anthony Wayne's Burial Places — Story of His Bones THE Bult'alo Ivvprcss gives tlie follow- ing remarkable incident touching till' disi)osition of Mad Anthony's body: (ien. Wayne is one of the few famous nu'u who have two graves, each equally entitled to commemoration. He died of gout at Erie. Pa., then Fort Presque Isle, in 17 UG, when he was on his return from his successful Indian campaigns in the northwest. He was buried at the foot of the flagstaff in the fort, and there lay undisturl)ed for nearly twenty years. Tlu-n there came through the woods froni the other end of the State, in a sttlky, liis son in search of his father's bones. He engaged Dr. John C. Wallace, who had l)een through the Indian wars with (it'll. Wayne, to exhume his bones, and ])ack them in a box, that they might be strapped to the sulky and taken through tlie woods and over the mountains to the family residence in Chester county. When Dr. ^^'allace opened the grave he found, to his great surprise, the body in an alnmst ]K'rfect state of preservation. Tlie flesh liad not decayed. But it was im])ossil)le foi- young Wayne to carry the cotlin and contents in his sulky. So Dr. Wallace, who seems to have been devoid of feeling as one of the Indians whom he fought, decided, on his own motion, and without consulting Mr. Wayne, to separate the General's bones from their enveloping flesh and thus enable tliem to ])e removed. To accom])]ish this, hoilirg had to be resorted to, and the bones were then denuded of flesh by the use of knives, and were ])acked and carried away by young Wayne, and buried near the home- stead in which Gen. Wayne was born and in wliicli Ills descendants still live. Tliis account of the ghoul-like proceedings of Dr. W'alUuc has an incredible sound, but it is literally and strictly true, and will lie ( on'oboratinl by any old citizen of Erie. Young i\Ir. Wayne knew nothing of Dr. Wallat'c's operations until many years aflei-. lie was then greatly shocked and de'clarcil that he would never have permitted such treatment of his father's remains, hut would have returned them lo the grave and postponed their removal to a more convenient season. Yet there is no reason to doubt that Dr. Wallace, who was a useful and prominent man in his day. thought he was doing every- thing for the best, and meant no dis- respect to the mortal jiart of liis old friend and ])atit'nt and armv comrade. General Wayne. Over the General's bones, in Chester county, a monument was raised. But his flesh was returned to its grave at the foot of the flag-staff, in Fort Presque Isle, by Dr. Wallace, and forgotten. The fort — a mere stockade — crumbled away, the tiag-stalf decayed, and the precise lo- cation of the grave was lost. Some four years ago, however, a digger for relics on the site of the old fort, un- earthed a coftin-cover, into which l)rass- headed nails had been so driven as to form the initials "A. W.'' with the figures of Wayne's age, date of his death, etc. This determined the location of the grave, and there has since been in Erie a feel- ing that it should be marked by a monu- ment of some sort. It has, in fact been surrounded by chains, supported by four pieces of superannuated artillery, and also marked by a flag-staff, but something more permanent is desired, and will doulitless be built — ^if not by legislative aid. then by local subscription. The last tribe of Indians to remove from Ohio was the Wyandot of Upper- Sandusky, who ceded their lands in 1812, and tlu' following year left for the west. 170 THE riOXEER BURNING OFF A PRAIRIE How the Flames Swept the Grass for Many Miles HEEE is an incident in Middleton township history published in the Sentinel in 1883: James Robertson came from Scotland and located in the eastern part of Mid- dleton township in 1836. One morning after he had selected the land for his future home, Mr. Robertson and two of his sons started from Perrvsburg for their land for the purpose of selecting a build- ing site, with a horse and wagon, hauling a tent and some other material. They came by a blazed wagon track and pitched their tent in the edge of Htdrs Prairie, arriving just at sundown. About 15 minutes after they had arrived at their destination they were startled by the sudden appearance of five Indians on horseback, who had followed up their trail, and tbe Indians seemed as much surprised as they. After surveying the situation a moment the Indians gave the Rol:>ertsons to understand their mission was to "scotto,"" that is to bum off the prairie. They then proceeded about three miles to the southwest, touched fire to the grass which had not been burned for two years. The flames spread like the wind and Mr. Amelius Robertson states that it did not seem over ten minutes before it had traveled the in- tervening distance between where it was set and the edge of the woods where they were encamped, and that the smoke al- nu)st suffocated them in their tent. He also says that the flames went nearly as high as the trees, and that the streets of Perrysburg 5 1-2 miles distant were so lighted by the fire that they could see to pick up a pin, and that all the grass on Hull Prairie covering hundreds of acres, was licked up by the flames in twenty minutes. Mr. Robertson built a cabin on his land the next spring, 1837, and moved in with his familv. A HUNTER'S PARADISE Forests of the Black Swamp Abounded in Game- How a Savage Old Boar Was Captured IX a communication to the Tribune, Mr. J. F. Dubbs says: Wild hogs were very plentiful in the forests, but while they afforded the set- tlers a temporary resource at times, to replenish the pork barrel, they were at other times not only troublesome, but dangerous neighbors. They would mingle with tame hogs in the woods and toll them away often, where the tame ones would soon be as wild as their forest kin. Then too, if man or beast should sud- denly come upon a band and disturb them in their bed or disturb the young, every hog would instantly become a savage, bristling, furious assailant and the intruder was lucky if he happened to be near a tree which he coitld climb quickly. Among the bands that roamed thf woods was one enormous Savage Old Boar With murderous tusks, which was alike a terror to hunters and dogs. This dan- gerous brute — a veritable king of the forests — was as wily and cunning as a bear, but like all kings and rulers, all his ways were not the paths of wisdom. He got a notion of slipping in nights and lodging with the iKtbbs herd till the chickens crowed in the morning, when he would rise, shake himself and join his wild brethren in the forest. The Diil)l)S discovered what was sroing SCRAP-BOOK. 171 on^ and at the time there was quite a strife in the settlement as to who should be the lucky captor of the big boar. One morning the Dubbs, father and sons, with their two dogs, stole a march on the old woods patriarch, and as he passed out the dogs were turned loose, and after a sharp race his hogship came to bay and faced the dogs. When the men came up the brute again fled, but the dogs at once fastened on him; one dog laid hold at the elbow of the fore shoulder; the other at the ear; the latter was instantly hurled into the air with a ghastly slash across its throat from which the blood poured in a stream. The other dog, a powerful fellow, was able to stop the boar, and the brute could not reach him with its deadly tusks. Neatly Captured By this time, Henry Dubbs, James' father, a stout resolute man, came up, furious at the fate of his faithful dog, and seized the boar by its long tail and at once took a turn around a small sap- ling whore he could easily hold the hog. The plan was to capture, confine and JV'cd the boar until he was fat; at that tinu' Mr. l)ttbl)s' sou, John, came up, the hug was tied and thrown, his nose lasliL'd, his tusks cut off, after which he was hauled in on a stone boat, and im- prisoned in a high, strong log pen. When lie found he could not escape, his gnashing of teeth and hideous aspect was startling to witness, but in all the scrap from first to last not a cry or squeal did he make, except enraged grunts. For days the old fellow would not eat; then he would eat in the night. At last he began to gain, and though when butchered and sold at Perrysburg he was not fat, yet he was a monstrous big porker. These wild hogs are supposed to ha\"e sprung from strays from some of tlie army quartermasters' droves brought here in the war of 1812. They were qtiite numerous here from 1830 to 1843. REMOVING THE INDIANS Gathered from Many Points Mission Station on the Maumee River AN old pioneer, writing to the Sen- tinel, says: Between the years 1835-40, the Govern- ment began to move the Indians to their reservations in the West and the tribes becoming broken up, were scattered over a large portion of Northwestern Ohio and Northeastern Indiana, and part of Michigan, reaching from Ft. Wayne, In- diana, to Sandusky, Ohio, and including Crawford county, which was named after Colonel Crawford who was so brutally butchered and murdered at the stake by Simon Girty (a white man), after having been deserted and left by General Knight, who made his escape and left Colonel Crawford to suffer because of his. Knight's, treachery. The tribes and parts of tribes that used to inhabit this part of the country, were the Ottawas, Pottawatomies, Kick- apoos, Shawnees, Wyandots and Miamis. After General Harrison's victory at Fort Meigs, and the treaty was effected and peace was declared again, many of them remained and they were considered friendly, and indeed were so as the old settlers well know. A mission station was made on the Maumee river; Rev. Isaac Van Tassel was sent as a mission- ary to preach to them, and I believe he taught school among them for a while. The largest settlement as I remember, was in Sandusky county, and the largest in Wood countv was at the station and 172 THE PIONEER at Tontogaiiy. which is an Indian name and I think named after one of their chiefs. They iiad one small settlement on Bea^"cl■ creek in Henry county, and a few stragglers were camjjed for a while in Milton townshij), this county. In the fall they would go from their camps in Sandusky, Seneca and Wyandot counties, to Wood and Henry counties to camp out for tlie winter and liunt, and when the spring would o])en they Avould return again with their pelts and furs taken during the winter season. In the sum- mer they woukl resort to the rivers and lakes where they could fish, that heing their favorite and pi-incipal diet during til" Slimmer months. H. L. Hosmer's Account The remnant of the ^laumee Ottawas were at this time assembled at Button- wood island, a mile above Perrysburg, preparatory to removal to the country as- signed them west of the Mississippi. Eobert A. Forsyth was entrusted by the Government ^^itli the undertaking. The Indians made a pleasant camp on the island for a month or more, and were visited daily Ijy the citizens of the towns below. They had been sadly demoralized by intercourse with the whites; but a few of their chiefs and leaders retained enough of the old ancestral spirit to in- spire them with considerable energy and enterprise after they Avere settled in their new home. Ottoca, the head chief, was a fat, good-natured fellow, a favorite with his tribe and very social with the whites. His half-brother, Noteno, was greatly his superior in executive ability, and at this time probably the most in- telligt'nt ]naii among them. Petonguet, a tall, slender graceful man, with fea- tures of a J^oman cast had been the hero of a tragedy some years before in the neighl)orhood of Eoche de Boeuf. He was much esteemed for bravery and very popular with his tribe. But a hundred in all remained of this once powerful l)eoj)lt', and they were "like strangers in a desert home." A day or two after the tornado, Ottoca, while passing the ruins of the hotel, remarked, with significant gesticulation : "White man's shanty — no good — too big — he all whish when the big wind come." After their removal these Indians aban- doned their habits of savage life, engaged in agriculture, adopted civilized customs, and became a substantial, orderly com- munity. They accumulated property, erected schools and churches, and to-day I believe they are regarded by the people of Kansas as among their most quiet, law-abiding citizens. Eev. Peter Jones was their leading clergyman, and he was a lineal descendant of Pontiac, who little more than a century before was King of all the country from the Maumee to Mackinaw, and disputed inch by inch its s:'ttlement t)v the whites. NAVIGATION Ship Building at an Early Date on the River at Maumee and Perrysburg AT a Pioneers' meeting held at Fort Meigs, in 1880, Charles E. Bliven gave an address, from which we glean the following facts regarding ship build- ing on the Maumee river. He says: A small steamer, called the Phenome- non, remodeled from a canal boat, was built at Eochester, N. Y., in 1834, and brought to the Maumee river, being towed through Lake Erie in 1836. She was then called the Sun and was com- ma]ided by C'apt. C. K. Bennett. Old records reveal the fact that many vessels were built on the Maumee river. Among them the Detroit, 240 tons, was ^^g^^ BURIAL GROUND OF COL. DUDLEY AND HIS MEN On May II. 181 3, the Bodies of Col. Dudley and About 1 30 Kentuckians Were Brought to Ft. Meigs and There Buried. They Were Massacred Six Days Before S('1L\1'-P>()0K. 175 built at Toledo in 183-t; Don Quixote, 80 tons, in 1836; Indiana, 431 tons, in 1839. At Delaware creek, the Chesapeake, 410 tons, in 1838. At ]\laumee vessels were built as fol- lows: Miami, in 1838; Gen. Harrison, 293 tons, in 1839; James Wolcott, 80 tons, in 1840; St. Troy, 547 tons, in 1845; G. P. Griffith, 587 tons, in 1846; Albion, 132 tons, in 1848; Minnesota, 749 tons, in 1851-2; Globe, 380 tons, in 1843. At Pen-ysburg the following were built: Commodore Perry, 382 tons, in 1834; Anthony Wayne, 390 tons, in 1837; Wabash, 44 'tons, and Marshall, 51 tons, in 1838; Gen. Vance, 75 tons, in 1839; St. Louis, 618 tons, in 1844; Superior, 507 tons, in 1845 ; John Hollis- ter, 300 tons, in 1848; Samson, the first propeller built on Lake Erie, 250 tons, in 1842; Princeton, in 1854, and the Maumcc Valley, in 1862-3, which was the last vessel ))uilt there. The Griffith, built at Perrysburg, it will l)e remembered by our older citizens, A\as destroyed by fire on the lake, and a number of her passengers perished in the disaster. FREEDOM TOWNSHIP Names of Early Settlers Township Organ- ized and Named by Hiram Pember IN the year 1833, Isaac Cable and his three sons, Silas, Benjamin and Jonathan, also Michael Miller and Michael Myers, from near Canton, Stark county, Ohio, settled at New Eochester. Almost at the same time a party of settlers, among whom were Henry Nail- er, Michael N. Myers, Christian Shelley, Ashael Powers, Henry Hahn, and several others came in from Lorain county and settled at Pemberville and above on the north fork of the river. Most of the lands below the forks had been bought up by speculators, but most r of the settlers at that time, could get good lands near the river at government price, $1.25 per acre. Wood county was at that time in the Delaware land dis- trict. The Pembers came the next year. James Pember had previously married the daughter of Ashael Powers, which circumstance, no doubt, was the cause Pof his locating in Wood county, as his father-in-law was the chief landed pro- prietor of what is now Pemberville. They encountered untold hardships at first, and indeed for a long time, chills, shaking ague and intermittent fevers visited them each year, and at times there were not enough persons in the settlement to take care of the sick. But still they hoped for a better day, and kept courage and faith. Late in the fall of 1834, there were barely enough able abodied men to raise a log school house at the Forks. At this raising, a petition was drawn up and signed, asking the commissioners for a separate township organization. Mr. Hiram Pember, who now lives in Pem- berville, and whom we hope may be spared many years yet, gave the town- ship its name. At the following December session, the commissioners, Guy Nearing, James Wilkinson and John Pray, and John C. Spink, Auditor, heard the petition, and ordered the townslii]i set off in a separ- ate organization, and that an election be held at the house of Michael N. Myers, the first Monday of the following April. Freedom at that time was a part of Per- rysburg towiiship. It is in date of organ- ization, tlie sixth township in the coimty. Troy and Montgomery townships were organized at the same time, and held their first election on the same day. — C. W. Evers in Log Cabin Sketches. 176 THE PIONEER AN ATHLETE Battered Badly by a Mob of Stalwart aid Raffian Irishmen UNCLE GUY NEARING took a sub- contract from Contractor Beebe, on the Miami and Erie Canal. Con- tractor Beebe drew the money and ap- propriated it to his own use. He failed to pay Nearing, who was thereby ruined, having mortgaged his property. While his canal work was going on he became involved in a difficulty with some of the canal men, and while passing up the river with a team he was attacked by seven Irishmen with clubs. He whipped five of them, but had seven of his ribs broken and dislocati'd from the backbone, from the effects of which he died about a year after, in 1840. Before being taken down with the fever at Providence, he had nuide great preparation to take part in the big Harrison gathering at Fort Meigs. He had a buckeye log cut on Girt/s Island above Napoleon. The log was of large size and 50 feet long, which he sjnt to Fort Meigs. BITTEN BY A SNAKE After a Physician's Failure the Victim Cured by an Indiam IX tl)e year LS-iU, Antliony Ewing, a young lad, was bitten by a snake, and was badly poisoned. Doctor Conant of Maumee, was sent for, who came up to Waterville, and called for a guide to take him across the river over the Rapids. Noah Reed, then a boy, mounted a pony and brought the Doctor over. The boy was most terribly swollen and spotted, and Dr. Conant failed to give any relief. About this time an old Indian came over from the Indian village opposite. The Indian proposed to cure the lad for a gallon of whisky, and his proposition Avas readily agreed to. The Indian soon be- gan to gather some herbs, and adminis- tered his restorative to the boy. The cure was a sttccess. But the Indian con- cealed his operations in eifecting the cure from the white medicine man. Dr. Con- ant afterwards gave the Indian three gal- lons of whisky for his recipe. THE MAUMEE RIVER The Grand and Picturesque Stream Not What It Once Was THE glory of the Maumee with its pirogues, boatmen and fur traders; its Indian hunters and trappers with their canoes, peltries, pappooses and squaws, is a thing of the past. Even the sturgeon, muscalonge and ponderous cat- fisli of other days arc gone, and the waters of the old river, whose name is rich in Indian romance and historic lore — on whose banks the honor of our nation's flag and the fate of the great northwest liung in tlie balance, amid the clash of arms and roar of cannon, is now polluted and muddy from vast black alluvial de- posits sent in by the interminable cordon and net work of artificial water courses and ditches tributary to its channel. It is no longer its natural self. It is a destructive, raging, mad torrent to-day; to-morrow its naked rocks and unsightly, slimy bed scarce deserve the name of river. its pi'iniitive glory has gone and the i-!'(()llcci idiis of the river, as our fathers saw it, survive onlv as a memory. — C W. E. SCHAP-BOOK. 177 SIMON KENTON Probably No Frontiersman Had Ever Passed Through so Many Dangers IX the editorial correspondence of the Sentinel in June, 1876, we find the following from Eush Sylvania: Not far from this town is Rush Lake, and not far from that is the head waters of the Scioto and Mad rivers. Near by, too, the Auglaize, the head source of the Maumee, starts on its tortuous course to Lake Erie. It was on a high peak on this divide where Wayne's faithful scouts lay secreted and discovered the massing of the Indian forces under Little Turtle, to crush Mad Anthony, then marching his army to the Maumee country, as he had previously done to St. Clair. The wily chieftain, however, never got an op- portunity to ambush Wayne, nor ever caught him napping. Near by, too, is the site of the old Indian town of Wappatomica, now Zanesfiold, where is to be seen The Grave of Simon Kenton in a rude picket inclosure. ''Tread lightly ! This is hallowed ground, tread reverently here! Beneath this sod in silence sleeps the brave old pioneer Who never quailed in darkest hour, whose heart ne'er felt a fear." The iron nerve of this remarkable man during the soul trying adventures of 40 years' experience among hostile Indians in the wilds of Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio, would suffice for a regiment of ordinary heroes. During his captivity among the Indians, he was made to run the gauntlet eight times, and three times he was tied to the stake for torture by fire. At this very little town, Wappato- mica, he was once condemned to die. His face was painted black, and he had resigned himself to his fate. He sat tied hand and foot on the ground in the council house, surrounded by his savage persecutors, a dejected, friendless being. He understood not a word of what his fiendish captors said, but knew the dread- ful import of their proceedings. At that time a white man came in from a dis- tant expedition with some scalps and learned of the preparation for the torture of a white prisoner. He addressed the prisoner in English and asked him his name. When he heard Kenton's name he fell upon his neck and cried aloud. It was the Renegade, Simon Girty He and Kenton had been fast friends and scouts together in the Dunmore war. The Indian wamors looked on the scene with amazement. What a theme for an artist's brush the portrayal of that scene would afford, or what a startling stage scene. Girty, who was a bloodthirsty enemy of the whites, rose to his feet, and in the most earnest appeal to the savages in behalf of the prisoner, an old friend and brother whom he had not seen for many snows, succeeded in getting up a division of sentiment and saved the life of the prisoner, though a portion of the savages were crazy mad for the torture to go on. This is the only instance re- corded of Girty in which he showed mercy to a prisoner. In a few days thereafter Kenton was again condemned and sent to Sandusky for execution, but this time a British agent saved his life. It seems a little strange that the old hero should leave Kentucky in after life and settle down in the very village where his narrow escape from a horrid death occurred 40 years before. Perhaps this very fortunate escape made him regard tlie spot with a kindly feeling. November 8, 1900, a monument was unveiled at Mansfield, Ohio, in honor of "Johnny Appleseed," whose unselfish character made him so true to his mis- sion of planting nurseries and sowing the seeds of medicinal herbs in Ohio. 178 THE PIOXEER SHOCKING SUICIDE How Benjamin Waite Was Mentally Unbal- anced by the Possession of Too Much Money IX one of his Log Cabin Slcetches Mr. Evors relates the following : Soon after James Pembers arrival in 1836 in Freedom township, he purchased a tract of land from a man named Ben- jamin Waite, paying him for it $600, which sum proved to be the only per- ceivable cause for the uian's suicide. Xo sooner had Waite l)econie possessed of the money, tliau lie was seized with the insane belief that he was pursued by robbers. He counted and recounted his money. He grew to distrust his wife. She was no longer a safe guardian of his i^elf. Avaricious spirits and wood demons luuinted his footsteps in the for- ests, and red-hauded pirates haunted his fitful slundjers in apparitions more dreadful than the "si)ectre Ijridegroom.'' (Iloominess and nudanclioly gradually took the place of a once cheerful mind. On other matters he seemed right enough. But that he should be i'ol)l)ed he was certain, and notlung coiiM dissipate the delusion from his mind, and hnally he lost confidence in all cai-thly tilings ex- cept his dog. It was in this state of mind that he and his wife staitt'd back to Lorain county where they Jiad come from. The first night out they stopped at Sher- wood's tavern at Grt'cn Creek, Sandusky county, still pursued by robbers, as he thought. In the night, his wife missed him, and began to feel mieasy on account of his absence, but he returned and told her that he had been out to hide his money. As soon as it was light in the morning, she went with him to get it. He went nearly a mile as she thought, into the thick woods, as direct as if he had been following a path, where they found the dog tied to a bush with his master's necktu'. Xear by under a root he dug up the mon(y. ^^'hat seemed still stranger than all, was the fact of the night s being exceedingly dark and his being wholly unfamiliar with the woods. The next night they reached \'ermillion liver, where they stopped at a tavern again. His wife lay awake and watched him for a time. He seemed to be rest- ing well and finally overcome with weari- ness, she fell into a light sleep, only to be startled in a short time with a heavy fall on the floor, in the room where they slept. She instantly perceived that his phu-c in bed was vacant, and hastened to get a light. She found him lying on the floor, red with his own blood and with what little strength and life yet remained, he was still dealing himself deathly stabs with a butcher knife. One almost imagines the poor victim in the sajne state of mind as Foe, in Lenore: "Up from the damned earth. To friends aljovc, from fiends below, The indignant ghost is driven — From Hell unto a high estate J^'ar uj) within the Heaven — From grk'i and groan to a throne Beside the Kiuii" of Heaven." fifolden In li<() luigland was the most ad- \anced of ;ill the ages in constitutional liberty, Init when Ave Avent to war "For Xo Taxation Without Eepresentation" and created a new nation, we reached a higher plane in the advance of civiliza- tion. Jn the latter ])art of the Eighties a bill was introduced into congress and pushed to a vote. This bill provided means for erecting monuments to perpetuate the menujry of Perry's victory, Ft. Meigs, Ft. j\Iiami, Ft. Industry and the battle of Fallen Timber. This bill was finally stricken from tlu' appropriations bill. S('HA1>-H()()K. 179 WOOD COUNTY IN WAR Her Sturdy Boys Ever Ready to Respond to Their Country's Call to Arms WE have do data, at hand to give any account of volunteers, if any, J'roni Wood county during the Mexican war. a.< tlu' county was then sparsely settled, there Ijcing a population of not over lo.OOt) prohably in the entire county. But in the war of the rebellion, and that of the war with Spain she gave abund- ajit e\idence of her pah'iotisui and loyal- ty. In tlie War of the Rebellion, thous- ands of her sons enlisted in the various regiments, and hundreds gave their lives in the defence of their country. Her l)rave Ijoys were distrilnited in the 14th, •^Ist, 4i»tli. ."iotb, ruth. (iUli, l-^d, lOOth, l;)lst, llltii, 123d, 144th. isrnh. 18Gth, and 189tli regiments of Ohio A'olunteer Infantry. Aside from these Wood coun- ty had its representatives in cavalry, ar- tiHery, battery aiul naval service, while many of hei- sons wei-e enlisted in regi- inejit< from otliei- states. Then when the county had l)een well strij)})ed of its ahle-l)o(lie(l men, hundreds more, known as the "s(piiiTel huntt'rs" of 1S()2, has- tened to the ivlief of ('incinnati when threatened by the invasion of Kirby Smith and his rebel legions. Then in the war with S[);iin in 1898, Wood county furnished 222 nun in Com- panies H and K of the 2d Ohio Regi- ment. The Ijoys entered the service in April. 1898, and were mustered out in February. 1899, retui'iiing liome without a nuin missing. NEWSPAPER HISTORY The First Newspaper in the County These Publications Increase and Keep Pace with Its Progress THE first newspa})er published in A\'ood county was the ]\Iiami of the Lake, .lessup W. Scott, editor. The first numljer of this paper was issued Decem- bt'r 11. 1833, and the paper continued to l)e j)ublished under this mime imtil tlie 18th of August. 1838, when tlie 7iame was changed to The Ohio Whig and con- tinued under this name until the first of .lune, 1844, when the name was changed to the Fort Meigs Keveille aiul under this uanu' it was published till the 10th of ^larcJi. 18r)3, and was then changed to the Perrysburg -lournal. It was started as a Whig paper and so continued until the fall of 1854, Avhen the Republican party drove the old Whig party from the field. Tlu' Journal became an advocate of the principles of the Republican party, wiiich it continues to maintain. The next ])aper issued in Wood county was the Wood County Packet. This |iaj)i'r was Democratic in politics, and it was said to have been ably conducted during the brief ])eriod while it existed. It was stalled in the year 1838 or 1839, and closed in the year 1841, or imme- diately after the memorable hard-cider and coon-skin campaign. Soon after another Democratic j)aper started at Perrysburg al)out the year 1845, but there remains nothing from which its history can be learned. In the year A.D., 1853, Albert D. A\'right commenced the publication of the Xorth AVestern Democrat, a Demo- cratic pajHT. as its nanu' indicates. The first issue of this i)a|)er was on the 22d of May. 1852. and ^li-. Wright continued ihe puhlical ion until his death by choh'ra in the summer of 1854. At the resumption of business after the cholera, the pul)licatio]i of the jSTorth Western Democrat was resumed and its 180 THE PIONEER publication continued till the 22d of January, 1855, when the name was changed to the Maumee Valley Democrat, and continued to be published under that name until September 3, 1857, when the name was again changed and from that time to the 7th of October, 1858, it was published under the name of The Democrat, when for want of support its publication ceased. In the year 1862 the Independent was started at Perrysburg, and continued to be published when it was removed to Toledo and the name changed to the Democratic Eecord. The Buckeye Granger, a paper as its name sufficiently indicates, was started at Perrysburg on the 10th of November, 1874, for the purpose of advocating the principles and advancing the interests of the "Grangers." It was neutral in politics, but finally became the Demo- cratic organ of the county, continuing as such until its collapse. The contest between Perrysburg and Bowling Green in the year 1866, over the removal of the county seat, called into existence the Advocate at Bowling Green, the publication of which was discontin- ued a short time after the election in the above named year. In January, 1867 the first number of the Sentinel was is- sued and subsequently the name was changed to the Wood County Sentinel. This paper from the beginning advocated the principles of the Republican party. In the fall of 1874, J. D. Baker com- menced the publication of the Wood County Democrat, but discontinued after about four months, and sold the press to Bowling Green parties, who began the pu1)Iication of the Wood County News, in May, 1875, and which paper had a lively existence until in November, after the election, and at the age of six months the News office was merged with the Wood County Sentinel, and was numbered among the things that were. The Weston Avalanche. The first is- sue of this paper was on the 3d of June, 1874, and the publication continued till 1875, when it ceased, and shortly after the Weston Free Press was started to take its place. The New Baltimore Enterprise was commenced in March, 1875, and its suc- cessor, the Wood County Democrat was issued in December, 1878, by D. E. & B. L. Peters. In 1880 it passed into the hands of Wm, B. and Russell T. Dobson; in July, 1889, Henry Holter- man took the paper and in September, 1890, Henry S. Chapin became the pro- prietor, and continues its publication up to the present time. D. C. Van Voorhis became connected with the paper in 1892, and is still with the paper. The Demo- crat was published as a daily in the campaigns of 1894 and 1896. It has a wide circulation throughout the county. Other papers that have had a brief existence in Bowling Green, were the Bowling Green Journal, The Wood Coun- ty Republican, The Bowling Green News, Wood County Agitator, The Reporter, The Wood County Gazette, The Daily Gazette, The Wood County News, The Wood County Free Press, Besides these other papers in the coun- ty are The North Baltimore Times, suc- cessor to the Bairdstown Times, The Bloomdale Derrick, Wood County Tri- bune, Evening Tribune, Weston News, Weston Avalanche, The Free Press, The Weston Reporter, The Weston Herald, Pemberville Independent, Pemberville Brick Block, Pemberville Reporter, Wood County Index, Pemberville Leader, Pem- berville Presbyterian, Farm and Fireside, Grand Rapids Triumph, The Cygnet Globe, The Cygnet Gusher, The Christian Review, Tontogany Weekly Herald, The Weekly Graphic, The Bradner News, Prairie Depot Observer, and The Brad- ner Advocate. SCEAP-BOOK. 181 A HORRIBLE TRAGEDY A Crazed Wife Kills Her Husband in Milton Township in 1836 ME. HUTCHINSON'S first work as Constable in Milton township was summoning a jury to hold an inquest over the body of a man by the name of Simmons, who was killed by his wife in the spring of 1836, and who lived on a place in the northeast corner of Jack- son township, at that time a part (^f Milton. Mr. Simmons had moved there with his family against the wishes of his wife. She disliked the dismal situation as it then was, and in brooding over her condition her mind probably became de- ranged. Several times she made the at- tempt to run away, but each time was brought back by her husband. She at last, as she afterwards expressea it, re- solved "to get rid of her husband" and go back to her old home, and therefore watched her opportunity. One Sunday morning Mr. Simmons rose early, built a fire, and then laid down to rest for a while on a bed containing his three chil- dren and went to sleep. His wife, evi- dently perceiving a good time to carry out her purpose, arose, took a broad-ax from under her bed and with one blow literally cut his head off. The jury sum- moned found a verdict in accordance with the foregoing facts, and Mrs. Sim- mons was afterwards taken to an asylum, wliere, after lingering some time, death ]mt to rest the crazed brain. WILLARD V. WAY A Pioneer Lawyer and One of the Wealthy Men of Wood County ME. EVERS, in 1875, gave an ex- tended sketch of Willard V. Way, who died at his home in Perrysburg in the latter part of August of that year, at the age of 68. Mr. Evers says: Mr. Way was born in Otsego county, New York, in 1807, and was a graduate of Union College, after which he read law for a time, when he removed to Paines- ville, Ohio, finished his law studies and located in Perrysburg in the year 1834. Mr. Way was an attorney by profession and though not an eloquent jury lawyer he attained the reputation of being an excellent and safe counselor. He held several county offices, among others that of Auditor and in every position he oc- cupied he showed both care and ability. He was at an earlier day a politician of consider;! l)lo foresieht and sagacitv and did more probably than any other man to l)uild up the Democratic party in Wood county. On the authority of Mr. Michael Hays, an early Democratic associate of Mr. Way, the latter was a leader in the party and a convention had been called at which Mr. Way was a candidate for the State Senate. The convention folks from the river were coming out in a two horse wagon and had stopped at the Strickland place to "take something." About this time John C. Spink, the leading Whig spirit of the county, drove up and asked Mr. Hays to get in his buggy and ride out with him. Mr. Hays said to Spink, "What are you going out to a Democratic Convention for?" "To raise the devil," said Spink, and sure enough, remarks Mr. Hays, he did raise the devil. Way got mad at the way things went and was further irritated at his defeat, by what he considered unfair means in the Senatorial Convention. Mr. Hays says that he was never more surprised than when a few days after Way rode along 1»y liis place in company 182 THE IMOXEER with Asher Cook wlio \v;is tlini reading law with liini and cidled ]Iavs to him and said with niiicli warmth of feeling, "Hays, I have huilt iij) the Demoeratic part}' in Wood county and now so help me G — d I will tear it down."' In later years he acted with tlic Tvepid^lican party. It is estimated tliat liis real estate alone is worth $80, 000 and his estate is estimated at $ir)0,000 to $175,000. He was of a literary turn of mind and took a great interest in educational matters and the pioneer history of tlie Valley. He ".vrote and ])id)lished in pamphlet form a history of the "]\Iichigan War," an amusing and ratlicr interesting ac- eonnt of the Stale boundary line eontest. Shortly after Ids local imi on the Man- mee Mr. Way returned to Buffalo and uuirried ]Mrs. Sophia Hodge. Jn his will the Union Sehool of Per- rysburg in perpetuity is given $."),000, the interest of which is to go toward defray- ing the College expense of some well reeonnnended graduate of said schools. His homestead and six villagt' lots are left in custody of his wife, so long as she lives, then it goes to the town for a public park. $l.j,000 is set apart as a |)er])etual fund, the interest only of which can ])e used in the support of the library. All the rest of the proceeds of the estate may be used in the purchase of a lot and the construction of a suitable build- ing and the ])urchase of hooks as and in such mannei- as the town Council may think best, but for ]io other jmrpose. THE WOODBURY HOUSE The True Story of This Building, Once Fa- mous in Wood County History IX a letter to the Wood County Repub- lican, C. W. Evers, at the request of the editor, gave the following facts regarding the Woodbury House, correct- ing the many prevalent errors regarding it. ^[r. Evers says: The village of Woodbury was surveyed and platted by Hiram Davis, a pioneer surveyor of ^Vood county, ]\Iay 4, 1837, for John Thompson, Henry B. Gibson and Jal)ez B. Larwell. The location was at a point where the east and west line dividing Liberty and Hcni-y townships. Wood county, intersects the Fiiullay pike. Two years prior to the sur\-ey or in 1835, a postoffice had been established, kept in a log store room by Jose])h Tliompson. After the survey (icneral Thoin])son built the frame house which has becji the theme of so many stories uncanny and otherwise. After (ienei-al Thompson's dream of a city growing up there had been dissipated l)y a few wet, sickly sea- sons, the house stood vacant at times for want of a tenant, and seems to liave only l)een occu])ied l)y some chance comer who liad no other jdace. to go. Xow you know how soon a liouse of this sort will, deservedly perhaps, get a bad name — get "haunted," etc. Some time in the 60's, it burned to the ground, no doubt by design of some one to abate a nuisance. The postoffice was moved about in the settlement still retaining the name "Woodl)ury" until 1876, when it was di'opped from the rolls and is now only a I'cuiiniscence. So f;ii- as can be verified 1)v historical records or by Indian traditicm, thi' ^liami tribe of Indians were the original "pioneers" of the Maumee A'alley. They wi're always true to the coivlidence re- posed in them, and in their chiefs, from tinu' inini.iiiorial, v.'v're second in ability to I'.oir' ()'' t!r ir time. SCHAr-BOOK. 1.S3 A NIGHT WITH INDIANS Intense Hatred and Jealousy of a Savage Inspired by Whisky JF. DUBBS of Milton township, in • 1883, furnished a startling incident for ^Ir. Evers' sketches. He said that I in February of the year 1838, his uncle. John Duhbs, lived in a cabin in Jackson township, and he lived with him, Ijcing- a small boy at tliat time. A lad named Simmons about my age also lived there. Tlu're was an Indian slianty on liis uncle's land occupied l)y four Indians, [ t\A'o men and two squaws: tlie men were brothers: John and Bol) were their names : the old S([uaw was the mother of the two men. the young squaw was Bob"s wife. She was young and hand- soiru'. and Bol) was. very ])roud of his wife. John was always nuul at Bob be- cause he had a wife and he, John, had none, 'i'he day preceding the night iji (pu'stion, it had snowed about eight inches dee]) and tiu'ned very cold. :\Ir. Dubbs says : " About 9 o'clock at night the Indian family came to our cabin and asked for admittance, for they were very cold. I'ncle John opened the door. I can look back through the mists of time and see those Indians walk in with their blankets around them and with their knives in their belts. The men were over six feet tall and built in proportion. They took their seats around the fire place while we occupied the back part of the cabin. All was quiet for a little while. A man l)y the name of Rowan had a notion store and kept whisky a])out one mile from our cabin. The Indians had been there and procured a jug of whisky, of which they had par- taken quite freely. When they began to thaw out the whisky began to take effect, and caused the spirit of Cain to rise in John, so he wanted to slav his brother, for he hated him because he had a wife. All at once the stillness was broken by Indian John jjouncing upon Bob with all the fierceness of a tiger, grappling him by the throat and felling him to the floor, smashing Ibe chair on which he was sitting: tiicn the squaws took sides with Bob; they were all in a pile before the fire. The fight was fierce, but Bob soon cried murder I lie said John has a knifi' and will kill me. Uncle dolm Hnhhs no soonei' ln'anl this than be ordered us to open the door, which we did: then he sprang and caught Big John l)y tlu' legs and lumblcd him heels over lu'ad cmt of the cabin. Uncle -lohn lit on top of him. and told him if he didn't lav still he would kill h.im in a minute. I'ncle John held him by the hands and told Simmons and me to run to the stable and bring his plow lines, which we did quick as we could in the dark. Soon Big .lohn was thoroughly hound from lu'ad to foot. Then Uncle John began lo feel that he Avas nu)narch once more and ihat the red man had no business his rights to dispute: he told Simmons and me to go and bring sonu' straw which we did. and he rolled Big John in the straw, and said, now lay thei-e and freeze' until you can behave yourself. The cold soon made John beg hard to he let loosv : be said "nu^ be good Injin, lite no more." When he was i)unished enough Uncle dohn let him loose aiul sent tlu'iu home to their shanty. It being now about twt'hc o'clock, and the excitement (d' the evening hei:ig over, we retired to rest. We had not been in hml mort' than trie hour when the dogs l)egan to bar'k and soon the piteous cries of some one was heard at tlie door pleading to be let in. Uncle John's ])atience being pretty well exhausted he yelled at the top of his voice for them to go home and not bother him any more. But the cries continued more ])itiful, saying John has 184 THE PIONEER most killed me and I will die if you do not let me in. By this time the whole house was aroused again, and Uncle John got up and struck a light and opened the door, and there stood the young and once beau- tiful squaw with her face literally cut to pieces. She was covered with blood from head to foot, and nearly frozen, the cold causing her wounds to bleed very profusely. Uncle John and the girls warmed some water and washed and dressed the wounds the best they could. I think there were about four or five bad cuts on her face and head. She soon felt better, and said she guess John kill Bob. The girls got her something to eat, and it was so near morning it was not worth while to go to bed again. Soon as it was daylight Uncle John took the squaw and started to the shanty to see the slaughter there which he ex- pected to find, but to his surprise he found the old squaw, John and Bob all laying with their feet toward the fire sound asleep. He woke them up and told John what he had done, and how he had broken his promise, and now they must leave his place, and never come back, which orders they promptly obeyed, and we never saw this Indian family any more. THE BLACK SWAMP A Region Once So Dreaded Now the Garden Spot of Ohio YEARS ago, when the tide of emigra- tion was strongly settling to the then Western States of Michigan, Illinois and Iowa, no locality, says the Toledo Blade, was better known or more dreaded than the "Black Swamp." The limits of this "Swamp" were never very well de- fined, l)ut the largest part of it is em- braced in Wood county. At the time when this "Black Swamp" was enjoying its reign of terror, prior to the construc- tion of Western Reserve & Maumee Stone Road, movers passing from the East to the West found tlio greatest difficulty in going from the Portage river, at Wood- ville, to till' ^launiee river, at Perrys- burg. While all of this distance was not properly "Swamp," two or three stone ridges rising out of tlic mud and water to cheer tlu' weary traveler, the greater portion of ihc fiflcrn mile? was emphati- cally a "Swam])," covci-cd with water nine months in the year, and affording almost bottomless mud and mire from January first to December thirty-first. Old settlers relate many amusing inci- dents connected with travel through the "Swamp" in those days, and the hard- ships endured by "movers" can probably never be too strongly colored. "Taverns" were located along the line of the travel- ed road in great numbers, not more than one-half a mile or a mile apart. It is related as a fact that "movers" would frequently travel hard each day for three days in succession and put up at the same "tavern" each night. It was called "Black Swamp" because the soil was l)lack, and it was exceedingly difficult to ]iass through it, because this black soil, or loam, was of great depth and thorough- ly impregnated with lime, forming a tough, waxy mud which would adhere to the wheels of wagons with great tenacity. But things have changed, and that which years ago was regarded as a great curse, is to-day esteemed the greatest l)lessing. Clearing up the land and ditching it, ha? redeemed the "Black Swam|»," and tlie soil to-day is unsur- passed for ])roduetivcuess. It is easily SCRAP-BOOK. 185 tilled and yields tlic largest crops of grain and the best samples of fruits. The "Black Swamp" farmers see no evi- dences of the once dreaded "Swamp," except in the deep, rich, black loam into which their plows sink and which yields such abundant returns for the husband- man's labors. Artificial drainage has ac- complished what natural drainage has failed to effect, and the "Black Swamp" to-day, where properly under-drained and provided with ditches, will stand a drought or a flood better than any other section of Ohio. The land is much stronger than it possibly could have been but for the level surface of the earth, which gave it the appearance of a vast "Black Swamp." HULL'S SURRENDER Graphic Description of the Event Hull an Imbecile from Drink GEN. SANDER SOX, who was pres- ent at the surrender thus describes the situation : It was late in May, 1812, when General Hull arrived at our camp at Dayton, and Governor Meigs relinquished command. A few days after we were on the march for Detroit. The road was a difficult one to travel, but by the aid of efficient guides, and the protection of Divine Providence we arrived safely at our des- tination, after much suffering and many stoppages on the way. For nearly two months after our arrival, we engaged in the performance of no extraordinary military duty the general routine of camp life being the order from day to day. In August the British and Indians arrived, and soon after the scene occurred which produced such indignation at the time, and about which histories do not agree. My company, belonging to Cass' regi- ment, was surrendered with all the Ohio volunteers. Miller's regulars, and a large force of militia. I shall never forget the scenes which then transpired. My opin- ion of General Hull's conduct, formed at the time (and events since have not changed it) was, that General Hull was an imbecile — not a traitor or a coward but an imbecile, caused by the excessive use of ardent spirits. He was a constant and heavy drinker. On the day before the surrender, his son, Captain Abraham F. Hull, came among my men in a beastly state of intoxication. On the day of the surrender I saw General Hull frequently. His face about the chin and mouth was covered with tobacco Juice, and I thought, in common with other officers, that the General was under the influence of liquor. His personal ap- pearance indicated that he had been drinking. The general was surrounded, in camp by a military family, the mem- bers of which were fond of high living, wines, liquors, etc. I know us poor vol- unteers wondered how they could keep up such luxuries, but our surgeon relieved my mind by informing me one day that Hull's officers drew all the liquors from the hospital stores, on continued com- ])laint of illness, Hidl's surgeon (one of the party) certifying to the requisitions. When the news of the surrender was known to the troops, they were scarcely able to restrain their indignation. Hun- dreds of horrible oaths and threats as- cended, whicli I hope has not been set down by the "Recording Angel." Mc- Arthur broke his sword, as did other offi- cers. General Hull was repeatedly in- sulted to his face, and soon hid himself away. The members of his military fam- ily, especially the General's son Abraham, received some pretty tall abuse from us Ohioans. After the surrender and before the enemy had entered, many officers, myself among the number, implored Colonel Fii)(ll;iv to take command of the ISC) THE PIOXEER AiiK'ric-aii forces, ami resist tlie enem}', but hr declined. (_*olonel Jas. Miller was importuned the same as Findlay, but lie was unwilling to assume the responsibil- it}', saying- as near as I can recollect, "Matters have gone too far, but had Gen- eral Hull signified to me his intention of surrendering, I would have assumed command, and defended the fort to the last." ^lilk'r would liavc done so and so would McAi-tluu' had he heeji in the fort. Some littli' tini(^ affei- Hull had order- ed the white flag, August 16, 1812, Col- onel Isaac Brock, the British command- er, entered the fort attended bv his staff and several Indian chiefs. The Ameri- can troops were ordered to the parade ground and there piled up their muskets, swords. [)islols, knives, cartridge boxes, etc. A heavy guard was placed over us, and we were then sent to the "citadel" where we were kept until released on parole. Hull and the regular officers were sent to Quehec. A MADMAN'S FRENZY Orson Cross, a Veritable Demon, and His Remarkable Recovery After 20 Years' Confinement IX the old Pcrrysburg jail when the insane patients of Wood county were confined in it, a stalwart middle-aged num with dark hair and beard was con- fined in the first cell near the entry to the crazy department, and few who ever saw him in his crazy frenzy with that demoniac expression of the eye which at times seemed to emit fire while his mouth was choaked with foam, will have for- gotten it. He was one of the most dan- gerous men ever put under lock and key. When in a frenzy his ' rage knew no bounds and his strength seemed almost superhuman and he exerted both to the direst extent on any obji'ct willii)! his grasp. On (jue occasion he dragged a young dog through the bars of the cell door, crushed its head on the l)rick floor and licked up the blood. C. C. Baird, who was then Deputy Sheriff and jailer, as- sisted by the best man he could select, undertook the dangerous job of entering his cell. iMr. Baird sot his head serious- ly hurt with an iron vessel with which Cross assailed them, roaring the mean- wliiU' like a lion. At another time he got a new hat be- longing to another patient, in his cell and refust'd to let it be taken out. It took the strength of two men to force the door open which he held with all his strength, until of a sudden he let loose when both came i}i nearly falling on their knees. Cross instantly grappled one of the men, pushing him over the iron bedstead against the wa|l while the other seized hold of the mad nuin's throat with an iron grip. His eyes ]irotruded from their sockets and his tongue from his mouth, and his face grow bhu-k l)efore he released his grasp on the man, which he finally did citinpletely exhausted, after which he was docile as was iuAai-iablv the case when overiiowered. Cross seemed to pass through three stages or paroxysms of insanity. During the first he was ferocious, noisy and dan- gei'ous, sleepless and moving nearly all the time like a caged bt'ast, muttering constantly to himself, more especially re- peating in a disconnected way a portion of the multi])lication fable, but no mat- ter what the inimbers multiplied he al- ways got around to the same product, 27. He dwelt especially on numbers 9 and 27. During this time he ate nothing. THE HARRISON WELL Which Supplied the Garrison with Water, Fort Meigs SCKAP-BOOK. 189 and these spells lasted sometimes for a number of days. At such times he would break all the glass from the window if he could get a stick to reach through the bars, and push his bedding out no matter how cold the weather. The next stage was a long, almost deathlike sleep, from which it was nearly impossible to arouse him. Then followed a wakeful stupor in which he was sullen and cross, and in which he remained for some time, and during which time he had a ravenous appetite. From this he would come to his natural self, in which he was agreeable, talkative, and a pitiful being to behold. His pale, emaciated, implor- ing look would excite sympathy in the coldest heart. At such times he was frequently allowed to spend an hour or so in the open air in a back yard inclosed by a high fence. This of course was somewhat risky, as his spells of frenzy did not recur regularly. One afternoon Mr. Baird requested him to come in, which ordinarily he did with the sub- missiveness of a child, but this time he told Baird to go to h — 1. Mr. Baird was powerless to compel him to do so, nor dare he leave a moment for the safety of his family. Cross was already frothing at the mouth. In the dungeon part of the jail among the prisoners was a powerfully built Irishman Named Pat Shady Charged with robbery. Baird closed the front doors and called Shady out. Cross closed in with him the moment he came into the yard. It was the struggle be- tween two giants. Cross was, before his troubles and disease, the best wrestler in Wood county, and was struggling with all the fury and wild energy of a mad man. Shady, who was not a whit his inferior in size or strength, was nerved by the hideous appearance of his an- tagonist. After a terrific struggle of some minutes, Cross threw Shady, but the Irishman proved stronger when down than on his feet even, and turned Cross by main strength, at which time Baird came to his assistance and they got the infuriated man to his cell. The cause of his insanity is something of a mystery as is usually the case. About 30 years before he was a hale, hearty young man and we believe in the employ of E. W. Kelly, on his farm near Millgrove and not far from where the Cross people lived. It was thought that he injured himself while wrestling one night at a spelling school. He was Sent to Newburg Asylum Where he was the terror of the institu- tion, and from which place he was sent back to Wood county as incurable, and was confined in a cell in jail from the time of Sheriff: Guyer's term until the establishment of the Wood county infir- mary, to which he was removed in 1867. Here he was kept in the same manner until the Northwestern Asylum near To- ledo was established, when he was re- moved there and put under care of Dr. Wright, who sent him out a well man. And he has been back to visit some of his relatives, and is now at work in Michi- gan, or perhaps at the Asylum, for wages. Wright, we hear, discovered the cause of his insanity to be in the derangement of his stomach, and by watching closely the approach of his paroxysms and ad- ministering powerful cathartics followed by other treatment, succeeded in break- ing the force of his attacks until he finally showed no further bad symptoms. This would seem to be strong proof of the astonishing and sympathetic relation of the brain and stomach, and is one of the most remarkable recoveries we have ever heard of. In his 20 years of prison life, confine- ment, exposure and abuse of health and the reversal of all laws of health, he had endured that which would have killed 99 men in every hundred. He is to-day to all appearances, a well man of sound mind. — From Evers' Log Cabin Sketches. 100 NOTED BEAR HUNT Fifty- Five Years Ago in the Black Swamp Over 200 Miles Chase in Four Days and Nights 1^' the Sontiiid in 1881, Wm. E. Ca- rothers gives an interesting account of a strenuous bear bunt in December, 1854, with Jim RoAvLmd. In three days they had captured and killed two bears weighing over 400 pounds each. After letting their dogs rest a day, they started on the last day's hunt which is thus de- scribed l)y Carothers: We started early in the morning, and for a time the dogs left iis far in the rear, 1)ut we could discover traces of fre- quent fierce conflicts, and a little after noon -the dogs Avere crowding the game hard. The bear's feet Ave re so torn and lacerated on the bottoms, that he left blood in every track. We Avere now ap- proaching the Jackson prairie or swamp, the skirts of Avhicb Avere covered with Avind-fall and dense brush and thickets, all bent over every Avhich Avay by the lodged snoAv. Into this old bruin plunged. It Avas next to impossible for a man to get through this place. When Ave at last reached the o]X'n space be- Aond wt' canu' in full view of the dogs and game in a savage contest. Bruin Avas on a log that lay up from the ground, mopping and striking at the dogs, Avhicli Ave re closed up in a circle all around him. It Avas one of the most Avild, exciting, sporting scenes a hunter could Avish to see. The dogs would either pull the bear off the log or cause him to jump from it, Avhen they Avould all attack him and the snoAV would fly in clouds. The fierce groAA'ls and groans of rage of the bear could be heard above the din raised l»y the dogs, Avhich Avas deafening. Prettv soon old bruin madc^ a savage THE PIONEER rally and l)roke from his blood-thirsty tormentors, hut within a fcAV rods had again taken to a log. Rowland and I liad rushed up Avith all possible haste. • lim. Avho Avas Avatching Avith great anx- iety, expecting every moment to see a dog killed, suddenly stopped and leveled his rifle, and Ave saw the bear tmnble off to the far side of the log. Every dog bounced him instantly. Jim began re- loading; l)ut Avhat was our consternation when Ave heard one of the dogs giving a terrible cry of distress and saw the shaggy, bhu'k l)east standing on his hind legs, with one of the best dogs in his deadly end)race, Avhile with one paw he was beating and cri^ipling the dogs Avith frightful ferocity. I rushed up within ■^!) feet unnoticed by the bear, and shot liim in the head, killing him instantly. The dogs all laid hold of the beast with terrible vengeance and fully satiated their wrath for all the trouble and cuffs and bites they had suffered. I took off my hat and yelled loud and long, and ne\'er felt better in my life; and though Ibe weatlier was pretty cold I seemed to be faii'ly meliing and .the steam rose from my liead in wreatlis bigb as the tri'e tops. We were, dogs and all, pretty Avell used up: tbe poor ])rutes lay doAvn and licked tbeir bbxHiy feet, and had hard work to get bome : they would lay down and whin<' and wag their tails as if in the greatest distress. This bear Avas a fine tliree-year-old, and Aveiglied about 400 pounds. Althougli I have done some hunting ' since, that Avas my last bear hunt and it Avas about the last of RoAvland's hunt- ing. He told me years after that he never got over the effects of that chase — that it Avas more than flesh and bone could endure. Jim was almost a man of iron. Closely knit, compact, large- boned, l)road-chested, actiA'e as a deer, strong and with an endurance in his vounger davs almost incredible, he had S("I{AP-B()()K. 1!)1 few tMjuals as a woodsman aiul hunter; lorts to the verv IV'wcst and [)lainest. 1 can now tliink of one otlier, his brother, '1 he cares incident to a hixurions state Bob Kowhnid. oT living, the turmoil of l)nsiness, the Providence seemed to liavr allot te(l frivolities of fashion, the struggle for so- each man bis proper sphere in the great cial supi-emacy, wvw unknown to those universe, and tliis class of men — tbe early })i()neers. Tbcy lived more for pioneers of the Black Swamp, bravely eacb otlier tliau people do now. but tbcv and faithfully fultilled. their mission. were only llie loiT-i-uniiers of a liigber The law-of necessitv gauged, all their com- civilization. A GHASTLY CRIME Carl Bach Hanged for the Murder of His Wife— One of the Most Brutal in History of Wood County Crime OX the night of the lUth of October, 1881, Carl Bach, a farmer of Clif- ton township, most savagely murdered his wife, which was the culmination of a long period of domestic discord. On the morning of the 11th, the murderer \oluntarily walked to Bowling Green and surrendered himself to the sheriff. The Sentinel of October 1"2, 188;], says when the coroner reached the scene of the murder, in the middle of the room in a pool of 1)1 ood, lay the body of a woman, covered with a sheet. The iloor, walls and ceiling were smeared and be- spattered with l)lood ; giblets of liesli, tufts of hair, brains and lingers were scattered over the floor. On lifting the bloody sheet from the body the sight was still more shocking. The back part of the woman's head was all hacked to a jelly. The left shoulder had been nearly severed by one terrific Idow. The side of the head was cut open from the mouth back. An arm was near- ly cut off and several fingers were severed on one of the hands. Such a horrible butchery it would be hard to paint in the imagination. The woman when llrst attacked lay in bed with her six-year-old child, and to her struo-gles to avoid the inurderous blows and get free, is partly attributable liei- strangely mangled con- dition, and tbe blood marks of her bands on tbe wall. She was doubtless dead befcu'e the infuriate(l murdei'iT ceased hacking her body. With his thi-ee children, aged 1:1. 1 I and (i years, lie sle])t until iiinrning in an adjoining room and very early in the morning he took the children to the house of a neighbor, Mr. Ileinzie, about a mile distant. He told what he had done — that he had killed his wife and that he must go to Bowling (ireen and give himself u}). and requested Mr. Heinzie to take care of the children aiul left with him also a sum of nioni'y for the burial of his wife. Mr. Fleiiizie was startled at his strange conduct and dis- l)elieved his shocking story, but told some of the neigbliors and togethei' they went to the house and found their woi'sl fears more than confirmed. On the .-)th of February. ISS'.'. Bach was indicted for wilful murdei". The trial took place in .hme, ISS-j. and on the Kith of that month he was found guilty as charged, and sentenced to be hanged October 13, 1882. Bach's counsel prepared a bill of ex- ceptions and a short time prior to the time set foi- the execution, filed a mo- tion in tbe Supreme court for leave to file a petition in error. The motion be- ing argued was sustained by the court and a stay of ])rocwdings granted until the hearing of tlu' petition at the January term 188:!. at which time the judii'inent 192 THE PIONEER of the court of Common Pleas was re- versed for the reason that said court erred in empanelling the jury. The cause was thereupon remanded for a new trial and at the February term, 1833, of Wood Common Pleas, it was ordered to be again placed on the trial docket of said court, and assigned for trial at the May term thereof, viz: on the 11th day of June, 1883, when the second trial be- gan, and on the 27th of that month the jury brought in a verdict of guilty. He was then sentenced, and on the 12th day of October, 1883, Carl Bach paid the extreme penalty of his crime, being the second and last murderer hanged in Wood county. A STRANGE STORY Woman Finds Her Father After a Separation of Over 30 Years A NUMBER of years ago the Sentinel related an incident regarding an intelligent, plainly dressed woman, above the middle age, who arrived from an eastern state and stopped at one of the Bowling Green hotels. She looked up a livery man and after making some in- quiries about prices, she made cautious inquiry for a family whose name need not be given. The livery man knew several persons of that name in the south part of the county, and together they started, and after some inquiry found the man for whom she searched. The balance of the story as reluctantly told by the lady herself is this: Thirty-six years before that time, when she was a child six or seven years old, she lived with her father and mother on a beauti- ful stream beyond the Alleghanies. She had several brothers and sisters, but she was the favorite of her father. A dark cloud and domestic unhappiness came over the household and her father fled and became lost to his family entirely. The mother obtained a divorce and mar- ried again. The children grew up and married one after another, and finally the subject of this sketch became a widow. Some months before her arrival she accidentally heard of a man of the same name as her long lost father, and from some circumstance related she was more than half convinced that it must be he and that he lived in Wood county, Ohio. With a woman's curiosity and tenacity of purpL