ORY SKETCHES

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In Memory of
JOY CURTIS BOURNIQUE
Yale 1918
from the fund established in 1924
by his father
EUGENE A. BOURNiqUE

STATE CAPITOL.

OHIO

HISTORY SKETCHES

PREPARED AND PUBLISHED BY
F. B. PEARSON and J. D. HARLOR

COLUMBUS
Press of Fred. J» Heer
1903

COPYRIGHTEE 1903
BY
F. B. PEARSON AND J. D. HARBOR

£n3.!7

PREFACE.
THIS book is intended for all who love Ohio and take
pride in what she has wrought for civilization during
the first century of her life as a state. It is hoped
that the School, the Home, and the Library may find it
helpful in their work of sowing seeds from the garnered
sheaves of Ohio history, to the end that the coming years
may bring forth even more abundantly of all that makes for
good citizenship. As will be seen, it is largely a compila
tion. Thus, while we are reviewing the names and deeds of
those whose work is done, we are able to catch a glimpse
of some of the noble band of workers who are still doing
good service to make the name of Ohio illustrious. If thit
book shall serve the double purpose of arousing a deep interest
in the Past and a generous appreciation of the Present its
mission will have been accomplished.
To all who have contributed to these pages our thanks
are given without stint, as also to the Ohio Archaeological
and Historical Society for the use of illustrations and to
Mr. C. L. Martzolff and Prof. Frank V. Irish for like cour
tesies. F. B. Pearson,
J. D. Harlor.
(ill)

INTRODUCTION.

THE centennial anniversary of the admission of Ohio into
the Union is an event which should interest every
school boy and girl in our great State. There is nothing
better calculated to arouse the patriotism of our youths and
incite them to the duties of good citizenship than the study
of our National history. The story of the building of the
Buckeye State is a very large
and important part of our Na
tional history. It has been
said that that nation is the
most happy which has had the
least history. However true
that may be as to other peo
ples, I do not believe it is true
of the American people. Our
history should make us happy
and proud, for it is a great
and glorious one. While the:
main events of our National
history are associated with the
early colonies and first thirteen
states, yet Ohio, or rather that
part of the country out of which Ohio came, is suggestive in
romantic and thrilling narrative. Ohio was the first of the
five great states to be created out of the Northwest Territory,.
a territory which was designed by Congress as a great section.
of the National domain which was to be free from the curse
of slavery, and be specially dedicated to education and to
religious freedom. It is important also to remember that the-
original states in the Union required in the fundamental law
— ordinance of 1787 — that states thereafter organized out
of this territory should forever remain a part of the Confed
eracy of the United States of America.
During the period of the Revolution even, the section
afterwards made Ohio was the field for historic and important
(v)

VI . INTRODUCTION.
events. Every school boy and' girl should read the deeds of
bravery performed by the frontiersmen in the then vast wil
derness lying between the Ohio and the chain of lakes. The
contest between the red men and the advancing white men
was the prelude to the establishment of a remarkable civiliza
tion. This territory was the rallying center for the colonists
of New England, the Puritans from Connecticut and Massa
chusetts, the Quakers and the Scotch-Irish from Pennsyl
vania, the Cavaliers from Virginia, the huntsmen and back
woodsmen from Kentucky. All contributed of their racial traits
and character in laying the foundation for the Buckeye State.
It was the scene of great military adventures like the expedi
tions of George Rogers Clark, of Captain William Crawford,
Generals Harmar, St. Clair and Anthony Wayne. The career
of Ohio after its admission into the Union is one which we
may proudly contemplate ; its influence in our National affairs,
its contribution of soldiers to the Northern army in the great
Rebellion, and in the Spanish war, its innumerable list of
great men who have participated in the various departments
of our National government, are all items that our school
children should learn and appreciate.
Its study will make them not only better Buckeyes but
better Americans. It was a happy thought, the idea of pub
lishing a volume giving, in a series of short distinct papers,
the leading events that led to the formation of our State,
and sketches of the leading men who have figured in its
history, and the history of our Nation. The soil of Ohio has
produced five of its illustrious presidents, Grant, Hayes, Gar
field, Harrison, McKinley. How can our young people better
learn the lessons taught by the example of youthful struggle,
noble effort and lofty achievements than by the study of the
lives of these statesmen and patriots? The school people
¦of this state are to be congratulated that such a volume as
Ohio History Sketches is to be placed within their reach.
May they profit by the instruction and inspiration which it
will impart.

January i, 1903.

CONTENTS.

PAGE
Introduction. Hon. George K. Nash, Governor of Ohio v
The Mound Builders. Hon. E. O. Randall, Secretary
of Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society,
Professor of Law, Ohio State University, and Su
preme Court Reporter  1
The Northwest Territory. Hon. E. O. Randall  12
Manasseh Cutler  27
The Ordinance of 1787. John W. Mackinnon, Superin
tendent of Schools,, Bellefontaine, Ohio  33
The Land Grants in Ohio. U. S. Brandt  43
Arthur St. Clair. Charles S. Wood, Author of "Alice
and Her Two Friends" and "On the Frontier with St.
Clair."  06
The First Court in Northwest Territory  66
John Cleves Symmes  73
Rufus Putnam  80
Anthony Wayne. Charles S. Wood  88
Edward Tiffin. Robert W. Manly, Attorney-at-Law,
Chillicothe, Ohio  96
The Defence of Fort Stephenson  103
Perry's Victory. From "With British and Braves" by L.
K. Parks  „ 108
William Henry Harrison. William McK. Vance,
Superintendent of Schools, Miamisburg, Ohio  115
Lafayette's Visit to Ohio. Hon. C. B. Galbrtath, Li-
rarian of the Ohio State Library  125
Thomas Corwin  139
A Story of William Bebb  146
The Cary Sisters. William Henry Venable, L. L. D.,
Author of "Tales of Ohio," "A Dream of Empire,"
"Tom Tad," etc. etc  151
Joshua Reed Giddings. John K. Baxter, Superintendent
of Schools, Mt. Vernon, Ohio  158
(vii)

The Underground Railroad in Ohio. Wilbur H. Sie-
bert, A. M. , Professor of European History, Ohio
State University, Author of The Underground Rail
road from Slavery to Freedom and The Govern
ment of 'Ohio, Its History and Administration  165
Benjamin Franklin Wade. John K. Baxter  173
The Beecher Family. Hon. Charles C. Miller, Superin
tendent of Schools, Lima, Ohio, formerly State
School Commissioner Of Ohio  180
Salmon Portland Chase  188
Horace Mann. William Jackson Armstrong  195
Israel Ward Andrews. Martin R. Andrews, M. A.,
Douglas Putnam Professor of History and Political
Science, Marietta College  205
Thomas Ewing. George W. Rightmire, M. A., Instruc
tor in American History, Ohio State University. . 210
Thomas Ewing's Story  220
Allen Granbery Thurman. Albert Lee Thurman, for
merly Prosecuting Attorney of Franklin County, Ohio 231
The Knight of the Pen. Clement L. Martzblff , Super
intendent of Schools, New Lexington, Ohio, and
Author of "A History of .Perry County, Ohio"  240
Ulysses Simpson Grant. George C Dietrich, Superin
tendent of Schools, Groveport, Ohio  249
Morrison R. Waite. Hon. Tod B. Galloway, Probate
Judge of Franklin County, Ohio  257
William Tecumseh- Sherman. Hon. Lewis D. Bone-
brake, State School Commissioner of Ohio  265
Philip H. Sheridan. C. L. Martzolff  271
Edwin McMasters Stanton  277
Rutherford. Birchard Hayes. Jacob A. Shawan,
Superintendent of Schools, Columbus, Ohio, and
Author of "Recent Glimpses in Europe"  283
John Sherman. W. McK. Vance  298
James Abram Garfield  305
Edward Orton. Dr. W. O. Thompson, President of
Ohio State University  313
William McKinley. J. A. Shawan  323
The Progress of the Century Reviewed. Hon. Daniel
J. Ryan, Author of "A History of Ohio," formerly
Secretary of State of Ohio  332

THE OHIO FL,AG.
Adopted May 9th, 1902.

The Mound Builders,

BY E. O. RANDALI,.

OHIO has a great history; it also has a great
mystery. There was a time geologists re
port when the most of Ohio was submerged
under fields of frozen water and then it was that the
original "ice man" had it all his own way. Later
nature repented and there was a great "melt" and
the hills peeped forth and the valleys grew green,
and the streams rippled and ran their ways through
the glad earth. After the ice man, probably a long
way after him, came the mysterious mound builder.
Ohio must have been his favorite field for it is
dotted over, as is no other state in the Union, with
thousands of his relics, many massive and magnifi
cent, well preserved monuments of his existence and
primitive life. He left no written record, but he made
his indelible mark in graves, village sites, earthen
and stone structures of civil, religious and military
significance, "silent witnesses of a busy but unfathom
able antiquity" that unmistakably indicate an am
bitious and strenuous life. A college senior decided
to write his graduating thesis on the mound builders.
He wrote a professor asking him who built the
mounds and when they were made. The professor
replied "the mounds were built by the mound builders
and they were built in a prehistoric age." And the
honest professor told about all that is known con
cerning the mounds and their makers. The origin of
(1)

2 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
this strange people is lost in obscurity. Scholars can
not agree as to their whence or whither. They may
have descended from some ancient race of Europe or
Asia. They may have emigrated from Mexico or
South America. Possibly like Topsy they just "grew
up" in the United States and those in Ohio were the
original "Buckeyes." We do not know. One thing
seems pretty certain, they existed and passed away
before the race of Indians, of which we have knowl
edge, inhabited this country. Some claim that the
Mound Builders were the remote ancestors of the In
dians whom the European discoverers found on this
continent. But the Indians seem to have been as igno
rant of the Mound Builders as we are. The Mound
Builders were scattererd over various parts of the
United States, but especially inhabited the Mississippi
and the Ohio Valleys. They followed the great water
courses. The picturesque and fertile valleys of the
Muskingum, Scioto and Little Miami were chosen fields
for the location of these people. In over twelve thou
sand places in the present limits of our state, are found
proofs of their habitation, and these various evidences
reveal that they were agricultural, piscatorial, military
and religious in their nature and customs. They were
cunning and showed sagacity and foresight, not
only in the selection of places for habitation, but in
the method of construction, design ami purpose of
their structures. They had architectural and engi
neering talent. In this they surpassed the Indian. The
testimony of the Mound Builders' civilization is found
mainly in the following forms: (i) Village sites, (2)
Burial grounds, (3) Walled enclosures, (4) Sym
bolical or religious mounds, (5) Single mounds,
mostly sepulchral monuments.

THE MOUND BUILDERS. 6
The village sites disclose. their settlements in the
shape of hearths or fireplaces, ash pits and refuse
heaps, implements of their hunting, fishing and agri
cultural pursuits, pieces of pottery, pipes, bone unten-
sils and various articles used in housekeeping, bones of
animals and birds. These village sites are found all
over the state, but mainly in the southern part, the
most extensive being those known as Baum Village
in Ross County, and the one at Madisonville, Hamilton
County. The burial grounds or cemeteries are usually
near the village sites. The bodies of these prehistoric
people are found from six to twelve feet beneath the
surface, often buried with implements and ornaments,
particularly in case the dead was some "distinguished
citizen," though the great chiefs were generally in
terred in the mounds erected for that purpose. The
walled enclosures are exceedingly numerous; of all
sizes and shapes, and are built in the lowlands and on
the elevations and hilltops. The greatest of these in
Ohio and the United States is known as Fort Ancient,
near Lebanon, Warren County. It is built on the lofty
left bank of the Little Miami. Its walls are from five
to twenty feet high, twelve to twenty feet wide at the
base, and broad enough on the top to drive a coach
and span upon. The walls are over three miles in
extent, and enclose one hundred acres of level space.
Many archaeologists and amateur authors have writ
ten about this wonderful structure; its purpose is not
absolutely known; it may have been either a walled
town, a military fort, or an enclosure for religious or
for civil ceremonies. Some think it was the capital
city of the Mound Builders. A cemetery was found
within its walls. The walls are of earth with here
and there layers of stone at the base and occasionally

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

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THE MOUND BUILDERS. O
stone walks on the top. Models of this fort are in
museums of England, France and Germany. Near
Bourneville, in Ross County, is an enclosure called
Stone Fort. It is on the peak of Spruce Hill which
is some four hundred feet high. The encircling wall
is built entirely of stone, mostly bowlders and cobble
stones. This wall is two and a quarter miles in length
and embraces the entire summit of the hill including
an area of one hundred and forty acres. Fort Hill,
near Hillsboro, Highland County, is another supposed
fortification which caps the crest of a hill five hundred
feet above Brush Creek. The wall in this case is
composed of mingled earth and stone, is a mile and
a half in length, varying from six to ten feet in
height and an average, at the base, of some thirty-
five feet. It shuts in nearly fifty acres. These hill
top embankments would indicate that the Builders
were a warlike people and resorted to these places in
times of attack. They may have been of different
tribes, like the later Indians, fighting each other. If
these structures were forts and there were wars, what
a sight it must have been — hundreds of half-clad war
riors with spears and clubs and bows and arrows,
battling from the walls to keep back the bands of the
on-surging enemy as they slowly strove to creep up
the hill sides and dislodge the inmates. There was no
cannon roar, no whizzing of bullets, no shrieking
shells; there were no battering-rams as with the
Trojans and Romans, and whatever became of the war
riors on either side the walls of their forts still stand,
like the Pyramids on the bank of the Nile, silent sen
tinels of the untold victories and defeats of hundreds
of years ago. Probably the noble old castles on the
Rhine could relate no more thrilling or romantic tales

6 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
than might these deserted and secret-keeping fortresses
of the Ohio Mound Builders.
The symbolical or religious mounds are the most
curious and perplexing of all. They represent animals,
like the great alligator at Granville, Licking County.
This figure, that of an animal, probably an alligator,
some claim an oposum, is one hundred and fifty feet
long and a hundred in width, with head, body, legs and
tail of raised or built up earth several feet in height.
It is on a hill-side and can be seen a long way
off. But the greatest of these in Ohio or in the
country anywhere, is the famous Serpent Mound,
near Peebles, Adams County. This serpent lies
upon a cliff of land that rises almost perpendicularly
from the bank of Brush Creek to the height of a
hundred feet. The serpent can therefore be viewed
from a great distance in the valley beneath. The
snake is made of earth, in some places aided by in
serted stones. The head is seventy feet long and from
his mouth to the tip of his tail it is nearly twelve hun
dred feet. At the largest part of the body he is some
six feet high and twelve feet across the base. His
serpentine form tapers off naturally like any properly
grown snake. He lies in folds like a whip when you
shake the handle, except at the tail, which is coiled in
a circle. One can walk on his back from head to end.
His great mouth is wide open and swallowing a large
oval circular mound, like an immense egg. Just be
yond the egg is another earthen structure like a frog,
flattened out, his hind legs kicking toward the snake's
jaws ; it may not be a frog, but it seems to be a queer
creature of some kind. Altogether the Serpent Mound
is "the greatest show on earth," or in earth, that the
Mound Builders ever put up. It is supposed to have

THE MOUND BUILDERS. 7
some religious meaning or use, perhaps was the object
or means of worship. Many ancient nations wor
shipped animals, and in this the Mound Builders appear
to have been like the old Egyptians. Perhaps the
people who built the Serpent Mound or their ancestors
came from Egypt where in olden times the serpent
was held in sacred reverence.
Scattered over the state are single conical or round
shaped mounds of all sizes, from that of a shock of
corn to that of a great hay stack. The largest is
that at Miamisburg, Montgomery County, a conical
shaped pile of earth, seventy five feet high and with
a base diameter of two hundred and fifty feet. These
single mounds were mainly burial monuments and
often contain the great dead of their people. The
famous Adena Mound at Chillicothe contained in its
center a large chamber or room in which lay skeletons
adorned with rich ornaments ; about the ankles,
wrists and fingers of some were found rings of beaten
copper and in a few instances necklaces of beads and
about the skull of one was a bead crown. Pieces of
fine cloth were also discovered, the remains doubtless
of royal robes. It must have been the sepulchre of a
king, chief or hero and his family.
Lastly there are combinations or series of mounds
like the collection near Chillicothe, called the Mound
City or, better, the group near Newark, which presents
the most elaborate and complicated of all the works
of the Mound Builders. These remains are near the
forks of Licking River and consist of an extensive
number of square, circular, octagonal, and polygonal
enclosures with mounds, ditches and connecting av
enues. These earthen works all together cover about
four square miles of area. Their purpose has never

8 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
been determined and probably never will be. Like the
Sphinx, they tell no tales. They keep still and excite
the interest and amazement of all visitors. It may
have been a temple, a village and a fort in combina
tion. These works exhibit great constructive thought,
vast industry and almost incomprehensible labor. In
deed the time and manual effort the mounds in Ohio
represent is the one great wonder of all students.
The Mound Builders certainly would not have done
so much and done it so well and so artistically, so to
speak, without some great purpose and definite de
sign. It has been estimated that the "earthly pro
ductions" of these peculiar people, now standing in
Ohio, contain thirty million cubic yards of earth or
stone work, and that it would require a thousand men,
each man working three hundred days in a year and
carrying one wagon load of dirt or stone a day, a cen
tury to complete these artificial formations. Whether
these structures were built during or near the same
period we cannot tell. There are many mounds in
Ohio, it must be remembered, that were built by the In
dians. Of those this article does not treat.
That the Mound Builders' works are very ancient
is proved in many ways. B'y the testimony of the prim
itive articles and implements found in the mounds
and graves ; by the testimony of the creeks and rivers
in the changes of their courses since the mounds were
built and by the great trees that have grown upon these
mounds, some of them being six hundred years old
and probably second or third growths, scholars con
clude these great works are at least hundreds of years
old and perhaps many thousands. It is plausibly
guessed that these people belonged to the Stone Age,
for their implements are almost entirely of that ma-

THE MOUND BUILDERS.

ALLIGATOR MOUND, GRANVILLE, OHIO.

10 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
terial. They had not learned the value and use of iron
or metal articles. As a people they were numerous,
active, ingenious, industrious and religious. From
their skeletons we do not learn that they differed
greatly in size or strength from the modern races.
The study of the skulls of these Mound Builders
yields uncertain results. They of course were a prim
itive people. But it is difficult, if not impossible, to
classify them and assign their place in the great divis
ion of races. Anthropologists and ethnologists, like the
proverbial doctors, disagree about all this. Some schol
ars have tried to distinguish the skulls found in differ
ent sections of the state and decide that one kind or
tribe lived in one locality and another branch in a dif
ferent section. Thus some interesting authors claim
the skulls found in Northern Ohio are narrow and
long, they call them the "long heads;" the skulls in
Southern Ohio, on the contrary are short and thick,
they are called the "short heads." The long heads have
receding brows. The short heads have high fore
heads. The short heads were therefore the brainier of
the two. The short heads were the most ingenious
and industrious and made the best implements and
greatest earth works. The long heads were the most
numerous. By the long heads, therefore, it would
seem, is meant the "lunk-heads" and by the short heads
the "smart-heads" are designated. It is claimed the
indications are that there was war between these north
and south Mound Builders and that naturally the
bright ones were victorious over the dull ones. But
this is largely skull speculation and fanciful imagina
tion. The burials of these people disclose that they had
their great chiefs or "big men" and the extent and

THE MOUND BUILDERS. 11
character of their "buildings" certainly prove that they
understood organization and subordination in their
social system; that there were "bosses" in those pre
historic days who directed and controlled the workmen.
They may not have been troubled with the question of
combined capital, but they surely wrestled with the
great question of labor.
Peace be to the ashes of the Mound Builders.
The Indian beheld the monuments of his mysterious
predecessors apparently in awe and reverence.
"Oh, Mound: consecrated before
The White man's foot e'er trod on shore
To battle's strife and valour's grave,
Spare : oh, spare, the buried brave.
"A thousand winters passed away,
And yet demolished not the clay,
Which on yon hillock held in trust
The quiet of the warrior's dust.
"The Indian came and went again;
He hunted through the lengthened plain;
And from the mound he oft beheld
The present silent battlefield.
"But did the Indian e'er presume,
To violate that ancient tomb?
Ah, no: he had the soldier's grace
Whicl* spares the soldier's resting place."

The Northwest Territory.

BY E. O. RANDALL.

NO portion of the United States presents more
of romantic interest or historic importance
than the part known as the Northwest Ter
ritory. Out of it were carved the states of Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. It is the
territory bounded by the Ohio River on the east and
south, the chain of Great Lakes on the north,
and the Mississippi River on the west. In the early
days this territory was bitterly fought for by differ
ent nations. The French were first on the ground
and said it belonged to them. In 1534 Jacques Cartier
sailed from France across the Atlantic and up the
St. Lawrence River. In 1608, Samuel Champlain, a
famous French navigator, ascended the St. Lawrence
and sailed across the Great Lakes. Many French
voyagers followed. In 1608 Champlain established a
colony at Quebec and in 1620 King Louis XIII. of
France, appointed him Governor of Canada. Other
French adventurers now pushed on west from Lakes
Huron and Michigan to the Illinois and Mississippi
Rivers, the latter of which they descended to its mouth
at the Gulf of Mexico. And then the vast territory
embraced within the triangle of the Great Lakes on
the north, the Mississippi on the west and the Alle
ghany Mountains on the east, was claimed by France
by right of discovery and exploration.
(12)

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 13
Meanwhile the Englishman, the foe of the French
man, was slowly but surely getting a firm foothold on
the American shore. In the year 1498, more than a
third of a century before Jacques Cartier's little vessel
plowed her way up the St. Lawrence, and before
Columbus had made his last voyage, the Cabots, John
and Sebastian, father and son, under Henry VII. of
England, coasted along the continent of North America
and claimed it by discovery. In 1607 the Jamestown
(Virginia) colony became the first permanent English
settlement in America. This was just one year be
fore Champlain established his French Colony at
Quebec. The other English settlements known as the
New England Colonies rapidly followed. The charters
and patents for these English colonies granted by the
English sovereigns gave the colonies the land, not
only along the Atlantic coast, but also west as far as
the land extended. Both France and England there
fore claimed the same territory, the great triangle
described above. It was to be a neck and neck race
between the Frenchman and the Englishman for the
Northwest Territory. French fur-traders and mis
sionaries wandered through this country and here
and there straggling Englishmen settled in the west
ern wilderness. The clash was bound to come. In
1749 Gallisoniere, then Governor of Canada and Com
mander-in-Chief of New France, ordered Chevalier
Celeron de Bienville to proceed with a band of two hun
dred French soldiers, and take formal possession of
the Ohio country. Bienville set out from Canada,
marched overland to the Alleghany River where he
took birch canoes and floated down the Ohio, stopping
at various points to treat with the Indians and to tack
upon some tree or bury at the mouth of some stream,

14 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
a lead plate inscribed with the French coat-of-arms
and bearing a notice that France thus filed her title
to the Ohio Valley and the territory of all the rivers
that flowed into it. Bienville went down the Ohio
as far as the Great Miami, up which he boated, thence
across the country to the Maumee and down that to
Lake Erie and back home by the lakes and the St.
Lawrence to Montreal. Bienville claimed the country
for France. To checkmate this French claiming ex
pedition, the Virginians and Pennsylvanians organized
a company and sent out Christopher Gist to explore
and examine this same country and select portions
for occupation. Gist set out in 1750 from near Pitts-
hurg and worked his way west with some compan
ions to the Muskingum and Scioto Rivers, making
treaties with the Indians. He went as far as where
Louisville now is on the Ohio and returned by Ken
tucky to Maryland. This journey of Gist was the first
English exploration through Ohio of which we have
a definite account. Gist claimed the country for
England. The French commander now ordered troops
from Montreal into the Ohio country, at the same
time the royal Governor, Dinwiddie of Virginia, sent
a detachment of English soldiers to build a fort on
the Ohio near Pittsburg to keep out the French.
Conferences were held at Logstown and Venango in
which St. Pierre represented the French, George
Washington the English, and the Half King of the
Six Nations represented the Indians. The French
claimed the country by discovery ; the English claimed
the country by the charters of their Atlantic coast
settlements; the Indians claimed the country by orig
inal occupation. The Indians ordered both the French
and English to "move off." Nothing but war could

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 15
settle the dispute. The French and Indian War fol
lowed. It lasted seven years, from 1756 to 1763.
The Indians mostly sided with the French. The
English won, and by the Treaty of Peace signed at
Paris, in 1763, France surrendered to the English
all Canada and the country south of the Great Lakes
and east of the Mississippi. Thus the Northwest
Territory became English property. The New Eng
land colonies now expected this territory would be
divided up among the Connecticut, Massachusetts,
New York, Virginia and other colonies, who claimed
strips of it from the Atlantic to the Mississippi. But
England said no. She denied the right of the colo
nies to this territory, and declared it should be reserved
by the British government as exclusively her own,
in which the Indians should remain undisturbed, and
in which the colonists should not even make settle
ments. In short the American colonists were barred
out of the rich Ohio Valley and the great Northwest.
It was a bitter disappointment to the colonists and
they keenly resented this prevention of their rights
by the mother country. That England did this was
one of the causes of the Revolution. Thus matters
stood until the war for Independence, which began
on the Lexington Commons, April 19, 1775. The
story of the American Revolution cannot be told here.
It was a long and bloody struggle between the pow
erful mother country and the new nation. A part of
that war took plaoe in the Northwest Territory, par
ticularly in the Onio Valley, where the British induced
the Indians to side with them and attack the Ameri
can frontiers, the western outposts of the New Eng
land colonies.

16 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
On September 3, 1783, at Paris, the treaty of
peace between the English and Americans was signed.
By that treaty Great Britain acknowledged the in
dependence of the United States, and the stars and
stripes now floated over the Ohio Valley where for
twenty years, back to 1763, the British flag had
floated, and where for a hundred years before
that, back to 1650 and earlier, the French flag had
waved. As the result of the' Revolution, the United
Colonies wrested from England all her territory in
America except Canada. And now once more the
New England colonies, who had already become in
dependent states, came forward and claimed, this time
with confidence, the portions of the west to the Mis
sissippi which their original charters called for. The
territory most affected by these claims was the North
west Territory. It was ceded of course with all
other territory by England to the new American
government. But the title to this undeveloped coun
try which the national government then received, was
in grave dispute, and before the land could be thrown
open for settlers, distributed and sold and legislated
upon, it was necessary to "quiet the title" and defi
nitely decide who really owned it. The fact was, that
the western country then had three different sets
of owners or at least three conflicting claimants.
1. The United States Government claimed not
only political jurisdiction over it, but right of pro
prietary possession, advocating that it should be
land at large for the government to divide up and
sell to defray the expenses of the government and
the cost of the Revolution. 2. Seven of the Colo
nial states claimed the whole west as belonging
to them, and by the west is here meant the territory

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 17
east of the Mississippi, and from the Great Lakes to
the Gulf of Mexico. Massachusetts claimed a wide
strip embracing what is now the western part of New
York, and also a wide belt running across central
Michigan and southern Wisconsin; Connecticut de
manded a belt extending from Pennsylvania westward
across northern Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and southern
Michigan to the Mississippi ; New York claimed the
country south of Lake Erie as far as the Cumberland!
Mountains ; Virginia was the champion claimer. She
said she owned, not only Kentucky, but the whole
northwest. North Carolina and South Carolina and'.
Georgia each claimed the land lying at their back west
to the Mississippi. These claims all rested on the
charters granted the early colonies by the Kings of
England. These claims were often contradictory and
overlapping. For instance both New York and Vir
ginia claimed Ohio, while Connecticut also asserted
a right to the northern part of the state. These seven
so-called claimant states said the wild and unoccu
pied lands belonged to them as property, and also
as to right of government, subject to the national
authority of the United States. The only claimants
that interest us are New York, Massachusetts, Con
necticut and Virginia, as their demands only infringed
upon the Northwest Territory. Georgia and the Car-
olinas were too far south. 3. But there was a third!
party to reckon with. It was the Indians, the children;
of the forest and the actual occupants, if not the
rightful possessors of this disputed domain. The In
dians stubbornly and sullenly refused to acknowledge
the claims of the new national government or of
the seven claimant states. They declared themselves
2

18 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
to be the original owners of the land. They were there
first, and the red men were right. This was their hunt
ing ground and their home. It should not be taken
from them except by purchase or proper compensation-
How was the disputed title to be settled?
The six non-claimant states denied the alleged
right of the so-called claimant states. They took the
ground that the old original colonial charters were
worthless; that the British held the land before the
Revolution in which it was wrested from them by the
United colonies. It was therefore the common prop
erty of the new nation. This logical and patriotic
reasoning was finally too much for the claimant
states, and they gave up their claims and ceded all
their right, title and interest in the western lands to
the national government. The dates of the deeds of
cession by the claimant states were: New York 1781 ;
Virginia 1784; Massachusetts 1785; Connecticut 1786;
Virginia reserved a section in southern Ohio known as
the Virginia Military Tract and Connecticut retained
a strip of her old claim in the northeast of Ohio known
as the Connecticut Western Reserve. These cession
acts thus disposed of one disputed title.
The Indian claims came next. They were the
original owners and in actual possession. In 1784 in
a treaty made at Fort Stanwix, now Rome, New York,
the right of the Iroquois Tribes or Six Nations to all
the land west of Pennsylvania was granted to the
United States. The Iroquois Nation comprised the
Mohawk, Oneida, Onandago, Cayuga, Seneca and
Tuscarawas tribes. They occupied the main part of
New York State, extended into Canada and at times
made incursions into Ohio, temporarily overcoming
some of the Ohio tribes. These western lands, how-

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 19
ever, were occupied, not by the Iroquois but by other
tribes whom the Iroquois claimed to have conquered.
The western tribes refused to acknowledge the treaty
of the Iroquois. So in January, 1785, commissioners
for the United States government made a treaty at
Ft. Mcintosh, at the mouth of Big Beaver River on the
Ohio, with the Sachems and warriors of the Wyan-
dottes, Delawares, Chippewas, and Ottawas. The In
dian signers of this treaty agreed to cede to the United
States the title of those tribes to about three-fourths
of the land within the present state of Ohio, reserving
for themselves only the northwest fourth. All west of
Ohio was of course the property of the United States.
This treaty was afterwards re-affirmed at Ft. Harmar,
at the mouth of the Muskingum, in 1789, but the In
dians of the^ObioJribes mostly repudiated the treaties
made by their leaders~at Ft. Mcintosh and Ft. Harmar.
However, as a result of these Indian treaties, Congress
began to consider the question of opening the acquired
territory to settlement. In May, 1785, soon after the
Ft. Mcintosh treaty, a law was passed by Congress,
known as the Ordinance of 1785, in which preparation
was made for the survey and occupancy of the public
lands. These lands were to be divided into townships
six miles square, by lines running north and south,
intersected by other lines running east and west. The
townships were to be subdivided into sections, each
containing a square mile or six hundred and forty
acres. This ordinance required a corps of surveyors
to lay out the land under the direction of Thomas
Hutchins, the Geographer of the United States.
Congress reserved one lot in every township for the
maintenance of public schools. In July 1786, the
surveyors assembled at Pittsburg and began their work

20 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
of measuring off the great Northwest. The time had
now arrived when it was proper and necessary that
Congress adopt some plan for the government of the
Northwest Territory. On July 13, 1787, the great
"Ordinance of Freedom" as it is properly called, was
passed by the Continental Congress then in session in
New York City. Next to the Federal Constitution,
which was adopted September 17, 1787, by the
Constitutional Convention assembled at Philadelphia,
the Ordinance of 1787 is acknowledged as the greatest
of all American legislative acts. Daniel Webster said
no one single law of any lawgiver, ancient or modern,
had produced effects of more distinct, marked and
lasting character than this document.
By means of this Ordinance the Northwest Ter
ritory was to be opened and developed. But that was
not to be without great cost of effort and sacrifice,
indeed of bloodshed and life itself. The magnificent
and fertile Ohio Valley that had been the favorite
haunt of the Indian, and which for two hundred years
or more he had "put to uses but little superior to those
of the buffalo, the bear and the wolf ;" that the French
adventurer and claimant had used for purposes but
little higher than those of the Indian; and that the
Englishman had refused to use at all, was now to be
devoted to the greatest of human purposes — was now
to become the home of a progressive people, excelling
in all the arts of civilized life.
The Ordinance embraced six articles of compact
between the original states and the people and states
to be made out of the territory, forever unalterable,
except by common consent. Article I said no person
who demeaned himself peaceably should be molested
on account of his religion. Article II guaranteed

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 21
the right of the writ of habeas corpus, trial by jury,
proportional representation, and the privileges of the
common law. Article III contained the well-known
words, "Religion, morality, and knowledge being neces
sary to good government and the happiness of man
kind, schools, and the means of education shall for
ever be encouraged." Article IV said the territory
and the states to be formed out of it should forever
remain a part of the United States and subject to its
laws. The navigable waters of the territory and the
portages between them should forever be common high
ways, free to all inhabitants, and to all citizens of the
United States, without tax, impost, or duty. Article
V provided for dividing the territory into states, not
more than five nor less than three, and drew their
boundary lines, subject to future changes that Con
gress might make. A population of 60,000 should
entitle any one of these states to be admitted to the
union on an equal footing with the old states. Article
VI dedicated the Northwest to freedom forever, in
these memorable words : "There shall be neither
slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory
otherwise than in the punishment of crime, whereof
the parties shall have been duly convicted." But
slaves escaping into the territory from one of the
original states might be captured and carried back
into slavery.
In providing for the carving of states out of the
territory, the Ordinance declared that if there were to
be but three they should run throughout the territory
from north to south ; if five, they should lie in two tiers,
one above the other. One line should be drawn from
the mouth of the Big Miami River due north to the
boundary line between the United States and Canada;

22 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
a second should extend from the Ohio River at the
mouth of the Wabash due north to Lake Michigan,
and the third line was the Mississippi River. If there
were to be four or five states, then the extra state
or states, as the case might be, should be formed
north of a line running east and west through the
southern extremity of Lake Michigan. Such was the
geographical and political establishment of the North
west Territory comprising more than a quarter of a
million of square miles of surface. The Ordinance
provided that Congress should appoint for the ter
ritory a governor for three years, a secretary for four
years and three judges during good behavior, and until
the number of free male inhabitants of full age in the
territory should reach five thousand the governor and
judges should constitute the legislature or governing
body. They could not make laws but might use the
laws of the original states as best suited the new
Territory. The governor had power to appoint and
commission all magistrates and civil officers in the
counties and townships. Congress appointed General
Arthur St. Clair governor; Winthrop Sargent secre
tary ; Samuel Holden Parsons, James M. Varnum and
John Cleves Symmes, judges. Parsons and Varnum
soon died and their places were taken by George
Turner and Rufus Putnam.
On July 9, 1788, Governor St. Clair arrived at
Marietta, where the Ohio Company had the previous
April made the first settlement in the Northwest Ter
ritory. Marietta was the first headquarters of the
new territory and here Governor St. Clair inaugu
rated the territorial government, and created Wash
ington County, which was the first county of the north
west and embraced nearly all of Ohio. In pursuance

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 23
of the first federal Constitution of the United States,
adopted in convention at Philadelphia, the first federal
Congress met in New York on March 4, 1789. Under
the new Constitution the President was empowered
by Congress to appoint the officials of the Northwest
Territory. In 1789 the territory was declared to have
five thousand free male inhabitants of full age and thus
was entitled to a territorial government of its own. It
then contained nine counties. The first General As
sembly was elected and met in Cincinnati, September
24, 1799. There were twenty-two members of the
House of Representatives ; seven of these came from
the old French towns in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan,
the others from the new settlements within the present
limits of Ohio. The Council or Senate of the Legisla
ture numbered five. St. Clair continued as governor
and William Henry Harrison was chosen the first ter
ritorial delegate to Congress. Two years later, in May
1800, Congress divided the Northwest Territory into
two districts, by a line running from the Ohio River
close to the present Indiana state line north to near the
junction of Lakes Michigan and Huron. The eastern
district was still called the Northwest Territory, and
Chillicothe was made its capital. General St. Clair was
retained as governor until just before the territory
became the State of Ohio, when he was succeeded by
Charles Willing Byrd acting as territorial governor.
The western district was called the Indiana Territory
with Vincennes as its capital and William Henry Har
rison was appointed territorial governor.
Early in 1802 a census was taken in the northwest
or Ohio district and it was found to contain forty-five
thousand,and twenty-eight persons. The Ordinance of
1787 required sixty thousand inhabitants to entitle the

24 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
district to become a state, and yet a petition was pre
sented to congress for a law allowing the people to call
a convention and form a constitution for the creation of
a state government. On April 30, 1802, Congress au
thorized that convention. An election was held by the
electors of the district and on the first Monday of
November, 1802, the Constitutional Convention assem
bled at Chillicothe. Its session lasted until November
29, 1802, when it adopted the first Ohio State Consti
tution. Congress accepted this constitution, under
which, on I he second Tuesday of January, 1803, an
election by the people of the new state was held; at
which were chosen the governor, state senators and
representatives. Edward Tiffin of Chillicothe was the
first governor. The legislature met at the state capital
at Chillicothe on Tuesday, March 1, 1803, on which
date therefore Ohio became the seventeenth independ
ent state of the Union and the first to be carved
out of the great Northwest Territory. The states to
follow were Indiana, December 11, 1816; Illinois
December 3, 1818; Michigan, January 2, 1827; Wis
consin, May 20, 1848. When Minnesota was admitted
May 11, 1858, her eastern boundary embraced a small
slice of what had been the Northwest Territory.
Such is the concise history of the Northwest Ter
ritory. The story of its settlement, the romance of the
thrilling Indian campaigns, the rapid development of
its natural resources and the marvelous growth of its
vast industries are to be told elsewhere.
The Northwest Territory is regarded as the gar
den section of our country; the great center of its
population, its agriculture, its commerce. Washed by
the Great Lakes, the Ohio and the Mississippi ; watered
by numerous rivers and streams flowing through

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 25
fertile fields and picturesque valleys; abounding in
prolific forests and productive farms ; its mountains
stored with mineral wealth, it has been the Eldorado
of the New England colonist and foreign emigrant.
To-day its waterways teem with the transport boat and
its highways throb with the engine and the whirring
wheels of the freight trains laden with the output of
the factory and the mill. Its hills and-dales are dotted
with thriving villages and populous cities. It is the
splendor and the sinew of the twentieth century
American civilization.
"Hail to the 'Great Northwest,' as it stood in the days of
our grandsires,
"Vast territorial realm, and fresh as the dawn of creation, —
"Fair as the Garden of Eden, and fraught with fertility
boundless, —
¦"Cradle of five great States, of imperial riches and glory !"

26

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

MANASSEH CUTLER.

Manasseh Cutler.

THE morning of December third, 1787, must have
been a pretty busy time in the little town of
Ipswich, Massachusetts. On that morning a
start was made for Ohio by a goodly number of
people whom Dr. Manasseh Cutler and others of the
Ohio Company had persuaded to settle in the new
country. An account of the events of that morning has been
left by a son of Dr. Cutler as follows: "The little
band of pioneers assembled at the house of Dr. Cutler,
in Ipswich, Mass., on the 3rd day of December, 1787,
and there took an early breakfast. About the dawn oi
day they paraded in front of the house; and, after
a short address from him, full of good advice and
hearty wishes for their happiness and prosperity —
the men being armed — three volleys were fired, and
the party (one of whom was his son Jervis, aged nine
teen) went forward, cheered heartily by the bystanders.
Dr. Cutler accompanied them to Danvers, where he
placed them under command of Major Haffield White
and Captain Ezra Putnam. He had prepared a large
and well-built wagon for their use, which preceded
them with their baggage. This wagon, as a protec
tion from cold and storm, was covered with black can
vas, and on the sides was an inscription in white
letters, I think in these words, 'For the Ohio at the
Muskingum' which Dr. Cutler painted with his own
hand. (27)

28 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
"Although I was then but six years old, I have a
vivid recollection of all these circumstances, having
seen the preparations, and heard the conversation rela
tive to this undertaking. I think the weather was
pleasant and the sun rose clear. I know I almost
wished I could be of the party then starting, for I
was told we were all to go as soon as preparation
was made for our reception."
This was an event to which Dr. Cutler had looked
forward and for which he had worked for many
months. Ever since his appointment as agent of the
Ohio Company of Associates at their meeting at the
"Bunch of Grapes" tavern in Boston, March 3, 1786,
he had been planning ±^i' this very event. It must,
therefore, have been a great relief to him as well as
a pleasure to see these people start on their journey.
It was the fulfillment of his hopes, and the result of
much labor.
In the course of that eventful summer of 1787,
he had made a trip to New York on horse-back that he
might purchase lands of Congress. It is well to recall
the fact that there were no railroads and no turn
pikes in those days. Had there been either of these
the journey of Dr. Cutler to New York, and of the
pioneers to Ohio would have been far easier.
For several years Congress had been trying to
frame some form of government for the Northwest
Territory, with but little success. But when Dr. Cut
ler arrived and it became known that he wished to
buy land, Congress was stimulated to great activity.
The land was for sale and Congress needed the money
to help pay the national debt. It is not surprising,
then, that Congress was ready to listen to suggestions
from Dr. Cutler as to the form of government for this

MANASSEH CUTLER. 29'
territory. As he proposed terms and conditions of
purchase, it was but natural that Congress should de
sire to accede, if possible, to his wishes. In four days
he was able to do for the Northwest Territory what
Congress had been unable to do in four years.
Dr. Cutler arrived in New York Thursday even
ing July 5, and left for Philadelphia on Tuesday July
10, so that there were but four days in which to do his
work. On Sunday, July 8, he attended church ser
vices (which were very long in those days) three
times and dined out twice ; so that he could not have
done much secular work even had he been inclined
to do so. On July 13 the great Ordinance of 1787
was passed, which shows that the work of Dr. Cutler
was effective and bore fruit at once.
If any one should try to persuade you that Dr.
Cutler was an ordinary man, deny it at once, and boldly.
No ordinary man could have done so much in such
short time. Some days later when he returned to
New York he found some opposition in Congress to
his terms for buying land in Ohio, but by his
sagacity, his downright honesty, and his candor, he
soon made friends of those who had opposed him,
and Congress sold him the land on his own terms.
No man either in, or out of Congress, ever exerted
more complete sway over that body than Manasseh
Cutler at that time. Nor has his integrity or sincerity
ever been called in question.
The success of Dr. Cutler as agent for the Ohio
Company was due to his well-trained mind and his
honesty. His mother, we are told, was "a lady of great
personal beauty and strength of mind, with an educa
tion in advance of her time." As a boy on a farm near
Killingly, Connecticut, where he was born May 13,

30 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
1742, he learned to work with his hands and his mind.
Nor did these good habits fail him in after years.
He learned to see what he looked at. He made friends
of the plants, the animals, and the sky. During the
day, while at work in the field, he had plants all
about him, and could study their nature and habits.
At night, when the day's work was done, there was the
open sky, spread out like the page of a book for him
to read and study. In time he became versed in the
science of astronomy, and was one of the greatest
botanists of his day. His knowledge of these sciences
was the means by which he gained access to the society
and friendship of many great men, Benjamin Frank
lin being one of the number. In his journal Dr. Cut
ler tells of his first visit to Franklin on that memorable
July 13, 1787. He says, "There was no curiosity in
Philadelphia which I felt so anxious to see as this
great man, who has been the wonder of Europe and
the glory of America." He goes on to tell us how
affable and genial Dr. Franklin was, though eighty-
four years old, and how pleasantly they spent the whole
evening in conversation upon subjects mainly of sci
ence, and especially in examining a rare book on
botany. He seemed pleased that the other gentlemen
present were content to talk politics, as it gave him
a better opportunity to talk with Dr. Franklin on other
topics. After graduating from Yale College in 1761, he
taught school for a time, and did a great deal of read
ing besides. In his journal he gives us a list of the
books he read, and it is evident that his college course
had made of him a close, careful student. He studied
law, also, and was admitted to the bar, but did not long
practice his profession. For a short time he engaged

Dr. Cutler's Church and Parsonage at Ipswich Hamlet. 1787. The place from
which the First Company started for the Ohio, December 3, 1787.

'32 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
in business, but he was, first of all, a student, and a.
business career did not attract him. He could never
quite get away from the conviction that he ought to be
a minister; so in 1768 he began the studysof theology
with his wife's father, Rev. Thomas Balch, and was.
ordained September 11, 1771.
In the early days of the Revolution he was chap
lain of a regiment for a few months and there, na
doubt, began many friendships that outlived that long
struggle, and bound together the men who had to
do with the settling of Ohio. Because of his scholarly
attainments, his noble character, and his fidelity to duty,
men came to respect and love him. They knew that
their interests were safe in his hands, and that no
temptation could swerve him from the path of right.
Along with his other duties he studied medicine,
and this was often useful to him in connection with his
work as pastor. At the time of his visit to Marietta
in the summer of 1788 he administered medicine to
the sick and the gospel to "the well, and so more than
ever endeared himself to the pioneers in the midst of
their hardships. During his whole life he was much
interested in schools and education, and to him is.
largely due the fact that provision was made in the
great Ordinance for a system of schools.
He was methodical and prompt in everything he
did, and had a fine sense of humor which helped to
lighten his own burdens and brighten the path of all
about him. We who are proud of our state to-day owe-
a great debt of gratitude to this man who did so much
to shape the destiny of Ohio, and who, by his wisdom,
his greatness of mind, and his noble life inspired so.
many to higher thinking and nobler living.

The Ordinance of 1787.

BY J. W. MACKINNON.

WHEN the Congress of the American Colonies,
on July 2, 1776, passed a resolution declar
ing "That these United Colonies are, and
of right ought to be, free and independent states, and
that all political connection between them and the state
of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved,"
the first important step was taken toward the making
of a new nation in the new world. The next step was
to make known that important fact to the world ; so
a formal declaration, which had already been pre
sented to Congress, was discussed and passed on the
Fourth of July, which act made that date our great
national holiday. Thus the colonies set forth, for the
information of the whole world, fully and clearly, why
they had determined upon so important a measure,
stating that a "decent respect for the opinions of man
kind requires that they should declare the causes" that
led them to break off all allegiance to the British
Crown. To declare themselves free and independent was
one thing for them to do ; but to compel Great Britain
to acknowledge it and give up her claims was quite a
different thing. To accomplish this, the colonies all
realized that they must work together, and that some
sort of a central government must be formed and
maintained. The work was new and strange for them,
3 (33)

34 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
and necessarily slow. Conflicting interests, and petty
jealousies growing out of conflicting interests, stood
in the way of an immediate plan of government. In
1777 the "Articles of Confederation" were adopted
by Congress and submitted to the states for their ap
proval. Most of them gave their consent and approval
at once; but a few held aloof, and refused to come
into the union then being formed. The chief cause
of this refusal was what we know as the "Northwest
Territory." Under grants from English kings made in char
ters given to different colonies, anywhere from one
hundred to one hundred and seventy-five years before
this time, vast portions of territory extending west
ward and very imperfectly defined were claimed by
such colonies or states. With so great an extent of
territory some of the states were very large and des
tined to become powerful. The smaller states seeing
the advantage of the larger ones and the disadvantages
of the smaller ones, in such an unequal distribution of
territory, refused to ratify these "Articles of Con
federation," and thus enter into the new government,
until this vast western country should be given up to
the general government for such disposition as Con
gress might see fit to make of it.
Maryland was the last state to give consent and
come into the union as it was being formed, and she
did not do so until March, 1781, only six months before
the fall of Yorktown, and the close of the war for
independence, and not then until her demands were
complied with, and the western possessions turned
over to the control of Congress.
In this we see that even the first step in the estab
lishment of a real nationality depended upon this, our

THE ORDINANCE OF 1 787. 35
"Northwest Territory." Territorial expansion, —
the erection and addition of new states, — appears as
the first important factor in determining the beginning
of our nation.
Congress did not care for the control of this terri
tory, with which it did not know what to do, but it
was forced to assume authority because of the deter
mination of the smaller states that the larger ones
should not do so. The wise men of that time had
little faith in the future of this interior country, and
had doubts about its final settlement. Many of them
could hardly believe that any considerable number of
people would venture so far away into the far west in
search of homes. But when a number of men in
Massachusetts, whose fortunes had been shattered- by
the ravages of war and who were consequently com
pelled to look about for some way of starting anew
in life, organized the Ohio Company and presented
a petition to Congress for a grant of land out here
in the western wilderness, that petition was heard
with delight. Such a request made the doubters think
that this country was not a hopeless waste, and that
it might amount to something after all. But it took a
long time to come to a satisfactory settlement. This
petition went to Congress first in 1783, and then again
with more urgent demands in 1786 ; but for a year and
a half it was delayed by various difficulties, until Octo
ber, 1787, when a contract was closed with representa
tives of the Ohio Company for a tract of five million
acres of land on the Ohio River near the mouth of the
Muskingum at sixty-six and two-third cents an acre,
to be paid for in United States certificates of debt,
worth then about twelve cents on the dollar, making
the actual cost of the land about eight cents an acre.

36 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
During the time this petition was before Congress,
various plans for the government of this territory
were discussed, and in April, 1787, a committee re
ported on the matter. At this time settlers were going
over the mountains into the territory south of the Ohio*
River, which especially pleased the southern members
of Congress and made them somewhat indifferent as to
the settlement of the northern territory. But, after
various propositions from both sections of the country
and from the members of the Company who wished
to settle, about the middle of July, 1787, a plan was
adopted and a law passed with but one vote against it.
This law we know as the "Ordinance of 1787,"
and still further know it as "the most notable law
ever enacted by the representatives of the American
people." It marks the beginning of one of the most
remarkable growths ever known in territorial expan
sion, and it has furnished the bases for the constitutions
of several states. It is especially noted for three
great provisions of all good government, — its guaran
tee of entire freedom of worship, — its perpetual pro
hibition of human slavery, — and the great prominence
given to the matter of schools and education in the
words "Religion, morality, and knowledge being neces
sary to good government and the happiness of. man
kind, schools and the means of education shall forever
be encouraged." Three more important principles
could hardly be found in any law.
This "Ordinance of 1787" is more than a mere
law passed by Congress, which might be changed or
repealed by a future Congress. It does not say "Be
it enacted," but it says "Be it ordained by the United
States in Congress assembled that said territory, for
the purposes of temporary government, be one district,

THE ORDINANCE OF 1787. 37
subject however to be divided into two districts, as
future circumstances may, in the opinion of Congress,
make it expedient."
This declaration just quoted constitutes the first
section of this great state paper, and it is followed
by thirteen other sections, making fourteen in all, the
first twelve of which provide for the management of
affairs under a temporary government of the territory.
Attention is given to the matter of title to prop
erty, and the disposition of estates. If a man died
without having made a will, one-third of his estate
was given to his widow, and the remainder in equal
shares to his children; but if without such heirs, the
property was divided equally among next of kin in
equal degree.
Provisions were carefully fixed for the making,
witnessing and recording of wills, and deeds for all
real estate sold, that a legal title could be clearly
established. Congress had power to appoint a governor for a
term of three years, and a secretary for the term of
four years, the former with a free-hold estate of one
thousand acres of land, and the latter of five hundred
acres, while holding office. The duty of the secretary
was to keep a record of all acts and laws passed by the
legislature, and of all proceedings of the governor and
his department, and report the same to the secretary of
Congress every six months.
A court of three judges was to be appointed by
Congress to serve during good behavior, to have resi
dence in the district, and free-hold estates of five
hundred acres of land while in office.
A legislature was to be chosen by the people as
soon as there should be five thousand free male inhabi-

38 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
tants in the district, one member being allowed for
each five hundred population of free male inhabitants.
Until this legislature could be chosen the governor and
the judges had power to select such laws from the
original states as might be necessary and apply them.
to the territory.
As soon as the representatives for the legislature
were selected they were required to meet and name
ten men residing in the district each owning five hun
dred acres of land, and report the names to Congress,
from which five should be selected by Congress to
form a territorial council to serve five years.
The General Assembly consisted of the governor,
this council and the body of representatives, and it
had power to make laws in all cases for the govern
ment of the district, not to conflict with this Ordinance.
The governor had the veto power, and no bill or law
could have any force without his consent.
The council and the legislature together had power
to elect a delegate to represent the territory in Con
gress, with the right to take part in debate, but not to
vote there.
After providing for these minor but necessary
matters for temporary government, the great purpose
of this remarkable state paper is set forth in plain
but unmistakable terms, when it says, "And, for ex
tending the fundamental principles of civil and religious
liberty, which form the basis whereon these republics,
their laws and constitutions are erected; to fix and
establish these principles as the basis of all laws, con
stitutions, and governments, which forever hereafter
shall be formed in said territory; to provide also for
the establishment of states, and permanent govern
ment therein, and for their admission to a share in

THE ORDINANCE OF 1787. 39
the federal councils on an equal footing with the origi
nal states, at as early periods as may be consistent
with the general interest ; — It is hereby ordained
and declared by the authority aforesaid (United
States), That the following articles shall be considered
as articles of compact between the original states and
the people and states in the said territory and forever
remain unalterable, unless by common consent." It
is difficult to find a few lines anywhere that mean so
much, and so clearly express the intent of the framers.
The articles just referred to are six in number, and
form a definite compact between the United States as
it then existed, and the people of this territory and
the states that might afterwards be formed from it.
Article I provides that no one should ever be
molested on account of his religious belief or mode of
worship so long as he conducted himself in a peaceable
and orderly manner. Something of the same senti
ment is found in the first amendment to the Consti
tution which was framed by the convention that met
that same year.
Article II secures protection for person and prop
erty for every one in the territory. It 'guarantees the
right of habeas corpus, which gives every man im
prisoned upon any charge the right to demand a hear
ing at once, and thus secure his release unless it can
be shown that there is reasonably good ground for
his arrest and detention. No man can be imprisoned
and refused bail, except it be in case of a capital crime.
All fines for offences shall be moderate, and no cruel
punishment shall be allowed. Neither liberty nor
property can be taken from a man, except it be by
the judgment of his peers or by the law of the land;
and if it should be necessary to take possession of a

40 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
man's time or his property, he shall have full pay for
the same. Article III is a strong declaration on the import
ance of education, and it gives us to understand what
our forefathers regarded as the foundation of good
government. Language can not make a more emphatic
statement than is here given in this compact, when
it says "Religion, morality, and knowledge being nec
essary to good government and the happiness of man
kind, schools and the means of education shall forever
be encouraged." These words should be memorized
by every boy and girl of the land, that the sentiment
they express may the more surely become a part of
their lives.
This article also puts into practice the morality
and justice its framers meant to teach, by providing for
the security of the land and property of the Indians,
and for laws, founded in humanity and right, to pro
tect the red men in every way.
Article IV carries in it a very plain though indirect
declaration against the right of secession, when it
provides against the possibility of this territory, or
any states that might afterward be formed from it,
ever seceding from the union, by saying that they
"shall forever remain a part of the confederacy of
the United States."
It must be remembered here that the United
States was then a confederacy operating under the
Articles of Confederation which, for several years
before this and for two years afterwards, were the
highest law of the land. This article also provides
that the people of the territory should always pay a
just proportion of the debts already made, or to be
made, by the general government, and that taxes for

THE ORDINANCE OF I787. 41
such purpose should be levied by the same measure
as applied to the original states. It preserves to the
United States the right to the disposal of the soil and
the power to give good title to the same. It prohibits
the levying of any heavier taxes on non-resident land
holders than on those who live in the territory. It
is very specific in providing that all navigable waters
shall be kept open and free from all taxes or duty
to all citizens of the United States or any of the states
then formed or afterwards to be formed.
Article V provides for the formation of three or
five states from this territory as Congress might deem
expedient, and it fixes the boundary lines in every re
spect, and provides that when any of these sections
so bounded shall have sixty thousand free inhabitants
such section shall be admitted into Congress on an
equal footing with the original states in all respects
whatever, and shall be at liberty to form a permanent
constitution and state government ; provided such con
stitution and government shall be republican and in
conformity to these articles of this wonderful ordi
nance. It was granted to Congress, if it should deem
it wise, to admit a state before sixty thousand popu
lation should be reached. Ohio was the first to ask for
admission, and she got it before she had the required
number of inhabitants.
Article VI prohibits every form of human slavery
except such as might be imposed as a punishment for
crime, for which the party had to be duly convicted.
But it, at the same time, provides that if a slave owned
in any of the original states should escape and find his
way into this new territory, he might be lawfully
reclaimed and taken back to where he belonged

42. OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
It is interesting to note two leading features of
the form of government provided for this -territory:
(i) the great power in different ways bestowed on the
governor, and (2) the property qualification for all
who were to hold the office named for the territory, as
well as for all who should be allowed to vote for mem
bers of the legislature.
As the time came for the formation of the first
state from this territory, the people had become very
tired of both of these provisions, and adopted a con
stitution that took from the governor about all the
power he ever had, and left him little but the name
and the honor. Amendments have been submitted at
different times since then, but so far they have been
defeated by the people. In Ohio the same question is
to be submitted to a vote again in 1903, and it remains
to be seen what the people will do with it.
This Ordinance of 1787 is well worth studying
as it contains the principles that are found in the
best laws of our state.

Land Grants in Ohio.

BY U. S. BRANDT.

OHIO was the first state formed from the wilder
ness, known as the Northwest Territory,
lying northwest of the Ohio River and east
of the Mississippi. It was a part of the vast region
once called Louisiana, explored, claimed and held
by the French.
The First Treaty of Paris, signed February 18,
1763, conveyed the Northwest Territory to England,
with a title undisputed save by the native red men.
At the close of our war for independence, by the terms
of the Second Treaty of Paris, signed September 3,
1783, this fertile territory, gained from the French in
a long and bloody war, passed from England to the
United States.
The Revolutionary War had raised a troublesome
question about the ownership of the lands in the west.
Seven of the thirteen States, — New York, Massa
chusetts, Virginia, Connecticut, North Carolina,
South Carolina and Georgia — claimed portions of
these lands as their own. The old charters, given by
the rulers of England, had granted to these states
not only the lands within their present limits, but,
generally, the territory lying to the west "from sea
to sea." Connecticut and Virginia, under such char
ters, both claimed lands in Ohio. Part of the same
territory was claimed also by New York, through
a treaty made with the Iroquois in 1744.
(43)

44 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
After much contention and bitter feeling, which
long threatened to prevent the adoption of the Articles
of Confederation, the seven states finally agreed to
convey their western lands to the general government,
for the common good of the whole nation. New
York was the first to do this in 1781. Virginia made
her deed of cession to Congress in 1784; this deed was
signed by Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur
Lee and James Monroe. Last of all, Connecticut
released her claim by a deed given in 1786.
During all this time these lands were in actual
possession of the Indians. Several important Indian
treaties mark the gradual withdrawal of the various
Indian tribes from the lands of Ohio. In the Treaty
of Fort Mcintosh, the chiefs of the Delawares, Chippe-
was, Wyandottes and Ottawas, in 1785, ceded to the
United States the lands east of the Cuyahoga and
the portage between that river and the Tuscarawas,
and south of a line from Fort Laurens to Loramies.
By the Treaty of Greenville, after Wayne's victory, in
1795, this line, known as the "Greenville Treaty Line,"
was extended westward to Fort Recovery. It re
mained the Indian boundary on the south for a number
of years. The Treaty of Fort Industry (Toledo), in
1805, gave to the United States a large tract west of
the Cuyahoga. By the Treaty of St. Mary's, in 1818,
this tract was extended west to Indiana.
The struggle ending with the death of Tecumseh,
in 1813, had completely broken the spirit of the Ohio
tribes, and soon the white men were in possession of
all the lands except a few small reservations. The
Wyandottes, numbering about 700, remained upon
their reservation near Upper Sandusky until 1842,

LAND GRANTS IN OHIO. 45'
when they, the last of the Ohio Indians, were re
moved to Kansas.
These various titles having come into the pos
session of the United States, the way was thus opened
for the settlement of the northwestern wilderness and
the making of a new state. Immediately after the
passage of the Ordinance of 1787 the territory of
Ohio began to be parcelled out by Congress and sold
in many different divisions, ranging, in size, from a
few acres to thousands of square miles. Every land
owner in Ohio to-day traces his title, through one or
the other of these "purchases" or "grants," back to
the original title of the United States.
THE SEVEN RANGES.
As early as 1785 Congress had arranged for the
survey of a portion of Ohio territory lying next to the
western boundary of Pennsylvania. This work was
entrusted to Thomas Hutchins, "Geographer of the
United' States." He it was who originated the plan of
dividing the public lands into tracts six miles square,
called townships.
Commencing, in 1786, at the point where the Ohio
River intersects the Pennsylvania boundary, Hutchins
ran a line due west, forty-two miles. This line has
since been known as the "Geographer's Line." Start
ing with this as a base line, other lines were run,
six miles apart, due south to the Ohio River, thus
forming seven parallel tracts called ranges. These
ranges were then divided into townships by lines, six
miles apart, running due east and west ; and the town
ships in turn, were each sub-divided into thirty-six
tracts, one mile square, called sections. This system
of surveys, by which any township, section or part of a

46

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

section may be accurately described and located, has
since been followed by the United States in all surveys
of its public lands.
THE OHIO COMPANY'S PURCHASE.
"The Ohio Company of Associates," made up of
New England pioneers, was organized March 3, 1786/

OHIO COMPANY'S OFFICE, BUILT IN 1788.
at Boston. Soon after the adoption of the Ordinance
of 1787, the Board of Treasury of the United States
was by-'Congress authorized to sell to this company
a large tract of land west of the Seven Ranges. The
price agreed upon was sixty-six and two thirds cents
per acre. The contract was executed October 27, 1787.
The land thus purchased was surveyed into town
ships and ranges, following the plan first used in the
original seven ranges. Congress reserved, from each
township, Section No. 16 for the support of schools;

LAND GRANTS IN OHIO. 47
Section No. 29 for religious purposes; and Sections
Nos. 8, 11 and 26 for such purposes as might, in the
future, be determined. Two entire townships, also,
¦were set apart for maintaining a university.
The Ohio Company contracted for 1,500,000 acres
of land, but actually received, exclusive of the portions
reserved by Congress, only 1,064,285 acres. And
this included 100,000 acres known as "The Donation
Tract," comprising the northern part of what is now
Washington County. This tract was by act of Con
gress, April 21, 1792, granted to the Ohio Company
"on the express condition of becoming void, for such
part thereof as the said company shall not have, within
five years from the passing of this act, conveyed in
fee simple, as a bounty and free of expense, in tracts
of one hundred acres, to each male person, not less
than eighteen years of age, being an actual settler at
the time of such conveyance."
The first permanent settlement in Ohio was made
by the Ohio Company, in April, 1788, at Marietta.
THE FRENCH GRANT.
Through the efforts of William Duer, secretary
of the United States Board of Treasury, the Ohio
Company was induced to secure from Congress an
option upon 3,000,000 acres of land lying west and
north of the tract which that company purchased. - The
title to this land remained vested in the United States ;
but the "option," or right of future purchase, was
the basis of the formation of the Scioto Company.
This company was organized in France. Attracted by
the dazzling descriptions of the country on the "blissful
banks of the Scioto," several hundred Frenchmen ex
changed their money for these flimsy titles to Ohio

48 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
lands. The French colony arrived, October 20, 1790,
at the place where now stands the city which they
founded and named Gallipolis. The Scioto Com
pany soon became insolvent. Congress had not been
paid for the "option," and so the lands upon which
a number of the French had settled still belonged to
the United States. Some abandoned their claims and
sought the French settlements farther west. By act.
of Congress, March 3, 1795, those remaining were
granted 24,000 acres of land in Scioto County.
THE SYMMES PURCHASE.
The Miami Company, consisting of "John Cleves
Symmes and Associates," in 1788 contracted for the
purchase of 1,000,000 acres of land north of the Ohio
and between the Great and Little Miami Rivers. The
contract price was sixty-six and two thirds cents per
acre. The reservations and system of surveys were
the same as in the lands of the Ohio Company.
Symmes' Company were unable, however, to pay for
all their lands. They finally received and paid for
311,682 acres in the southern part of the tract.
In 1788, Symmes sold to Matthias Denman, of
New Jersey, the land where now stands the City of
Cincinnati. That city was founded in the same year.
The next year Fort Washington was erected and
garrisoned, to protect the settlement from the hostile
Indians. A monument in Third Street, between
Broadway and Ludlow Streets, in Cincinnati, now
marks the location of the old fort.
THE WESTERN RESERVE OF CONNECTICUT.
Connecticut and Virginia, as we have seen, trans
ferred their western lands by deed to the United

LAND GRANTS IN OHIO. 49
States. These states, however, took the precaution
to reserve, for future use, certain portions of the terri
tory which they claimed in Ohio. The land kept by
Connecticut amounted to 3,500,000 acres and extended
one hundred and twenty miles from the Pennsylvania
line, being bounded on the south by the forty-first
parallel, north latitude, and on the west by the line
which is now the western boundary of Huron and
Erie counties.
The lands thus held were disposed of by Connecti
cut in two separate grants.
I. THE FIRE LANDS GRANT.
In 1792 Connecticut granted 500,000 acres, in the
western part of the Reserve, to certain citizens of that
state whose homes had been devastated and burned by
the British in the Revolutionary War. The sufferers,
about 1800 in all, who received these lands, came
chiefly from' the towns of Greenwich, Norwalk, Fair
field, New Haven and New London. The land was
surveyed into townships five miles square. It was
then divided among the different claimants in propor
tion to their respective losses.
2. THE CONNECTICUT LAND COMPANY'S PURCHASE..
This company, in 1795, bought the remainder of
the Connecticut Reserve, amounting to 3,000,000 acres..
In 1796, Moses Cleaveland, the general agent of the
company, founded the city which bears his name.
This land, also, was surveyed into townships five
miles square. It was purchased and settled largely
by immigrants from Connecticut. "New Connecti
cut," as the Western Reserve is sometimes called, still
4

50 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
bears a strong resemblance to the parent state in the
local customs, patriotism and sterling qualities of its
people. Connecticut had claimed the Western Reserve
since the date of her charter, April 20, 1662. Her
title, however, was not absolutely clear and beyond
dispute. The Indian titles to a large part of this tract
had been surrendered, not to Connecticut, but to the
United States. Connecticut, in making the grants
above described, had given quit-claim deeds, trans
ferring, of course, only such title as -she then possessed.
This condition of things for some time stood in the
way of the ready sale of these lands. The difficulty
was removed by act of Congress, April 28, 1800, which
authorized the President of the United States to exe
cute and deliver to the governor of Connecticut letters-
patent, in the name of the United States, releasing to
that state all claims to the lands known as the West
ern Reserve of Connecticut, '"for the purpose of
quieting the grantees and purchasers under the said
State of Connecticut and confirming their titles to
the soil of said tract of land."
In consideration for this deed of release from the
United States, the Connecticut Assembly, in May, 1800,
passed an act renouncing all claim to jurisdiction over
the lands which that state had claimed in Ohio.
THE VIRGINIA MILITARY DISTRICT.
Virginia's reservation consisted of the lands be
tween the Scioto and Little Miami rivers. This reser
vation was held by Virginia for the payment of land
bounties which she had promised to her soldiers who
liad served in the Continental Army in the Revolu
tionary War; but the reservation was made upon the

LAND GRANTS IN OHIO. 51
condition that it should not be used to pay these
bounties if Virginia's lands south of the Ohio should
prove sufficient for that purpose. The latter lands
being soon exhausted, Congress, in August, 1790, made
provision for the payment of the remaining bounties
out of Virginia's Ohio Reservation.
These lands were never surveyed according to
any definite plan. The holders of the land warrants
which Virginia had issued, as evidence of indebted
ness, to her soldiers, were permitted, through their
agents, to locate their claims on any unoccupied lands
in the district. The different claims were surveyed
separately, and often inaccurately. Many of the sur
veys overlapped each other, and the boundaries of some
included hundreds of acres more than the patents con
veyed. This system — or, rather, lack of system — led
to endless confusion and litigation.
Chillicothe, the first capital of our state, is located
in this tract, and was laid out by Nathaniel Massie
and Duncan McArthur in 1796.
THE UNITED STATES MILITARY LANDS.
Throughout the Revolutionary War the Conti
nental Congress had offered bounties of western lands
as a special inducement to service in the army. The
soldiers who earned such bounties were given land
warrants, — certificates entitling the holders to por
tions of the public domain.
By act of Congress, June 1, 1796, the surveyor
general of the United States was required to make a
survey beginning at the northwest corner of the Seven
Ranges, thence south fifty miles; thence west, to the
Scioto river; thence along that river, to the Green-

52 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
ville Treaty Line; thence along that line, and east,
to the place of beginning.
These boundaries include the territory known
as the United States Military Lands. The lands were
surveyed into townships five miles square. The
bounty-land warrants were required to be filed for
registration with the Secretary of the Treasury. The
owners were then permitted to locate their claims.
Each owner received a patent for his land, signed by
the President and Secretary of State.
THE REFUGEE TRACT.
In April, 1783, the Continental Congress had
passed resolutions promising donations of public lands
for the benefit of refugees who had abandoned the
British provinces of Canada and Nova Scotia to aid
the United States in the war with Great Britain. In
1798, Congress passed an act ratifying these resolu
tions, and defining the classes of persons to whom such
relief should be granted.
The lands actually set apart for this purpose, by act
of Congress, February 18, 1801, were "those fractional
townships of the sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth,
nineteenth, twentieth, twenty-first and twenty-second
ranges of townships joining the southern boundary
line of the military lands." This tract was about four
and one-half miles wide, extending east from the
Scioto forty-two miles. Scarcely half of this land
was needed to satisfy the claims of the refugees. The
remaining portions were attached to the land district
of Chillicothe, and sold as Congress lands.
The City of Columbus, founded in 1812, lies
partly in the extreme western end of the Refugee
Tract.

LAND GRANTS IN OHIO. 53

CONGRESS LANDS.
The remaining portions of the public domain in
Ohio were sold or disposed of, under the direction of
Congress, by officers appointed for that purpose. The
Seven Ranges, the French Grant and the Refugee
Tract were also portions of the Congress Lands. Land
offices were established from time to time, for the
convenience of purchasers, at Marietta, Cincinnati,
Steubenville, Chillicothe, Zanesville, Canton, Wooster,
Piqua, Delaware, Wapakoneta, Lima and * Upper
Sandusky. OTHER GRANTS.
Congress, at different times, and for various pur
poses, set apart a number of smaller tracts in the lands
at its disposal. Among the more important of such
grants were
The Moravian Grant, 12,000 acres in Tuscarawas
county, given to Moravian missionaries for the use
of the Christian Indians who were living upon these
lands ;
Dohrman's Grant, being all of Township 13,
Range 7, in Tuscarawas county, given to Arnold
Henry Dohrman, a citizen of Portugal, for services
rendered in the Revolutionary War;
The Maumee Road Lands, about 60,000 acres
granted by Congress to Ohio, in 1823, for opening
and constructing a road from the lower rapids of the
Maumee to the western limits of the Western Reserve ;
The Turnpike Lands, forty-nine sections in Sen
eca, Crawford and Marion counties, granted by Con
gress to Ohio, in 1827, for constructing a road from
Columbus to Sandusky City ;

54 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
The Canal Lands, about 1,000,000 acres, granted
by Congress to Ohio to aid in the construction of
canals ;
The Salt Sections, an entire township in Jackson
county, and about 4000 acres in Delaware county,
reserved from sale by Congress until 1824, and finally
granted to Ohio ;
Zane's Sections, three in number, located, respec
tively, at Zanesville, Lancaster and Chillicothe, granted
by Congress to Ebenezer Zane in 1796, for opening
a road from Wheeling to Maysville ; also, three square
miles in Champaign county, granted to Isaac Zane
who, having been captured by the Indians in his early
boyhood, spent the greater part of his life among them,
and was of much service to the United States in the
Revolutionary War;
The Ministerial Lands, being Sections No. 29
in each township of the lands of the Ohio Company
and of the Symmes Purchase ; and, finally,
SCHOOL RESERVATIONS.
In all lands which were granted by Congress
and surveyed into townships six miles square, Section
No. 16, of each township, was reserved for the sup
port of schools. In the United States Military Lands
the townships were not surveyed into thirty-six sec
tions; but an amount of land equivalent to one thirty-
sixth of the whole tract was set aside for the schools.
No lands in the Western Reserve nor in the Virginia
Military District could be appropriated for schools ;
but an amount equivalent to one thirty-sixth of those
tracts was set aside for that purpose, from other lands
at the disposal of Congress. In short, besides three
townships set apart for founding and maintaining

LAND GRANTS IN OHIO. 55
universities, one thirty-sixth of the entire state of Ohio
was intended, and actually reserved, for our public
schools. Some of these school sections still remain the
school property of the respective townships in which
they are located, and are leased by the boards of edu
cation for the support of the township schools. The
other lands have been sold, under authority conferred
by Congress upon the Legislature of Ohio, in 1824, and
the income from the money thus received is to be for
ever devoted to the use of the schools.
The Constitution of Ohio, Article VI, Section 1,
provides that "The principal of all funds arising from
the sale, or other disposition of lands, or other prop
erty, granted or entrusted to this state for educational
and religious purposes, shall forever be preserved in
violate and undiminished; and the income arising
therefrom shall be faithfully applied to the specific
objects of the original grants or appropriations."

Arthur St. Clair.
GOVERNOR OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

BY CHARLES S. WOOD.

AMONG the brave English soldiers, who under
Wolfe scaled the Heights of Abraham, was a
young Scotch lieutenant, who seized the colors
from a falling standard-bearer and carried them
through the battle that wrested Quebec and Canada
from France. This was the gallant Arthur St. Clair,
handsome, brave and of pleasing manners; and it is
not surprising to learn that after the war was over
he won a beautiful bride in Boston.
A year or two later we find the young couple in
a fine house, amid pleasant social surroundings, on
a large estate in the Ligonier Valley in western Penn
sylvania. But at the call of Liberty young St. Clair
offered his sword to his adopted country, and sacri
ficed his fortune in its service. Patriotism was a pas
sion in those days. These are the noble words in
which he expressed his sentiment of duty :
"I hold that no man has a right to withhold his
services when his country needs them. Be the sacri
fice ever so great it must be yielded on the altar of
patriotism." General Washington soon discovered his worth
and gave him a command. Rising from the rank of
colonel he soon became a major general, and served
through the seven years of war, from the unfortunate
J56)

ARTHUR ST. CLAIR.

ARTHUR ST. CLAIR.

58 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
campaign in Canada; assisting to make the victory
at Saratoga possible, he bore an active part in all the
principal battles to the final triumph at Yorktown.
Now he found his affairs in ruins, but courage
ously began life over again. However he was not
allowed to remain in obscurity but called to honor
able and profitable positions. He was elected by
Congress to be the first Governor of the new Terri
tory, an office he did not seek or desire, but accepted
because he thought it his duty to do so.
That was a strange scene in the western wilder
ness when, in "the leafy bower" at Marietta, July 15,
1788, civil government was first established on the
soil of Ohio. Those battle-scarred veterans, great
hearted men as they were, fully understood that they
were laying the foundations of a great commonwealth.
The wide sweep of their vision of the future is one
of the astonishing features of the men of that day.
The first duty was the framing of a code of
laws, which was prepared with care and wisdom by
the Governor and the judges associated with him.
This is known as the Maxwell Code because it was
printed by Mr. Maxwell.
In January, 1790, Governor St. Clair passed
down the river to Cincinnati, gave it its new name,.
set off Hamilton county, appointed the necessary offi
cers, and then went on to the far West in his twelve-
oared barge. He visited Kaskaskia on the Mississippi
river, and the other old French settlements and es
tablished civil government among them. In this long
winter journey he slept on the ground or in the open
boat, and endured cheerfully great privations and
hardships. In one of these journeys he traveled in

ARTHUR ST. CLAIR. 59"
his barge or on horseback continuously a distance of
five thousand miles.
All this time the Indians had not ceased their
outrages against the Western frontiers, but with the
founding of the new settlements on the north shore
they broke out into open and violent warfare. Gov
ernor St. Clair invited them to attend a council of
peace at Ft. Harmar in 1789. A part of the tribe and
some of their great chiefs attended; but the Miamis
and Shawanese stayed away and the Confederated
tribes did not sanction the treaty.
Ohio was the favorite hunting ground of all the
tribes because it was full of the large game, which
supplied food and clothing, and furs for barter. The
white man's cabin there and the ringing of his ax in
the forest was a forcible warning that they would
soon be driven from their lands. Therefore they
violated all their later treaties, declaring the Ohio
river should always be the boundary, and sounded
forth these savage battle cries :
"No white man shall plant corn in the Ohio-
country;" and
"We will put out the fire of every paleface on
the Indian shore."
Brant, the great chief of the Six Nations, was
laboring to unite the western tribes in a Confederacy,
and the English were supplying them with ammuni
tion and aiding them by their counsel. This was the
very grave situation which confronted the pioneers
in their small scattered settlements, and the United
States government did not at all comprehend the
greatness of their task, when they decided to make
war on the Indians.

€0 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
The responsibility of forcing the Indians to sue
for peace was laid on the Governor. General Har
mar was sent out into the Indian country with a large
force of regulars and militia; but, after destroying'
some of their villages, his army was routed with a
heavy loss. The Indians claimed it was a great
victory. The government decided to build a fort at Little
Turtle's town on the Maumee, and Governor St. Clair
made the mistake of his life in accepting the command
of the army.
Excepting the First Regiment of three hundred
regulars, that army of twenty-three hundred men was
an undisciplined horde of raw recruits, ill-clothed and
half-starved, and the conditions made its success im
possible. The President urged its advance and St.
Qair obeyed.
The story of that march, defeat and subsequent
massacre cannot be told here, but it darkens the his
tory of Ohio with its blackest page. The nation was
shocked, and sorrow and despair invaded every cabin
in the West. Presently there fell on the head of the
prostrated Governor a storm of reproach and abuse
that broke his spirit and soured his temper. The loss
of the 'confidence of the people was probably one of
the chief causes of those difficulties in his government
which clouded the closing years of his life.
The Indian troubles were settled by Wayne's
victory, but some of the other difficulties had theit
origin so far away, that it seems almost incredible
that strings were pulled in Paris which unseated St.
Clair in Ohio. But so it happened, and the obnox
ious citizen Genet pulled the strings.

ARTHUR ST. CLAIR. 61
The European powers had tried to shape affairs
in the West. Out of this grew bitter criticism of
President Washington's administration, and after
wards fierce party strife. Governor St. Clair was an
ardent Federalist, who stood by Washington as firmly
as Washington had stood by him, and who supported
President Adams with his voice and pen.
The new political doctrines, imbibed by Jefferson
in France and now advocated by him, grew more
popular and prevailed; and the attempt of Governor
St. Clair and his friends to aid the Federalist party
estranged him from some of the powerful leaders in
Ohio and resulted in his removal from office.
Friction arose over the formation of new coun
ties and the location of county seats. Men, who had
made great efforts and endured grave peril from the
Indians in forming settlements, naturally desired to
have the county business center there, and were much
incensed at the action of the Governor in selecting
some distant point.
When in 1798 the territory took on its second
form of government, the new legislature attempted
to take this business out of the Governor's hands.
Their effort was overruled by his prompt veto of all
the bills which made new counties by dividing the
old ones. As he refused to return the bills with his
objections, and made the veto absolute, the legislature
resented his arbitrary action and the breach was
widened. Edward Tiffin, Nathaniel Massie, Thomas Worth-
ington, Jeremiah Morrow and a few others now
formed the project of pushing forward the organiza
tion of a state government. The Governor and his
friends attempted to delay this, and Judge Burnet

62

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

introduced a resolution which passed the legislature,
asking Congress to divide the territory by a line along
the Scioto river. Congress refused to do this, and,
in response to many petitions, passed an enabling act
under which a convention was chosen and a State
Constitution completed November 29, 1802.
The people had no voice in the making of the
state except by petition to Congress and in the elec-

FORT HARMAR, 1788.
tion of delegates to this Convention. They, however,
selected able and trustworthy men in whose wisdom
they had complete confidence.
It has been stated, in some historical works, that
an article was proposed in the Bill of Rights, per
mitting slavery in Ohio, and that this was defeated
in the convention by a majority of only one vote.
This seems to be an incredible statement, and
there are strong reasons for believing it untrue, and
for believing the contrary statement — that there was

ARTHUR ST. CLAIR. 63
an almost unanimous sentiment against the introduc
tion of slavery. But, whatever the facts may have
heen, the sixth article of the Compact in the Ordinance
of 1787 forever prohibits slavery in the territory and
states to be formed out of it.
The efforts of his enemies prevailed and Governor
St. Clair was finally removed from his office by Pres
ident Jefferson, November 22, 1802. He returned to
his home in Ligonier, but misfortune followed him
there. He had built a fine mansion and an iron fur
nace, but the whole property, worth more than
$50,000, was sold in 1810 at forced sale to pay a
debt he had contracted for his starving army in 1791.
This debt the government had unjustly refused to
settle until it became outlawed.
He removed to a small place still belonging to
him, and spent the remainder of his life in a log
cabin, where for a few years he supported himself
and his widowed daughter by selling supplies to
passing travelers. Then the State of Pennsylvania
gave him a small pension.
There was a pathetic close to this checkered life
devoted to his country and filled with usefulness. On
a summer day he started to drive to Youngstown,
three miles from his home. The wagon upset at a
dangerous point, and hours afterward the white-
haired veteran, nearly eighty-four years old, was
found insensible on the ground. He was tenderly
cared for, but a few days later, on August 31, 1818,
he passed away.
When he was an old man, political passion and
the animosity caused by diverging interests, died out.
In those later years of his life he was respected and
honored by the best men of the nation. Although

64 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
his mistakes are not ignored, in Ohio and in the other
states where once his jurisdiction extended our first
great Governor is honored for his unimpeachable hon
esty, his self-sacrificing patriotism and for his wisdom
in establishing the institutions of government in the
wilderness. At the head of the long roll of Ohio's great men
it is fitting there should stand the name of Arthur St.
Clair, the friend and companion of Washington and
Lafayette. "Oh Mother of a mighty race
Yet lovely in thy youthful grace !
* * * *
Oh fair young mother; on thy brow
Shall sit a nobler grace than now.
Deep in the brightness of the skies
The thronging years in glory rise,
And as they fleet
Drop strength and riches at thy feet."

10*~

FORT STEUBEN.
(65)

The First Court of the Northwest
Territory.

LOVE of justice and equity is a characteristic
of all Anglo-Saxon people, and as we Ameri
cans belong to this class we are, or should
be, interested to a high degree in having justice admin
istered and equity secured. This is brought about
.largely through our courts and the kind of justice
meted out depends, in a large measure, upon the char
-acter of the court.
Every boy and 'girl who is acquainted with ele
mentary civics knows the three departments of our
government, and no doubt many boys have their dreams
•of some day filling some position in one or the other
>of these departments. This is a laudable ambition
•and offers an excellent opportunity to serve one's fel
low-citizens. To guide him in this service he will find
all along the history of our country the examples of
good men and great whose lives shine out brilliantly
to illumine his path.
Of the three departments of government the ju
dicial is, in many respects, supreme. This is as we
:should expect it to be in any country having a written
¦constitution. Laws will be passed, from one cause or
another by the legislative department, that are not
in harmony with the written constitution. This fact
gives rise to one of the duties of a court, namely, to
pass upon the constitutionality of a law. In this way
(66)

THE FIRST COURT OF THE N. W. TERRITORY. 67
the judicial may be, and often is, superior to the legis
lative and executive departments.
All our boys and girls ought to be interested in
the kind of men who fill our public offices. These
men, in a measure, reflect the character of the people
who choose them. This being the case, care should be
taken that cnly honest, fearlesss, and straightforward
men should be chosen to fill positions of trust and
responsibility. It must have been with some such idea
as this that Congress chose the first court officers for
the state of Ohio, or rather for the Northwest Terri
tory. All of us admire a military hero, and many a boy
has pictured for himself the career of a Washington
or a Grant, of a Perry or a Farragut. Many another
boy desires to become a great lawyer and orator and
wishes he might become a John Marshall or a Daniel
Webster. When the qualities that make up the good
soldier and the great orator are combined in one
person, then indeed we have our hero. Such was the
character of two of the three judges appointed for the
Northwest Territory, while the third was a distin
guished lawyer of his native state, New Jersey. These
judges were Samuel Holden Parsons, William Mitchell
Varnum, and John Cleves Symmes. John Armstrong
was first appointed as one of the three, but upon de
clining Judge Symmes was appointed in his stead.
The salary was not a large one even for those days
of small salaries, being only eight hundred dollars
per year. Two of these three, Parsons and Varnum, had
been officers in the Revolutionary War, both perform
ing excellent service for their country. Both were
held in high esteem by Gen. Washington and fre-

68 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
quently received letters of congratulation and grati
tude from him. The correspondence between Gen.
Washington and Gen. Parsons is of an especially in
teresting character. Both these men loved their
country intensely and showed that love on more than
one hard fought battlefield.
Gen. Varnum's life was short, but it was a very
busy one. Not often is it given to one of forty to
look back upon life and see so much accomplished.
He was born in Dracut, Mass., in 1749, and gradu
ated from what is now Brown University at the age
of twenty with the highest honors of his class.
Twenty-two saw him admitted to the bar and at twenty-
seven he was found in the army fighting for the inde
pendence of the colonies. He was elected to Congress
at the age of thirty-one, serving two years, after which
he resumed the practice of law. He continued in his
profession for the next four years, in which time he
rose to the front rank as a lawyer. At the age of
thirty-seven he was again returned to Congress; at
thirty-nine was appointed one of the justices for the
Ohio country, and at forty died.
Such, in brief, is the record of a man of whom
it may be said "we shall not look upon his like again."
That the boys and girls may have some idea of Gen.
Varnum, as he appeared before a court, a pen picture
of him, as portrayed by one of his biographers, is pre
sented. It was the custom, in those days, for lawyers
to go to court rather elegantly dressed, and Gen. Var
num followed the custom. He "appeared with brick-
colored coat, trimmed with gold lace; buck-skin small
clothes, with gold lace bands ; silk stockings and boots ;
a high, delicate and white forehead; eyes prominent
and of a dark hue ; well proportioned and finely formed

THE FIRST COURT OF THE N. W. TERRITORY. 69
for strength and agility ; a profuse head of hair, short
on the forehead, turned up some and deeply powdered.
When he took off his cocked hat he would lightly
brush his hair forward, and with a fascinating smile
lighting up his countenance, take his seat in court."
What has been said of Gen. Varnum might be
said of Gen. Parsons. His relations with Gen. Wash
ington were, perhaps, more intimate than those of Gen.
Varnum. He rendered valuable aid to the colonies
and contributed no small amount to the successful
issue of the Revolutionary War. His services were
not confined to the military side of the war, for at
least one of his biographers gives him credit with
suggesting to Samuel Adams the propriety of calling
together the first Continental Congress. He at least
wrote a letter to Adams suggesting such a Congress.
His was a busy life and came to an untimely end,
in 1789, by drowning in the Muskingum River while
returning from negotiating a treaty with the Indians.
It will be seen from the foregoing that two of the
three judges died shortly after appointment. Gen.
Varnum was succeeded by Mr. George Turner and
Gen. Parsons by Gen. Rufus Putnam.
The third member of the court was John Cleves
Symmes. He was a native of New Jersey and a man
of considerable ability. Like the other two judges he
had taken an important part in the War of the Revolu
tion, and his life had been fairly busy. He had
represented his own state in Congress and at one time
was New Jersey's chief justice. He was well qualified
for the position to which he was appointed, and did
well his work as a judge, as we have every reason to
believe. He was the only one of the judges who
served the full period — from 1788 to 1803.

70 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
The first court was more immediately connected
with legislation than we are accustomed to think of
now. We regard these two departments as well
defined and separate. Such was not the case with the
territorial court. This court, together with the gov
ernor, constituted what is known as the legislative
council. This first legislative council was, therefore,
composed of Gov. St. Clair and Judges Parsons, Var
num and Symmes, Parsons being the chief justice.
In all they enacted laws upon some ten different sub
jects, among which the following are prominent: regu
lating and establishing the militia ; establishing general
courts of probate, common pleas, and quarter sessions,
and providing for the appointment of sheriffs and for
the regulation and punishment of crimes.
The territorial judges and Gov. St. Clair did not
always agree as to authority or as to the wisdom of
passing certain laws. This frequently resulted in fail
ure to pass proposed legislation, and the failure may
have had something to do with denying the governor
the veto power at the time of the enacting of the state
constitution. Although we are a century removed from
the days of the legislative councils, yet Ohio has but
recently (November, 1903) granted this power to her
governors. How the judges and citizens of Marietta cele
brated their first fourth of July may not be out of
place here and may be of interest to the young people.
It was the fourth of July, 1788. Gov. St. Clair had
not yet arrived, but the judges, at least Parsons and
Varnum, were present. It may be of interest to know
that Marietta had been christened only two days before
in honor of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, the
friend of Lafayette and of American liberty. This
was the twelfth anniversary since independence was

THE FIRST COURT OF THE N. W. TERRITORY. 7t
declared, the fifth since the declaration of peace, and:
the last under the old Articles of Confederation : for
the Constitution had not yet gone into effect and Wash
ington was not yet President. The people of the new
settlement, some one hundred and thirty in number,
and the soldiers of Ft. Harmar held a memorial cele
bration. Judge Varnum was the orator of the occa
sion. A few sentences from his address will give some
idea of the oratory of that day. Anticipating the
coming of Gov. St. Clair the orator said : "Thou.
gently flowing Ohio, whose surface reflecteth no images
but the impending Heaven, bear him safely to this
anxious spot. And thou, beautiful, transparent Mus
kingum, swell at the moment of his approach and re
flect no objects but of pleasure and delight." Then
addressing his audience, he said: "Amiable in your
selves, amiable in your tender connections, you will
soon add to the felicity of others, who, emulous of
following your bright example, and having formed
their manners upon the elegance and simplicity of the
refinements of virtues, will be happy in living with
you in the bosom of friendship."
After the speech a feast was served and toasts
responded to. Here are a few of the toasts : "The U.
S. ; The Congress; The New Federal Constitution;
Patriots and Heroes ; and The Amiable Partners of
our Delicate Pleasures." This did not complete the
programme, for they must have a parade, of course.
No matter if there were not enough cleared ground to
form the parade, willing hands soon removed the under
brush. This part of the celebration was watched by
the Indians with great pleasure. It is said they were
so impressed with the military bearing and soldierly
qualities of Col. Sproat, the chief officer of the parade.

72 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
that they referred to him as "hetuck" or eye of a buck.
This is said to be the origin of the term "buckeye" as
applied to Ohio. However that may be, it was fre
quently used from this time on.
The character of the beginnings of a state or of
an institution has much to do with shaping its after
history. The beginnings of Ohio and of Ohio courts
were certainly of a character to promise well for the
future. Shall we not say that Ohio's contribution to
the long roll of the nation's illustrious men is due to
the fact that men of character, men of seriousness of
purpose, "men who knew their rights, and knowing,
dared maintain," were present to set the machinery of
government in motion?

John Cleves Symmes.

AFTER the close of the Revolution the dis
banded officers turned their attention to the
territory north of the Ohio and the result of
this was the birth of the Ohio Company in Boston in
1786. The ordinance establishing the territory northwest
of the Ohio was passed in 1787 and, one year later, the
Ohio Company made its settlement at Marietta. Fol
lowing closely upon this, another company, composed
principally of men from New Jersey, "foremost among
whom was John Cleves Symmes," formed a plan to
buy one million acres on the Ohio river between the
Miamis. Symmes at once petitioned Congress "on
behalf of the citizens of the United States westward of
the Connecticut for the land he intended buying." His
proposition was accepted by the Board of the Treasury
to which it was referred and, in the summer of 1788,
without waiting for a written contract, he set out for
the west with a retinue of fourteen four-horse wagons
and sixty persons. On the sixth of August he met
the Reverend Manasseh Cutler at Bedford, Pennsyl
vania. The latter made a note in his journal as fol
lows : "Judge Symmes — John Cleves — had taken
lodging at the best' tavern (in Bedford) we however
made shift to get lodgings in the same house, Mr.
West's a Dutchman's — Judge Symmes was com
plaisant — I had a letter to him from his brother
Timothy Symmes at Sussex Court House (New Jer
sey). He had his daughter Anna with him a very
(73)

74 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
pretty young lady, one or two women with husbands,
six heavy wagons, one stage wagon and a chair, a
two-wheeled covered conveyance for two persons,
thirty-one horses, three carpenters and one mason, —
has been out three weeks." This little band, instead
of going to Ohio, went to Kentucky, where they spent
the winter in a settlement commenced by Daniel Boone
in 1770. Of the settlement which he made in Ohio the
following spring, Judge Symmes says, in a letter dated
North Bend, May, 1789: "After collecting with much
difficulty a small quantity of flour and salt, on the
twenty-ninth of January, I embarked with my family
and furniture — I embarked with the bow of my boat
even with the high bank on which my house at that
place is built. When we arrived at Columbia (a settle
ment at the mouth of the Little Miami made by sur
veyors during the previous fall) I found the place
deluged in water, but one house on a higher spot of
ground escaped. The soldiers had been driven from
the ground floor of their block-house (probably erected
by surveyors in November '88), into the loft and from
the loft into a boat, which they had wisely preserved
from the destruction of the previous ice and the then
raging torrent of the Ohio River. We tarried but one
night and then proceeded to Losantiville (the old name
for Cincinnati). There the water began to ebb,
though the town had suffered nothing from the fresh.
On the second of February I fell down to this place
whence I now write." Of the selection of the site he
says: "From the river elevated as I was in my boat
by the height of the bank I could observe that the
river hills appeared to fall away in such a manner
that no considerable rise appeared between the Ohio

JOHN CLEVES SYMMES. 75
and the Great Miami. I flattered myself with the
prospect of finding a good tract of land extending
from river to river in which a city might be built
with more propriety than it would be to crowd it so
far down in the point from the body of the country
around it. I was for this reason determined to make
my first lodgement in the most northerly end of the
river where the distance is the least and the lands
lowest over to the Miami where I arrived at the place
where the banks were inviting from the then fresh in
the Ohio." After examining the land he made a
permanent settlement here, and he says : "This village
I have called North Bend from its being situated in
the most northerly bend of the Ohio that there is be
tween the Muskingum and the Mississippi." He had
great hopes for the future of this place. Symmes says :
"At North Bend a sufficient number of merchants
may and no doubt will settle so as to command all the
share of trade on the Ohio." He was desirous of hav
ing a fort built here and soldiers stationed. This
would have made his city the leading one on the
Ohio. In this desire, Symmes was disappointed and
Fort Washington was located at Losantiville, to which
the settlers were shortly forced to go for protection.
In a letter Symmes says, concerning lack of pro
tection,. "Is it a matter of no moment to the United
States whether we are saved or destroyed by the sav
ages? It is true the Indians have been unexpectedly
pacific but who can vouch for a continuance of peace?
They are a subtile enemy and all their boasted friend
ship may be only to learn our numbers and what state
of defence we are in."

76 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
Of his experience with the Indians he says, "On
my arrival at Miami I found no Indians at that place.
They were all out at camp six miles off and I could
not then tarry for an interview. A few days after
my arrival at North Bend I had occasion to send my
nephew to Columbia in a keel-boat; with him George
the interpreter and an old Shawanese (Indian) called
Captain Fig came down to me. Two days after sev
eral more Shawanese and some squaws came down
by land and in several days arrived a Shawanese chief
with another man of that nation. The chief communi
cated to me their wishes to be on friendly terms sig
nifying that it would be very much to their advan
tage to have free intercourse with us and to exchange
peltries for the articles which they much wanted. —
To this you will suppose I readily agreed. The chief
(the others sitting around him) wished to be informed
how far I was supported by the United States and
whether the thirteen fires had sent me hither. I
answered in the affirmative and spread before them the
thirteen stripes which I had in a flag then in the
camp. I pointed to the troops then in uniform — then
on parade — and informed the chief that these were
the warriors which the thirteen fires kept in constant
pay to avenge their quarrels and that though the
United States were desirous of peace with them yet
they were able to chastise any aggressor who should
dare to offend them and to demonstrate this I showed
them the seal of my commission on which the Amer
ican arms were impressed observing that while the
eagle held a branch of the tree as an emblem of peace
in one claw she had strong and sharp arrows in the
other which denoted her power to punish her enemies.
The chief, who observed the device of the seal with

JOHN CLEVES SYMMES. 77
great attention, replied by the interpreter that "he
could not see any intimation of peace from the attitude
the eagle was in, having her wings spread as in flight
when folding her wings denoted rest and peace. That
he could not understand how the branch could be
considered as a pacific emblem, for rods designed for
correction were always taken from boughs of trees;
that to him the eagle appeared from his bearing a.
large whip in one claw and such a number of arrows
in the other and in full career of flight to be wholly
bent on war and mischief.'" This old warrior was
convinced of his mistake and "appeared entirely satis
fied with the friendship of congelis" (for so he pro
nounced congress). "Captain Blackbird — for so the
chief was called — assured me," says Symmes, "that I
need be under no apprehension of mischief from the
Shawanese nation. He even asked me permission to
come down with his tribe and settle on a prairie or
plain in the purchase about thirty miles from this place
(North Bend) up the Great Miami, which I assented
to. After they had sold me all their furs and skins
which were several hundred and almost stripped me
of all linen and cloth which I had brought out for the
use of the surveyors and my workmen — and having
lived at my expense for four weeks — they took leave
in a most friendly manner — promising to return to
North Bend by the third new moon." In 1791 an
uprising of the Indians occurred, notwithstanding all
previous promises of good will, and a force under St.
Clair was surprised by them and slaughtered. This.
trouble with the red men continued until 1794 when
Wayne defeated them at Fallen Timbers and in 1795,
a permanent treaty was made with them "by which
about two-thirds of the present state was ceded to the

'78 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
whites." This interference with the work Symmes
had begun was naturally an annoyance but another
event proved equally troublesome.
Earlier in this sketch mention was made of the
fact that Symmes started for Ohio before he had
secured a written contract. Now two men did attend
to this matter for him, but the required legal paper
known as a patent was not granted to him until 1794,
when 311,682 acres were deeded to him and this was
afterwards known as the "Miami Purchase." The
original plan had been to purchase 1,000,000 acres
fronting on the Ohio and extending inland from the
Ohio between the Great and Little Miami rivers, the
whole breadth of the country' from river to river so
far as to include on an east and west rear line 1 ,000,000
acres exclusive of the five reserved sections in each
township. Now this grant of 311,682 acres took in
all the desired front on the Ohio and extended back to
the northern boundary of the third range of townships,
a line crossing the district about one or two miles north
of the present town of Lebanon. The fact that he had
settled and sold land to settlers before he had secured
his patent caused him great financial distress. In
writing of his troubles, he says : "I am a philosophei
and an honest man. My enemies may ruin me but
they will never break my spirit nor convict me of the
smallest fraud against them." Of the ambitions of this
man and something of his character you have heard,
and it remains only to mention some of the more
important facts of his life.
He was the eldest son of the Reverend Timothy
Symmes and Mary, daughter of Captain John Cleves,
of Southold, Long Island, where he was born in 1742.
His mother died when he was a boy of four, and there-

JOHN CLEVES SYMMES. 79
after he made his home with his grandfather, Captain
John Cleves, on a farm until 1760. Of his childhood
and early manhood and even of his later years we
know almost nothing, from the fact that his papers
were burned at the time his house was destroyed by fire,
in 181 1, and again after his death most of his effects
and papers were consigned to the flames. We do know
that in early manhood he became a school teacher and
a land surveyor. When and where he gained a knowl
edge of law one biographer says he never could learn,
but that "he was a sound jurist, an enlightened legis
lator and a sturdy patriot is abundantly manifest."
He was greatly interested in the Revolution from the
beginning and held many offices of responsibility. He
was a member of the Continental Congress for two
terms and was chosen one of three judges of the
Northwest Territory in February, 1788; and this posi
tion he held until Ohio became a state in 1803. His
membership in Congress and judgeship form a climax
to those positions of honor he held in his county, state,
and army, where he rose to the office of colonel
Of Symmes, Charles H. Winfield says : "He was
a man of strictest integrity, unbounded activity and
enterprise, and devoted a long life to the service of his
country. Whether we view him as a soldier, a states
man, a legislator or a jurist he was a worthy compeer
of the men who laid the foundations of the Republic.
His humorous disposition kept his old age from being
crabbed and in his darkest hours and under the most
trying circumstances, he was genial and agreeable."
He died at Cincinnati February 26, 1814, at the
home of his daughter, the wife of William Henry
Harrison, and is buried at North Bend, a spot selected
by him for the purpose.

Rufus Putnam.

THE life history of Ohio began in the dark
est period of the Revolutionary War. A num
ber of officers were seated around General
Washington's table, and one, perhaps less hopeful than
the others, said: "If the British drive us from the
Atlantic seaboard, what will become of us?" "We
will retire to the valley of the Ohio and there we will
be free," was Washington's reply. This saying was no
doubt circulated in the camps at Valley Forge and
found its way into the homes of the soldiers. At the
close of the war the soldiers found themselves forced
to compete with those who had taken no part in the
struggle. Their long service in the army had, in a
measure, unfitted them for this competition and the
Ohio valley offered them a home where they might
begin life anew.
Among the Revolutionary officers to whom the
Ohio field was attractive was General Rufus Putnam.
His experience from a boy was of such a character
as to make him a helpful man to any community,
especially to one that must undergo all the hardships
and privations of pioneer life.
General Putnam was born in Sutton, Mass., in
1738. He was a descendant of one of the earliest
settlers of Salem and his father was a cousin of General
Israel Putnam, the story of whose life is much more
familiar to the boys and girls than that of the subject
of this sketch. (80)

RUFUS PUTNAM.

81

•^y^ JP^JnjZ^zsLS

82 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
Young Putnam's boyhood was passed under very
unfavorable circumstances even for those pioneer days.
His father died when he was seven years old and the
boy, Rufus, went to live with his grandfather. Here
he learned to read, and acquired that thirst for knowl
edge which characterized him. His mother married
again, and he returned to his home at nine years of
age finding in his father's place one Captain Sadler
who had no sympathy with the boy's desire for knowl
edge and threw every obstacle in his way.
Captain Sadler was an illiterate man and would
not permit young Putnam to buy books. The boy
found a way, however, as most boys will who are really
in earnest in their desire to get an education.
Captain Sadler kept a sort of tavern and Rufus
earned a few pennies by waiting upon the guests.
With his money he bought powder and shot and, with
the aid of an old shotgun, he succeeded in killing some
partridges which he exchanged for a speller and an
arithmetic. With this scant supply of school books,
with no teacher but himself, Putnam worked on in
dustriously. He mastered his arithmetic, and his love
for mathematics was so increased that he studied sur
veying and, in time, became a careful and accurate
surveyor. From the age of sixteen to that of nineteen
he was busily engaged, having been apprenticed to a
millwright. It was here he first saw the practical
use to which geometry may be put and he became a
good student of that subject. He also pursued the
study of English persistently until he acquired the
power of expressing his thoughts in clear and forcible
language. While all this was true, he keenly felt his
educational defects. There is pathos in the appeal

RUFUS PUTNAM.

83

which he made to his descendants : "Oh, my children,
beware you neglect not the education of any under
your charge as mine was neglected."
•General Putnam served as a private in the French
and Indian War and acquired an experience here of
Indian warfare that stood him well in hand years after
ward when he was the leader of the Ohio Company.
During the Revolutionary War he rendered valuable
service as an engineer, and it was due to his work on
Dorchester Heights that the British were forced to
evacuate Boston. He remained in the service as an
engineer until 1777 when he recruited a regiment in
Massachusetts and became its colonel. His work as a
commanding officer was of such a character as to merit
the commendation of General Washington.
However important his services as a military
commander may have been, his greatest work was in
the development of the country in time of peace. As
early as 1783, Putnam forwarded to General Washing
ton an able letter signed by 285 officers of the army,
asking Congress to form the Northwest Territory into
a distinct government and to assign to them in this
district the promised bounty lands. This was the first
definite step outside of Congress toward the settle
ment of the Ohio Valley and the attempt failed despite
the fact that Washington strongly urged it. The Ohio
Company of Associates was soon after organized with
General Rufus Putnam, General Samuel H. Parsons
and Dr. Manasseh Cutler as directors. Another pe
tition was presented to Congress praying that they
might exchange the "final certificates" for future
homes west of the Ohio. This was denied, and homes
in the Ohio country seemed far distant until Dr. Man
asseh Cutler went to New York to intercede for the

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

RUFUS PUTNAM. 85
new enterprise. His mission was completely success
ful. General Putnam was not a great man as the world
reckons greatness. His name will not be associated
with those of Washington and Lincoln; yet his work
was of a vital character and must therefore not be un
derestimated. His experiences in the French and
Indian War made him distrustful of the Indians,
and his vigilance made it possible for the small
company that first came, to grow into a strong ter
ritory, and in fifteen years to ask for admission into
the union. He served the territory as one of the judges
of its highest court by virtue of which office he was a
member of the legislative council. He was also a
member of the convention that framed the first consti
tution for the State of Ohio. Not as an officer of the
army of the United States, not as an officer of the
territory or state, but as a citizen does his greatest
usefulness appear. He is truly the foremost builder of
Ohio, sharing, as he did, all the hardships of pioneer
life, aiding and encouraging those about him to live
lives of usefulness and honor.
His interest in education was very manifest.
Feeling his own lack of early education, he was desir
ous that "schools and the means of education should
forever be encouraged." He was one of the founders
and trustees of what is now Marietta College as well
as a trustee of the Ohio University at Athens, both
of which institutions he faithfully served.
Politically, General Putnam was a member of the
Federalist party. The last government position he
filled was that of surveyor general of the United
States lands, a position of great responsibility, as may

8b

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

well be imagined, to which he had been appointed by
President Washington. This office he continued to
hold with credit to himself and with satisfaction to
his government until 1803, at which time he was re
moved by President Jefferson. General Putnam con
soled himself by saying: "I am happy in having my
name enrolled with many others who have suffered

BELL USED IN CAMPUS MARTIUS, 1788.

the like political death, for adherence to those correct
principles and measures, in the pursuance of which
our country rose from a state of weakness, disgrace,
and poverty, to strength, honor, and credit."
In religious matters General Putnam was a leader
in his community. He was instrumental in forming
the first Sunday School in the state, and took as lively
an interest in the moral and religious training of the
young as he did in their mental. Whether soldier,

RUFUS PUTNAM. 87
federal officer, state officer or private citizen, he lived
a life above reproach and many were they who, stand
ing by his grave on a May morning, in 1824, with
sorrowful though loving hearts, could say: "He was
my friend."

Anthony Wayne.

BY CHARLES S. WOOD.

AMONG all the heroes of the Revolution no char
acter shines out with greater brilliancy or
awakens a more enthusiastic admiration than
Anthony Wayne. The sons of Ohio take a just pride
in the fact that the last and the most important service
of his life was rendered on her soil and for her people.
They would say to his devoted fellow-citizens of Penn
sylvania :
"He is also ours, for you gave him to us, and he
laid down his life for us."
Anthony Wayne was born January I, 1745, in
the township of Easton, Chester Co., Penn. When
about fourteen years old he was placed in a school
taught by his uncle, Gilbert Wayne; but his inborn
military genius already gave direction to his thoughts
and interfered with his studies, as the following
rather blunt letter shows :
"I really suspect that parental affection blinds you,
and that you have mistaken your son's capacity. What
he may be best qualified for I know not. One thing
I am sure of, he will never make a scholar. He may
make a soldier. He has already disturbed the brains
of two-thirds of the boys under my charge by re
hearsals of battles, sieges etc. They exhibit more the
appearance of Indians and Harlequins than students.
This one decorated with a cap of many colors : others
(88)

ANTHONY WAYNE. 89
habited in coats as variegated, like Joseph's of old:
some laid up with broken heads and black eyes. He
has the boys employed in throwing up redoubts, skir
mishes etc. I must be candid with you, brother Isaac.
Unless Anthony pays more attention to his books I
shall be under the painful necessity of dismissing him
from the school."
The embryo soldier, knowing his father's unbend
ing character, avoided this disaster by obedience, and
took up his studies with such earnestness that at the
end of eighteen months he was prepared to enter an
academy in Philadelphia. At eighteen he had com
pleted the course and became a surveyor, soon making
a name for himself by his careful work and his knowl
edge of his profession.
As the struggle of the colonies with the parent
country went on Wayne's enthusiastic nature became
imbued with an intense love of freedom that ever
after was one of the controlling forces in his life;
for patriotism is a force whose uplifting power can
not be measured. Foreseeing that these difficul
ties would bring on a war, he procured every
book on the military profession that was accessible,
and studied until he had mastered its contents; and
thus the idle student grew into the scholar, whose
ample knowledge of his profession fitted him for every
duty and emergency. Genius that does not ally itself
with the most painstaking preparation for work never
accomplishes much.
The young patriot organized a military company,
was made its captain, and drilled it thoroughly. He
made speeches, organized other companies, was chosen
the colonel of the regiment, and was elected to one
office after another in the colony. Having gained the

90 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
confidence of his fellow-citizens they pushed him to
the front. Every boy has read the story of Stony Point and
has felt his heart throb in sympathy with that high
endeavor ; but how many perceive the marks of skilled
workmanship there ? The tools were living men, who
fought, as Wayne said, "like men determined to be
free." But they were men who loved and trusted
their general because he would do anything that he
could for them. And they were Wayne's own men
on whom he could rely, because they had been drilled
to obey with instant precision every lightest command.
Before the assault, every practical detail had been
worked out, and nothing was left to hazard that could
be fixed by preparation.
Every battle in the Revolution in which Wayne
bore a conspicuous part shows these same character
istics, and Wayne's whole career is full of encourage
ment to boys and young men to make the most of
their advantages and opportunities.
The steady behavior of Wayne's command in re
pelling the repeated charges of the famous Highland
Guards at Monmouth won universal admiration, and
justified Wayne's favorite military maxim, "Success
depends upon the union of valor and discipline."
Washington always had confidence in Wayne .
because of his prudence and thoroughness, as well as
his ability ; and these were the reasons that determined
his selection to conduct the campaign against the In
dians in Ohio, after two distinguished generals with
large armies had been defeated.
Having received his commission as major gen
eral, and appointment to this command April n, 1792,
he started for Pittsburg to organize the Legion of the

ANTHONY WAYNE.

91

United States, which was to embrace four regiments
or sub-legions, and to number a little over- five thou
sand men. He had refused to accept the duty unless

ERIE

DISTRIBUTION OF OHIO TRIBES IN 1740.

he was given a force sufficient for the task and allowed
time to drill and equip it. Many of the officers had
been killed or wounded at St. Clair's defeat and others
had resigned. Practically all the officers were new men,

92 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
ignorant of their duties, and General Wayne was
obliged to teach and train them.
He believed in fighting with the bayonet, but he
taught this new army to shoot with more accuracy
than the Indians. He housed his men in huts, but
he himself slept on the ground in a tent. At night
or near the dawn the sentry on his lonely beat was
often startled by the approach of a man, and found
it was the commander, testing his vigilance.
After a year of this hard work he transported
his army by boat down the Ohio, and established
Camp Hobson's Choice, a mile below Cincinnati;
"which village," he said, "is filled with ardent poison
and caitiff wretches to dispose of it." Here his ad
vance was stayed four months by the negotiations for
peace. The distinguished Commissioners were accom
panied by several Quakers. General Wayne had no
faith in the sincerity of the Indians at that stage of
the difficulties. He wrote to the Secretary of War:
"Both officers and soldiers have acquired a greater
degree of military knowledge in the course of a few
months than I ever saw."
This confidence in his army was so great that
asking for banners he adds, "They shall not be lost."
"I wish I could be present at the peace council
with twenty-five hundred of my commissioners in
company and not one Quaker among them. Then I
would be sure that an honorable and permanent peace
would be established."
These words show the enthusiastic nature of
Wayne, who fully appreciated the work done by
officers and men ; and his confidence in them was never
betrayed.

ANTHONY WAYNE. 93
While waiting here he drilled his men in a new
evolution, designed to easily check the enemy if they
attempted a surprise or attacked the army on the
march. Instead of having his army strung out in one
long column they advanced single file in a number
of columns, and at a given command formed a square.
Every night entrenchments were thrown up, while
a company of experienced scouts, far beyond the out
posts, kept wary watch for any lurking savages.
In addition to these precautions he secured the
invaluable services of William Wells and Robert Mc-
Clellan as spies. Wells was made the captain of a
daring band of six men, who did not stop at any
adventure that was necessary in securing information
of the movements of the Indians, and their wild rides
read like romance.
The Indians, baffled in their own tactics, and over
whelmed by General Wayne's masterly plan of fight
ing, gave him new names descriptive of his strong
characteristics. To the Shawanese he was Kitcho
Shemagana. Little Turtle called him The Warrior
Who Never Sleeps and General All-Eyes. After
their defeat the Pottawattamies called him The Big
Wind or The Tornado.
From his camp at Greenville, in December, 1793,
he sent a strong force which built Ft. Recovery on the
battleground of St. Clair's defeat. In the following
June one thousand five hundred Indians under Little
Turtle, with their English allies, were driven back with
a heavy loss from this post, after besieging it for two
days. Having been reinforced by sixteen hundred
Kentuckians, "The Black Snake" now slowly advanced
into the Indian country, enveloping their villages in

94 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
his great coils and crushing them. Arriving in the
presence of the enemy the whole army was animated
by the highest spirits, and anxious to measure swords
with the foe. However the victory of Fallen Timbers,
August 20, 1794, was mainly fought and won by less
than nine hundred men, the first line of battle, who had
made such a fierce charge that the whole mass of two
thousand Indians rose from their advantageous posi
tion, a tangled covert of fallen trees, bushes and tall
weeds, and fled in panic far down the river. Ft. Miami,
built on American soil by the English and manned with
four hundred men, for the encouragement and defense
of the Indians, remained silent, its gates closed against
its allies. General Wayne had authority to take the fort,
but he refrained from a useless expenditure of blood,
and discredited the English in the eyes of the Indians
by burning up everything under the walls, and then
slowly retiring.
Before winter arrived the Indians were threat
ened with starvation, their English allies were shown
to be impotent to help them, while their country was
occupied by strong forts designed to control the tribes
and compel them to live in peace. It was not sur
prising that the disheartened Indians responded to
his advances and promised to make peace.
In June, 1795, the delegations of the tribes began
to gather at Ft. Greenville, and General Wayne re
ceived them with cordiality, talked to them frankly,
and won them by his own personal magnetism; so
that they became the friends of the United States.
Those great chiefs who signed the treaty of Greenville,
August 3, 1795, never violated their pledges, and never
again lifted a tomahawk against the United States.

ANTHONY WAYNE. 95
The battle of Fallen Timbers quieted the Indian
troubles all over the West and South, and forced the
English to surrender the posts on the soil of the United
States, which they wrongfully held along the lake
shores.. General Wayne was sent as a Commissioner
to receive them. His health had been greatly injured
by the hardships of the campaign in the malarious
Maumee Valley, and on his return he was prostrated
by illness, which ended his life in two short weeks,
in the fort at Erie, Penn., December 15, 1796.
This victory gave security to the frontier, and'
from that date a steady stream of sturdy pioneers
flowed into the territory. In fifteen years Ohio be
came a state, and in after years four other great
commonwealths arose which now have the proportions
of an empire. All these owe their existence to the
successful campaign of General Wayne.
Anthony Wayne was a handsome man, of correct
morals and refined manners, and of that ardent and
sincere disposition which drew the best men to him
in loyal friendship. He had the rare quality of dis
cerning in an instant the plans of the enemy, and
of forming his own forces so as to disconcert their
attacks. Prudent as well as bold, cool and self-pos
sessed in the most trying moments of battle, and
yet filled with ardent enthusiasm, that inspired his
troops with valor, he occupies a position in American
history similar to that of Richard Cceur de Lion in
the annals of England.
The young men who delight in his brilliant
achievements may well translate his motto into a form
adapted to their own opportunities and write on their
banners, "Success depends upon the union of courage
and thorough preparation."

Edward Tiffin.

BY ROBERT W. MANLY.

EDWARD Tiffin was born in Carlisle, England,
June 19, 1766. In 1784, at the age of eighteen,
he, with his parents, emigrated to the United
States and settled in Berkeley County, Virginia.
Before leaving England Tiffin had received a
thorough education and had taken up the study of
medicine with the intention of following that pro
fession. On reaching the United States he completed his
medical education at the Jefferson Medical College
of Pennsylvania and was licensed to practice.
Upon the completion of his medical course he
returned to his home in Virginia and, although but
twenty years of age at the time he commenced to prac
tice, the thoroughness of his education, the studious
habits he exhibited and his personal magnetism at once
placed him in possession of a lucrative business.
At this time he was not only an authority in
medicine but he also took up the study of law and his
later writings and state papers show him to have mas
tered the fundamental principles of this profession.
During the time he spent in Virginia, his recog
nized ability as a physician, his natural buoyancy of
spirits and vivacity, his pleasant manners, joined with
unusual conversational powers, made him a favorite
in the fashionable circles of his county and placed him
(96)

FIRST CAPITOL OF OHIO.

98 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
upon terms of friendship and intimacy with the lead
ing men of Virginia, chief among whom was George
Washington, who, when Tiffin left his Virginia home
to make a new home for himself in the Northwest
Territory, wrote to General Arthur St. Clair, Gover
nor of the Territory, a letter introducing Tiffin in the
following language:
"The fairness of his character in private and public
life, together with a knowledge of law, resulting from
close application for a considerable time, will, I hope,
justify the liberty I now take in recommending him
to your attention. I am sure you will do me the jus
tice to believe that nothing but the knowledge of the
gentleman's merits founded upon a long acquaintance,
could have induced me to trouble you on this occasion."
In the year 1789 Edward Tiffin married Mary
Worthington, sister of Thomas Worthington who
afterwards followed him in the office of governor of
Ohio. -
The year following his marriage both he and his
wife united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and
so zealous was Tiffin in the espousal of his faith that
he made a deep study of religious matters and without
waiting for license or ordination to the ministry gath
ered a large congregation of his associates and neigh
bors upon whom he urged the faith he had so recently
embraced. After two years of earnest religious en
deavor, preaching whenever the occasion presented it
self, he was ordained by Bishop Asbury as a deacon
of the church and was authorized to preach.
His religious convictions led him to free his slaves,
and although his religious beliefs were earnestly and
firmly urged he was broad-minded and liberal enough

EDWARD TIFFIN. 99
to recognize that religion did not mean the giving up
of the innocent pleasures of social intercourse, and
he not only continued to practice his profession but
still retained his interests and his enjoyment in society.
In 1798 Tiffin, his family, and many friends, left
their homes in Virginia to make for themselves homes
in the Northwest Territory, selecting Chillicothe as
their place of settlement.
As soon as he had settled in his new home he at
once took up his profession and immediately secured a
lucrative practice, and at the same time he continued,
whenever the opportunity presented itself, to preach
the Gospel. In 1799 he was elected to the Territorial Legisla
ture, and his ability, other than as a professional man,
¦was so well understood and recognized that he was
unanimously elected Speaker of the House and re
tained that position to the end of the Territorial
Government. In 1802 he was chosen a delegate to the Constitu
tional Convention which gave to Ohio its first Consti
tution, and upon the organization of the Convention he
was chosen president. So ably did he conduct the
affairs of the -convention and so well recognized were
his abilities and his labors in the struggle which re
sulted in statehood that, upon the adoption of the
Constitution, he was elected the first governor of Ohio
without opposition. In 1805 he was re-elected without
opposition to a second term as governor. He refused
to run a third time for the office and in the year 1807
he was elected to the United States Senate.
During Tiffin's second term as governor — in
1806 — through his energetic and sensible dealing with
the Aaron Burr expedition, that unhappy movement

100

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

was checked and disorganized before much damage
had been done, and for his action in the matter Pre
sident Jefferson, in a special message to Congress

OHIO COUNTIES
1802

HOW OHIO APPEARED WHEN THE STATE WAS FORMED.
and also in a letter to Tiffin, publicly thanked the
Governor and State for their patriotic zeal.
After serving for two years as United States
Senator, Tiffin, on account of his wife's death, deter
mined to retire from public life, and in accordance with

EDWARD TIFFIN. 101
this determination he resigned from the Senate, re
turned to his home in Ohio and again entered the
practice of medicine. But his friends would not per
mit his retirement from public life and in 1809, the
same year he resigned from the Senate, he was elected
to the State Legislature and was unanimously chosen
Speaker of the House. In 1810 he was again elected
to the Legislature and again chosen Speaker of the
House. In 1809 Tiffin married Miss Mary Porter.
In 1812 the Congress of the United States passed
an act providing for the organization of a General Land
Office of the United States to be administered by a
"Commissioner of Public Lands" and Presidertt Mad
ison appointed Tiffin to fill the office of Commissioner.
The appointment was accepted and Tiffin removed to
Washington. In 1814, when the British destroyed the
City of Washington by fire, Tiffin, by his courage and
good sense, saved all the records of his office from
destruction. He was the only department officer who
did this. His desire to return to his home in Ohio was so
strong that the President to accommodate him per
mitted him to exchange his office as commissioner
with the then Surveyor General of the Northwest
and transferred the office 'of surveyor general to
Chillicothe, Ohio. Tiffin held this office to the first
day of July, 1829, — nearly 15 years.
On August 9, 1829, Edward Tiffin died at his
home in Chillicothe, Ohio.
Edward Tiffin was a man of great mental attain
ment., Although he easily mastered the subjects he
undertook to investigate, still he was a student. The

102 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
positions he held came to him unsolicited. It was his
unusual fitness for the place which caused his selection.
Ohio's early political history contains the names of
many men of great mental endowment, men who be
came famous in the history of the State and the Nation
on account of their great ability and force of character.
Among these men Tiffin was recognized as a leader.
He was always placed in positions that required great
ability, honesty, and capacity to organize and command.
He was recognized as a leader by his associates.
His religious beliefs and his active participation in
the religious movement of his time, tempered by the
common sense and prudence he always exercised in
matters in which he interested himself, did much to
place religion upon a firmer basis among the people in
the then newly settled territory and state. The fact
that he was consistent in his religious beliefs, fearless
in his advocacy of his religious sentiments, together
with a dignified and dispassionate insistence upon re
spect for his views, only served, as is ever the case, in
impressing his character upon all those with whom he
came in contact.
He was not only the man for the places he held on
account of ability but even more fit because of his well
known and influential religious views. His character
was known to be beyond reproach.
His successes in life were due to untiring study
and to irreproachable character.

The Defense of Fort Stephenson.

DURING the early days of August, 1813, Ohio
was in a state of joyous excitement. Men
dropped their implements of toil, for the time,
and helped to spread the glad news from cabin to
cabin, and from one settlement to another until the
whole State rang with shouts of rejoicing. Women
and children wept tears of joy, and when families
gathered about their tables in rude cabins to eat their
frugal meals, there was but one topic of conversation.
The homes in Ohio at that time were not palaces,
by any means. They were not lighted with electricity
and warmed with steam or gas. There were no rich
carpets on the floors nor lace curtains at the windows.
There was no elegant furniture in the parlor, for
there was no parlor. There was no kitchen range and
but few kitchen utensils. There were no tile floors,
no spacious piazzas, no large lawns. The houses were
built of logs, and had in them only the rudest sort of
furnishings. But those homes were as dear to the
people as ours are to us, if not more so. They had
to work very hard to get food and clothing, and all
they had was dearer to them on that account. Besides,
they never knew, when the sun rose, but that their
little homes would be pillaged and burned by Indians
before night, and, possibly, some or all of the people
killed. So when this dread of savages was relieved and
they learned that their lives and homes were safe, it
(103)

104 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
is not strange that they expressed their joy in shouts
and tears. It is not strange that the forests echoed
and re-echoed the shout, "The British are beaten ! Our
boys won the day!"
When you visit Fremont, Ohio, if you will go to
the court house and make inquiry of any one of the
officials there, he will take pleasure in explaining to
you the cause of the great rejoicing in Ohio in that
far away time, 1813. He will tell you a most thrilling
story — a story of how a young man, scarcely more
than a boy, with a mere handful of men, defended
Fort Stephenson against nearly two thousand British
regulars and Indians for two days. He will tell you
how, at the final assault about five o'clock in the even
ing of the second day, young George Croghan and
his gallant comrades, by means of "Betsey," their only
cannon, hurled the British and Indians back, as a wave
receding from the shore, and how, at the second
assault, the British recoiled before the voice of "Bet
sey," and the proud General Proctor, beaten and dis
heartened, hastened to depart from Ohio soil forever.
The people of Fremont all know the story well;
and when the second of August comes round each
year they meet to celebrate the victory which was a
turning point in the history of Ohio. Had the British
captured Fort Stephenson there is no telling what
devastation might have followed.
It seems almost past belief that only one hundred
and sixty Americans, in such a ramshackle fort, with
only one small cannon, could repulse such an army of
whites and Indians with six cannon to aid them.
There is but one way to account for it. Every man
within that fort was a hero, and he knew that he was
fighting for his life, that no mercy would be shown

THE DEFENSE OF FORT STEPHENSON. 105
him by the Indians even if the British so desired.
The British, upon their arrival, made a formal demand
for the surrender of the fort. The refusal of Major
Croghan was sent by Lieutenant Shipp under a flag
of truce. The British officer, to whom the reply was
given, was dumbfounded when he read Croghan's
words : "We are determined to defend the fort to the
last, and bury ourselves in its ruins, rather than to
surrender to any force, no matter how great." He
tried to argue the case with Lieutenant Shipp by repre
senting the terrible massacre that would surely ensue.
"There will be no massacre," said the Lieutenant,
"when the fort is taken, for I assure you that you will
not take it while any one is alive to defend it."
This was the spirit of every man inside the fort,
and when the storm of battle broke it found them
ready. All day long, during August first, cannon and
rifles tried in vain to break through the palisades.
When any point was weakened, the defenders, at once,
began to strengthen it, at first with bags of sand,
and, when these gave out, with bags of flour. The
single cannon in the fort was dragged from place
to place and fired to deceive the British into thinking
that the fort was well supplied with artillery. Nor
did the bombardment cease when night fell, but, at
frequent intervals, all through the night flames leaped
from the mouths of the cannon, lighting up the dark
ness for a moment only to be followed by the thud
of a cannon-ball against the timbers of the fort.
Weary of this seeming useless siege, and, no
doubt, goaded to a degree of desperation by the obsti
nate defense of the fort, about five o'clock, August
second, the British commander ordered an assault.
Major Croghan, as a skilled soldier, felt sure that

106 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
sooner or later this assault would be ordered and had
made ready for it. His stock of ammunition was
low and must be reserved for the final shock, which
would not be long delayed.
Their shouts rending the air, the British rushed
toward the fort through a cloud of smoke, nor did the
Americans discover them till they had come within
twenty feet of the ditch which surrounded the forti
fication. On they came amid the deafening cries of
war, but the Americans met them with a volley of
rifle balls, and, for a moment, they were in confusion.
Then Lieutenant Colonel Short rushed to the front
and calling out, "Come on, boys; give the Yankees
no quarter," led the charge. By scores the British
rushed down into the trench and tried to clamber up
the bank into the fort. But they never reached the
top, for just at this critical moment "Betsey" peered
forth from her hiding place and thundered forth a
message into that trench that caused the whole army to
sway like trees in a hurricane. Once more they rallied,
and again the trench was filled with struggling men.
But Croghan was ready; and with another volley of
grape and slugs he swept the trench from end to end,
and the work was done. During the siege a ball struck
one of the bags of flour and the contents were thrown
over the soldiers standing near. When the Indians
and British were fleeing in a panic after the second
assault one of the American soldiers shouted in exul
tation, "We got the flour but they got the pepper !"
Never did commander more richly deserve a medal
for distinguished service than the one that Congress
voted to Major Croghan. But this medal was no
higher tribute to his bravery than the words of General
Harrison, who said in his report:

THE DEFENSE OF FORT STEPHENSON. 107
"It will not be the least of General Proctor's mor
tification to find that he has been baffled by a youth
who has just passed his twenty-first year. He is, how
ever, a hero, worthy of his gallant uncle, George Ro
gers Clarke."

Perry's Victory.

THE story of Perry's victory over the British on
September 10, 1813, has been written many
times, and no American ever finds it dull. It
was a great battle, and there is small wonder that Put
in-Bay has become so celebrated because of it. That
was a great day for Ohio and the Nation and no one
has told the story better than an Ohio man, Mr. L.
K. Parks, of Toledo. In his book entitled "With
British and Braves, Story of the War of 1812," he
has given a pen picture of this victory so vivid and
real that the reader seems almost to be an eyewitness
of the conflict. While it is a story, the author vouches
for the accuracy of its historical features, and the
book may be read with confidence. Mr. Parks tells the
story of this victory as follows:
As I have sailed around and among these islands,
and gone over the course taken by Perry's fleet, I have
often pictured to myself that morning scene. It must
have been beautiful, almost enchanting, yet grand and
terrible. Scarcely a ripple stirred the surface of the
waters. The raindrops glistened in the sun. The
dark green and densely wooded shores of Put-in-Bay,
Middle Bass, Ballast, Green, and Rocky Islands, just
slightly tinted with the hues of autumn, were reflected
and repeated on the surface of the smooth lake. And
these beautiful islands, scattered here and there, looked
like great bouquets of tinted green placed on an im
mense mirror. The birds sang and twittered in the
tree-tops and in the air, and the squirrels chattered in
(108)

PERRY'S VICTORY. 109
the woods. The vessels of the fleet, with all their white
sails stretched to the breeze, which just kissed them
to a gentle flutter, scarcely moved on the quiet bosom
of the lake.
The sounds of command ceased ; an almost death
like stillness crept over the fleet. In the hour of bat
tle, amid the shouts of officers and men, the rattle of
musketry, the roar of cannon, the heart is fired to
deeds of bravery and courage. But it is the calm, the
awful stillness that precedes the dread hour of strife,
when slowly, quietly, but surely draws nearer and
nearer the bloody struggle that tries the hearts and
souls of men. Seldom, if ever, has history recorded
a conflict begun amid more beautiful surroundings,
or to which the approach was so quiet and peaceful.
The sun was but little above the water's edge when
Perry's fleet weighed anchor. With both squadrons in
full view of each other, the sun had nearly reached
the meridian before the first roar of cannon broke the
peaceful stillness of the scene. In these quiet hours,
not only each officer but each man realized that the
honor, the glory, and perhaps the destiny, of each
nation depended largely upon the result of the com
ing conflict. The opposing fleets were almost equally
matched, with a slight advantage in favor of the Brit
ish. The British squadron consisted of only six boats,
while the Americans had nine ; but the British had over
five hundred men, the Americans four hundred and
ninety. But owing to the fact that a number were
sick with malarial fever, not more than four hundred
Americans were able to report for duty. The British
had seventy guns, the Americans fifty-six. Of long
range guns they had thirty-six, we only fifteen. It
was for this reason that Barclay, the British com-

110 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
mander, wished to fight at long range, while Perry
desired a close action.
At ten o'clock, as the fleets were so slowly ap
proaching each other, Perry, who was upon the flag
ship Lawrence, ran to the masthead a blue banner,
upon which, in large, white letters, were the supposed
dying words of the brave Captain Lawrence, "Don't
give up the ship." These words could be plainly seen
from every boat, and aroused the enthusiasm of the
whole squadron to the highest pitch.
When the battle began, the Lawrence was in the
lead. The wind was in the southwest, making the
British fleet to the windward of the American, thus
practically enabling Barclay to select his own distance
for fighting with his superior long-range guns. The
Lawrence was obliged to endure for forty minutes a
terrible fire from the British fleet before she was able
to return with effect a single shot.
Having gained a nearer position, the Lawrence,
together with the Scorpion and Ariel, opened fire upon
the British squadron. But the British long-range
guns not only gave them great advantage, but they
concentrated their fire upon the flagship. The Eng
lish seemed determined to destroy the flagship and
her gallant commander, and then to cut up the smaller
boats of the squadron in detail. At one time no less
than thirty-four of their thirty-six heavy guns were
brought to bear upon the Lawrence.
Perry signaled his fleet to move forward, and at
tack the enemy at close quarters ; but the wind was so
light that their progress was exceedingly slow, and
for nearly two hours the Lawrence was obliged to bear
the brunt of a terrible fire of shot and canister from
the greater portion of the British fleet. She was ter-

PERRY^S VICTORY. Ill
ribly shattered — her rigging shot away, her sails in
shreds, her spars in splinters, and her guns dismounted.
The carnage on her decks was fearful; so slippery
were they with blood that they were sanded, in order
to enable the survivors to stand.
At length, out of one hundred and three men and
officers who went into the conflict, all but fourteen had
been killed or wounded, and the last gun was fired by
Perry himself, assisted by his purser and chaplain.
A less resolute and courageous man would have pulled
down his flag in despair. But at this critical moment,
when it looked as though victory had already perched
upon the British standard, the wind, by one of those
mysterious dispensations of Providence that are hid
from our wisdom, shifted from the southwest to the
southeast, and at the same time materially freshened.
By aid of this breeze, Captain Elliott was enabled to
bring up his ship, the Niagara, one of the finest in
the fleet. At the same time, by one of those quick percep
tions of genius which often come to great commanders
at decisive moments, and which seem almost like in
spiration, Perry determined at once to leave the Law
rence, and shift the squadron's banner to the Niagara.
Taking his banner under his arm, he, with four sol
diers and his young brother, jumped into a yawl, and
was rowed swiftly to the Niagara, amid a shower of
cannon-balls and musket-shot. Almost miraculously
he reached that vessel in safety, and instantly raised
the squadron's banner. At the same time he gave
orders to make the bold and desperate attempt of
breaking the enemy's line. The Niagara was a power
ful brig, and uninjured. Besides, most of the other

112 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
boats of Perry's fleet were but little injured, except
the totally disabled Lawrence.
The Niagara, followed by all the rest of the Amer
ican fleet, borne forward by the now favorable wind,
pressed down between the six British vessels. Each
American boat, as it passed in between the British,
poured into the enemy's vessels, much of the time at a
half ' pistol-shot distance, tremendous broadsides from
its double-shotted guns, and also a deadly fire of mus-.
ketry. So sudden, so unexpected, so terrific, were
these destructive broadsides poured into the British
vessels from so short a distance, and so sudden and
unexpected had been the change in the tide of battle,
that within an hour after Perry left the Lawrence, the
Detroit, the British flagship, lowered her colors, and
the other vessels of the British fleet soon followed her
example. As soon as Perry perceived that his victory was
complete, he hastily wrote with a pencil on the back
of a letter his famous dispatch to General Harrison:
"We have met the enemy, and they are ours ;" adding
the number and character of the boats which the
Americans had captured. He also wrote at the same
time, and sent by the same messenger, a more elab
orate and carefully written dispatch, directed to the
Secretary of War.
It is a curious fact that the hastily-penned dis
patch to General Harrison has lived to become in our
country a household expression, while the more elab
orate and carefully written one, addressed to the Sec
retary of War, has long since been forgotten.
Thus it is that sometimes the sudden, impulsive
thought of the moment lives and goes on down the

PERRY'S VICTORY. 113
ages, while our more elaborate and carefully prepared
ideas are soon forgotten.
Then the ceremony of taking possession of the
conquered vessels, and receiving the formal submis
sion of the vanquished, was performed. This took
place on the battered flagship, and in the presence
of her surviving officers and crew. "It was a time
of conflicting emotions," says an eye-witness. "The
tattle was won ; but the deck was slippery with blood
and strewn with the bodies of officers and men, seven
of whom had sat at the table together with the com
manding officer at the last meal. Perry stood on the
after-part of the deck, and his sad visitors were com
pelled to pick their way to him among the slain. He
received them with dignity and unaffected kindness.
As they presented their swords, with the hilts toward
the victor, he spoke in a low tone, without the betrayal
of the least exultation, and requested each to retain
his weapon." Only a few weeks after the victory, Washington
Irving, in a chaste, biographical sketch of Commodore
Perry, said : "The last roar of cannon that died along"
her shores was the expiring note of British domina
tion; and this victory, which decided the fate of the
mighty empire, will stand unrivaled and alone, deriv
ing luster and perpetuity in its singleness. In future
times, when the shores of Erie shall hum with busy
population ; when towns and cities shall brighten where
now extend the dark and tangled forests; when ports
shall spread their arms, and lofty barks shall ride
where now the canoe is fastened to the stake ; when the
present age shall have grown into venerable antiquity,
and the mists of fable begin to gather round its his-
8

114

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

tory, then will the inhabitants look back to this battle
we record as one of the romantic achievements of the
days of yore. It will stand first on the page of their
local legends, and in the marvelous tales of the
borders."

BURIAL PLACE OF THE HEROES OF PERRY'S VICTORY.

William Henry Harrison.

BY WILLIAM M K. VANCE.

WILLIAM Henry Harrison, ninth president of
the United States, and grandfather of the
twenty-third president, was the son of one
of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
His fame, while it belongs to the entire country, is
the particular heritage of three states : Virginia, the
mother of presidents, on whose soil he was born;
Indiana, which claims him as her first territorial gov
ernor and as the hero of Tippecanoe; and Ohio, the
home of his later life and his resting place in death.
He was born February 9th, 1773. He inherited from
his patriotic father little save a noble example and
a name identified with the great struggle for independ
ence. The history of his family presents a fine in
stance of a line of eminent scions, and with that of the
Adamses and a few others, still controverts the com
mon notion that the posterity of worthily dintinguished
men is weak and insignificant.
His elementary education was entrusted to pri
vate teachers, but in his fourteenth year, young Har
rison was sent to Hampden and Sidney College, and
afterwards to an academy, in which schools he con
tinued his studies for three years. According to the
plans and purposes of his father, he entered upon
the study of medicine and was about to be graduated
as a practitioner, when the sudden death of his father
(115)

116 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
gave him the liberty to disengage himself from a
profession for which he had no natural bent nor apti
tude. He had caught the military spirit which per
vaded the country after the War of the Revolution.
He wanted to be a soldier and achieve distinction and
fortune in the service of his country. He made the
choice against the earnest protestations of his guard
ian, Robert Morris, and other prominent men who
had been his father's intimate friends, but President
Washington sanctioned his views and gave him a
commission in the army. He was soon on his way to
Cincinnati, making the journey from Philadelphia to
Pittsburg on foot, to join the regiment to which he
had been assigned.
At this time the state of affairs in the Northwest
Territory was sad and disheartening. Population was
sparse, and, because of the frequent forays of hostile
Indians, the progress of immigration was slow.
Throughout the entire region north of the Ohio the
tomahawk was busy; and, although the government
had made repeated efforts to establish an armed peace
with the redskins, its little armies had been defeated
again and again. The rout of General Harmar's
forces carried dismay throughout the frontier, but
the crushing defeat of St. Clair filled the whole coun
try with consternation and mourning.
Young Harrison arrived at Fort Washington just
after the defeat of General St. Clair's army, and wit
nessed the gathering in, at that post, of the broken
remnants of that gallant band which but a few weeks
before had set out with much of "the pomp and circum
stance of war." The whole western country was
panic-stricken, and it would not have been strange
had the young ensign, who had not been reared to

WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON. 117
hardship and whose slender frame seemed unequal to
the difficulties of frontier service, yielded to the dis
suasion of his friends and comrades. But they had
not yet recognized the extraordinary character of this
man. At the very outset of his career he exhibited
the same fearlessness in the presence of danger, the
same indomitable energy and self-reliance which sub
sequently distinguished him during every period of
his life. His first military service was to command
a company of twenty men as an escort for a train of
pack horses to Fort Hamilton, a military post on the
west bank of the Big Miami River from which the seat
of Butler county was named. This was a perilous
undertaking which demanded a greater degree of
sagacity than that which would have been ordinarily
expected in a youth of nineteen, but it was performed
in a manner which proved that his abilities were com
mensurate with his spirit. For this service he received
the thanks of his commanding officer, General St.
Clair. During the following two years, the garrison at
Fort Washington was mainly inactive, and was much
given to drunkenness, gambling and other vices which
too often characterize "camp life. Young Harrison had
the good sense to see and avoid these dangers, and, by
his abstemiousness, he formed those habits of tem
perance which adhered to him through life. During
this period he devoted himself to acquiring a knowl
edge of his profession, and he was soon appointed a
lieutenant on account of his soldierly disposition.
In 1793 he joined the new legion under General
Anthony Wayne who made him an aide-de-camp, and
in December of that year he took part in the expedi
tion which repossessed General St. Clair's field of

118 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
battle, and erected thereon Fort Recovery, a work,
in the words of Wayne, "impregnable by savage force."
He participated in all the engagements with the
Indians and their British allies during this campaign,
and he displayed conspicuous gallantry at the Battle
of Fallen Timbers where the Indians were taught to
respect and fear our arms, and to doubt the power
of England to protect them.
Shortly after the close of this campaign Harrison
was advanced to the rank of captain and placed in
command of Fort Washington. The position was
largely a confidential one, and his appointment thereto
was due to Wayne's high estimation of his character
and ability. The conduct of the Spaniards on the
Mississippi was exasperating. French citizens and
agents were engaged in exciting the people of Ken
tucky into a war with the Spanish of Louisiana with
the object of thus embroiling our government with
Spain and of forcing it into a league with France.
Captain Harrison was instructed to prevent the pas
sage down the river of boats laden with military stores
belonging to the French agents. The British posts
on the northern frontier, which had been held so long
in violation of good faith, were now evacuated by the
British in obedience to the Jay treaty of 1794; the
new garrison and supplies were sent to Fort Wash
ington and forwarded thence through the wilderness
under the supervision of the commandant of that post.
It is no slight evidence of the discretion, intelligence,
and executive ability of this young officer, with the
rank of captain only, that he should have been chosen
by the sagacious Wayne to discharge duties so impor
tant, and to exercise a responsibility so delicate.

WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON. 119
While in command of this fort he formed an
attachment for the daughter of John Cleves Symmes,
proprietor of the lands between the two Miamis. Her
father did not approve of the match, but one day the
young couple were married in his house during his
temporary absence. On his return he asked the young
captain what his means of supporting a family were.
The Spartan answer was, "My sword." This reply
pleased the old gentleman who at once capitulated to
his son-in-law. In the spring of 1798 Captain Harrison resigned
his commission in the army and settled on a tract of
land at North Bend about sixteen miles from Cincin
nati, but was immediately appointed by President John
Adams as secretary of the Northwest Territory under
General Arthur St. Clair as governor. A year later he
resigned this position to take his seat in Congress as the
first delegate from the Territory. Up to this time
the public lands had been sold in such vast tracts 'that
none but men of wealth could buy them. Harrison
secured the division of the land into small tracts and
made it possible for the poor man to obtain a home
stead. During that session of Congress a part of the
Northwest Territory was formed into the Territory of
Indiana. It included the present states of Indiana,
Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and a part of Minnesota,
and contained a civilized population of nearly five
thousand souls. William Henry Harrison was ap
pointed its first governor by President Adams, and,
so satisfactory was his administration, he was suc
cessively re-appointed by President Jefferson and Pres
ident Madison. He was also made superintendent of
Indian affairs.

120

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON. 121
Governor Harrison organized the new govern
ment at Vincennes. Many difficult questions de
manded his attention, but the most difficult and deli
cate was the restless and finally hostile attitude of the
savages under the leadership of Tecumseh, and the
preaching of Tecumseh's brother, "the Prophet." The
beginning of open warfare by the Indians was averted
only many times by the calmness and courage of the
Governor who in frequent councils with the red men
employed with rare skill and judgment the art of the
diplomat and the tactics of the trained soldier. He
made in all thirteen treaties with the Indians, and se
cured the cession from several tribes of more than
three million acres of land on the Wabash and White
Rivers. Tecumseh condemned these treaties on the
ground that all of the land belonged to all of the
Indians, and that a single tribe could not give a legal
title without the consent of every other tribe. Gover
nor Harrison invited Tecumseh to come to Vincennes
for a. conference, and directed that he should bring
with him not more than thirty warriors ; but he came
with four hundred, completely armed. There were
many evidences that treachery was intended, and but
for the conciliatory methods of the Governor, the coun
cil would have terminated in bloodshed. Nothing wa i
accomplished by this interview, nor by a second in the
following summer.
Meanwhile, frequent depredations by the Indians
made it evident that conciliatory measures could no
longer be employed, and on September 26th, 181 1,
Governor Harrison set out with nine hundred men to
punish the murderous redskins. On November 6th,
when the army was within a short distance of Tippe
canoe, it was met by messengers demanding a parley.

122 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
A council was agreed upon for the next day, but at
four o'clock on the following morning, the treacherous
savages fiercely attacked the camp of Governor Harri
son in an endeavor to take it by surprise. The fighting
continued till daylight when the Indians were routed
with great loss. Like many another successful com
mander whose bitterest enemies are not those whom
he meets on the field of battle, General Harrison was
greatly censured on account of this fight by his polit
ical opponents and by those envious of his success.
But this battle finally became the most favorable event
of an exceedingly fortunate career ; and the very name,
Tippecanoe, had a charm about it which overwhelmed
all opposition and detraction, and bore the hero of that
battlefield to the highest distinction within, the gift
of a sovereign people.
In the war of 1812 Governor Harrison was ap
pointed to the chief command of the Northwest, and
was given a major general's commission. For almost
a year his soldierly qualities were employed in collect
ing troops, in building forts, in creating depots, in
cutting roads, in establishing lines of supplies, and in
organizing the various departments of the army.
Some minor field operations were attempted, and his
gallant defense of Fort Meigs when besieged by the
British redounds greatly to his fame. Meanwhile he
urged upon the government the importance of creating
a navy on the lakes. That advice was heeded, and the
splendid achievement of Commodore Perry on Sep
tember 10th, 1813, was made possible by the military
sagacity of this accomplished soldier. Six days after
Perry's victory General Harrison embarked his artil
lery and supplies for a descent on Canada. The Brit
ish general, Proctor, burned the fort and navy yard

WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON. 123
at Maiden and retreated, closely pursued by Harrison
who overtook him and his Indian allies led by Tecum
seh near the river Thames. Within five minutes after
the engagement began almost the whole British force
was captured, and shortly afterwards the Indians were
completely routed and their leader Tecumseh was
slain. The battle of the Thames and Perry's victory
ended the war in Upper Canada, and gave the United
States undisputed possession of the Great Lakes ex
cepting Lake Ontario. The most distinguished hon
ors were conferred on General Harrison by the Pres
ident, by Congress, and by the state legislatures, on
account of this remarkable victory. His name was
on every lip, and his deeds were celebrated in song
and story.
The intervening years between the war of 1812
and the presidential campaign of 1840 were in part
devoted to the service of his country, and in part to the
retired and simple life of a country gentleman. He
was in turn a member of Congress, a state senator in
the general Assembly of Ohio, a presidential elector,
a United States senator from Ohio, and minister from
our government to the United States of Colombia.
In 1829 he retired to his farm at North Bend, but
in retirement he was willing to continue his public
usefulness even in a humbler capacity, and thus we
have the unprecedented record of a distinguished
Indian fighter and illustrious military commander, an
ex-governor, ex-senator and ex-minister, serving the
people of Hamilton county twelve years as clerk of
the county court.
In December, 1839, General Harrison was nomi
nated by the National Whig Convention for the pres
idency of the United States, with John Tyler of

124 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
Virginia for vice-president. The campaign which fol
lowed was one of the most exciting in the history of
the country. Political mass meetings and processions
were introduced for the first time, and party watch
words and emblems were employed with telling effect.
That canvass has commonly been called the "log-cabin
and hard cider campaign." The eastern end of Gen
eral Harrison's house at North Bend consisted of a
log cabin covered with clapboards, and his table in
stead of being covered with exciting wines was reputed
to be well supplied with good cider. Log cabins and
hard cider thus became party emblems typifying the
republican simplicity of his home. "Tippecanoe and
Tyler too" was shouted and sung and emblazoned from
one end of the country to the other. Nothing could
stem the tide of wonderful popular enthusiasm for the
hero of Tippecanoe and the Thames. Mr. Van Buren,
the Democratic candidate, received only sixty electoral
votes out of two hundred and ninety-four.
The death of the President, Sunday morning,
April 4th, 1841, only thirty-one days after his inaugu
ration, was announced to the people of the United
States by Daniel Webster, Secretary of State. His
body now lies at North Bend in a rock-faced tomb
overlooking the beautiful Ohio. By the side of that
tomb a tall staff was recently erected by public spirited
citizens, and from its peak floats a large American
flag donated in the name of the "John S. Conner"
school.

Lafayette's Visit to Ohio.

BY C B. GALBREATH.

A DISTINGUISHED statesman has said that the
reformer and his reform seldom triumph to
gether. He is therefore peculiarly fortunate
who devotes his life to the service of humanity and
lives to see a nation rise and hail him as a benefactor.
To merit the meed of praise brings always to the soul
properly attuned something of happiness ; to deserve
the gratitude of mankind and receive it is the acme
of human felicity.
Such was the rare fortune of the knightly Lafa
yette, who left wealth and ease in France and came,
when a mere boy, to America to aid our forefathers
in their struggle for independence ; who saw the cause
that he had espoused triumphant at Yorktown; who,
after the flight of years, revisited our shores as a
private citizen and was everywhere received with spon
taneous manifestations of partiotic joy.
A new generation came forth to greet him. The
voice of faction ceased ; the spirit of '76 lived again ;
gratitude and patriotism raised triumphal arches and
strewed his way with flowers. As he passed along,
the people with one acclaim showered down upon
him the benediction of their great love. The poet
spoke for all in the familiar lines:
We bow not the neck,
And we bend not the knee;
But our hearts, Lafayette,
We surrender to thee.
(125)

126

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

Says Sumner, "It belongs to the glory of Lafayette
that he inspired this sentiment, and it belongs to the
glory of our country to have felt it." From the hour
that he landed on Staten Island, under a beautiful
rainbow, nature's auspicious greeting, his was more
than a triumphal progress. Such a spectacle the world
never witnessed before ; such it may not witness again,
until the service of humanity becomes the master
passion of great souls.
Through the vista of years, we see the modest,
joyful veteran as he passed from city to city. Age
and the vicissitudes of an eventful life had left scarcely
a furrow on his brow. The tenderness of his great
heart beamed from every feature. In the midst of
thronging thousands he stooped to kiss the little child
and paused to shed a sympathetic tear as he grasped
the hand of the war worn comrade of other days.
In the latter part of February, 1825, he started
from the national capital on his southern and western
tour, that his itinerary might include every state in the
Union. Down the Potomac and the Chesapeake,
through Virginia and the Carolinas, down to the
sunny south land he journeyed to meet the early spring.
Over him were clement skies ; around him the pictur
esque wilderness, wafting down its tribute on balmy
"breezes, redolent with the fragrance of flowers and
vibrant with the melody of birds. To the welcome of
nature was added the welcome of her children. The
untamed Indian, the untutored slave and the hardy
pioneer seemed to forget distinctions in the effusive
greetings that they tendered to the friend of all man
kind. Out from the bay of Mobile the vessel steamed
and bore him to New Orleans — the French- American

Lafayette's visit to ohio. 127

GENERAL LAFAYETTE.
(From a portrait made when he visited the United States, 1824-25.)

128 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
city that welcomed him in a delirium of joy. Up the
"Father of Waters" he came, visiting new states, then
the western frontier of civilization, and marveling at
the prodigies of progress in the wilderness. As his
delighted eye dwelt upon the happy prospect, he forgot
age and fatigue and felt bounding through his veins
again the enthusiasm of revolutionary days. In the
Northwest Territory he rejoiced to see the principles
that claimed his youthful heart embodied in the struc
tures of three noble states, prophetic of what the
greater republic was to be when slavery under the
flag should cease and liberty should become universal
in America. Up our beautiful Ohio he came. The sinking of
the vessel that bore him, fraught with danger to the
passengers, formed only an interesting diversion.
Overland he journeyed from Louisville to Frankfort,
Kentucky; thence northward, and on the morning of
May 19, 1825, in the midst of a retinue of followers,
he stood on the river shore and beheld, for the first
time, the Queen City of the West.
His visit had been expected. For days the citi
zens had eagerly awaited the news of his coming.
Floating rumors and a premature signal revealed the
tense interest that practically suspended business in
anticipation of the arrival of the nation's guest.
The day was auspicious. The sky was cloudless.
The spirit of peace came down on the expectant land
scape and laughing waters. The city, ever beautiful in
May, was passing fair on that bright morning. At
a signal a splendid barge, equipped and manned for
the occasion, crossed the river and landed on the shore
opposite. As the prow gracefully turned toward the
city again, the batteries on the river bank thundered

Lafayette's visit to ohio. 129
their welcome. Cheer after cheer went up from the
thousands who lined the water's edge ; the demonstra
tion became more enthusiastic as the barge approached.
The scene at the landing, as described by an eye wit
ness, was worthy the genius that transferred it to
canvas.* As Lafayette stepped ashore, Governor Morrow
grasped him by the hand and in behalf of Ohio deliv
ered an address of welcome. In concluding he said,
"With feelings of gratitude and veneration common to
our fellow citizens throughout the United States, we
hail you, General, as the early and constant friend of
our country, of rational liberty, and the rights of man."
Facing the vast throng, Lafayette made the fol
lowing response to the greeting:
"The highest reward that can be bestowed on a
revolutionary veteran is to welcome him to a sight of
the blessings which have issued from our struggle for
independence, freedom and equal rights. Where can
those enjoyments be more complete than in the state
of Ohio where, even among the prodigies of American
progress, we are so particularly to admire the rapid
and wonderful results of free institutions, free spirit,
and free industry; and where I am received by the
people, and in their name by their chief magistrate,
with an affection and concourse of public kindness
which fills my heart with most lively sentiments of
gratitude ? While I am highly obliged for your having
come so far to meet me, I much regret the impossi
bility to present to you my acknowledgments, as
I had intended, at the seat of government. You
* "General Lafayette's Landing and Reception in Cincin
nati" was painted by August Jean Hervieu.
9

130 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
know, sir, the citizens of the state know, by what
engagements, by what sacred duties, I am bound to the
solemn celebration of a half secular anniversary,
equally interesting to the whole Union.* I offer you
sir, my respectful thanks for the kind and gratifying
manner in which you have been pleased to express your
own and the people's welcome. Permit me here to
offer the tribute of my grateful devotion and respect
to the happy citizens of the state of Ohio."
The soldiers stood in open order and presented
arms, while the General proceeded in a "barouche and
four," accompanied by his son, George Washington
Lafayette, an escort from Kentucky and the city au
thorities, to a platform in front of the Cincinnati Hotel,
where he was received by the local committee. The
whole common in front of the city presented an
unbroken mass of citizens, anxiously looking for the
object of their admiration and occasionally raising
their voices in shouts of "the most enthusiastic joy."
Ladies thronged the doors, windows and balconies of
the adjacent buildings. Handkerchiefs fluttered, flags
waved, the crowd swayed, and the troops with military
precision performed their evolutions, as the General
and his party mounted the platform. Here he was
warmly greeted by a number of old revolutionary sol
diers and prominent citizens of the state. General
William Henry Harrison voiced the welcome of the
city. He said in part :
"There is no deception, General, in the appearances
of prosperity which are before you. This flourishing
city was not built, like the proud capital of the frozen
Neva, by command of a despot directing the labor of
* Laying of the corner stone of the Bunker Hill monu
ment on the fiftieth anniversary of the battle.

lafayette's visit to ohio. 131
obedient millions. It has been reared by the hands of
freemen. These crowded streets are filled with the
inhabitants of this city and its vicinity, and are a part
of the 700,000 Christian people who daily offer up
their orisons to heaven for the innumerable blessings
they enjoy. The youth who form your guard of honor
are a detachment of the 100,000 enrolled freemen
whose manly bosoms are the only ramparts of our
state. They have all assembled to present the free-will
offering of their affections to the benefactor of their
country. "Happy Chief! how different must be your feel
ings from those of the most distinguished commander
who in the proudest days of Rome conducted to the
capitol the miserable captives and the glittering spoils
of an unrighteous war. This, your triumph, has not
brought to the millions who witness it a single painful
emotion. "Happy man ! the influence of your example will
extend beyond the tomb. Your fame, associated with
that of Washington and Bolivar, will convince some
future Caesar that the path of duty is the path of true
glory, and that the character of the warrior can never
be complete without faithfully fulfilling the character
of the citizen."
The General was visibly affected. After the ap
plause had died away, he made a fitting reply, conclud
ing with a reference to his comrades of other days.
"Here, also," he said, "I meet revolutionary compan
ions in arms and the sons of old friends, the sound of
whose names is most dear to me."
At the conclusion of the ceremonies, the General
held an informal reception in the hotel. Early in the
evening he attended the Masonic Lodge, bearing

132 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
his name, which had been organized in anticipation
of his visit, and of which he was made an honorary
member. Later he witnessed a brilliant exhibition of
fireworks at the Globe Inn, and on his return visited
the Western Museum, which was brilliantly illumin
ated in his honor as was the entire city.
Early the next morning the streets were thronged
with people. The Sabbath school children were given
precedence in the parade. With waving banners they
marched forth and formed in a hollow square to re
ceive the General. As he approached, two hundred
little girls strewed flowers in his way. Rev. Ruter
spoke on behalf of the schools. "The rising genera
tion of our land," said he, "cherish and will transmit
to posterity a grateful remembrance of your sufferings
and achievements in the sacred cause of freedom. * *
All hearts greet you, and perhaps none with more
sincerity than these juvenile companies gathered from
our schools." Here a touching incident occurred. Lafayette
was about to reply to the address, when the children
pressed around him, "eagerly stretched out their little
hands to him and filled the air with their cries of joy."
This manifestation of affection was especially gratify
ing to him and "he received their caresses with the ten
derness of a parent who returns to his family after a
long absence." He then replied to Dr. Ruter's ad
dress. "Amidst the affectionate and universal greet
ings from the people of Ohio," said he, "I have with
peculiar delight noticed the eagerness and warmth of
juvenile feelings in behalf of an old American soldier."
He then congratulated the children that "their eyes
first opened on the public prosperity and domestic hap-

lafayette's visit to ohio. 133
piness which are the blessed lot of this American
land." The grand procession was then formed. The
military companies came first in their brilliant uni
forms. Next came the labor organizations with ap
propriate banners ; printers, cordwainers, hatters, ship
wrights, carpenters, engravers, saddlers and other so
cieties numbering in all more than thirty. The ship
wrights, several of whom carried miniature boats on
their shoulders, were preceded by the barge in which
the General had crossed the river. It was now
mounted on wheels, drawn by horses, manned by its
crew, and decorated with the stars and stripes. On
the stern was painted "Yorktown, October 19, 1781."
After marching through the principal streets, the
procession halted on the open plain back of the city.
Here the General and his suite were conducted to a
large and beautiful pavilion, decorated with roses and
evergreens and sufficiently elevated to command a view
of the surrounding multitude. After the General was
seated and silence had succeeded the applause, Samuel
M. Lee stepped forward and sang, to the air of the
Marseillaise Hymn, an ode which had been composed
for the occasion :
With wealth and conquest grown delirious,
A foreign despot seized the rod,
And bade us in a tone imperious
To bow submissive to his nod.
His hostile navies plowed the ocean,
His threat'ning armies thronged our shore ;
But when we heard his cannon roar,
Thousands exclaimed, with one emotion,
"Columbia's sons, to arms !
Oh who would be a slave !
March on ! march on ! unchecked, unawed,
To freedom or the grave.'-

134 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
The god of battles, from his dwelling
Of light and glory in the skies,
Heard from a thousand temples swelling
Our heart-felt prayers and praises rise,
And nerved each arm, inspired each spirit
To fight, to conquer, and be free,
And bade each son of liberty
His father's freeborn soul inherit.
Columbia's sons, etc.
See, one by one, those heirs of glory,
Forever fled their health and bloom,
In freedom's cause grown weak and hoary,
Descending to the patriot's tomb.
But yet of this great constellation
A few bright planets have not set;
We yet behold thee, Lafayette !
The guest and glory of our nation.
Columbia's sons, etc.

From a stand opposite the pavilion, Joseph S. Ben-
ham, the orator of the day, delivered a scholarly and
patriotic address. His manly presence commanded
attention and his sonorous voice, gradually increasing
in volume, reached the limits of the vast assembly.
Liberty, progress, and the devotion of Lafayette to
both, were his inspiring themes. In comparing the
world's heroes, he said:
"Most nations, when tyranny becomes intolerable,
have had their benefactors and deliverers — daring
spirits whom no dangers could appall, no difficulties
dismay. Scotland had her Wallace ; Switzerland her
Tell; Poland, dismembered, prostrate Poland, her
Kosciusko; and America, thrice happy America, her
Washington. But these immortal champions of hu
man freedom were inspired by an ardent love of coun-

lafayette's visit to ohio. 135
try to save from pollution their household gods and
their altars. Lafayette, inspired by the same enthu
siastic love of liberty and prompted by a generous,
disinterested sympathy, at the age of nineteen, relin
quished the charms of nobility, the ease of affluence,
the endearment of friends, home and country, —
crossed the ocean, and in the spirit of chivalry sus
tained, with his fortune and his blood, our fathers in
the doubtful struggle for emancipation."
In the evening the General attended the theater,
and with pleasure listened to a poem in his honor,
written by Morgan Neville, son of his former aide-
de-camp, and maternal grandson of Daniel Morgan,
the famous revolutionary general. He also attended a
ball given in his honor. As the evening advanced,
increasing crowds thronged about the room to see him
once more and join in the universal "God speed" as he
passed to the vessel that was soon to bear him away.
Inside of the room, fragrant with the breath of spring
flowers tastefully arranged in the decorations, he was
engaged in conversation with General Scott and other
distinguished men. The eyes of all present were on
him, and many paused within the sound of his voice to
catch some word to be treasured in memory and re
peated, with the story of his visit, at the firesides of
succeeding generations.
The clock struck the midnight hour. The Gen
eral, his party and many friends embarked on the
Herald amid the booming of artillery, the prolonged
cheers and affectionate farewells of the multitude that
thronged the shores. Slowly and majestically the ves
sel swayed from its mooring, moved past the twink
ling lights along the shore, out of the city, under the

136 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
quiet stars, and over the quiet stars reflected in the
placid river.
It was Lafayette's original intention to proceed
overland to Columbus and thence to Wheeling. His
itinerary, in addition to the state capital, included Chil
licothe, Lancaster and Zanesville. Preparations had
been made at these points to welcome him, but finding
the time at his disposal too short for the journey, he
proceeded up the river, passing Portsmouth and mak
ing a short stop at Gallipolis. At the latter place he
was entertained at the home of Congressman Samuel
F. Vinton. Mr. Vinton was in Washington, but the
General was kindly received by the family, and Mrs.
Vinton, remaining at his side till he departed for the
vessel, insisted on accompanying him to the landing.
Leaving this interesting town, founded by his
countrymen, the General proceeded up the river. Pass
ing the island that bears the name of the ill fated
Blennerhassett and other spots famous in the pioneer
history of America, he came, on the morning of May
23d, to Marietta, where many years before revolution
ary compatriots had laid the foundations of the first
permanent settlement in Ohio.
As the vessel approached the landing, a gun was
fired as a signal that Lafayette was on board ; a little
later his name was seen in large letters across the
bow. The news spread rapidly, and the people
crowded to the wharf to welcome the illustrious visi
tor. His coming was a surprise, as it was generally
understood that Marietta was not in the line of his
tour. Some citizens, however, seemed to have antici
pated the visit, for a reception committee, with Nahum
Ward as chairman, had been appointed to act in such
a contingency.

Lafayette's visit to ohio. 137
A procession was quickly formed and Lafayette
was escorted to Mr. Ward's home. Cannon and bells
continued to peal a noisy welcome. The schools were
dismissed and the children came to meet the hero of
whom they had heard so much since his landing in
America. In Mr. Ward's home the General was
warmly greeted by many citizens, including a number
of revolutionary soldiers. It was of the latter and
their comrades who established the settlement at Mari
etta that he said :
"I knew them all. I saw them at the Brandywine,
at Yorktown, and Rhode Island. They were the brav
est of the brave."
The crowd outside ranged themselves in two long
lines, down which and back again Lafayette passed to
shake hands with each and all. The children were
not forgotten, and some of the "wee ones" were ten
derly lifted in his arms and affectionately kissed.
Expressing regret that his visit was necessarily
brief, the General went aboard his vessel again, while
practically the whole population of the town cheered
from the shore, and the artillery sent down a farewell
salute that echoed and re-echoed among the historic
hills. The following day dawned without a cloud. Over
the Virginian hills the sun gradually rose into the clear
sky. From the forest fringed shores came the song of
birds and the fragrance of flowers. In the changing
panorama presented by the winding river, the morning
hours passed rapidly. Those on deck were looking
forward to catch the first glimpse of the flourishing
town of Wheeling. Before they saw the place, the
ringing of bells announced that their visit was antici
pated. And now the town dawned on their view,

138

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

beautiful in holiday attire and radiant in the sunshine
of May. At the formal reception, when the party had
landed, Judge Alexander Caldwell delivered the ad
dress of welcome. Lafayette, in his usual felicitous
manner, responded. It was here that in paying a tri
bute to republican institutions he said :
"During my long absence the people of the United
States have established a government, founded on
broad and just principles, having liberty as its basis,
and the happiness of the community for its aim. Such
a government deserves to be perpetuated through all
future time. May all nations profit by it ; may its ex
ample have no other limit than the globe itself."
A day of celebration closed with an evening of
festivity. On the following morning Lafayette and
his companions started by stage for Washington, Pa.,
and the Ohio fields and hills, which for a week had
gladdened his eye, faded forever from sight beyond
the "River Beautiful."

Thomas Corwin.

THOMAS Corwin was born in Bourbon County,
Kentucky, July 29th, 1794, came to Northwest
Territory with his father in 1798, was admitted
to the bar at Lebanon, Ohio, in 181 7, elected to Legisla
ture in 1821, elected to Congress in 1830, Governor of
Ohio, 1840-1842, United States Senator 1845-1850,
Secretary of the Treasury, 1850-1853, elected to Con
gress in 1858, United States Minister to Mexico 1861-
1864, and died in Washington December 18th, 1865.
This is an outline of the public life of Thomas
Corwin; but it does not give us a clear picture of
the man. He was held in high esteem by the people,
else he would not have been honored with public
office so often, but even this fact does not enlighten
us much. It has often been said that his popularity was due
to his great heart more than to his great mind. He
was not a great scholar, for, in his boyhood, he had
very meager school privileges, but men often won
dered at the extent and depth of his knowledge.
What he failed to do in the way of gaining a knowl
edge of books in his boyhood, he made up for later
by careful reading.
What education he got in his boyhood, he got
largely by his pluck. His father could not afford to
send both his boys to school. So Matthias, the older
boy, went to school; but poverty could not prevent
Tom's rifling the books of his brother of their con
tents, and this he did to good purpose. At one time
(139)

140 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
he was confined to the house for several months be
cause of an injury to his knee, but the time was not
lost. He did not mope or fret, but studied books.
Tom Corwin showed how to use a Latin grammar
so as to ease the pain of an injured knee. If the
whole truth could be known, there would, no doubt,
be seen a close connection between these days of
study and some of the great speeches he made in after
years. He took great interest in a debating society
at Lebanon, and there his first speeches were made.
His reading was always of the best sort. "He was
saturated with Milton, and Shakespeare, and Bacon,
and Bunyan." He was familiar with Johnson, Gold
smith, and Burke, and one of his favorite pastimes
was to make sentences in imitation of Johnson, Gib-
hon, Carlyle, and other writers. Caesar, and Napo
leon, and William of Orange, and Washington, he
carried in his mind for constant reference, and when
he spoke of them, their characters and lives were
illuminated. The Book of Job he seemed as familiar
with as if he had translated it." These are the words
of a friend of Mr. Corwin who had opportunity to
know him well. The Bible was to him a source of
constant delight. He seemed to have a personal ac
quaintance with Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and Daniel,
and spoke of them always with the greatest reverence.
His speeches abound in Bible illustrations.
He often gave advice to young men and it was
always good. He urged them to become familiar
with good literature. On one occasion, after advising
a student to seek the companionship of the great
writers of history and literature, he said : "It is with
me, in my lonely moments, a cherished hope that I
¦shall yet, in another and better world, enjoy thp, so-

THOMAS CORWIN. 141
ciety of such spirits ; where we shall be purified from
the frailty that drags us down to the earth and its
petty cares and strifes, and revel on through eternity
in a perpetual feast of pure and unadulterated truth."
To another young man, after naming a list of
books for him to read, he said : "After all, however,
you must have one thing at command, without which
all books are useless — a mind that hungers and thirsts
after truth. This last and greatest requisite you can
command if you will ; and I do not flatter when I
express a hope from what I know and hear, that you
have it. If you have, let me assure you that I know
you have one of the rarest attributes in the character
of our young men. They seem to me not to know
that they have work to do. It is one of the most
discouraging signs of our times, that young men live
in the habitual idea that they are to be fed with a.
pap-spoon. They will learn, when it may be too
late, that God has sent just one message to every
man and woman which He ever has created or will
create. It is short, simple, and can not be misunder
stood : 'Know thy work, and do it.' "
It will be quite in place here to quote another bit
of advice which he gave to a young man who sought
a clerkship under him when he was Secretary of
the Treasury. Said he: "My young friend, go to the
Northwest, buy 160 acres of government land, or,
if you have not the money to purchase, squat on it;
get you an axe and a mattock; put up a log cabin for
a habitation, and raise a little corn and potatoes ; keep
your conscience clear, and live like a free man — your
own master, with no one to give you orders, and
without dependence upon anybody. Do that and you
will be honored, respected, influential, and rich.

142 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
But accept a clerkship here, and you sink, at once,
all independence; your energies become relaxed, and
you are unfitted in a few years for any other and
more independent position. I may give you a place
to-day, and I can kick you out to-morrow; and there
is another man over there at the White House, who
can kick me out, and the people by-and-b}- can kick
him out; and so we go. But if you own an acre of
land, it is your kingdom, and your cabin is your
castle — you are a sovereign, and you will feel it in
every throbbing of your pulse, and every day of your
life will assure me of your thanks for having thus
advised you."
These incidents reveal to us a man of deep sym
pathy for young men who had an earnest desire to
improve, and they show the qualities of his heart
and head. But the reasons why people say he was
popular because of his greatness of heart lie in the
fact that he seemed unable to resist an appeal for
help. He would urge his law students never to go
surety for any one, not even their own fathers for
twelve and a half cents to keep them out • of jail.
But he violated his own precepts at the next appeal
for money, often to his own embarrassment. One
evening as Mr. Corwin sat in the family room after
supper reading his paper there was a rap at the door,
and a stranger was admitted who inquired for Gov
ernor Corwin. Mr. Corwin greeted him cordially but
added that he did not remember to have met him.
"Do not remember me ? " replied the man. "Let me
tell you a little story to refresh your memory. A few
years ago, returning from a visit to Illinois, I had
got as far back on my way home as Eaton, where I
was taken sick and ran out of money. What should

THOMAS CORWIN. 143
I do? I thought of everything in my extremity.
Hearing that you were in town attending court, and,
knowing your reputation for kindness, I made so
bold as to send for you. You came to my room,
and I frankly made known to you my necessities.
You lent me freely all you said you had, forty dol
lars, and left me after a few minutes of encouraging
talk. After so long a time, I have come to pay the
forty dollars back, principal and interest, and to thank
you for your timely assistance and kindness. Heaven
has prospered me, I believe, that I might not die tor
mented with the remembrance of being in debt to you.
Here, sir, is a fifty dollar bill and God bless you ! "
With that he put the money into Mr. Corwin's reluc
tant hand and hurried on his way.
Tom Corwin was a very great wit, but withal
a very earnest man. One of his biographers, Josiah
Morrow, says of him, "Of our wits, he was the
greatest statesman; of our statesmen, he was the
greatest wit." While this is true, he never spoke
till he had something to say. He sat in Congress
four years before making a speech, for as he ex
plained he did not believe in babbling. But whenever
and wherever he spoke he held his audience in rapt
attention. When about eighteen years old he drove
a wagon loaded with supplies for General Harrison's
army in the War of 1812. Twenty-eight years later
he made a speech in Congress in reply to- Isaac E.
Crary of Michigan, who had given expression to
some criticism of General Harrison, and so com
pletely did he vanquish his opponent that John Quincy
Adams referred to him next day as "The late Mr.
Crary of Michigan." The "wagon-boy" had learned
to admire the General in those days of peril, and years

144 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
later the same zeal burned in the heart of the "wagon-
boy" grown to a Congressman.
His greatest speech was in opposition to the
Mexican War, and was delivered in the Senate Feb
ruary nth, 1847. He thought the war an unright
eous one, and thundered forth a protest against it.
In words that burned he cited the career of Napo
leon. To understand and appreciate Mr. Corwin's
eloquence the following passage relating to Napoleon
ought to be read: "Mr. President, a mind more
prone to look for the judgments of Heaven in the
doings of men than mine, can not fail in this to see
the providence of God. When Moscow burned it
seemed as if the earth was lighted up, that the
nations might behold the scene. As that mighty sea
of fire gathered and heaved and rolled upward, and
yet higher, till its flames licked the stars, and fired
the whole heaven, it did seem as though the God
of Nations was writing in characters of flame on the
front of his throne, that doom that shall fall upon
the strong nation which tramples in scorn upon the
weak." Thomas Corwin was a man who loved his fam
ily, his country, and the whole human race. He
had courage and perseverance; and from the example
of his life many a young man has taken heart in his
struggles through the mazes of poverty and ignorance.
Note. — The materials for this chapter have been
gleaned largely from "Thomas Corwin, A Sketch,"
by A. P. Russell, and "Life and Speeches of Thomas
Corwin" by Josiah Morrow.

United States Court House-

Public Offices.

Old State House.

STATE BUILDINGS AT COLUMBUS -1816-1852.

A Story of William Bebb.

IF you should visit the State House in Columbus,
and look among the pictures of the governors of
the state, you would find among these, a portrait
of William Bebb, who was governor of the state in
1846 and '47. After he had finished his term of office,
he decided to go west, and so, gathering together his
effects, he went overland and settled near Rockford,
Illinois. In the course of time there was a wedding in the
family, his daughter becoming the wife of one of the
young men of the neighborhood. As was customary
at that time, the parents of the bride gave a great
supper to the guests, who came from far and near to
attend the wedding. The occasion was a very joyous
one, as such occasions usually are, and the festivities
were prolonged until late in the evening.
After the guests had finally departed, the ex-
Governor of Ohio sat meditating. No doubt he
thought of how soon the little girl had grown to
womanhood, and perhaps his mind returned to Ohio,
and it may be he lived over again many of the events
connected with his political career.
While thus meditating, he heard a great noise
in front of the house, and knew at once it was a
belling party come to do honor to the newly-married
pair. But he was not in the mood for such revelry,
and hurrying to the front door, he called out to the
crowd : (146)

A STORY OF WILLIAM BEBB. 147
"Now, you fellows, get off my place." They
answered him by ringing their bells and blowing their
horns and shouting lustily. He went back into the
house, and from two pegs on the kitchen wall, he
took a double-barreled shotgun. Going to the door,
he called out: "Now, I will give you fellows just
three minutes to get off my property." Again they
answered him with shouts, blowing of horns, and
ringing of bells. Taking out his watch, he counted
"One — Two — Three ! " At each count there was a
renewal of the noise. Putting his watch into his
pocket, he leveled his gun and fired, and there fell,
out in the yard, two young men. He went back to
the kitchen, hung up the gun on the pegs, went to
the barn and saddled his horse, and rode to the town
of Rockford. Rousing the sheriff of the county
from sleep, he told him something of the circum
stances, and asked to be locked up in jail. The sheriff
complied with his request.
The next day, there was great excitement
throughout the county. People were indignant that
this interloper from Ohio should come to their com
munity, and, losing his temper on account of an
innocent belling party, should take the lives of two of
their fine young men. But the sheriff was wise and
cool-headed, and so by dint of patience, he succeeded
in calming the excitement and William Bebb was al
lowed to repose in the county jail in safety.
Some days after this, a stranger, wearing a
broad-brimmed hat, rode up to the tavern of the
little town on a roan mare. Handing his bridle to
the stable-boy he gave directions as to how the mare
should be cared for. Going into the tavern he en
gaged a room and told the landlord that he might

148 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
be with him for several weeks. The landlord assured
him that he would be well taken care of.
The next morning, quite early, having finished
his breakfast, he had the mare brought out and started
down the country road. At the first farm house, he
stopped on some pretext or other, and soon entered
into conversation with the people about the house.
They were all very much pleased with the stranger,
and after he had gone, wondered who he could pos
sibly be. At the next farm he found the men in the
field at work, and soon they and he were friends.
He sat on the fence and told good stories, and soon
convinced them that he was a jolly good fellow. This
was repeated at each farm house. -At noon, a farmer
invited him up to the house to dinner, and there
again he proved a delight to all the members of
the household. The ladies were charmed with his
manner, and the children took kindly to his rollicking
ways, as the men and boys did to his good stories
and his great fund of knowledge. Thus he made a
circuit of the county, and the evening found him back
at the tavern at Rockford. The next day he went
out a different road, returning as usual in the even
ing, and so this continued for weeks, until everybody
in the county was asking eagerly — "Who is the
stranger that rides a roan mare and wears a broad-
brimmed hat ? " Nobody knew, but they all agreed
that he was one of the most pleasant, fascinating men
they had ever met.
Finally the trial of William Bebb came on. The
prisoner was brought from the jail into court, pale
and haggard from his long confinement and anxiety.
The judge said, "William Bebb, arise !" and the pris
oner arose. Then the charge was read and the ques-

A STORY OF WILLIAM BEBB. 149
tion was asked, "Are you guilty or not guilty?" and
the prisoner replied, "Your Honor, not guilty." Then
the judge asked, "Who is your attorney?" and the
prisoner, raising his head and looking at the judge,
said, "Your Honor, I have no attorney — I shall con
duct my own case."
Just then, there was a commotion in the rear
part of the court-room, and all eyes were turned in
that direction. There they saw standing the man
who wore the broad-brimmed hat, the rider of the
roan mare. Said he, "Your Honor, just one word, if
you please; the prisoner at the bar has an attorney."
The judge asked, "Who is his attorney?" Said the
stranger — "I am." Then the judge asked, "Who are
you?" Whereupon the stranger replied, "Back in
Ohio, where I live, they call me Tom Corwin, and
Tom Corwin is my name. Many years ago, when I
was a ragged, barefoot boy with no prospects and
but little encouragement, the prisoner at the bar saw
me one day, and laying his hand kindly upon my head,
said, 'Tom, my boy, I believe you have something
in you, and if you will only help and will let me, I'll
see if we cannot bring it out;' and if I am anything
to-day in the councils of my own State or of the
Nation, I owe it all to the prisoner at bar, William
Bebb; and when I learned that my old friend was in
trouble, I saddled my roan mare and came here post
haste, and here I propose to stay until your jail doors
open and William Bebb goes forth a free man."
Then the court house rang with applause.
When order was finally restored, the trial proceeded.
A jury was impaneled, but there were not twelve men
in that county who had not heard Corwin's good
stories, and been drawn to him by that strange spell

150 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
which he always cast over men, whenever they came
into his presence. Then they summoned their wit
nesses, but there was nobody in the county who cared
to testify against the interests and feelings of the
rider of the roan mare.
So the trial went on, and when the time came for
Tom Corwin to speak, every available foot of space
was occupied. We lack the record of that speech,
but it is easy for us to imagine that it was one that
thrilled his hearers, for the speaker was Tom Corwin
and he was trying to save the life of a friend. Cer
tain it is, that not ten minutes after the jury had re
tired, they returned with the verdict "Not guilty."
Then indeed, the jail doors swung wide open
and William Bebb, at the behest of Tom Corwin, went
forth a free man.

The Cary Sisters.

BY W. H. VENABLE.

CLOVERNOOK, a country-seat near Mount
Healthy, a few miles from Cincinnati, is
one of the few localities in Ohio which are
visited on account of the literary associations con
nected with them. It was in the "old brown home
stead" of Clovernook farm that Alice Cary was
born in 1820, and her sister Phoebe, four years later.
The house and its surroundings are described in one
of Phoebe Cary's simple and tender lyrics:
"Our old brown homestead reared its walls
From the way-side dust aloof,
Where the apple-boughs could almost cast
Their fruits upon its roof."
* * * * *
"The sweet-brier under the window-sill,
Which the early birds made glad.
And the damask rose by the garden fence,
Were all the flowers we had."
Dwelling in such a sequestered home and occu
pied by such duties as commonly fall to the lot of coun
try folks, living on small means, the girls grew to
womanhood and continued their useful toil, content
with "homely joys and destiny obscure," until Alice
had reached the age" of thirty, and Phoebe, twenty-
six. Then they gave up Clovernook and removed
(151)

152

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

ALICE CARY.

PHOEBE CARY.

THE CARY SISTERS. 153
to New York City where they resided until the year
of their death, 1871, and where they lie buried side
by side in the cemetery of Ocean Grove.
The story of the Cary Sisters — their poverty,
their meager "chances," their aspiration, their strug
gle and achievement — is one of the most pathetic in
the history of literary effort. In their early teens
they were left to the fostering care of a stepmother,
who, though well-meaning, had no sympathy with
their poetical tastes, and who thought it her duty to
thwart their literary ambition. She could see no
profit in reading, and, as for scribbling verses, she
considered that a positive waste of time — time being
money. Wherefore the stepdaughters were advised
to let books and pens alone and to do housework like
other girls. So Alice and Fhoebe were kept busy
as long as daylight lasted, making beds, washing
dishes, sweeping, scrubbing, milking cows, weeding
gardens; but when darkness came, and the rest of
the family had gone to bed, they went to their room,
where, by the light of a lamp made of a "saucer of
lard with a rag wick," they pored over their few
books and wrote "pieces" for the newspapers. The
reading matter which furnished the basis of their
thinking and imagining was not specially entertain
ing: they read a "History of the Jews," "Lewis and
Clarke's Journal," Pope's "Essay on Man," "Charlotte
Temple," and "The Trumpet," a religious newspaper
from Boston.
Alice made her first appearance in print while in
her eighteenth year, when the "Sentinel and Star in
the West," a Universalist newspaper of Cincinnati,
published one of her poems, entitled, "The Child of
Sorrow." Phoebe's verses soon gained admission to

154 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
the columns of the same paper, which, for a long time,
was the only publication for which the sisters wrote.
Years passed, and the persevering pair contributed
numerous poems to many different periodicals before
either of the writers could command any remuneration
except in the shape of compliments and gradually in
creasing reputation. The first return of money in
exchange for literary work done at Clovernook,
was a ten dollar bill sent by the editor of the "National
Era," to Alice Cary, who then was about twenty-six.
In a letter to R. W. Griswold, compiler of a
volume called "American Female Poets," Alice says,
"We write with much facility, often producing two
or three poems in a day, and never elaborate. We
have printed, exclusive of our early productions,
some three hundred and fifty, which those in your
possession fairly represent." The Cary sisters were
fairly brought to public notice in Mr. Griswold's
book which appeared in 1848. They were so favor
ably regarded that in 1849, Moss and Brother, Phila
delphia, issued in a small but elegant volume, "Poems
of Alice and Phoebe Cary." This now rare book
is prefaced by the following paragraph: "The pub
lishers but comply with the general desire, in issuing
this first edition of the collected writings of the 'two
sisters' of the West, Alice and Phoebe Cary, whose
occasional contributions to the literary journals have
within a few years secured for them a rank among
the most popular writers of their sex in this country.
It is believed that these leaves gathered into a vol
ume, will more than confirm the favorable judgments
awarded to them upon their original and separate
appearance."

THE CARY SISTERS. 155
Thus was launched upon the uncertain sea of
literature, the first venture of the self-taught, western
sisters. The book brought to the authors one hun
dred dollars. This success, slight as it was, deter
mined Alice Cary to remove from Clovernook to
New York City and to devote all her energy to
writing for publication. "Ignorance stood me in the
stead of courage," she afterwards confessed. "Had
I known the great world as I have learned it since,
I should not have dared ; but I did not know. Thus
I came." In New York Alice worked with untiring in
dustry, turning out book after book. Her first volume
in prose, "Clovernook," appeared in 1851. Her novel
entitled "Hagar, a Story of To-day," was issued in
book form in 1852, after appearing as a serial in the
Cincinnati "Commercial." "Lyra and Other Poems"
was published in 1853 ; "Clovernook Children," in
1854; another collection of poems, in 1855 ; "Married,
Not Mated," a novel, in 1856; "Pictures of Country
Life," "Lyrics and Hymns," "A Lover's Diary,"
"Snow Berries," and "The Bishop's Son," from 1859
to 1869. All these were from Alice Cary's pen.
Phoebe wrote comparatively little after going to New
York, and most of what she did write was in verse.
After the death of the sisters in 1871, a
memorial volume prepared by Mrs. Clemmer,
was published, containing biographical sketches,
and a very copious collection of the best poems of
both Alice and Phoebe. This is the standard edition
of the poetical work of the sisters. It is noteworthy
that in the last as in the first volume sent forth from
their home, both the Carys are fairly represented by

156 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
the species of composition in which they excelled —
that is, by poetry.
More than thirty years have gone by since
the Cary sisters died; more than fifty since they
first attracted the attention of the reading public, and
they still retain a strong hold on the affections of
numerous readers. The most remarkable fact con
cerning their poetry is, that so many lines from it
have gone into popular circulation. I believe that,
with the exception of Longfellow and, possibly, of
Whittier, no American poet has been more frequently
quoted for the instruction and guidance of the young,
than Alice and Phoebe Cary. Their poems abound in
sweet and kindly maxims and sentiments conveyed in
plain yet beautiful language. Every book of memory
gems, every periodical for the use of children, helps
to keep alive the pure thoughts and gentle feelings
of the well-beloved sisters. Their influence in the
moral and religious training of the school children
of the United States, has been great and will con
tinue to be so.
Notwithstanding the fact that part of their lives
was spent in the East, the Cary sisters belong, heart
and soul, to the West, and especially to the Buckeye
State. They were born and bred in Ohio; the sub
ject matter of their writings, whether prose or poetry,
was chiefly derived from the haunts of their nativity.
The solace of Alice Cary's nights and days, in New
York, was in recollecting "Clovernook." Forever
she was sighing for the western fields, the "new
furrows," the "pasture green," the "clover blossoms,"
the "flocks," -the "bees," and even the "toad-stools,"
and "thistle flowers," of beautiful Ohio. The longing
for things loved in her girlhood, is breathed in poem

THE CARY SISTERS. 157
after poem, but in none more pathetically than in
the lines entitled "My Dream of Dreams," beginning:
"Alone within my house I sit;
The lights are not for me,
The music nor the mirth ; and yet
I lack not company.
"So, gaily go, the gay to meet,
Nor wait my griefs to mend —
My entertainment is more sweet
Than thine, tonight, my friend.
"Whilst thou, one blossom in thy hand,
Bewailest my weary hours,
Upon my native hill I stand
Waist deep among the flowers.''
Let me, in conclusion, quote a few stanzas from
the same writer's poem, "Weariness," not because of
their literary merit, but on account of the testimony
they bear to the poet's loyalty to the West.
Sick and weary, let me go
To our homestead, old and low,
Where the cool, fresh breezes blow —
There I shall be well, I know.
Violets, gold, and white, and blue,
Sprout up sweetly through the dew —
Lilacs now are budding, too —
Oh, I pine to be with you !
I am lonely and unblest —
I am weary and would rest
Where all things are brightest, best,
In the lonely, lovely, West.

Joshua Reed Giddings.

BY J. K. BAXTER.

THE subject of this sketch was born in Athens,
Pennsylvania, October 6, 1795. When ten
years of age he came with his parents to Ohio
and settled in their new home in Wayne township,
Ashtabula county.
Here the battle of life for young Giddings was to
be fought. The state had then been in the Union only
three years. The story of his early life strongly re
sembles that of Lincoln's. He took part in the work
that was to be done as well as a boy of ten or twelve
could do. He helped to fell trees, to build houses and
barns, to construct roads and bridges and to get the
soil ready for tillage. He was never found wanting
in any task. His training was chiefly physical. He
was a recognized athlete, broad-shouldered and well
proportioned. Although no systematic education was then pos
sible, the mental training of the boy was not neglected.
He taught himself to read and write. There were no
libraries then, but his appetite for reading was rav
enous. He read such books as he could pick up and
his mental digestion seemed to be as remarkable as
his appetite. Perhaps six weeks would include all the
time he ever spent in the common schools. He studied
nine months with a Presbyterian minister in Trumbull
County, devoting his time chiefly to the study of mathe
matics and Latin. While the education thus acquired
was necessarily fragmentary, his tireless industry and
zeal gave a remarkable thoroughness to his work.
(158)

JOSHUA REED GIDDINGS. 159
When sixteen years old he entered the army, as
a substitute for his brother, and saw service against
the Indians near Sandusky Bay. Upon his return
he began the study of law in the office of that dis
tinguished and eminent lawyer, Elisha Whittlesey at
Canfield. During his second year in the office, Mr.
Whittlesey agreed to allow young Giddings to enter
in court, in his preceptor's name, any business that
might come to him and on his admission he could
substitute his own name as attorney and receive the
fees. He gladly availed himself of this kind offer
and one week after his admission to the Bar, in 1821,
he appeared before the court of Common Pleas with
a list of cases which might well have awakened the
pride of a lawyer who had been years in practice. For
several years he was the leading lawyer not only of
Jefferson, Ashtabula county, where his office was lo
cated, but of the whole northern part of the state.
The Bar of that day had to be content with a
country practice and small fees, because cities, railway
systems, corporate property and great causes were un
known. His practice, however, brought Mr. Giddings
into contact with all classes of men, giving him an
acquaintance with human nature which broadened his
mind. In this way he trained his faculties and pre
pared himself for the leadership in politics which
awaited him. Whoever will read the Congressional
debates from 1838 to 1858 in which he took so great
a part, will see how well his legal training served him
in discussing the constitutional relations of slavery to
the government. In 1826 he was chosen a Representative to the
Ohio State Legislature but declined a re-nomination.
He continued his practice of law until 1836 when he

160 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
felt that he was rich enough to retire. In a few
months, however, his bright prospects were blighted by
the financial panic of the country and he found himself
a poor man. Upon the resignation of Mr. Whittlesey,
who had served his district in Congress for sixteen
years, Mr. Giddings became a candidate for the place
thus vacated and was elected. Then opened the way
for his historic career in Congress and the great work
of his life. From this time his career became a part
of the history of the anti-slavery movement. The im
portance of his life centers entirely in his warfare
against slavery. To this he dedicated himself with
singleness of purpose and the whole strength of his
nature. The work he did in Congress has been in
terestingly and, impartially told in Julian's Life of
Joshua R. Giddings, a book that every lover of history
would do well to read.
In order to understand Mr. Giddings's life one
should have some knowledge of the Western Reserve.
It was set up by the stubborn determination of Con
necticut to retain the farthest western territory to
which she could lay claim. It was planted subject
to the Connecticut Emancipation Act of 1784 and the
Ordinance of 1787. The Reserve thus became opened
to civilization and at the same time closed to slavery.
There was no tradition in favor of slavery. There were
among the people a few who hated abolition and
some who would even aid in the recovery of a fugitive
slave; but as time went on the spirit of the com
munity was set more and more against the whole
system of slavery. It soon became the center for
Abolition societies. Living in the atmosphere of such
feelings it is no wonder he became saturated with
the principles which he so nobly advocated when the

MARCUS A. HANNA.

JOSHUA REED GIDDINGS. 161
opportunity came. His principles were settled before
he entered Congress.
Upon his admission to Congress he soon became
the warm friend of John Quincy Adams and Charles
Sumner, — a friendship which was mutual and was
never broken. His ability was recognized from the
beginning. He never let pass an opportunity to strike
a blow for freedom or to resent a wrong to the colored
race. On this account he was hated by the Southern
Representatives and more than once came near being
treated with violence by those enraged members. In
1842, when the famous Creole case was before Con
gress, he introduced a series of resolutions which kin
dled the wrath of the Southern members and some of
the Whigs. Although he withdrew the resolutions
before they came to a vote, he was censured by a vote
of the House for advocating these principles. He
immediately withdrew from the hall and resigned. His
district re-elected him the next month by an over
whelming majority. He was re-elected to each Con
gress thereafter till 1858 when he refused the nomi
nation. For twenty years he held his seat in Congress.
He opposed every encroachment of the slave power
with a boldness and strength that won the fear and re
spect of its advocates even though they hated his prin
ciples. Whenever he spoke he was listened to with
great interest. Mr. Giddings taught the country a
lesson which was of inestimable value in bringing about
a right sentiment among the Northern men.
One characteristic belonging to him was his in
dependence of party discipline. Although he was a
Whig until 1848, he bolted the party nomination for
11

162 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
Speaker in 1846. He led the Whigs who went into
the Free Soil party in 1848. Throughout his life he
helped to teach the wholesome lesson that principle
is more than party.
He was gifted with rare foresight. Not only did
he predict the tightening of the slavery chain about
the neck of the two parties but he foresaw the armed
struggle. On different occasions in different speeches,
he prophesied the Civil War and as a political aboli
tionist he sought to hasten it by using the power of
political organization.
Notwithstanding his busy life during the first
session of the thirty-fifth Congress, he found time to
write an interesting and valuable contribution to the
history of slavery in the United States. The book is
called "The Exiles of Florida." This book threw new
light upon the beginning and character of the Florida
wars. It asserted that the wars were instigated by
Carolina and Georgia slave-holders not so much for
the recapture of fugitive slaves as for the enslavement
of men and women who were free and whose example
menaced the security of slave property. He found the
facts which support his statements buried in the
archives of the government. His great labor and
patience in going through the musty records disclosed
the secrets which he exposed to the world in this book.
It was a new and startling revelation of the cruelty of
slavery and of its lordship over the national govern
ment. It created one of the great moral currents
which finally united in sweeping the curse from the
land. Mr. Giddings left Congress a poor man. He was
now too old to resume his professional labors and
determined to enter the lecture field in which he was

JOSHUA REED GIDDINGS. 163
quite successful. However he kept a close watch
upon the movements of the political parties with
reference to their dealings with slavery. In order
to check the tendency of the Republican leaders to
abandon certain principles which had been advocated
in 1856, he became a delegate to the convention of
i860. After failing to have the convention embody
the self-evident truths of the Declaration of Indepen
dence in the platform as it had done in the previous
convention, he showed his independence by leaving
the hall. A motion to have these truths made a part
of the resolutions was afterward adopted, however,
and he returned to his place. He was active in the
campaign for Lincoln, for the creed of the party now
embodied all the cherished principles for which he
had so long labored.
At the solicitation of some of his friends, he now
undertook the task of writing a history of the slave
conflict in Congress. This work was completed and
the proof sheets were looked over by him on the day
of his death.
In the spring of 1861 Mr. Lincoln offered him
the position of consul general to Canada which he
accepted. This afforded him leisure for the prosecu
tion of his History, as the duties of the office were
not sufficient to occupy all of his time. During his
stay in Canada, however, he did not cease to have a
deep interest in the great strife going on in the
States. He must have longed at times to be in the
midst of it. But his work was really done. He had
contributed his share to the wiping out of the great
National crime. His life's work was done, and on the
twenty-seventh of May, 1864, in the city of Montreal,

164 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
his great spirit suddenly took its flight to the God
who gave it.
The lessons of such a life are invaluable. He
hated oppression and wrong; he loved liberty and
justice. He had one purpose in all his public life,
and bent his every energy to its consummation. He
was not the only one who gave his time and talent
to the accomplishment of this great work, but what
he did do will live in the minds of succeeding gen
erations so long as a spark of love for freedom
glows in the human breast. When the story of the
thrilling events of this great struggle shall be justly
written and each chief actor assigned to his true
position, whether these shall be judged by their
fidelity to a great cause or by the results of their
labors in hastening the final consummation of their
grand purpose, the rank of Joshua R. Giddings will
be second to none.

The Underground Railroad in Ohio.

BY WILBUR H. SIEBERT.

DURING the entire period of our country's his
tory up to the time of the Civil War, numbers
of slaves tried to gain their liberty by running
away from their masters. When the fugitive's absence
was discovered it was the custom to publish a descrip
tion of him, closing with a reward for his recovery,
and to send out pursuers on his track. It was frequently
the case that runaway slaves sought refuge in unfre
quented islands, swamps or caves in their own neigh
borhood; but these hiding places were not safe. It
was only when the ignorant slave was aided by intelli
gent friends, guides and helpers, and assisted north
ward to a land of freedom that he was tolerably sure
of gaining his liberty.
These friends of the fugitives were scattered all
over the Northern States, and those living in the same
neighborhood were likely to know one another inti
mately through social, political or religious affiliations.
They were many of them, Quakers, Covenanters, Free
Presbyterians and Wesleyan Methodists, and they
freely co-operated with colored people in their com
munities in receiving, concealing and forwarding
escaped slaves from one "underground station" to an
other. In this way a great network of "underground
routes" was developed throughout the free states, with
feeders at numberless points along the northern and
(165)

166 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
eastern boundaries of the slave states. Slaves escaping
from Delaware, Maryland, Virginia or other seaboard
states, would either go as stowaways on vessels to
some New England port and thence by an underground
route to Canada, or taking an overland course, would
pass by way of underground stations through eastern
Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York to Canada.
Fugitives from West Virginia and Kentucky who once
got across the Ohio River ran little risk of recapture
after arriving at the initial "station" of one of the
numerous lines or branches traversing western Penn
sylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. From Missouri,
slaves made their way to the shores of Lake Michigan
and thence to Canada — their "Promised Land," by the
aid of friends in Kansas and Nebraska on the west,
Iowa on the north, and Illinois on the east. For a
map of these lines see the author's book entitled "The
Underground Railroad from Slavery to Freedom,"
page 113.
All of this work of helping fugitives to escape had
to be carried on secretly. The Constitution and Laws
of the United States provided for the restoration of
escaped slaves to their masters. The fugitive slave
law of 1793 named $500 as the penalty for hindering
the arrest of a runaway or rescuing or harboring him,
and the later law of 1850 increased the penalty "to a
fine not exceeding $1000 and imprisonment not ex
ceeding six months" and declared the person guilty
of rendering aid liable for civil damages to the slave
owner, in the sum of $1000 for each fugitive so lost.
Secrecy was required, therefore, for the protection both
of the fugitive and his friends. The journeys from
station to station were made in the night-time, the
wayfarers lying in concealment during the day in the

UNDERGROUND RAILROAD IN OHIO. 167
barn-lofts, hazel-tb ckets, hollow hay-ricks or secret
chambers in cellar or garret to which they were con
ducted. These were the so-called stations. In emer
gencies, such as pursuit, when the fugitive had to be
gotten away even in day light, disguises were made use
of; and short-cuts through the woods to other routes
would serve to throw the slave-hunters off the track.
It will thus be seen that the name "Underground Rail
road" had an air of mystery and concealment about
it, and for years it was employed as the convenient and
bewildering designation of an extensive system of se
cret trails, and the methods used by abolitionists in
guiding fugitives along these trails to places of free
dom and safety. The name was entirely figurative
but very apt.
The incident that probably led to the naming of
the Road occurred in Ohio, the state most favorably
located for underground adventures. This incident
is related by Mr. Rush R. Sloane, of Sandusky, O.,
who was himself a "conductor" on the Underground
Railroad and was once fined $3000 and costs for assist
ing runaways to Canada. Mr. Sloane says that in the
year 1831, a fugitive named Tice Davids came over
the line [Mason and Dixon's] and lived just back of
Sandusky. He had come direct from Ripley, Ohio,
where he crossed the Ohio River. When he was run
ning away, his master, a Kentuckian, was in close
pursuit and pressing him so hard that when the
Ohio River was reached he had no alternative but to
jump in and swim across. It took his master some
time to secure a skiff, in which he and his aid followed
the swimming fugitive, keeping him in sight until he
had landed. Once on shore, however, the master could
not find him. No one had seen him ; and after a

168 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
long search the disappointed slave master declared,
"That nigger must have gone off on an underground
road." The truth was that Tice had fallen into the
hands of some of the abolitionists in Ripley and had
been spirited away over the hills of Brown County to
a safer place, whence he had been guided from station
to station until arriving at Sandusky. The incident
made so good a story that it soon became current,
and the abolitionists promptly adopted the name
"Underground Railroad" for their operations.
Ripley was one of the initial stations of the Road
in the Buckeye state. Slaves crossed the Ohio River at
almost any point, and once on Ohio soil, were pretty
sure to receive the directions or personal guidance that
would bring them to one or another of the ports of
entry for runaways along the river front. It is difficult
to say how many of these there were. Certainly
there were not less than twenty-three, and there were
probably many more. From these initial stations the
routes ran in zigzag and interlacing lines, trending
generally in a northeastern direction, across the state,
linking station with station till a place of deportation
was reached on Lake Erie.
We have an interesting memorandum of the ar
rival and departure of fugitives at one of these river
stations, Point Harmar in Washington County. The
memorandum is that of Mr. David Putnam, a well-
known resident of the town, and an active "agent"
there, and was made during the latter part of August,
1843. It is given with all the abbreviations :
Aug. 13/43 Sunday Morn. 2 o'clock arrived.
Sunday Eve. 8J o'clock departed for B.
16 Wednesday Morn. 2 o'clock arrived.
20 Sunday Eve. 10 o'clock departed for N.

UNDERGROUND RAILROAD IN OHIO. 169
Wife and children 21 Monday morn. 2 o'clock
arrived from B.
Monday Eve. 10 o'clock departed for Mr. H.
22 Tuesday Eve. 11 o'clock left for W.
A. L. & S. J. 28 Monday morn. 1 o'clock ar
rived left 2 o'clock.
It will be noticed that this memorandum observes
a discreet silence both as regards the names of those
arriving and the names of places, or the persons to
whom they were taken. A bit of evidence containing
such particulars would have been too explicit, and
would have laid others liable to severe penalties under
the fugitive slave law.
The caution here exhibited was characteristic of
underground methods. Written communications be
tween those engaged in this dangerous and unlawful
business were therefore avoided as much as possible.
When, however, such communications were employed,
they had to be carefully worded, as witness the fol
lowing note, sent by John Stone of Belpre, Ohio, to his
friend David Putnam, who is mentioned above :
Belpre, Friday Morning.
David Putnam : — Business is arranged for Saturday
night. Be on the lookout, and if practicable let a carriage
come and meet the caravan. J. S.
There must have been women and children in the
"caravan" referred to in this note, otherwise it is im
probable that Mr. Stone would have asked for a car
riage. When the fugitives were men they could get
along on foot, but the frequency with which women
and children were found in escaping parties, and the
need of rapid transit as the business of the Road in
creased, and pursuit became more common, led to the
use of covered wagons, closed carriages and deep-bed-

170 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
ded farm wagons for day service. A few enterprising
abolitionists of Ohio had vehicles of special construc
tion, though innocent in outward appearance, in which
a load of refugees could be taken on long journeys
with comparative safety. Abram Allen, a Quaker of
Oakland, Clinton County, Ohio, had a large, three-
seated curtained wagon, which would hold eight or
ten persons. To one of the axles of this vehicle was
attached a mechanism with a bell to record the number
of miles traveled. A citizen of Troy, Ohio, a book
binder, by trade, had a large wagon built about with
drawers in such a way as to leave a hiding place in
the center. As the bookbinder drove through the
country he found opportunity to help many a fugitive
on his way to Canada. Horace Holt of Rutland,
Meigs County, sold reeds to his neighbors in southern
Ohio. He was the owner of a box-bed wagon with
a lid that fastened with a padlock. In this he hauled
his supply of reeds; it was well understood by a few
that he also hauled fugitive slaves. Levi Coffin, a
Quaker of Cincinnati, Ohio, called the president of the
Underground Railroad, employed all sorts of devices
in assisting more than 3000 persons to their liberty.
It was by methods such as these that thousands of
runaways were conveyed to places of safety in north
ern Ohio, or to ports on Lake Erie from which they
went by boat to the Canadian shore. Of these lake ports
there were not less than six in Ohio, that were impor
tant shipping points for fugitives, not to mention De
troit which was the terminal of some of the western
Ohio lines.
When the refugee arrived in Canada, he hardly
knew how to conduct himself so great was his delight

UNDERGROUND RAILROAD IN OHIO. 171
at being free. In i860, Captain Chapman, the com
mander of a vessel on Lake Erie, landed two fugi
tives in Canada. To him they seemed brutish and al
most incapable of realizing what liberty meant. How
much he was mistaken is best told in his own words.
On being put ashore the slaves asked, "Is this Can
ada?" The captain said, "Yes, there are no slaves in
this country ; then," he continued, "I witnessed a
scene I shall never forget. They seemed to be trans-
¦ formed ; a new light shone in their eyes, their tongues
were loosed, they laughed and cried, prayed and sang
praises, fell upon the ground and kissed it, hugged
and kissed each other, crying, 'Bress de Lord ! Oh 1
I'se free before I die !' " Fortunate it was for people
such as these, who had undergone all sorts of toil and
hardship to reach the goal of liberty, that the country
in which they found themselves received them hos
pitably, helped them in establishing homes, and en
dowed them with the right of citizenship.
It is impossible to say how many slaves were
emancipated by the Underground Railroad. A com
putation based on a record kept in one of the Ohio
centers indicates that probably more than 40,000 were
aided in Ohio alone during the years 1830 to i860.
The flight of the slaves spread an abhorrence of slavery
in the North and caused irritation in the South. The
operations of the Underground lay beyond the reach
of compromise. Thus the fugitive was a missionary in
the cause of freedom. Personal liberty laws were
passed by the free states to defend him ; Uncle Tom's
Cabin was written to portray to the world his aspira
tions for liberty and his endeavors to secure it ; John
Brown proposed to make use of underground methods

172 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
as a part of the Harper's Ferry scheme of liberation.
The South complained bitterly of the losses of slave
property she sustained, and their losses certainly con
stituted one of the chief reasons for the secession of
the Southern States at the beginning of the Civil War.

Benjamin Franklin Wade.

BY J. K. BAXTER.

AMONG the names of those whom the people of
Ohio delight to honor because of the services
they have rendered to the State and Nation,
that of Benjamin F. Wade is written well toward the
top of the roll. He has left scarcely anything in the
form of a diary, papers or letters from which one
might obtain data to use in writing a sketch of his
life, but he has so impressed himself upon the minds
and hearts of the people that he will ever be remem
bered. Perhaps the best account of his life is that
given by A. G. Riddle whose book has been often
referred to in writing this sketch.
One hundred years ago, while Ohio was knocking
for admission into the Union, there was playing about
the humble home of James and Mary Wade a little
boy about two years old who was to become one of
the influential men of this great Commonwealth.
That home was then on Feeding Hills near West
Springfield, Mass., and that boy was Ben Wade, called
then and in after years by his neighbors and friends
Frank. He was born October twenty-seventh 1800,
next to the youngest of eleven children. We have no
means of telling what kind of a child Ben was. If
the material could be had it would be well for the
children of the present day to make a study of this
boy'. Great men come from homes in which we least
look for them. It is only when a man becomes fa-
(173)

174 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
mo us that an effort is made to reproduce his early
years. We might with some degree of accuracy fancy
Ben a brave, active, studious, thoughtful and useful
boy, else these sterling qualities would not have been
found in him as a man. The advantages he had for
gaining an education were meager indeed. Teaching,
as it is done today, was unknown at that time in the
common schools. He worked on the farm from the
time his childish hands were useful till the family
moved to Ohio. The only aid he had from educa
tional institutions was three months at school in the
winter of each year. He had a mind that delighted
in higher mathematics and with the aid of his mother
and older brother he mastered "The Rule of Three,"
went "clear through" Pike's Arithmetic and on into
Algebra. What a scholar he would have been had
he had the advantages afforded the boys of to-day in
the free schools with the excellent methods of in
struction !
In the Fall of 1821 Ben came to Ohio. His
avowed purpose was to become a tiller of the fresh,
vigorous soil. This young descendant of the Puritans
came into the woods of the northeastern border as
unconscious of what his coming meant to him as of
the future greatness of the infant state, only three
years his junior. He was then twenty-one years old,
broad-shouldered, supple, with a mind well developed
and alive to all that was about him.
After two years' labor in clearing the forest and
trying to dig a living out of the friendly soil, he de
cided that he would not be an Ohio farmer , He hired
himself to a drover and aided him in driving a herd
"over the mountains" to Philadelphia. He returned

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WADE. 175
by way of Albany and stayed some time with his
brother James who was a physician in that city. In
order to obtain money to return home he worked with
spade and wheelbarrow on the Erie canal which was
then in the course of construction.
When he returned home he was persuaded by his
brother Edward to enter upon the study of law. Just
what argument was used by his brother is not known,
but before the winter was over Ben, at the age of
twenty-five, was an accepted student in the office of
Whittlesey and Newton at Canfield, then the great
private law school of northern Ohio. It is needless
to say that his whole energy was thrown into this
new undertaking. His mind was strong and vigor
ous and grappled with the abstract texts in such a
way as to master them. He did not skim over his
work simply to pass examination. Like all the great
lawyers of our country he made a careful study of the
common law. He made the law his ; imbibed its spirit
and acquired the capacity to become a real lawyer. He
was admitted in the summer of 1827.
Ben Wade was now an attorney and counselor
at law. The usually perplexing problem with the
young lawyer came to him, "Where shall I hang out
my sign ?" Like most young lawyers he had to do a
great deal of waiting for clients and perhaps for awhile
he practiced economy more than law. Strange as it
may seem no one has told us of his first case. It would
be interesting to know how he took his defeat or, if
successful, how he was* affected by it.
In the early settlement of Ohio, as in any state,
there was more or less_litigation in regard to sales of
land, notes, contracts and common business transac
tions. The cases were numerous and often difficult

176 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
and important. Mr. Wade had his share of the cases
and won such a reputation and standing that, in 1831,
he formed a partnership with Joshua R. Giddings,
in his home town of Jefferson, which introduced
him to a much wider practice and more import
ant cases. Mr. Giddings had been practicing for
ten years and was considered the brightest law
yer in the county. For many a young lawyer it
would have been dangerous to form such a partner
ship. He might be dwarfed or overshadowed. But
he was of mature age and had confidence, courage
and power. The greatest obstacle in the way of his
immediate success was his lack of ability as a public
speaker. This at times made him contemplate aban
doning the profession. However his resolute will
power, his tenacity of purpose and his determination
to become an advocate, gave him the victory. He
became not a halting, stammering advocate, not merely
an average speaker but an orator, strong, bold and
effective. He could rise in court, state his case, con
duct the examination, argue questions of evidence,
and, at the close, immediately proceed to the presenta
tion of the case in a clear, strong and logical manner.
His excellence as a lawyer consisted in the clearness
with which he apprehended the real matter in dispute
and what, in the light of the law, would govern and
control it. Law with him was a science, not a trade.
The firm of Giddings and Wade became the lead
ing law firm in northeastern Ohio and remained such
till the firm dissolved in the spring of 1837 by the
retirement of Mr. Giddings. In the same year came
the great commercial disaster of the country and pre
sented a new problem for the American people. It is
not necessary to mention the causes ; it is sufficient to

JOSEPH B. FORAKER.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WADE. 177
sav that Mr. Wade, being among the speculators, was
caught when the collapse came and became bank
rupt. He did not take the benefit of the bankrupt
laws as he might, but he applied the large earnings
from his profession upon this debt till the last dollar
was honorably wiped out. His integrity has never
been questioned.
In October, 1837, Mr. Wade was elected to the
Ohio Senate by the Whigs, being nominated without
his knowledge or consent. Though he was one of the
youngest members he was at once placed on the ju
diciary committee, then the most important committee
of the Senate. He was instrumental in putting an end
to the practice of granting divorces by legislative
action. He opposed the scheme to have the state enter
Jhe field of municipal enterprises as a source of relief
from the financial collapse. His first action was to
secure the passage of a resolution against the annex
ation of Texas. He opposed vigorously the Kentucky
Slave Bill, and, on account of this, was defeated for
re-election in 1839. However, his arguments were so
conclusive and made the Bill so odious that no case
ever arose under it. By the time of the next election
of Senators the people had been educated out of their
pro-slavery notions to such an extent that Mr. Wade
met with no particular opposition and was returned to
the Senate. His speech against the Kentucky Slave
Bill was among the ablest ever delivered against
slavery. By these speeches in the Senate he became
Known to the political world, and in the campaign of
1840 he took an active part, being the principal
speaker at the four great mass meetings held in dif
ferent parts of the State in behalf of General Harr'*-
l?.

178 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
son. He soon took rank with the best speakers in
Ohio. In 1847, the Legislature of Ohio elected him
presiding judge of the Third Judicial Circuit. No
man ever reached the bench better equipped for its
best and highest duties. He had a mind thoroughly
trained, great capacity for work, and was profoundly
respected by the Bar. He took his seat not only by
right of unsought election but, as it were, by the
divine right of fitness. He saw at once the right in
the case. It was useless to attempt to blind him with
mere technicalities. Very seldom, if ever, was a judg
ment of his reversed in the higher courts.
On the fifteenth of March, 185 1, while presiding
on the bench in Akron, he was handed a telegram an
nouncing his election to the Senate of ihe United
States. He went right on with the pending trial as
if nothing unusual had happened. Here again came
unsought the most desirable position in the Republic.
The acceptance of this office brought to a close his
short service on the bench. He was fast becoming a
great judge. By his call to the higher field, the admin
istration of domestic justice suffered a loss that has
never been fully repaired. The State lost a just judge ;
but the Republic, the cause of freedom and the cause
of national justice gained a noble advocate.
From the time he entered the Senate his life and
work became a part of the nation's history. His
ability in debate, his clearness and certainty of
vision, his honesty and sincerity gave him a com
manding and entirely independent position in the
Senate. He soon became one who was not oftenest
heard, but always listened to. He was brave in the
utterances of his convictions. Weight was always

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WADE. 179
given to the side he took on all non-partisan ques
tions. The question was often asked: "What does
Old Ben say about it?" He was re-elected in 1857
and again in 1863, thus giving eighteen of the best
years of his life and work to the service of his country
at a time when the best talent of the nation was most
needed. The fearless manner, in which he made
known his convictions, and the effective manner, in
which he convinced others, had much to do with the
final settling of the great slavery question. He was
elected President of the Senate when Mr. Johnson
became President of the United States, and, had the
impeachment trial of Mr. Johnson resulted in his con
viction, Mr. Wade would have been President of the
United States.
When his work in the Senate was done he re
turned to his quiet home in Jefferson, where he lived
with his family for nearly ten years. He was not
only loved and admired by his neighbors and friends,
but honored and revered by every one who appreci
ated honesty and integrity in the faithful discharge
of duty. He died at his home in Jefferson, March 2d,
1878. If it is true that, as a rule, men are remem
bered as long as they deserve to be, this man and his
work will never be forgotten. The marble shaft at
the head of the grave of Benjamin F. Wade is far
less enduring than the influence of his deeds for
truth, justice, freedom, and his country's good.

The Beecher Family.

BY C. C MILLER.

THE boys and girls of Ohio have more reason
to be proud of their great men and great
women than have the youth of any other State.
Edmund Burke always maintained that an ex
ample left a deeper impress upon the human mind
than any form of argument. Ohio has a very
large number of noble examples of lives well spent.
Among this list of notable Ohio people is the
Beecher family. The history of this noted family
begins in 1638, when they came to New Haven, Conn.,
and settled among the early immigrants to New Eng
land. Dr. Lyman Beecher was born in New Haven,
in 1775. He was graduated from Yale at the age of
twenty-two, having studied theology in addition to the
course required for graduation. He entered the min
istry a year later. He was married three times — in
1799, 1817, and again in 1836. He was the father of
thirteen children, all of whom, save one who died in
infancy, were given a liberal education, and the fol
lowing became noted: Catherine, Edward, Henry,
Harriet, Charles and Thomas K. The combined
writings of the father and these six children would
form a large library of varied and useful knowledge.
While the members of this distinguished family
were not born in Ohio, a large part of their work
and many years of their useful lives were spent in
(180)

THE BEECHER FAMILY.

181

this State. For twenty years Dr. Lyman Beecher and
his family lived in Cincinnati, and the father left his
impress upon the State as a teacher and by his influen
tial work as a minister of the gospel. Mr. Beecher,
with his family, came to Ohio from Boston in 1832,
and, for twenty years, was President of Lane Theo
logical Seminary, Walnut Hills, Cincinnati. Here it
was that he attracted the attention of the entire West

HARRIET BEECHER STOWE.
by his scholarly work in the class-room, and by his
eloquent sermons from many pulpits. He was pastor,
for ten years, of the Second Presbyterian Church of
Cincinnati, where he wielded a wonderful influence
for good. From the pulpit he often discussed, with
great fervor, the burning question of slavery, then
rapidly coming before the people. It was this ques
tion, so fearlessly discussed by the father, that led
his illustrious daughter, Harriet, to study the insti
tution of slavery and to write that world-famed book
—"Uncle Tom's Cabin."

182 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
This daughter was born in Litchfield, Connec
ticut in 1812, and was twenty years old when she
came to Cincinnati. She there had an excellent
chance to study the working, and to see the results,
of slavery. She had only to cross the river to see it
in all its degrading conditions.
Four years after her arrival in Cincinnati she was
married to Professor Calvin E. Stowe, of Lane Sem
inary. She was always fond of writing, and in 1849
she published her first important work, "Mayflower" ;
or "Sketches of the Descendants of the Pilgrims."
This book was so well received that it was republished
a number of times. This work brought the young
writer prominently before the reading world, and she
was soon engaged to write a serial story for "The
National Era," an anti-slavery paper published in
Washington. This story was begun in 1851 and fin
ished in April, 1852, when it was published in two
volumes under the well known title of "Uncle Tom's
Cabin." This matchless story, so true to the life,
caused the slave-holders of the South to cringe under
its terrible blows, and to use every effort to parry its
thrusts. But all to no avail. The truth was there,
and truth can not be turned aside. The anti-slavery
people of the North saw in it a more powerful argu
ment than any they had heard, and "Uncle Tom's
Cabin" soon became the watchword of all those who
enlisted in the struggle against slavery. The book was
read by thousands of people in foreign lands, and by
many thousands more at home. It hastened the out
break and justified the results of the Civil War — that
terrible struggle which washed away in blood the
stains of two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil.
Every Ohio boy and girl should read "Uncle Tom."

THE BEECHER FAMILY. 183
It is the best known book ever published, except the
Bible. In less than four years after it appeared, there
were printed, in the United States alone, 313,000
copies, and as many more in England. It has been
translated into twenty languages, and is read to-day
in the schools of France and Germany as an ex
ample of the best English.
Thus is reflected back upon our State, where this
great work was studied and planned, a great and last
ing honor. But even more noted than the daughter Harriet,
was the illustrious son, Henry Ward Beecher. He was
one year older than Harriet, and had received a better
education. He was graduated from Amherst Col
lege in 1834, and then came to Ohio to study theology
at Lane Seminary, Cincinnati. As his father was
President of that noted school, young Beecher had
unusual advantages, and he improved them all. His
marked ability was soon recognized, and he was made
editor of "The Cincinnati Journal," a paper which he
raised in a short time to a high rank. He had pre
pared himself for the ministry, and in 1837 he was
called to the pastorate of a church at Lawrenceburg,
Indiana, and in 1839 to a more important charge in
Indianapolis. In this latter position was found a
wider field for the use of his remarkable talents, and
his work was so widely and so favorably known that
he received a call to the pulpit of Plymouth Church,
Brooklyn, New York, after eight years of service at
Indianapolis. He accepted the call, and for almost
half a century he filled the pastorate of Plymouth
Church, easily taking rank as the foremost preacher
of America. The church and congregation of Plymouth were

184 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
the largest in this country. Thousands of people heard
Mr. Beecher preach every Sunday, and many were
turned away for want of room. His sermons were
always full of interest. He believed that humor, as
well as exhortation, should form part of a sermon. No
man ever had greater power of illustration, and he was
able, from his wide scholarship, to draw his material
from every field of thought. The writer once heard
him describe the "Power Loom," m a lecture deliv
ered at Richmond, Indiana. The picture left upon
the mind will not soon be forgotten — so vivid was
the description, and so pointed the application.
But the secret of Mr. Beecher's power as a
speaker was not his keen sense of humor, nor his
descriptive talent, but it was his intense earnestness.
He believed what he said, and so did his hearers.
There is no place in this age for the boy or girl who
is not in earnest.
But Mr. Beecher was able to serve his country
in another way, even more valuable to it than his
great work as a preacher and an author. In 1863, at
a very critical period of the Civil War, Mr. Beecher
was in England. President Lincoln, knowing the
growing feeling in England in favor of the South,
caused largely by the "cotton famine," which was
brought on by the blockade of southern ports, sent,
by the most rapid' vessel, a request to Mr. Beecher
to exert all his influence to counteract the growing
sympathy, and thus prevent Great Britain from rec
ognizing the Southern Confederacy. Mr. Beecher
was on the point of sailing for home when the mes
sage of the President reached him. He at once
changed his plans, and arranged to speak in five

THE BEECHER FAMILY. 185
great cities of the Kingdom — Manchester, Edin
burgh, Glasgow, Liverpool and London.
At Manchester, on October 9, Mr. Beecher be
gan his series of appeals to the English. An audience
of more than seven thousand greeted him there, and
listened with increased enthusiasm while he sketched
the political movements, extending over fifty years
and leading up to the open conflict between freedom
and slavery in the United States.
At Edinburgh, and at Glasgow, the mobs would
not allow him to be heard, drowning his voice in yells
and calls. As long as he dwelt upon mere history,
and indulged in his rare humor, they would hear him ;
but the moment he attempted to show them that sla
very was wrong, they would not hear him.
But the scene of his greatest triumph was in
Liverpool, where the throng was so dense that when
he arrived at the great hall in which he was to speak
he could not gain an entrance until actually carried
in on the shoulders of policemen. Mr. Beecher was
a man who learned by experience, and he had taken
the precaution here to have a number of competent
reporters present whose duty it should be to give to
the public through the press, all that he desired to
say. This had been fully arranged through the
editors of the great papers of Liverpool. When Mr.
Beecher appeared the applause was tremendous, but
as soon as he began a defense of the Union cause
his voice was drowned in a maddened sea of insults,
taunts and curses. Not disturbed in the least, Mr.
Beecher quietly awaited order and began a second
time. And a second time was he forced to stop. He
now leaned over and began his address to the re
porters seated in front of him. This caught the

186 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
attention of those seated near by, and, out of mere
curiosity to hear what he was saying to the reporters
only, row after row of that vast audience became
quiet. When once they heard the full force and the
magic power of Mr. Beecher's eloquence they could
do nothing else than listen. And when they heard,
they believed.
For three hours the great orator held the throng
"as in the hollow of his hand," gaining decidedly
"the most memorable oratorical success ever achieved
by an American citizen abroad in behalf of the name
and honor of his country."
His last great speech was in London, where he
was received in great Exeter Hall, by one of the most
enthusiastic audiences ever assembled in the English
capital. He showed his hearers plainly that neither
the slave, nor slavery, could help England, and that
both were hostile to commerce the world over.
In each of the five great speeches, he discussed a
different phase of the question. Thus taken as a
whole they gave, in an orderly, connected manner,
all the great points at issue. At the close of his work
it was at once apparent that a great change had come
over England — she no longer sympathized with the
cause of slavery. The South was left to fight its
battles alone, and the world knows the result.
From these facts it is readily seen that Mr.
Beecher performed a great service for the Union, the
benefit of which the whole, reunited country enjoys.
Viewed from any standpoint, his work in Great
Britain was more influential than all else that had
been said or done, i His was "a more remarkable em
bassy than any envoy who has represented us in Europe

THE BEECHER FAMILY. 187
since Franklin pleaded the cause of ,the Young Re
public at the court of Versailles."
On his return to America he was received with
great distinction, and his fame as an orator, and de
fender of the Union, was firmly established. Both
his popularity and his power remained with him till
his death, which occurred March 8th, 1887. No one
has taken his place. No one can take his place. His
life and work stand alone.

Salmon Portland Chase.

ABRAHAM Lincoln knew men fairly well and his
estimate of his contemporaries is of especial
interest to us to-day. His estimates of men are
free from personal bias and especially is this true in
the case of Salmon P. Chase. We have every reason
to believe that he contemplated no flattery when he
said: "Chase is about one and a half times bigger
than any other man I ever knew." This is certainly
commendation enough when we remember the men
whom Lincoln knew.
The lot of Chase was cast in many places in the
course of sixty-five years of his life. Born in New
Hampshire in 1808, he had lived in two different
towns of that state before he was twelve years old, and
had gone to school in three others. When the boy
was nine years old his father died and three years
after this event he was brought under the influence
of his uncle Philander Chase who was the Episcopal
Bishop of Ohio.
In Ohio he had the experience of living in the vil
lage of Worthington and in the city of Cincinnati.
His first experience was in Worthington where he
attended his uncle's school and worked on the farm.
Here he remained two years studying his Greek and
doing the farm work rather indifferently because he
did not like it. The story is told by the older residents
of Worthington that his uncle was called away from
the town and left young Chase to kill a pig for the
family use. The killing was easily enough done but
(188)

SALMON -PORTLAND CHASE. 189
how to clean it was an entirely different question.
He had some idea that the hair must come off, but how,.
he did not know. He succeeded in accomplishing this
feat, however, much to the amusement of the neigh
bors, and much to the detriment of his uncle's razor,
as that worthy gentleman found out when he next
used it. He had actually shaved the pig.
In 1822 Bishop Chase was appointed President of
Cincinnati College and the lad took up his residence
in that city. Evidently the requirements for admission
were not of the highest character, for Chase, then fif
teen years old, soon became a sophomore. He re
mained in Cincinnati one year only, at the end of which
time he returned to New Hampshire and one year after
entered Dartmouth College from which institution he
graduated in 1826. His early experience in Ohio prob
ably led him to choose this state as his future home.
His next experience was one that happens to
comparatively few boys. His uncle, the Bishop, again
proved his friend. He gave him letters of introduc
tion, and with these in his pocket he went to Washing
ton to earn money as a school teacher until such time
as he should be admitted to the Bar, for it was his
determination to become a lawyer.
In Washington he had no better resource than to
open a private school for which one pupil was entered.
In discouragement he applied to another uncle, Sena
tor Dudley Chase, for a government clerkship but
met with a refusal. He warned him never to enter the
Government service but did offer the astonished young
man "fifty cents to buy a spade." Uncle Philander
was more sympathetic, however, through whose in
fluence he became proprietor of a well-established boys'
school and remained a teacher for three years. These

190 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
three years did much for the young man. He was
admitted to the best of society and the country boy
became a cultivated man of the world.
After leaving Washington he went to Cincinnati
where he began the practice of law. This was in 1830.
He soon made his influence felt as a lecturer, as pub
lisher of the laws of Ohio, a work which insured his
standing as a lawyer even if it did not reward him
financially, and as an historian. His historical work
was only a sketch, but it called attention to the impor
tance of the study of the Ordinance of 1787.
In 1834 Chase was married. Within seventeen
years he had lost by death three wives and five children.
Two children were spared to him, Kate and Jeanette,
later Mrs. Hoyt. His daughter, Kate Chase Sprague,
handsome, brilliant and of great force of character, is
in many respects one of the most remarkable women
in our history. She was, in a large sense, her father's
political manager and used her every effort to secure
his nomination to the presidency in 1864. Neither she
nor her father saw anything incongruous in this act,
although Chase was at the time President Lincoln's
Secretary of the Treasury. As a political force, she,
among women, stands alone in United States history.
Ohio was the theater of a great deal of the
slavery trouble. Here the "underground railroad"
was in most successful operation, over which slaves
were constantly escaping to Canada. Chase, early in
his career, identified himself with the anti-slavery
people. His advice and aid as a lawyer were fre
quently asked and never refused. He was, in fact, an
abolitionist, not of the school of William Lloyd Gar
rison, but that of James G. Birney who believed that
all anti-slavery men ought to establish an independent

SALMON PORTLAND CHASE. 191
party or vote for men only whose sentiments were
known to be anti-slavery, rather than hold themselves
aloof from all participation in government affairs ex
cept to criticize men and measures.
Chase's attitude toward slavery, by a strange com
bination of circumstances, made him United States
Senator, in 1849. It will be remembered that the state
legislatures and not the people directly, elect the United
States Senators. The legislature which elected Chase
was composed of the following: Democrats, 53;
Whigs, 44; Free-Soil Whigs, 9; Independents, 2;
total, 108; necessary for a choice, 55. From the above
it will be seen that the two Independents held the bal
ance of power. These two Independents, Messrs.
Townshend and Moore, united with the Democrats,
thus making the necessary 55 votes. The Dr. Towns
hend here mentioned was long and honorably con
nected with the Ohio State University and the beauti
ful agricultural building on the college campus is
named in his honor. Such a coalition as the above
would indicate, did not compromise Chase in his sub
sequent career in the Senate as his election was cer
tainly not the first choice of the Democratic members
but was practically forced upon them by the two
Independents. In the Senate he continued his opposition to slav
ery. It will be seen that he was a member of the
Senate during the stormy scenes of the period of the
compromise of 1850. It is of interest to know some
thing of Chase's attitude. February 2, Chase wrote
to a friend : "You have seen Clay's Compromise reso
lutions — sentiment for the North, substance for the
South — just like the Missouri Compromise — all that
is in issue given up by the non-slaveholders — unsub-

192 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
stantial concessions of matters not in issue by the
slaveholders." This may be a bit severe in its char
acterization but it shows the uncompromising nature
of the Ohio senator.
During Chase's term as senator a new party was
being formed composed largely of the opponents of
the Kansas-Nebraska bill. This party became the
Republican party and Chase early identified himself
with it. By it he was nominated as governor of Ohio
and in 1855 was elected, and re-elected in 1857. The
story of the exciting times in Ohio history during this
period and the part that Chase took in them is too
long to be told here. He was still the negro's friend
and some of his acts as governor have been freely
criticised. The same criticism is applicable to other
northern governors, for the most of them were guilty
of trying to aid escaping slaves. From Chase's very
nature he must aid them.
Chase was a prominent candidate for the Repub
lican nomination for the presidency in i860. He
seemed sanguine of success. This honor was not to
be his for he was never what we may call popular
even in his own state. He could not control the dele
gates from Ohio and was destined to see the votes of
his own state nominate Abraham Lincoln. Chase
never looked upon Lincoln as a rival until the very day
of the convention. Yet the result was that Chase's
friends nominated him. That Lincoln felt grateful to
them and to Chase is shown by the fact that Chase be
came Lincoln's Secretary of the Treasury, a most
trying position to fill during four years of war. Chase
was a valuable man in that position and rendered effi
cient service. The national banking system, practically
as it exists to-day, is to be attributed to his influence.

SALMON PORTLAND CHASE. 193
While Chase was an able man he could never realize
the fact that Lincoln was a greater. He did not give
the President the support he should, and had any other
man of the time been President the chances are Chase
would not have long remained Secretary of the Treas
ury. On four or five different occasions did he offer
his resignation, but Lincoln recognized his worth and
ability and declined to accept his resignations until
the last one came. His ready acceptance of the resig
nation piqued Chase, for he thought that Lincoln would
again entreat him to withdraw it. Chase's attitude
toward the President is not always to be commended,
in many instances it appears childish rather than that
of a broad-minded man such as Chase really was.
Lincoln's great heart was incapable of bearing
malice toward any one, certainly not one of Chase's
worth to his country. Upon the death of Chief Justice
Taney in 1864, in spite of protests from many sources,
President Lincoln appointed him to the vacant office.
This office he filled till the time of his death which
occurred in 1873. During the first four years of his
office as chief justice he never lost sight of the possi
bility of a nomination for president in 1868. He
greatly desired the honor and no doubt honestly
thought that he was the best man for the position. It
is the only instance in our history of a member of the
Supreme Court seeking the presidential nomination.
Not only did he seek the Republican nomination, but,
failing in this, the Democratic nomination as well.
He justifies his actions in the following: "I can not
approve in general what the Republican party has done.
I hold my old faith in universal suffrage, in universal
amnesty, and in inviolate public faith; but I do not
13

194 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
believe in military government for American states.'
His attitude is not altogether indefensible for he was
in all essentials, except his convictions on the slavery
question, a Democrat of the School of Jackson and
Benton. Chase was a man who cared very much for public
opinion. He loved his friends and aided them when
ever opportunity offered. He enjoyed the cordial re
gard of James A. Garfield and many others of the
younger men of the day. He seemed unable to form
friendships with the public men of his own age. His
only intimate personal friend among them was Charles
Sumner. He was never genuinely popular as other men
have been. This was probably due to the fact that he
never fully understood the common people. He suf
fers in contrast with Lincoln, yet so do all other public
men of his day. His attitude toward Lincoln doubt
less accounts for some of his unpopularity. His ambi
tion sometimes dimmed his better judgment, yet in all
his public acts he was honest and sincere. His services
to his country are of such a character that, despite his
ambitions, despite his failure at times to recognize
greatness in other men, his claim to greatness is secure.

Horace Mann.

BY WILLIAM JACKSON ARMSTRONG.

OF the personal forces moulding the character
and giving impetus to the educational devel
opment of Ohio, none has been more vital
than the influence of Horace Mann, for a term of
years President of Antioch College. After the lapse
of nearly half a century the impress of this factor,
like the name of Mann itself, remains almost as fresh
in the consciousness of the State as on the day of his
death. It is common to say that our democratic American
life has marvelously demonstrated the virtue of democ
racy itself — the capacity of humanity to climb from
the humblest beginnings to the highest achievements
of learning and of power. Of this truth there has
been no example more brilliantly and singularly illus
trative than the subject of this sketch. In his intel
lectual prime, which lasted till the last vital spark
had passed from his exhausted frame, Horace Mann
was in outward semblance, as in fact, an imposing
personation of united culture and moral force. Nobil
ity the most exalted and refined, approaching even the
majestic, appeared in every line of his features and in
every movement of his body. A fervid tribune of the
people, at heart, no hereditary aristocrat ever wore a
mien more courtly and impressive than his. His facil
ity in mental achievement seemed the natural comple-
(195)

196 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
ment of his polished stateliness of person. Looking
upon him, one might readily conceive him to have
stepped from a portrait of the ancestral Medicis. He
was only the son of a pinched and petty New England
farmer! His boyhood and early manhood were a
pitiful struggle with grinding and nearly wageless
toil. He earned his first school-books by braiding
straw. "I believe in rugged and nursing Toil," he
once said, "but she nursed me too much."
The place of Mann's birth was Franklin, Massa
chusetts ; the year 1796. At the age of thirteen he
lost his father. His mother continued to be the guard
ian and inspiration of his young years. His longing
for knowledge appeared innate. The instinct of be
nevolence in his nature was even more deeply in
grained. All his "boyish castles," as he afterward de
scribed them, "had reference to doing something for
the benefit of mankind" — the aspiration that he was to
so amply redeem. Industry, or diligence, became in
these hard early years his second nature; and, as he
said, it would puzzle a psychologist to tell where it
"joined on the first." Work to him, he asserted, was
always what "water is to fish."
By sternest economy and privation, the poor
farmer boy managed to obtain elementary instruc
tion in the neighborhood schools and, in his twentieth
year, to enter Brown University, where, with his
prodigious faculty for learning, he graduated three
years later with the highest honors of his class. The
Horace Mann tradition is said to have lingered long
at the college. The theme of his Commencement ora
tion was, "The Advancement of the Human Species in
Dignity and Happiness" — the motive and keynote of
his whole subsequent career. After leaving the Uni-

HORACE MANN. 197
versify he entered the then celebrated law-school at
Litchfield, Connecticut, where his record for talents
and attainments was equally brilliant with that in col
lege. It was a prophecy of his fellow students that
he would become one of the great men of his time.
Entering on the practice of the law in 1823, he
made it an inflexible rule never to undertake a cause
that he did not believe to be right. Owing to this
resolution and to his care and ability in preparation,
he is said to have won four out of every five cases in
which he was engaged — an extraordinary profes
sional success.
Mr. Mann's career at the bar lasted for fourteen
years. It was not, however, merely the career of a law
yer, but of a legislator, as well. He had early become
interested in the vital public questions of the day and
his searching abilities called him to the service of his
State, first as Representative and later as President
of the Senate, in the Legislature of Massachusetts.
His first speech in the Assembly was in defense of
religious liberty — in opposition to a scheme by which
close corporations could secure the income of given
property forever to the support of particular sects.
He had early turned from the narrowness of creeds
and remained a liberal in religious thought to the
end of his years. Like that of Thomas Paine, his
religion was doing good, his country, the world.
Mr. Mann's further successful efforts as a legis
lator were along humanitarian and educational lines.
He projected a hospital for the insane and against
great opposition carried it through the Legislature
unassisted, being himself appointed by the Governor
as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners.

•198 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
In 1837, near the close of his legislative term,
he signed, as President of the Senate, a bill relating to
Common Schools, and creating a Board of Education
for the State of Massachusetts. It was the pivotal
point of his career. He was made Secretary and
executive officer of the Board. The cause of educa
tion in its most comprehensive sense was that which
lay nearest his heart and native instincts — the service
which he regarded as the greatest to his fellow men.
On the day of accepting the appointment to his new
duties he wrote : "Henceforth, so long as I hold
this office, I devote myself to the supremest welfare
of mankind on earth." For the almost beggarly pit
tance of the salary of the office he surrendered a lucra
tive and growing practice at the bar, saying as he did
so : "The interests of a client are small compared with
the interests of the next generation. Let the next
generation, then, be my client." Pecuniary sacrifice,
however great, was of comparative insignificance to
this remarkable man, whose private diary revealed
after his death that, during his term of practice as a
lawyer, he was unable for a period of months to buy
a dinner on half the days, and lay ill for weeks from
hunger and exhaustion, by reason of having assumed
the debts of an unfortunate relative.
Mr. Mann administered the office of Secretary of
the Massachusetts State Board of Education for
twelve years — being himself practically the Board and
the office. His labors were literally rather than meta
phorically the labors of Hercules. He revised and
regenerated the then sluggish common school system
of Massachusetts and, in so doing, that of the United
States and of the English speaking peoples. Beyond
this, the inspiration of his work went out to the coun-

HORACE MANN. 199
tries of continental Europe and has remained a lasting
influence in the educational methods, intellectual and
moral, of the world. The story is that for a volume
rather than of a brief of his career. An autobiography
of Professor Griscomb, issued in 1842, recorded that
Mann had then "acquired a reputation for philan
thropic devotion to the great cause of education, and
for a profound skill in all the details of instruction,
unrivaled by any person in the United States." His
memorable contest with the "Thirty-nine Boston
Schoolmasters," resulting in the banishment of sec
tarian religious teaching from the Massachusetts public
schools, has retained its importance. In this contest
occurred his famous epigram on the orthodox Calvin-
ists : "There are two classes," he said, "the one ortho
dox by education and association, the other indigen
ously so, who, if they had wit enough, would have
invented orthodoxy, if Calvin had not."
Similarly, Mann's twelve successive voluminous
official reports to the Massachusetts Legislature, cov
ering every detail and interest in the scheme of elemen
tary public instruction, have remained a monument
of information and incentive for all interested in the
cause and business of popular education. The ethical
and sanitary elements in education, which he ever
insistently emphasized, were ¦ fundamental in his
scheme. "Moral qualifications," he insisted, "are even
of greater moment than literary attainments, in the
business of learning."
In his visit to Europe during the year 1843, em~
bracing an itinerary of England, Ireland, Scotland,
Germany and France, Mr. Mann was everywhere
enthusiastically received as the foremost living repre
sentative of modern and reform ideals in education.

200 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
On the death of John Quincy Adams in 1848, Mr.
Mann was elected his successor in Congress. His ser
vices as a national legislator, during the following
four years, were made conspicuous by his unflinching
aggression on the slave power and by his attack on
Daniel Webster for charged apostasy from the cause
of freedom.* Webster he described as a "fallen star —
Lucifer descending from heaven."
Mr. Mann's effort in the House of Representa
tives in opposition to the Fugitive Slave Act was
characterized by Henry Wilson, afterwards Vice Presi
dent of the United States, as "one of the most brilliant
speeches for liberty that ever fell from human lips
in our own or any other country." His assault upon
Webster became, at the time, of national notoriety
and significance. "A thousand of the most prominent
men of Massachusetts," he said in writing to a friend,
"will never speak to me again; but I must do it, and
shall probably follow it up with more."
Webster's powerful friends united in an effort to
defeat Mr. Mann's re-election to Congress. He ac
cepted the contest and was returned by his constituency
to Washington by a triumphant majority. His repu
tation for eloquence and courage was still further
increased by his acceptance and successful defense
of the case of Drayton and Sayres, owners of a sloop
who had allowed some fugitive slaves from the
District of Columbia to escape on their vessel. He
refused, also, to touch the hand of President Millard
Fillmore — "the hand," as he said, "that had signed
the Fugitive Slave Law." He did not attend the
funeral of Calhoun, the arch defender of slavery,
?Webster's 7th of March Speech, 1850.

HORACE MANN. 201
"because," as he wrote to a friend, "I did not wish to
connect the thoughts I had of death with the
thoughts I had of him." On the death of Clay, he
said : "He has lived to see Webster die a moral death
and Webster sees him die a natural death." Few
Americans have united the power of pungent epigram
with fervid eloquence in an equal degree with Horace
Mann. His moral boldness was supreme — equalled
only by the tenderness of his heart and conscience.
In September, 1852, while he was yet a member
of Congress, Mr. Mann received on the same day the
nomination by a political party for Governor of Mas
sachusetts and an invitation to the Presidency of
Antioch College — an institution which was to be
opened two years later to the public. He chose
Antioch College. Its executive and educational charge
for five years was to be the last sacrificial task of his
life of heroic sacrifice. His acceptance of the headship
of any then existing institution of learning would have
been a condescension and an honor. His compliance
in the case of an unformed and remote western
school was a yet more marked compromise with his
great talents and reputation. If the metaphor be per
mitted, it was the descending of the brilliant eagle of
the educational realm to teach the expanding pin
ions in one of the humblest aviaries of American
learning. As he averred to friends, his choice was
determined by the promised opportunity of being asso
ciated with an institution free from sectarian bias and
open to the higher education for women. "I am," he
said, "for women's rights in the highest sense of the
word." With the exception of Oberlin, Antioch was the
first American or English college to adopt the co-educa
tion of the sexes — the experiment that was to continue

202 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
so sucessfully from the first with both of these institu
tions. Mr. Mann said : "I think the young ladies of the
west are stronger, larger and better developed in every
way than the ladies of Boston and vicinity." The great
reform educator was to have a free hand for all his
ennobling theories. He wrote: "It is the beautiful
attributes of your enterprise that attract me toward it."
The brilliant Starr King wrote him of his inaugural
address : "There is enough vitality in it to make a
college thrive in the Sahara."
But in all, save the standard and inspiration of
learning planted by her first President, Antioch was
in her opening years a disappointment. For the re
maining term of his life and administration Horace
Mann was the beacon light of the young institution,
as, indeed, of advanced American education in the
west. His personal power and magnetism drew to
him and his experiment the sympathetic attention of
all that was worthiest in American learning and cul
ture. The years of his connection with the college
form a large space in the consciousness of the lives
that came under his teaching. No student of that
period ever passed from its walls without bearing for
life an impress of his exalted personality.
But the great President was doomed to fall under
the burden of heroic labors. The story is one of itself.
He had been warned, but "There is no place so good
to die as the post of duty," was the principle of his
life, as it had long been a well known maxim of his
teachings. The sword of his restless spirit had
pricked, at last, through the scabbard of the frail body.
"Oh, give me health! I have enough resolution of
my own," he prayed to a friend. A giant's haleness
would not have served his fervid purpose. On Com-

HORACE MANN. 203
mencement day, 1859, he delivered his last baccalaure
ate address before the graduating class of the college,
closing with his often quoted and almost sublime adjur
ation: "Be ashamed to die until you have won some
victory for humanity!" — the central note of his own
life and lofty Hebraic spirit. The closing labors of
the college year had well nigh drained the reserve of
his bodily vitality. The heats of the ensuing months
completed the exhaustion. It was the summer vaca
tion. On a day in early August the end came. It
was the fortune of the writer of the present sketch,
as a student in the college under this great man's
administration, to be a sharer in the parting scene.
The President seemed unconscious of his state. He
was gently told of the near approach of death. His
features changed only to a look of serene exaltation.
"Ask the doctor how long," he said. "Three hours.
at most," he was told. "I have then something to
do," he answered. He was admonished that any
agitation would measurably shorten his brief tenure
of life. He indicated his indifference and requested
that his students lingering in the village should be
called. A group gathered by the low couch near the
window, open to the summer. Half rising at mo
ments from his pillows, he took each one in succession
by the hand and familiarly calling the names of his
student friends, in a tone ringing, musical and clear
as in his most vital efforts from the college platform,
he addressed to them, according to the needs and
personality of each, a series of discourses as exalted
and glowing as ever were utterances from human lips.
Such was the impression of those who were privileged
to hear, and such it has remained, through the more
than two score years, with the still living witnesses of

204 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
that hour. The historic scene that was then recalled was
the death of Socrates in the prison chamber at Athens.
But this death was more and greater. The Athenian
philosopher in the presence of the unknown, with the
pardonable egoism of nature, associated his own per
sonality with his discourse on the expectations of con
tinued existence. Sublimely unconscious, or forget
ful, of his own share in the scheme of the future, the
American teacher spoke no word of himself, but
employed his latest thoughts and breath with the wel
fare and encouragement of the living — the duties
that prepare for all existence. The grandeur of his
life lifted him without a break to the order of eternity.
His vitality perceptibly foreshortened by hours from
the energy of his efforts, he dropped back and lay
before us in death, serene in aspect as if in a summer
dream.

Israel Ward Andrews, D. D„ LL. D,

BY MARTIN R. ANDREWS.

IN 1797, only two years after the close of a long and
disastrous war with the Indians, the little band of
New England settlers about the mouth of the
Muskingum began a subscription, under the leader
ship of General Rufus Putnam, to erect a building for
the purposes of higher education. The first instructor
in this building, which was long known as Muskingum
Academy, was David Putnam, a grandson of General
Israel Putnam and a graduate of Yale College. In
this Academy instruction was given in some of the
higher branches and especially in Latin and Greek.
From this beginning sprang Marietta College, which
received its final charter from the State of Ohio in
1835. To this college Mr. Douglas Putnam, a son of
the first instructor in Muskingum Academy, gave
freely of his time, his thought and his wealth for more
than sixty years. In this noble work he was helped
and wisely guided for half a century by Israel Ward
Andrews-, a graduate of Williams College, who came
to Marietta in 1838 upon the recommendation of Dr.
Mark Hopkins. Mr. Andrews served as Tutor one
year, as Professor of Mathematics, and Natural Phi
losophy from 1839 until 1855, as President from 1855
until 1885, and as Professor of Political Philosophy
from 1885 until his death, in 1888. In that half century
of active service he labored earnestly and successfully,
(205)

206

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

ISRAEL W. ANDREWS, D. D., LL D

ISRAEL WARD ANDREWS, D. D., LL. D. 207
not only for Marietta College, but also for the cause of
common school education throughout the whole State
of Ohio. When he came to Marietta, in 1838, a system
of graded schools was something of which very few
teachers in Ohio had ever heard. The growing towns
were divided into a number of districts in which a
school was maintained for a few months in the year
at public expense, but the best schools and the ones
that continued for a longer term each year were private
schools, which received no aid from the public treas
ury. The poor boy or girl had little hope of gaining
more than a bare beginning in reading, writing, and
arithmetic. At that time nearly all the teachers in
Ohio who were well prepared for their work, found
steady employment in the academies and colleges of
the state. Hence many parents found it necessary to
send their children away from home at great expense
to have them study branches which are now taught
in nearly every district school. Professor Andrews
and other teachers of Ohio labored earnestly in every
part of the state to convince the people that there was
a better way of managing our schools; that by joining
the districts in every town and arranging them in
grades, better work could be done and at less ex
pense. To educate the people on the subject of
"Union Schools," as they were then called, these patri
otic men went, at their own expense, from county to
county and from town to town, holding teachers' in
stitutes, and, so thoroughly was their work done in
the years between 1840 and 1855, tnat l°ng before the
close of that period, union, or graded, schools had been
established in nearly every town or village, and many
public high schools had been opened. In this work
no one was more earnest and successful than Professor

208 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
Andrews. At his own home he was one of the first
to move for the organization of a union school, and
every faithful teacher found in him a true friend and
wise counselor. He was associate editor of the Ohio
Journal of Education from 1852 until 1857, and
throughout the rest of his life continued to write
suggestive articles on education in the common
schools. As early as 1852, when graded schools had
become common, he warned the teachers not to put
their trust in any mere system, and taught them that
the best system is worthless unless we have earnest
teachers and industrious pupils.
The one text-book which he wrote, the "Manual
of the Constitution," has been received with great
favor because it has been recognized for many years
as a monument of painstaking accuracy. Those who
knew him best felt sure that a statement found in his
book must be true, for Dr. Andrews would not insert
it until he had verified it by consulting the original
authorities. When General Garfield was at one time discuss
ing some question of constitutional interpretation in
Congress he was asked by another member to give
his authority for a certain statement made by him.
He replied that it was to be found in Andrews's
Manual of the Constitution, the best book on that
subject he had seen.
At one time he amused his class by the earnest
ness with which he criticised a public report that gave
July 27 as the date for the erection of Washington
County, Ohio, when it should have been July 26,
1788. To those who showed by their looks that the
date seemed to them a matter of little importance,
he explained that the original documents plainly

ISRAEL WARD ANDREWS, D. D., LL. D. 209
stated both the day of the month, July 26, and the
day of the week, Saturday; that since this was true,
he thought it important that history should not be
falsified in such a way as to seem to prove that the
first county in Ohio was erected on Sunday. When
there was uncertainty in the minds of students as to
the date of the admission of Ohio into the Union, he
published an article in the Magazine of American
History which was accepted as a final answer to that
question. He showed that Congress had, by the act
of February 19, 1803, provided for the appointment
of a District Judge for the State of Ohio, and had
thus admitted Ohio into the Union.
Many students who were so fortunate as to come
under the direct instruction of Dr. Andrews recall
with feelings of pleasure and gratitude that kindly,
genial manner of his which revealed in every word
and action the patient, sympathetic friend; and of the
many useful lessons which he taught them, there is
one that the thoughtful among them can never for
get, for it was illustrated in every day of his life as
a teacher. Whenever they think of him they will
take fresh courage in their work, and go at it with
assurance that no labor is fruitless if it enables us to
see the truth clearly and to state it accurately.

14

Thomas Ewing.
(Born December 28, 1789; died October 26, 1871.)

BY GEORGE W. RIGHTMIRE.

THE memorable year that witnessed the inaugu
ration of Washington, and the beginning of the
United States under the present Constitution,
also beheld the birth of Thomas Ewing ; this was four
teen years before Ohio became a state. At that time
Webster was a lad of seven, Calhoun and Benton of
the same age, and Clay a boy of twelve; all of these
youths were destined to play a mighty part in the
growth of their country, and it is interesting to note
that the period so full of political action gave birth
to five men who were to shape the destinies of the
-great Republic for more than a third of a century.
The stirring spirit of the times in which he was
born seems to have struck deep into the very fibre
of Thomas Ewing's life, for there was nothing in his
physical surroundings that of itself could have been
responsible for. greatness. Born in Virginia near the
upper Ohio River, at the age of three he was brought
to the Muskingum Valley, and five years later accom
panied his father's family to Athens county, where
he lived until manhood. In those days Ohio was a
wilderness, with a sprinkling of people at Marietta,
Cincinnati, the Scioto Valley, and Cleveland; wild
animals and Indians traversed this wilderness in all
directions. Forests grew almost everywhere, and the
(210)

THOMAS EWING. 211
few settlers took up lands along the valleys of the
streams where the woodland bordered the open coun
try; for in those days life was sustained as much by
hunting, fishing, and wild berries and fruits that grew
on the thinly wooded slopes, as by farming. The
nearest neighbors lived from ten to twenty miles away,
and for the first few years there were not more than
fifty people living in the whole of Athens County.
Gradually settlers from New England came into
that region, and soon a district school was opened;
but up to his twentieth year Thomas Ewing spent
not more than ten months in a schoolhouse. At home
he eagerly read the few books his father's library con
tained, and rode miles to borrow others. The settlers
were intelligent, industrious people, and although their
means were limited, yet their desires were large, and
a general subscription of money and furs, amounting to
one hundred dollars, was made up among them, and the
magistrate was sent away to Boston to buy books for
a circulating library. It was months before he re
turned, but one day he came riding into the settlement
with a great sack full of books, sixty volumes in all.
Ewing saw them poured out upon the ground with
keen delight, and from that day had a book continually
until they were all read.
During these early years he worked hard on the
farm, and under the encouragement of his father and
a sister formed plans to secure an education ; but his
father's fortune had been lost in the paper money
craze at the close of the Revolution, and in his various
changes of habitation since that time he had made
only a scanty living. Even his farm was still partly
unpaid for, and altogether the outlook for an edu
cation was discouraging. Years passed, he grew to

212 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
young manhood, and the prospect seemed only to
darken, when one summer a young man of roving;
disposition drifted into the community, and spent sev
eral months working on the farms; his stories of his
adventures in the outside world roused Ewing and
together they started for the Kanawha saHnes. This
was a region along the Kanawha River in what is now
West Virginia, and was noted for its production of
salt. Here young Ewing worked hard for several
months and saved eighty dollars; his first venture
into the world convinced him that he could make
money, and he had begun to measure himself with other
men. This is the essential step in one's advancement,,
and from his experience the young man derived much
hope. He returned to the salines the following year,
and was able at the end of that time to clear his father's
farm of debt ; his health was somewhat broken by the
hard toil, but instead of entrusting himself to the care
of a physician he obtained a copy of "Don Quixote"
and laughed himself back to vigor.
It was now possible, for the first time, to plan
seriously to acquire an education ; the rest of that win
ter he spent at Ohio University, and during the next
five years worked in the summer at the salines and
attended college in the winter, finally securing the
B. A. degree in 1815, the first granted by the
University. Life was now beginning for him, and he carried
out an intention, formed some years before, to become
a lawyer; he struck a balance of his finances, and
found that his money had gone into his education.
He, therefore, went to teaching in the town of Galli
polis. This occupation was distasteful to him, but he

THOMAS EWING. 213
held out through the winter, when he went to Lancaster
and took up the study of law with Mr. Beecher, and
in 1816 was admitted to practice.
Let us now look back for a moment, and see over
what a rough and discouraging road Thomas Ewing
had traveled : born in a wilderness, parents in poverty,
meager social advantages, few books, toiling year after
year at clearing and tilling the soil, obtaining only
ten months of schooling in twenty years, and, by dint
of his own unwearied exertions, getting a college edu
cation, and after fourteen months of unremitting study
being admitted to the practice of law at the age of
twenty-eight. Surely, you will say, if the boy could
accomplish so much, the man will make a lasting
impression upon his age ! And your prophecy will be
a true one. Follow him, now, in his career as a man.
His early life had trained him to look facts and
conditions squarely in the face and his college educa
tion had been chiefly in the sciences ; in pursuing the
law, therefore, he became famous for his grasp of
facts, and his logical arrangement of arguments. So
able a master of logic was he that it was said that his
statement of the case was more convincing than the
labored arguments of many of his associates. His
first cases were of minor importance, as is usual in
the experience of young lawyers, but upon them he
rapidly built up a practice which carried him into
fifteen counties in southern and eastern Ohio. Being
a man of gigantic proportions, massive head and classic
features, he at once attracted attention wherever he
went, and his vast mental ability won admirers and
adherents. In politics during these years he was active ; from
1820 to 1830 political parties were undergoing a

214 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
changing process, new issues were forming, and from
the general confusion new parties were arising.
Ewing advocated liberal measures and, therefore,
found himself generally opposed to the party then
forming about Andrew Jackson.
The elements opposing the Jacksonians gradually
coalesced and took the name of Whigs ; in this party
Ewing was the great leader in Ohio. In 1831, at
the age of forty-two, this party sent him to the United
States Senate.
During his six years as a senator, he was in illus
trious company ; there was Webster, the matchless ora
tor and expounder of the Constitution; Clay, who
stirred men's souls by his eloquence and touched their
hearts by his charming personality ; Calhoun, the man
who could see nothing ahead for his country but dis
aster, and who bent all the powers of his strong intellect
to the task of proving that any state could withdraw
from the Union peacefully; Benton, whose rugged-
ness, frankness, and independence, perfectly repre
sented the people who were making the great west.
All of these were of long experience and unquestioned
leaders. The hard lessons learned in making his own
way, all his experiences as salt boiler, student, lawyer,
and man of affairs, now demonstrated their value, and
Ewing was soon regarded as one of the ablest men in
the Senate. His experience was not so long as that
of the men mentioned above, nor was the impression
he created so lasting, but during his term he was heard
on all important questions, and through his convincing
reasoning came to be called the "Logician of the
West." In the political discussions of those years, he
usually opposed Jackson's views ; he held that the

THOMAS EWING. 215
President was exercising power wrongfully in taking
the government money away from the United States
Bank; he argued against the policy expressed by the
specie circular; in other matters he thought that the
President was unlawfully assuming power that be
longed to Congress and the courts, and in the end the
effect of this would be to destroy the harmony and
usefulness of the government. Such actions he vigor
ously attacked.
However, he devoted most of his attention to those
matters that more nearly concerned the daily life of
the people and would tend to make them more pros
perous and contented. He favored lower postage
rates ; through his efforts the postal service was reor
ganized and made more useful ; he brought the public
lands within more easy reach of the people, and made
the care and sale thereof the duty of a general land
office ; he favored a tariff that would protect industry,
argued that a National Bank would regulate the value
of the currency, and be of great benefit to the Govern
ment in borrowing money and collecting and trans
mitting revenues.
The boundary line between Ohio and Michigan
was in dispute; the Ordinance of 1787 provided that
it should be the continuation of an east and west line
through the southern point of Lake Michigan, which
would strike Lake Erie many miles east of the mouth
of the Maumee River, and thus place that valuable
harbor and the city of Toledo in Michigan. The
Constitution of 1802 had provided that if this should
be the effect of the east and west line through the
southern extremity of Lake Michigan, then it should
be run northeast to the northern cape of the Maumee
River; and so far Ohio had cted with that under-

216 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
standing. The people in the disputed strip were
divided, two sets of local officers were chosen, and a
petition was sent to the Ohio Legislature asking that
Ohio's laws be extended to this strip. This was done,
and Ohio and Michigan seemed to be on the verge of
war. Several expeditions were made, most damage
being done to melon patches and chicken roosts, and
Michigan held the territory. The United States Gov
ernment interfered, and, at this juncture, Ewing pre
sented a bill to the Senate which he ably supported by
a speech and by his influence in that body, and it
passed both Houses, fixing the northern boundary line
where it now is, and saving Toledo and the Maumee
River, with its great lake traffic and railroad facilities
to the state of Ohio.
Although a man of marked mental ability, Ewing
had few of the arts and graces of a politician ; he had
not the faculty of winning and holding men lor political
ends, and spent very little effort in organizing his
political followers. Therefore he failed of re-election
and from 1837 to 1840 practiced law; during the Har
rison and Tyler campaign he was actively engaged
in speech-making for these candidates. For this ear
nestness, and also because he was the most prominent
Whig in Ohio, he became Harrison's secretary of
the treasury; but when Tyler became president he
refused to follow the changing policy of that weak
man, and along with the rest of the cabinet except
Webster, resigned
Ewing's great fame as a lawyer dates from this
time ; many lucrative cases were entrusted to him, and
he was constantly in attendance upon the Supreme
Court of Ohio, the Federal District and Circuit Courts,
and the United States Supreme Court. His reason-

THOMAS EWING. 217
ing was always clear, his comprehension of the facts
and legal principles involved was wonderful, and his
arrangement and statement of arguments very gener
ally convincing. So remarkable was his ability, and
so wide his fame, that upon the death of Webster it
was said that there was only one man who could
really succeed him in practice before the United States
Supreme Court, and that man was Thomas Ewing.
Much of the latter part of his life was spent in this
practice. His ability in cases involving the title to real estate
was remarkable, and some of his greatest legal argu
ments were made in such cases ; among these were the
Piatt case, involving the title to half of the land now
included in the city of Toledo ; the case of McMicken's
will, and the Methodist division case, in all of which
he appeared at his best.
He appeared the third time in national affairs as
secretary of the interior in Taylor's administration ;
this department had been created by the preceding
Congress and had to be organized and set to work by
Mr. Ewing. It deals with public lands, pensions,
patents, education, Indian affairs, the Census, and at
that time also included Agriculture. This enumera
tion of duties shows that it is second to none of the
departments in vital interest to the people, touching
them in those matters that are peculiarly of every
day importance. This work was done in the way
characteristic of the new Secretary, and he exerted a
lasting influence upon the policy of the department and
its methods of work. His first report is very interest
ing, and contains much information and advice cony
cerning the lands just acquired from Mexico, the gold

218 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
deposits of California, the state of agriculture, and
other domestic subjects of pressing interest.
Ewing's judgment in matters of state had great
weight with President Lincoln and he was often in
Washington consulting with him. When the capture
of Mason and Slidell brought England and the United
States to the very point of hostilities, Ewing sent the
famous telegram that was really decisive of the whole
trouble — "There can be no contraband of war between
neutral ports" — and it was his advice that finally
prevailed over Everett's opinion, and the envoys were
set free. Although he favored the President's policy
in subduing the Rebellion, he was opposed to the radi
cal plans pursued in reconstruction, and his latter days
found him in opposition to the party in power, as his
first appearance in national affairs had been.
Full of years, loaded with professional honors,
having the highest esteem of his countrymen, he died
at Lancaster, in 1871, at the ripe age of eighty-two.
Memorials and testimonials came from all quarters,
and the Supreme Court of the United States paid him
the very high honor of an extended notice of his life
and character; seldom has this been done in the case
of any one not a member of the court.
Physically Thomas Ewing was a striking man ;
over six feet high, with broad shoulders developed by
early toil, a massive body, and a head of unusual size
and proportions ; he was fond of athletic sports, being
extremely quick and agile in all his movements.
Intellectually, he was an extrordinary man; his
attainments were not limited to the law, but he stu
died much in the natural sciences, language and
literature. He read Latin and French with facility,
and in six weeks of close study learned enough of

THOMAS EWrNG. 219
Spanish to translate long documents and deeds in con
nection with a case involving the title to much real
estate in St. Louis, the original grants of which were
made by the Spanish government.
Thomas Ewing must forever rank as one of OfuVs
greatest men ; he came from the humblest origin to
places of the highest honor and trust; his life is a
memorable example of what may be achieved by fixed
purpose, unconquerable will, and self-reliance in
thought and action ; and should be an everlasting
stimulus to the sons and daughters of this great state.

Thomas Ewing's Story.

THIS story as told by Thomas Ewing, was first
published in Walker's "History of Athens
County," and afterwards republished in
"Howe's Historical Collections of Ohio." It is given
here because of the picture it presents of conditions
existing in Ohio a century ago:
My father settled in what is now Ames township,
Athens County, early in April, 1798. He moved from
the mouth of Olive Green Creek, on the Muskingum
River, and the nearest neighbor with whom he had
association was in that direction, distant about eighteen
miles. There were a few families settled about the
same time on or near the present site of the town of
Athens, but no road or even pathway led to them ;
the distance was about twelve miles. There was an
old pioneer hunter camped at the mouth of Federal
Creek, distant about ten miles. This, as far as I know,
comprised the population statistics of what is now
Athens County. I do not know the date of the settle
ment in what was called No. 5 — Cooley's Settlement
— it was early. JOURNEY TO OHIO.
At the time of my father's removal I was with my
aunt, Mrs. Morgan, near West Liberty, Va., going
to school. I was a few months in my ninth year.
Early in the year 1798, I think in May, my uncle
brought me home. We descended the Ohio River in
a flat-boat to the mouth of the Little Hocking, and
crossed a bottom and a pine hill, along a dim foot-
(220)

THOMAS EWING'S STORY. 221
path, some ten or fifteen miles, and took quarters for
the night at Daily's camp. I was tired, and slept well
on the bearskin bed which the rough old dame spread
for me, and in the morning my uncle engaged a son
of our host, a boy of eighteen, who had seen my fath
er's cabin, to pilot us. PIONEER LIVING.
I was now at home, and fairly an inceptive citizen
of the future Athens County. The young savage, our
pilot, was much struck with some of the rude imple
ments of civilization which he saw my brother using,
especially the auger, and expressed the opinion that
with an axe and auger a man could make anything he
wanted except a gun and bullet-molds. My brother
was engaged in making some bedsteads. He had
already finished a table, in the manufacture of which
he had also used an adze to smooth the plank, which
he split in good width from straight-grained trees.
Transportation was exceedingly difficult, and our fur
niture of the rudest kind, composed of articles of the
first necessity. Our kitchen utensils were "the big
kettle," "the little kettle," the bake oven, frying pan,
and pot ; the latter had a small hole in the bottom,
which was mended with a button, keyed with a nail
through the eye on the outside of the pot. We had
no table furniture that would break — little of any
kind. Our meat — bear meat, or raccoon, with veni
son or turkey, cooked together and seasoned to the
taste (a most savory dish) —was cut up in morsels
and placed in the center of the table, and the younger
members of the family, armed with sharpened sticks,
helped themselves about as well as with four-tined
forks; great care was taken in selecting wholesome

222 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES..
sticks — as sassafras, spice bush, hazel, or hickory.
Sometimes the children were allowed, by way of pic
nic, to cut with the butcher-knife from the fresh bear
meat and venison their slices, and stick them, alter
nately, on a sharpened spit, and roast before a fine
hickory fire. This made a royal dish. Bears, deer,
and raccoons remained in abundance until replaced
by swine. The great West would have settled slowly
without com and hogs. A bushel of seed wheat will
produce, at the end of ten months fifteen or twenty
bushels ; a bushel of corn at the end of five months
400 bushels, and it is used to much advantage the last-
two months. Our horned cattle do not double in a
year; hogs in the same time increase twenty- fold. It
was deemed almost sacrilege to kill a sheep, and I
remember well the first beef I tasted. I thought it
coarse and stringy compared with venison. We had
wild fruits of several varieties, very abundant, and
some of them exceedingly fine. There was a sharp
ridge quite near my father's - house on which I had
selected four or five service or juneberry bushes that
I could easily climb, and kept an eye on them until
they should get fully ripe. At the proper time I went
with one of my sisters to gather them, but a bear had
been in advance of me. The limbs of all of the bushes
were brought down to the trunk like a folded um
brella, and the berries all gone ; there were plenty still
in the woods for children and bears, but few so choice
or easy of access as these. We had a great variety of
wild plums, some exceedingly fine ; better, to my taste,
than the tame varieties. I have not seen any of the
choice varieties within the last thirty years.
We, of course, had no mills. The nearest was
on Wolf Creek, about fourteen miles distant; from

THOMAS EWING'S STORY. 223
this we brought our first summer's supply of bread-
stuffs. After we gathered our first crop of corn my
father instituted a hand mill, which as a kind of com
mon property supplied the neighborhood, after we had
neighbors, for several years, until Christopher Herrold
set up a horse mill on the ridge, and Henry Barrows
a water mill near the mouth of Federal Creek.
A LONELY BOY.
For the first year I was a lonely boy. My brother
George, eleven years older than I, was too much of a
man to be my companion, and my sisters could not be
with me, generally, in the woods among the rocks and
caves ; but a small spaniel dog, almost as intelligent
as a boy, was always with me.
HIS FIRST BOOKS.
I was the reader of the family, but we had few
books! I remember but one beside "Watts' Psalms
and Hymns" that a child could read — "The Vicar of
Wakefield," which was almost committed to memory;
the poetry which it contained entirely. Our first neigh
bor was Capt. Benj. Brown, who had been an officer
in the Revolutionary War. He was a man of strong
intellect, without much culture. He told me many
anecdotes of the war which interested me, gave me
an account of Dr. Jenner's then recent discovery of
the kinepox as a preventive of the smallpox, better
than I have ever yet read in any written treatise, and
I remember it better than any account I have since
read. He lent me a book — one number of a period
ical called the "Athenian Oracle" — something like
our modern "Notes and Queries," from which, how
ever, I learned but little. I found, too, a companion

224 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
in his son, John, four years my senior, who is still
enjoying sound health in his ripe old age.
In 1 80 1, some one of my father's family being ill,
Dr. Baker, who lived at Waterford, some eighteen
miles distant, was called in. He took notice of me as.
a reading boy, and told me he had a book he would
lend me if I would come for it. I got leave of my
father and went, the little spaniel being my traveling
companion. The book was a translation of Virgil, the Bucolics
and Georgics torn out, but the 2Eneid perfect. I have
not happened to meet with the translation since, and
do not know whose it was. The opening lines, as I
remember them, were —
"Arms and the man I sing who first from Troy
Came to the Italian and Lavinian shores,
Exiled by fate, much tossed by land and sea,
By power divine and cruel Juno's rage;
Much, too, in war he suffered, till he reared
A city . and to the Latium brought his prods —
Hence sprung his Latin progeny, the kings
Of Alba, and the walls of towering Rome."
When I returned home with my book, and for
some weeks after, my. father had hands employed in
clearing a new field. On Sundays and at leisure hours
I read to them, and never had a more attentive audi
ence. At that part in the narrative where .tineas dis
closes to Dido his purpose of leaving her, and tells
her of the vision of Mercury bearing the mandate of
Jove, one of the men sprang to his feet, declared he
did not believe a word of that — he had got tired of
her, and it was all a made up story as an excuse to be
off, and it was a  shame after what she had done

THOMAS EWING'S STORY. 225
for him. So the reputation of ./Eneas suffered by that
day's reading.
Our next neighbors were Ephraim Cutler, Silva-
nus Ames, William Brown, a married son of the Cap
tain; and four or five miles distant, Nathan Wood
bury, George Wolf and Christopher Herrold; and
about the same time, or a little later, Silas Dean, a
rich old bachelor, Martin Boyles, and John and Sam
uel McCune. Mr. Cutler and my father purchased
"Morse's Geography," the first edition, about 1800,
for his eldest son Charles and myself ; it in effect be
came my book, as Charles never used it, and I studied
it most intently. By this, with such explanations as
my father gave me, I acquired quite a competent
knowledge of geography, and something of general
history. THE COON-SKIN LIBRARY.
About this time the neighbors in our and the
surrounding settlements met and agreed to purchase
books and to make a common library. They were all
poor and subscriptions small, but they raised in all
about $100. All my accumulated wealth, ten coon-
skins, went into the fund, and Squire Sam Brown, of
Sunday Creek, who was going to Boston, was charged
with the purchase. After an absence of many weeks
he brought the books to Capt. Ben Brown's in a sack
on a packhorse. I was present at the untying of the
sack and pouring out of the treasure. There were about
sixty volumes, I think, and well selected; the library
of the Vatican was nothing to it, and there never was
a library better read. This with occasional additions
furnished me with reading while I remained at home.

15

226 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
EARLY TEACHERS.
We were quite fortunate in our schools. Moses
Everitt, a graduate of Yale, but an intemperate young
man, who had been banished by his friends, was our
first teacher; after him, Charles Cutler, a brother of
Ephraim, and also a graduate of Yale. They were
learned young men and faithful to their vocation.
They boarded alternate weeks with their scholars, and
made the winter evenings pleasant and instructive.
After Barrows' mill was built at the mouth of Federal
Creek, I, being the mill boy, used to take my two-horse
loads of grain in the evening, have my grist ground,
and take it home in the morning. There was an eccen
tric person living near the mill whose name was Jones
— we called him Doctor ; he was always dressed in
deerskin, his principal vocation being hunting, and I
always found him in the evening, in cool weather,
lying with his feet to the fire. He was a scholar, ban
ished no doubt for intemperance; he had books, and
finding my fancy for them, had me read to him while
he lay drying his feet. He was fond of poetry, and
did something to correct my pronunciation and pros
ody. Thus the excessive use of alcohol was the in
direct means of furnishing me with school teachers.
WORKS IN THE KANAWHA SALINES.
My father entertained the impression that I would
one day be a scholar, though quite unable to lend me
any pecuniary aid. I grew up with the same impres
sion until, in my nineteenth year, I almost abandoned
hope. On reflection, however, I determined to make
one effort to earn the means to procure an education.
Having got the summer's work all disposed of, I asked
of my father leave to go for a few months and try

THOMAS ewing's stqry. 227
my fortune. He consented, and I set out on foot the
next morning, made my way through the woods to the
Ohio, got on a keel boat as a hand at small wages,
and in about a week landed at Kanawha salines. I
engaged and went to work at once, and in three
months satisfied myself that I could earn money slowly
but surely, and on my return home in December, 1809,
I went to Athens and spent three months there as a
student, by way of testing my capacity. I left the
academy in the spring with a sufficiently high opinion
of myself, and returned to Kanawha to earn money
to complete my education. This year I was success
ful, paid off some debts which troubled my father, and
returned home and spent the winter with some new
books which had accumulated in the library, which,
with my father's aid, I read to much advantage.
enters college.
I went to Kanawha the third year, and after a
severe summer's labor I returned home with about
$600 in money, but sick and exhausted. Instead, how
ever, of sending for a physician, I got "Don Quixote"
from the library and laughed myself well in about ten
days. I then went to Athens, entered as a regular
student and continued my studies there till the spring
of 181 5, when I left, a pretty good though irregular
scholar. During my academic term I went to Galli
polis and taught school a quarter and studied French.
I found my funds likely to fall short and went a fourth
time to Kanawha, where in six weeks I earned $150,
which I thought would suffice, and returned to my
studies ; after two years' rest the severe labor in the
salines went hard with me.

228 ohio history sketches.
studies law.
After finishing my studies at Athens I read
"Blackstone's Commentaries" at home, and in July,
1815, went to Lancaster to study law. A. B. Walker,
then a boy of about fifteen years, accompanied me to
Lancaster to bring back my horse, and I remained and
studied law with Gen. Beecher. I was admitted to the
bar in August, 1816, after fourteen months diligent
study — the first six months, about sixteen hours a
day. LAW EXPERIENCES.
I made my first speech at Circleville, the Novem
ber following. Gen. Beecher first gave me a slander
case to prepare and study; I spent much time with it,
but time wasted, as the cause was continued the first
day of court. He then gave me a case of contract,
chiefly in depositions, which I studied diligently, but
that was also continued; a few minutes afterward a
case was called, and Gen. Beecher told me that was
ready — the jury was sworn, witnesses called, and the
cause went on. In the examination of one of the wit
nesses I thought I discovered an important fact not
noticed by either counsel, and I asked leave to cross-
examine further. I elicited the fact which was de
cisive of the case. This gave me confidence. I argued
the cause closely and well, and was abundantly con
gratulated by the members of the bar present.
My next attempt was in Lancaster. Mr. Sher
man, father of the General, asked me to argue a cause
of his which gave room for some discussion. I had
short notice, but was quite successful, and the cause
being appealed, Mr. Sherman sent his client to employ
me with him. I had as yet got no fees, and my funds

THOMAS EWING'S STORY. 229
were very low. This November I attended the Athens
court. I had nothing to do there, but met an old
neighbor, Elisha Alderman, who wanted me to go to
Marietta to defend his brother, a boy, who was to be
tried for larceny. It was out of my intended beat,
but I wanted business and fees and agreed to go for
$25, of which I received $10 in hand. I have had
several fees since of $10,000 and upwards, but never
one of which I felt the value, or in truth as valuable
to me, as this. I went, tried my boy, and he was con
victed, but the court granted me a new trial. On my
way to Marietta at the next term I thought of a ground
of excluding the evidence, which had escaped me on
the first trial. It was not obvious, but sound. I took
it, excluded the evidence and acquitted my client. This
caused a sensation. I was employed at once in twelve
penitentiary cases, under indictment at that term, for
making and passing counterfeit money, horse-stealing
and perjury. As a professional man, my fortune was
thus briefly made.

230

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

ALLEN GRANBERY THURMAN.

Allen Granbery Thurman.

BY ALBERT LEE THURMAN.

IN the long list of illustrious names, claimed by the
commonwealth of Ohio, may be enrolled that of
Allen Granbery Thurman. Born at Lynchburg,
Virginia, on the 13th of November, 1813, he was,
when but six years old, brought by his parents to
Ohio, and from that time until the day of his death,
was numbered among her most loyal and devoted
sons. As has been said of him, he was "the product
of our sturdy pioneer days and our American civili
zation." On both sides of his house flowed the blood
that caused him to become famous, above all things,
for his sterling honesty and integrity. His father,
Pleasant Thurman, was a Methodist minister. His
mother, Mary Allen Thurman, was one of the daugh
ters of Nathaniel Allen, a nephew of Joseph Hewes,
one of the signers of the Declaration of Independ
ence. On moving to Ohio, his parents settled in Chilli
cothe, at that time the most flourishing town in the
State. There, his boyhood days were spent, there, was
laid the foundation of those habits of industry and
of study, that were always among bis most marked
characteristics. His parents, intellectual and cultured,
devoted their time and attention to his education, and
so particular was his mother in this regard, that long
after her death, and when he had become the recipient
(231)

232 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
of many honors at the hands of his fellow citizens, he
was heard to say: "I owe more to my mother than to
any other preceptor I ever had." He attended the
public school in Chillicothe, and afterwards, what was
known as the Academy, a preparatory school for col
leges. It is related that after graduating from
the Academy, other members of his class departed for
the east to attend college, while, he, owing to the
financial inability of his parents to assume the burden,
was compelled to remain at home; that he bade them
good bye with a brave heart and cheerful countenance,
but after the stage had departed, he sought the soli
tude of the graveyard, and there gave vent to his
bitter disappointment in a flood of tears. But that
indomitable courage and unconquerable will that ever
characterized his life, and made him the great student
that he was, soon asserted itself, the disappointment
was forgotten in the determination to study by and for
himself. In order to acquire the facilities and means
for obtaining larger educational advantages, he taught
a country school, and during the vacations devoted
his time to surveying. His liking for mathematics
was most marked, and in after years, when he had
grown old and gray, his grandchildren would take
their puzzling problems to him, sure of a kindly recep
tion, the correct answer, and the reasons therefor.
He early developed a fondness for the study of
law, and, as soon as his circumstances would allow,
began the study in the office of his uncle, William
Allen, and there devoted himself so thoroughly and so
conscientiously to his work as to make almost certain
the great success that afterwards attended him in his
profession.

ALLEN GRANBERY THURMAN. 233
At this time, he also became active in politics,
espousing the cause of the Democratic party, and
soon thereafter received his first political honor, being
appointed by Gov. Lucas as his private secretary.
He continued his study under the tutelage of Judge
Noah Swayne, afterwards a member of the Supreme
Court of the United States, and, in 1835, was admitted
to the bar in Ohio, at that time famous for its learn
ing and ability. Forming a partnership with his
uncle, William Allen, in Chillicothe, his success was
most marked, and until he became a member of the
Supreme Court of Ohio, he was employed in practi
cally all of the important litigation in that part of the
state. On the 14th day of November, 1844, he married
Mary Allen Tompkins, a daughter of John Dun, a
prominent Kentuckian. Sharing equally the sorrows,
the disappointments and the honors, they were in
old age as in youth, "lovers whose affection broadened
and strengthened as the years rolled on." Her influ
ence, like that of his mother, strengthened the noble
traits of his character and made all the more certain
his great success. Of this union there were born three
daughters and one son. Mrs. Thurman died in 1891,
but a few years before her husband.
Though most active in politics, it was not until
1844 that he allowed himself to become a candidate
for any political office. In the Polk-Clay campaign
of that year, he was the Democratic nominee for Con
gress from the Chillicothe District, and after a most
spirited campaign was elected by a handsome major
ity. At this time the United States was engaged in
the war with Mexico, and Mr. Thurman was found
among the most ardent supporters of the administra-

234 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
tion in the conduct of that war. The great dispute
between the North and the South was then becoming
more heated, and though allied with the Democratic
party and opposing any change or interference with
the Missouri Compromise, Mr. Thurman, with nearly
all of the other Democratic members of the House
from the North, voted for the Wilmot Proviso. For
this action they were severely criticised by the South
ern members, and in reply to those criticisms, he de
livered a speech, in 1847, m which, and especially in
the closing paragraphs thereof, he set forth with re
markable power, clearness and force, the reasons for
the position taken by himself and his Northern col
leagues. As he said "Why, then, does the North in
sist upon opposing the extension of slave territory?
I answer, because, first, as the municipal legislature
of the territories, it is the duty of Congress to promote
their interests. The people of the free states think,
whether erroneously or not, that it is for the interest
of any country that slavery be prohibited, and think- '
ing so, we as the legislative power over the territo
ries, deem it our duty, where it can be done without
too great a sacrifice, to exclude slavery from them.
Another reason : That Congress is the national legis
lature, and therefore, must look to the national in
terest ; and as the strength and prosperity of the nation
is composed of the strength and prosperity of its
parts, it is the duty of Congress, no insuperable object
standing in the way, to pursue such a course of policy
as shall strengthen, in the greatest degree, the United
States; and believing that free territory would be
more populous, wealthy, abundant in resources, and
in every thing that makes a great nation, it is for the
National interests to have as much free territory as

ALLEN GRANBERY THURMAN. 235-
possible, compatible with the existence of the Union.
The third reason is, that in the opinion of the North,
it is inconsistent with the genius of our institutions,
and injurious to the character of the United States,
to extend slavery. Where it exists, let it exist, says
the North, but do not extend it by the action of the
general Government, and convert what is now free,
into slave territory."
Notwithstanding this position, he was, during the
war of the Secession, severely criticised and was ac
cused of being in sympathy with the Southern cause.
All such criticisms, and such accusations were without
foundation. As he afterwards said "I did all I could
to help preserve the Union without a war, but after
it began I thought there was but one thing to do, and
that was to fight it out. I, therefore, sustained all
constitutional measures that tended, in my judgment,
to put down the rebellion. I never believed in the
doctrine of secession."
At the close of his Congressional term he de
clined a renomination, and resumed the practice of
law in Chillicothe. In 1851, the new Constitution of
Ohio went into effect, and Mr. Thurman was elected
one of the Judges of the Supreme Court, as reorgan
ized. Here his great powers of logic, concentration
and analysis soon brought him into the greatest prom
inence. The decisions rendered by him are looked
to as full of wisdom and of learning, and among the
most able and valuable that have ever been rendered
from any bench. Had h"is career closed with his retire
ment from the Supreme Court, his fame would still,
by reason of these decisions, have been none the less-
great. His term ended in 1856, and he once more re
sumed the practice of the law, this time in Columbus.

236 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
He did not again enter actively into politics until 1867,
when he became the Democratic nominee for Governor
of Ohio. The previous campaign had been won by
the Republican party by a majorty of over 40,000 but,
notwithstanding this fact, Mr. Thurman conducted
his canvass most vigorously and succeeded in bringing
about a drawn battle, for though he himself was de
feated by less than 3,000, the Democratic party suc
ceeded in carrying the legislature. It was the duty of
that body to elect the successor of Senator Wade to the
United States Senate, and Mr. Thurman was chosen
as that successor. His services in the Senate of the
United States covered a period of twelve years,
John Sherman succeeded him in 1880. During
all of that time he was a member of the judiciary
committee, and his services, there rendered, were im
portant and valuable. To describe the high posi
tion taken by him in the Senate, and the esteem in
which he was held by his colleagues, I quote from
Senator James G. Blaine in his "Twenty Years in
Congress." There he says "Mr. Thurman's rank in the
Senate was established from the day he took his seat,
and was never lowered during the period of his ser
vice. He was an admirably disciplined debater, fair
in the method of his statement, logical in his argu
ment, honest in his conclusions. He had no trick in
discussion, no catch phrases to secure attention, but
was always direct and manly. His retirement from
the Senate was a severe loss to his party, a loss in
deed to the body." There he met Edmund, Evarts,
Saulsbury, Bayard, Chandler, Carpenter, Schurz,
Cameron, Conkling and the others of those great men
whose task was the safe guiding of the govern
ment through the stormy days of the reconstruction.

ALLEN GRANBERY THURMAN. 237
There it was that was paid him, by Senator Conkling
of New York, the famous, and probably, the most
graceful compliment ever paid by one public man to
another. During a legal argument, he repeatedly
turned towards Senator Thurman, as if addressing
him. Finally the latter asked "Does the Senator from
New York expect me to answer him every time he
turns to me?" Conkling, after a moment's hesitation,
replied, "When I speak of the law, I turn to the Sen
ator from Ohio, as the Mussulman turns toward
Mecca. I turn to him as I do to the English common
law as the world's most copious fountain of human
jurisprudence." Mr. Thurman was chosen as one of the elec
toral commission for the settling of the controversy
arising out of the Hayes-Tilden campaign, in 1876,
and as a member of the commission earnestly and
steadfastly supported the claims of Mr. Tilden.
But among the many great services rendered by
him while in the United States Senate, probably the
greatest was that in connection with the government's
claims against the Pacific Railroads. These corpora
tions had received from the government many and val
uable franchises and rights upon certain terms and
conditions, which they afterwards refused to comply
with. Mr. Thurman introduced a bill in the Senate,
the purpose of which was to compel the Pacific cor
porations to fulfill their obligations to the government.
He succeeded in effecting the passage of this bill,
since known as the "Thurman Act," against a com
bined and powerful opposition, with the result that
the corporations were compelled to comply with the
conditions under which their franchises and rights

238 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
were given, thus saving the federal treasury many
millions of dollars.
He was a candidate for the nomination for the
presidency in the National Democratic Conventions
of 1876, 1880 and 1884.
After his retirement from the Senate, and during
the administration of President Garfield, Mr. Thur
man was appointed a member of the Paris monetary
conference. Several years later he was employed by the gov
ernment as counsel in the famous Bell Telephone lit
igation, and in that capacity rendered most able and
valuable services.
In 1888, he was named for the vice presidency,
and though old in years, entered vigorously into the
campaign, making a number of speeches in New
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and
Illinois. At the ensuing election the party was de
feated, and this defeat marked the end of his political
career. In the spring of 1888, he was appointed by the
court to assist in the prosecution of parties charged
with having altered the election tally sheets in Frank
lin County, Ohio. The accused were all of the Demo
cratic party but this did not cause him to hesitate in
accepting the appointment. The closing words of
his argument in that case show how well he loved the
party that had so honored him, how devoted he was
to its principles, how anxious he was to see it suc
ceed, but only to succeed through justice and right.
These were his words:
"But I do want this party, to which I have be
longed for more than sixty years, for I began when I
was a child; this party which has done so much for

ALLEN GRANBERY THURMAN. 239
me, and which I have conscientiously believed in;
which has its faults, as all parties have had their
faults; which has been wrong sometimes, as all par
ties have been wrong; but in which I have believed,
to which my faith has been pledged and has been kept
— I do want that party, in the going down of the sun
of my life, when I shall look for the last time abroad
on earth, I do want to see that party still standing,
still respected, still honored and still deserving the
good will and kindness and support of all my fellow
beings." This was his last public appearance, and at its
close he retired to the privacy of his home, spending
the remaining days with his family and among his
books. He died on the 12th day of December, 1895, after
a short illness, honored, respected and loved by all.

The Knight of the Pen.

BY C L. MARTZOLFF.

ON the 19th of May, 1900, there came to the
village of New Lexington, Perry county, a
stranger. He was a young man just gradu
ated from Harvard University, and was preparing to
return to his native land Bulgaria. His mission to
New Lexington was to visit the grave of a noted
Perry county boy who is held most dear in the affec
tions of the Bulgarian people. Such honors are
rarely bestowed upon Americans by foreigners. This
honor, however, was not unmerited. You ask, perhaps,
why a boy reared among the hills of Perry county,
taught in the rude schools of half a century ago, should
receive such attention from a foreign people. There
is the best reason in the world. Do we not have a
great deal of respect for Lafayette, because he came
to America and helped us gain our independence?
Then why should not the people of Bulgaria love
Janarius A. MacGahan, the Perry county boy, for
securing their independence?
The story of the life of this man reads like a page
from a romance. He was born in a log cabin, the
roof of which was held on by long poles. To enter the
doorway you must climb over a log. The only window
was a small affair. A huge fireplace occupied one
end of the room. The sleeping apartment of our
young hero was in the loft, which was reached by a
(240)

THE KNIGHT OF THE PEN. 241
ladder. There he could lie at night and, looking
through the clapboard roof, see the stars shine down
upon him clear and cold. We wonder if he, like the
astrologers of old, could read those stars and from
them learn what the future had in store for him.
We wonder if", while lying asleep, with the snow
sifting in upon him, he ever dreamed of the time,
when he would ride alone through the deserts of
Asia, when he should knock at palace gates and stand
before kings. Perhaps, had some fairy whispered to
him the things he should experience within a few years,
he would have thought it only the idle fancy of a
dream and would have awaked in the morning to the
realization of the hardships of pioneer life. The par
ents of young MacGahan were Irish Catholics. Their
home was near a place called Pigeon Roost. Here
was a school that was then, as it is now, called "Pigeon
Roost." This school Janarius attended till he was
seventeen. He must have been a good student for at
that age he was given a certificate to teach. He at
once applied for his home school. But the directors
thought him too young to teach and they refused him
the position. This was one of the very best things
that could have happened to him. Determining to
leave home, he set his face toward the great world
without, where he would carve out his destiny.
The day he left his hillside home in Perry county,
with ail of his earthly possessions tied in a very small
package, he was seventeen years old. Half of his
life had already been spent, for just seventeen years
afterward he gave up his life for a friend, under the
shadows of the minarets of Constantinople.
He first went into the Western States, where he
pursued several vocations. Finally he went to Europe
16

242

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

JANARIUS A. MACGAHAN.

THE KNIGHT OF THE PEN. 243
to study, and entered the law school at Brussels. When
the Franco-Prussian War broke out he went into the
field as correspondent for the New York Herald.
Journalism was henceforth to be the work of his life.
During the time of the Commune in Paris, we find
him busy writing such glowing accounts and descrip
tions of the scenes, as to call particular attention to
his ability. During this time he was arrested by the
Communists and escaped death only through the inter
vention of the American Minister.
In the fall of 1871, when Russia was about to
move on Khiva, our hero was ordered by the Herald
to accompany the army of the Czar. MacGahan was
at Saratof on the Volga. The Russian army was
2,000 miles away at Kazala. It was the dead of win
ter, but no weather or distance was too great for the
intrepid journalist. For six weeks, when the mercury
was thirty degrees below zero, he continued his jour
ney across the ice bound steppes of Russia, the Ural
Mountains, and the boundless wastes of Siberia, where
the howling wind of the north swept in fierce
blasts. Reaching Kazala he discovered that the Rus
sian army had already gone and was nearing Khiva.
He prepared at once to leave. The natives tried to
prevent him, but slipping away in the night, he started
upon what is one of the most daring rides in history.
Alone and unattended, a mere speck on the desert, he
searched for the Russian army. For twenty-nine
days under the broiling sun, which poured down its
pitiless heat, he went without a plan except to ride
as fast and far as possible. Without a sufficient
amount of water and food ; with a boiling sun by day
and a deadly chill by night; sleeping on. the desert
sands ; chased by Cossacks, he at last reached the goal,

244 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
just as the first column of the Russian hosts was
attacking the enemy. Dashing into the hottest of the
fight, he wrote such a vivid description that it won
the admiration of the Russian generals and army.
When Khiva fell he was one of the first to enter its
portals, and his account of the city's capitulation stands
as a masterpiece of military journalism. Returning to
Russia the Czar bestowed upon him the Order of St.
Stanislaus. For the next five years his experience
is varied and hurried. He visits his home in Perry
county for the last time. He goes to Cuba to report
the Virginius complication. He hurries to Spain to
report the Carlist outbreak. For ten months he ac
companies the army of Don Carlos. He is captured
by the Republicans, who mistake him for a Carlist,
and condemned to death. He is again saved through
the intervention of the American Minister. Then he
goes to England, where he accompanies Captain Young
into the Arctic regions in search of Sir John Franklin.
In 1876, he read a brief sketch of the atrocities
the Turks were committing in Bulgaria. He surmised
at once what it all meant. Going into the employ of
the London Daily News, he took his departure to
join the Turkish army. This was to prove the great
work of Janarius A. MacGahan. In depicting the
horrors and brutalities of the scenes, his description
was so thrilling that the world stood aghast. He told
how the Bulgarian Christians were being robbed and
murdered by Mohammedan Turks; how their fields
and homes and cities were being burned and laid
waste ; and of the commission of many almost unmen
tionable crimes. It was too much for the civilized
world to stand. Men paled with anger and involunta
rily clenched their hands as the burning words of Mac-

THE KNIGHT OF THE PEN.

245

MacGAHAN'S BIRTHPLACE.

SPOT WHERE MACGAHAN IS BURIED.

246 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
Gahan struck into their hearts. Gladstone was fired
into a revolt against such barbarities. But Lord Bea-
consfield, the Premier, winked at it. Under pressure,
he sent a man by the name of Baring to investigate
and break down the testimony of MacGahan. But
Baring returned and not only substantiated what Mac
Gahan had written but stated that the half had not
been told. England was compelled to stand aside,
She withdrew her fleet and Turkey was without a
protector. MacGahan, in the meantime, went from village to
village, in Bulgaria, assuring the people that the Czar
would avenge all this and that he himself would be
back again within a year with a Russian army for
their release. The people had faith in his words and
wherever he went, he was hailed as "MacGahan, the
Liberator of Bulgaria." Hastening to St. Petersburg,
he laid the matter before the Czar, and in a very
short time an order went forth for the immediate mobil
ization of the Russian forces. MacGahan rode with
the advance guard. During the war that followed, in
which the Turk was driven from Bulgaria, MacGahan
was alike the idol of the Russian army and Bulgarian
people. He continued to write reams of description.
At last Plevna fell and, in the mad rush that followed,
our Knight-errant went with the army, which did not
stop until the spires and minarets of Constantinople
were in sight. A treaty of peace was signed in which
Bulgaria's independence was recognized. All of this
because one boy, reared in the woods of Perry county,
had lived. But the war clouds had scarcely rolled
away when a friend of his fell sick with a malignant
fever. MacGahan nursed him into health, but he him
self was stricken and in a few days died at San Stefano

THE KNIGHT OF THE PEN. 247
a suburb of Constantinople, (June 9, 1878). The next
day they laid him in his far-off foreign grave, around
which stood weeping mourners of a dozen nationalities.
Here for six years his body rested, but, in 1884, the
Ohio legislature arranged for its removal to the land
of his nativity. On the nth of September, 1884, his
remains were laid in their final sepulcher in the beauti
ful cemetery at New Lexington, where only a few years
ago the teachers of the county placed a granite boulder
to his memory. But the true monument to MacGahan
is greater than chiseled granite, marble column or
tablet of bronze. His monument is free Bulgaria.
"Your years, though few, to shield the weak you spent;
Your life, though brief, accomplished its intent;
All diplomatic Shylocks, bloody Turks, despite,
'Twas not in vain the Lord gave you a pen to write."

248

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT.

General Ulysses S. Grant.

BY GEORGE C. DIETRICH.

ON the grounds of the State Agricultural Soci
ety at Ohio's capital there stands a building
which is an object of interest to visitors. It
is a frame building of two small rooms — an upper
and a lower story — with a large stone chimney on the
outside, all encased in a glass building, that it may
be seen but that its walls may not be defaced and
despoiled by the souvenir seeker.
This humble cabin was the first home of a great
American. In this house on the banks of the Ohio
River at Point Pleasant, Clermont County, Ulysses
Grant was born on the 27th of April, 1822.
His father, Jesse Grant, was an immigrant from
Pennsylvania; his grandfather and great grandfather
had served as soldiers in the Colonial and Revolution
ary Wars, from Connecticut. From these, Ulysses, or
"Lis" as he was familiarly known when a boy, inherited
a vigor and hardihood of strength, a martial spirit,
and an intense loyalty to American institutions.
His mother's maiden name was Simpson and
later in life he was known as Ulysses Simpson Grant,
though he was first named Ulysses Hiram. That he,
the oldest son, was named Ulysses by his mother's
sister, who at the time was reading of this Greek hero,
indicates that his mother's family also were admirers
of martial life. (249)

250 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
The parents of the boy, in his early life, were often
joked in regard to his name, and by some persons he
was given the undeserved name of "Useless Grant."
There was one, his mother, who was certain that the
boy's future career would not justify this sobriquet.
From his mother, young Ulysses inherited steadi
ness of purpose, patience and equability of temper,
as well as that reticence which gave him the title of
"The Silent Man."
The greater part of Grant's boyhood was spent
in Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio, and there, to
this day, is standing a substantial brick building which
was erected by his father, who was one of the prosper
ous citizens of this staid old town. His father's busi
ness of tanning prospered in Georgetown, because
of the abundance of bark furnished by the oak forests
in that vicinity. The boy Ulysses disliked his father's
trade, but greatly enjoyed working in the woods, on
the farm, or any place where he might be near horses,
for these he loved greatly. When only eight years of
age he had charge of a team and his horses were
always fat and sleek.
Young Grant was not a brilliant pupil in school,
though in mathematics he had little or no difficulty.
He was glad to make use of the limited advantages
offered by the schools in that day, and was regular in
attendance. That his opportunity for securing an edu
cation might be improved, he was sent across the river
to Maysville, Kentucky, to school for several months.
He did good work in this school, and was an active
member of the school's literary society.
His life was not unlike the lives of other boys in
his community, with whom he associated. His com
panions were of the crowd that did not use tobacco

GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT. 251
or liquor, and his best friends were often boys older
than himself. He was considered good company be
cause he was a good listener. He avoided all promi
nence, and this made him a general favorite with all
who knew him. His father and mother relied much
upon his ability to take care of himself. When quite
young he made long overland trips on matters of busi
ness for his father. So when, at the age of seventeen,
an opportunity was offered the boy of entering the mili
tary school at West Point, his parents were glad of
his chance to equip himself for a military life, and
were confident that he would be able to take care of
himself. He spent the next four years in this school,
winning few honors in classes, but laying the founda
tion for the illustrious career that awaited him. The
routine of the life at West Point was not altogether
pleasing to a fresh young Westerner. The difficult.
lessons, the continual drill in tactics, the sentry duty,
the subjection to higher classmen, and the disagreeable
tasks they imposed, no doubt seemed annoying-
to young Grant, but all these were contributing to his.
development into one of the world's greatest generals.
His West Point career ended, and having ranked
only an average student, he was glad of the change to
garrison duty. In this work, two or three years were
now spent near St. Louis, and at this time he met
Miss Julia Dent, whom he afterwards married.
In 1848, the Mexican War presented the first op
portunity to him of entering active military service.
For meritorious conduct in the campaigns on the Rio
Grande and around Mexico City he was advanced to
the rank of first lieutenant and was twice breveted.
His part in these campaigns proved a valuable exper-

252

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT. 253
ience for him, since he served under General Taylor,
who was noted for his easy and free regulations, and
also under General Scott who was distinguished for
his severe discipline. Later as a great general, Grant
seemed to strike a happy medium between these dia
metrically opposed plans of organization.
After the close of the Mexican War, Grant was
ordered to garrison duty with his regiment on the
Pacific coast. Fresh laurels came to him for success
fully engineering the transportation of his regiment
across the Isthmus of Panama, when success seemed
almost impossible. He remained in the army until
1854, when his dissatisfaction increasing with the
routine of garrison duty and where with the constant
separation of himself from his family, he resigned
and returned to Missouri. Here as a civilian he tried
for six years to succeed, but as a farmer, as a real
estate agent, as a clerk he was hardly able to support
his family. This was the darkest period in the life
of Grant, yet his associations with both Northern and
Southern people, his being brought face to face with
civilian duties, his being forced to battle against pov
erty, all were contributing to developing those traits
that were needed for his future career.
At the beginning of the great struggle over slav
ery, his sympathies were all with the North. Because
of aid rendered Governor Yates of Illinois, in which
State he now resided, in mustering this State's quota
of soldiers, and because of his regular army experience,
he was commissioned as colonel of the Twenty-first
regiment of Illinois volunteers. It is interesting to
note that an appointment as colonel of the Twelfth
regiment of Ohio volunteers came a few days too late
for acceptance. In the same year, without his knowl-

254 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
edge or solicitation, Grant was appointed a brigadier
general by President Lincoln. Busy days were now
before him. He came before the eyes of the whole
people because of his successful campaign in Missouri,
and also because of his capture of Fort Donelson.
His success in these campaigns assisted greatly in
restraining some of the border states from joining
the Confederacy. It was at Fort Donelson, in reply
to a request for terms of surrender from Gen. Buckner,
that he used the following famous words. "No terms
except unconditional and immediate surrender can be
accepted. I propose to move immediately upon your
works." His next great battle was that of Shiloh Church.
The Confederate army perpetrated a surprise on the
Union army, and for a time conditions seemed very
discouraging, but Grant's coolness, perfect control,
courage and well-directed plans changed what bade fair
to be a sad defeat into one of the greatest victories
of the war.
On July 4th, 1863, Grant brought joy to the
Northern people, and dismay to the Southern, for on
this day, he received the capitulation of the stragetic
point, Vicksburg, which had been besieged for many
months, and the surrender of more than thirty-two
thousand soldiers. His successful campaigns in the
West were revealing to the authorities that Grant was
the man of destiny, who might bring the war to a close.
Ten days after the great victory which was won under
his leadership at Chattanooga, a bill was introduced in
Congress establishing the rank of lieutenant general.
This bill passed almost unanimously for it was known
that the President was to appoint Grant to this grade.
Prior to this Washington alone had borne the rank,

GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT. 255
but Grant was now placed in command of an army ten
times as large as had ever been under Washington.
With the finest army the world has ever seen at his
services he set about to crush the rebellion by breaking
its military power. He entrusted to his strong friend,
and very great Ohio general, W. T. Sherman, the
task of destroying the rebel army under J. E. Johnson.
He himself was to threaten, worry, confuse, defeat and
destroy Lee's army, or bring it to a condition of sur
render. It is only true to Grant's style of fighting to
say, that in the next few months he won only doubtful
victories, because of great loss of life, but he was
constantly on the offensive, and was gradually weaken
ing and destroying the rebel army. His principal bat
tles were the "Wilderness," "Spottsylvania," "North
Anna," "Cold Harbor," "Petersburg," and "Appo
mattox." Lee was forced to surrender and Grant drew
up the terms, "the officers and men were paroled, and
allowed to return to their homes, * * * and the
men to retain their horses, and take them home to
work their little farms." No conquering general ever
granted such terms, expressing so much magnaminity,
generosity and thoughtfulness.
The war was now practically at an end. Yet
Grant's countrymen would not permit the modest,
unobstrusive, successful hero to retire from public
view. At the very next Presidential election, he was
chosen to the chief magistracy. Two administrations
with many difficult problems to solve, revealed the fact
that he was as great in peace as in war. His friends
clamored for a third term, but he gave it no encour
agement. After a trip around the world, upon which he was
given everv honor, and was recognized as America's

256 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
noblest and ablest man, he returned to the land that
he had done so much to preserve as a great nation of
the world. He located in New York City, where he
entered business. Here on July 23d, 1885, after a
long and painful illness, U. S. Grant passed from
earth. The last few months of his life saw the com
pletion of his memoirs, which will offer interesting
reading to every Ohio boy.

Morrison R. Waite,
(Seventh Chief Justice of the United States.)

BY TOD B. GALLOWAY.

WHEN our forefathers constructed this gov
ernment, they builded better than they
knew. They formed the government into
three departments, the Executive (The President and
his Cabinet), the Legislative (The Senate and House
of Representatives) and the Judicial (The Supreme
Court.) In theory, all are of equal dignity and each
equally independent. In the formation of our Con
stitution, there was some precedent, either in the insti
tutions and practices of the colonies or of the Consti
tution of the mother country, for the Executive and
Legislative branches. Congress was created along
the -lines of the British House of Commons. But the
Supreme Court, at least in its original powers, was
created by the new government to solve the difficult
problems of a central national government and con
federate state sovereignties. Washington called it
"The keystone of our political fabric." It has been
termed "The crowning marvel of the wonders wrought
by the statesmanship of America, embodying the loft
iest ideas of moral and legal power." "Its judges are
the high priests of justice. No institution of human
construction presents so many features calculated to
inspire awe and veneration."
17 (257)

258 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
The first members of the Supreme Court of the
United States were men who had been foremost in the
great drama of the Revolution and in the framing of
the Constitution, with all that that means to history.
It is strange, but true, that revolutionists as our fore
fathers were, yet they were the most conservative body
of statesmen who ever formed a new government.
They desired above all things an independent judiciary.
In this they triumphantly succeeded in their formation
of the Supreme Court. Constitutional lawyers and
students all the world over, from De Tocqueville to
Bryce, have critically studied this court with profound
admiration. During more than a century of existence
it has won the absolute confidence and respect of our
great and diversified country.
A written constitution is usually one of two
things, worthless paper, or a series of ironclad rules
admitting of no deviation therefrom. Neither of these
would meet the unusual and varied conditions of our
new government. So our forefathers, with farseeing
wisdom, obviated the difficulty by giving to the Su
preme Court the power to interpret and apply our Con
stitution to existing conditions and to unforeseen con
tingencies. But wonderful as the plan is and complete as has
been its success, the greatness of that success can only
be appreciated by the study of the lives of those who
have, through long years of faithful, earnest, wise,
unselfish and patriotic service, made the Supreme Court
what its founders hoped it would be. These men and
their lives are so intertwined with the history of the
world's greatest tribunal that they are inseparable,
and the study of one without the other would be almost

MORRISON R. WAITE. 259
impossible. The study of the lives of such men as
John Jay, Oliver Ellsworth, John Marshall and their
successors is the study of the development of the
United States. Battles, it is true, have been fought
to save the Nation, but the Supreme Court by its
decisions has repeatedly saved the life of this country.
Since the formation of the Supreme Court, in 1789,
there have been but eight chief justices of that august
tribunal. Of this number Ohio has had two brilliant
sons who occupied this exalted position twenty-two
years, Chase and Waite. During this long, period of
one hundred and thirteen years, no chief justice has
filled his tenure of office with more fidelity and un
swerving justice than Morrison R. Waite.
Morrison Remick Waite was born in Lyme, Con
necticut, November 29, 1816, the son of Henry M.
Waite an able public man who was an Associate Jus
tice of the Supreme Court and afterwards Chief Jus
tice of Connecticut. Mr. Waite was a graduate of
the class of 1837 of Yale which included, among
other distinguished men, William M. Evarts and
Edward Pierrepont, later Minister to England. He
commenced the study of law in his father's office,
but about 1838 moved to Ohio, where he continued his
study with Samuel M. Young, a prominent attorney
of Maumee City, with whom he later formed a partner
ship. Moving to Toledo he subsequently formed a
partnership with his brother, Richard, which con
tinued until he was made chief justice. He was
an active and influential Whig in politics. In 1849,
he was elected a member of the Ohio legislature and
was a Whig candidate for the convention of 1850 to
revise the Constitution of the State. The Whigs be-

260 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
ing greatly in the minority he was defeated on strictly
party grounds. Much against his personal wishes, he
became, in 1862, a candidate for Congress as the nom
inee of one of the two Republican conventions held at
that time in Toledo which endorsed Lincoln's war
policy and pledged itself to give it its undivided sup
port. The other convention -which nominated F. M.
Ashley adopted a more radical platform, making the
abolition of slavery the ultimate end of the war.
Although Mr. Waite was defeated in the district by
the superior organization of his opponents, he received
within five hundred of all the votes cast in the city of
Toledo, showing the esteem in which he was held by
his fellow citizens.
His national reputation dates from the time of his
unexpected and unsolicited appointment by President
Grant as one of the counsel to represent the United
States in the arbitration tribunal at Geneva, which
had under consideration what are commonly known as
the Alabama Claims against Great Britain. The
claims were for damages done to our commerce by
Confederate privateers, particularly by the "Alabama,"
which boats England had permitted, in violation of
the Neutrality Act in the laws of nations, to be
equipped and fitted out within her territory. Asso
ciated with Mr. Waite were William M. Evarts and
Caleb Cushing, two of America's greatest lawyers.
Mr. Waite's reply to Sir Roundell Palmer, establishing
clearly Great Britain's liability for permitting the Con
federate cruisers to coal in British ports during the
Civil War, was unanswerable in its clear, direct, and
logical presentation of the law and facts.

MORRISON R. WAITE. 261
At the conclusion of his labors at Geneva, he re
turned to Toledo and quietly resumed the practice of
law. In 1873, Mr. Waite was chosen by both political
parties to be a delegate from Lucas County at the
convention to revise the State Constitution and was
elected president of the convention.
Mr. Waite's nomination as chief justice was a
surprise to him and to the nation. After the death
of Ohio's other son, Chief Justice Chase, President
Grant sent in succession to the Senate the names of
George H. Williams and Caleb Cushing, each of which
was withdrawn when confirmation was known to be
impossible. The President thereupon sent the name
of Morrison R. Waite of Ohio, who strange to say
had only the year previous, on motion of Mr. Cushing,
been admitted to practice in the court over which he
was destined to preside. When the news of his ap
pointment reached Mr. Waite he was presiding over
the Ohio Constitutional Convention. A member arose
and moved that a committee be appointed to draw up
suitable resolutions of congratulations. "The Chair
rules the gentleman out of order," said Mr. Waite and
he proceeded the whole day with the business of the
convention without interruption as though nething
unusual had happened. In the Senate one said : "Not
a breath of suspicion or reproach has ever been cast
upon his character. Another Senator said : "I do
not believe a man exists whose character is more
spotless or whose sense of honor and justice is more
acute." His nomination was discussed one hour only
during which speeches were made by Sumner, Sher
man, Edmunds and Thurman. A vote Was then
taken. The result was unparalleled in the memory

262 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
of the oldest Senator. The nominee on the yea and
nay call received every vote cast.
The new Chief Justice took the oath of office
March 4th, 1874, and immediately entered upon its
duties. Many of the most important subjects of ad
judication came before the court during his term of
office. Among them were the following: the consti
tutionality of the enforcement act; interpretation of
the latest constitutional amendments ; rights and pow
ers of the state to control and regulate the charges of
railroads ; extending necessities of interstate commerce ;
death struggle with polygamy; federal control over
elections ; power of the president to remove from office ;
power of states to prohibit the liquor traffic; repudia
tion of state debts and the true meaning of the nth
amendment ; questions arising out of the violence
of the Chicago anarchists, and the exclusion of the
Chinese. In all of these he proved his eminent fitness
for his arduous position. One of the Associate Jus
tices said : "His administrative ability was remarkable.
None of his predecessors more steadily or more wisely
superintended the court or more carefully observed all
that is necessary to its workings. He has written
many of the most important opinions of the court, —
too many to be particularized." He was always on
the alert for due order and course of business. He
kept a vigilant watch of the docket and acquainted
himself in advance with the character of the causes
about to be reached ; and he rigidly enforced rules and
precedents of practice in the court. He presided with
great dignity and absolute fairness and courtesy. "He
was always ready to mitigate and never to aggregate
the harshness of law."

MORRISON R. WAITE. 26S
His appearance was in keeping with his charac
ter. His was a short, robust but compact figure
with a massive head set on broad shoulders. His
eye was clear and determined in its glance yet
kindly ; a deep rich voice and firm deliberate step were
his characteristics. He indulged but little in illus
tration and but rarely, as in condemning the crime of
polygamy, gave indication of passion. So justly and
temperately did he discharge his duties at a trying time
in our Nation's history that the members of the bar of
South Carolina expressed themselves upon his fairness
during the reconstruction period in the language of
one of their number who said : "Fortunate indeed that
there was a man who, amidst the furious passions that
rent the country and shook the land, could hold in his
steady and equal hand the balance of justice undis
turbed." There was a fine vein of chivalry running through
his whole character which, like a bright color in a
rainbow, seemed to brighten his end. He had per
suaded his wife to take a trip to California to be at
the side of her invalid brother. During her absence
they telegraphed each other daily. It was approach
ing their golden wedding anniversary and he fre
quently spoke of celebrating it. The Chief Justice
was not at all well and his friends tried to dissuade
him from attending court. "If I do not," he said, "the
news will be telegraphed to all the papers in the country
and Mrs. Waite will see it and think that I am ill."
He was suddenly stricken down with a fatal illness
and died March 23d, 1888, in the 72d year of his age.
Few men have commanded in so great a degree the
entire confidence of the whole people. He filled his
public career with great honor and infinite benefit to

264 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
his country. As has been truly said: "His history
well written would be the history of Northwestern
Ohio." The young men of this country especially,
owe him a deep debt of gratitude for having furnished
so beautiful an example of a well rounded and well
ordered life. True, gentle, j ust, and upright in char
acter and life, he was a warm-hearted nobleman.

William Tecumseh Sherman.

BY LEWIS D. BONEBRAKE.

WILLIAM Tecumseh Sherman was a strong
martial figure in the annals of the great
Rebellion. I remember having seen him
and heard him speak more than twenty years ago at
what is now called Franklin Park, located a short
distance east of the East High school building in
Columbus. It was at a gathering of his old comrades
of the war. In the course of the address made that
day he used the expression, now so often quoted,
"Boys, war is awful; war is hell." His personal ap
pearance was striking. He was tall in stature; was
angular, and had a peculiar nervous energy about
him which, once recognized, could not be easily for
gotten. His hair was brown, or almost, auburn, and
was at that time well streaked with gray. His eyes
were large and piercing, and they would probably be
regarded as dark hazel color by the close observer.
He wore a close-cropped beard. When speaking, his
voice at times would become almost harsh and rasping,
and his gestures would show signs of the nervous vigor
and energy so pronounced in his make-up. As he
appeared on that day — fifteen or more years after
the war — so in general had he appeared in the mem
orable campaigns in which he participated during the
great Civil War.
Sherman was born February 8, 1820, at Lancaster,
Ohio. His father was Charles Robert Sherman, at
265)

266

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN.

WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN. 267
one time, a judge of the supreme court of Ohio. His
brother was the late John Sherman, Senator from
Ohio, whose place in the Senate is now held by Senator
Marcus A. Hanna. General Sherman lost his father
when he was but nine years of age, and was adopted by
the Hon. Thomas Ewing, the first graduate of old
Ohio University at Athens, later a prominent lawyer
in southeastern Ohio, a member of Congress and a
cabinet officer. Through the influence of Mr. Ewing
he was appointed to the Military Academy at West
Point, in 1836. Here he was graduated in June, 1840,
with George H. Thomas as one of his classmates.
After his graduation he served in various capacities
for a dozen or more years, then resigned his com
mission to engage in the banking business in San
Francisco. But the early rumblings of approaching strife
were heard, and, in i860, with the prospect of affairs
becoming more inviting to one skilled in the arts of
war, Sherman, being invited, accepted the position
of superintendent of a new military academy founded
and maintained by the state of Louisiana. Here his
services were most acceptable ; and during that year he
was much sought after by leading men of the South.
Efforts were made to turn his loyalty into disloyalty
to the union, but to no avail. He resigned his place
in January, 1861. The government at Washington
recognized his merit, gave him a commission and in
the disastrous Bull Run battle of July 21, 1861, he
commanded a brigade. Soon thereafter he was made
a brigadier general of volunteers and ordered to Ken
tucky. For a time he was relieved from his command
because he ventured to report to the secretary of war
that it would take "sixty thousand men to drive the

268 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
enemy out of Kentucky and two hundred thousand to
finish the war in this section."
By rare good fortune he became soon thereafter
associated with General Grant in the Army of the
Tennessee. Here began his really great career. Here
by the side of that tireless, silent man he seemed to
¦come to the mastery of his own powers. Here, with
Grant, he fought at Shiloh, and Grant said in his
official report that he was indebted to his individual
effort for the success of that battle. He fought in the
siege of Corinth. He fought at Vicksburg. He was
prominent at Missionary Ridge, Chattanooga, Knox-
ville, Meridian and in other great battles and marches
of that section. Grant reposed great confidence in
him, and promotions came fast. His men had faith in
nim, and Lincoln rejoiced over his successes. As
Grant was promoted, Sherman took his place.
Sherman seemed to excel in flank movements, and
in the campaigns against General Joseph E. Johnston
and General Hood his skill was most apparent. The
movement from Chattanooga to Atlanta was, accord
ing to Grant, "prompt, skillful, and brilliant." The
famous march "from Atlanta to the Sea" was made
with 65,000 picked men, from November 14th, to
December 10, 1864. Here, he marched three hundred
miles and lost only sixty-three men killed, and two
hundred forty-five wounded, and not a single
wagon; and the trains at the end of the march he
reported in better condition than when he started
with them. Sherman with his veteran army partici
pated, in the year following, in the work of finally
crushing out the great Rebellion, and at the end of
the war divided with Grant, Sheridan, Thomas and

WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN. 269
others the applause and recognition of a grateful
people. When Grant became president of the United
States, in 1869, Sherman succeeded him as the com
mander-in-chief of the army of the United States. In
this position he remained till 1883, when he retired.

LEWIS D. BONEBRAKE.
He died February 14, 1 891, at New York City, full of
years and honors, most signally loved and reverenced
by our whole American people.
Side by side, as in the struggles of yore, the heroic
figures made of bronze representing Grant, Sherman,
Sheridan, Stanton, Garfield, Hayes, and Chase now
stand at the northwestern corner of the Ohio State
Capitol building in this beautiful city named in honor
of the discoverer of America. Here our school youth

270 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
can see them any day; and meanwhile Ohio, person
ified as the mother of the Gracchi, presents them to an
admiring world as some of her choicest jewels. Not
least in the group of illustrious men is William Tecum
seh Sherman, the subject of this sketch and the fit
exemplar for our choicest and most patriotic young
men.

General Philip H. Sheridan.

BY C L. MARTZOLFF.

AS a private citizen, Gen. Phil Sheridan is dis
tinctively an Ohio man ; as a patriot he belongs
to the whole United States ; as a military chief
the world is his. Men have different methods of
winning their soldiers. Caesar knew every man in his
legions ; Hannibal made the Alps a highway ; Alexan
der conquered the world; Washington commanded
respect by the purity of his personal character; the
Corsican, by that magnetic personality of his, could
cause men to throw in their fortunes with him ; Grant
by his persistent determination won the plaudits of
all men. But Phil Sheridan, the Irishman from Perry
county, had that reckless dash and bravery which
seemed to say, "Follow me." That was the secret
of Sheridan's generalship.
Somerset, situated on the highest hill in Perry
county, is the scene of the boyhood days of Philip
Sheridan. His father was one of the many Irish that
helped to build the old National Road that stretches
itself across the States from the seaboard to the central
west. The plodding Irishman little dreamed when
he was breaking cobble on this historic highway, that
a little more than a third of a century afterward, his
son should make that road far more noted, by riding
down from Winchester "twenty miles away" to save
the day at Cedar Creek. (271)

272

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

GENERAL PHIL. H. SHERIDAN.

GENERAL PHILIP H. SHERIDAN. 273
There is a story related of the first time that
Phil was on a horse. Bill Seymour, a neighbor boy,
a few years older than Phil, one day put him on a
fiery animal, unsaddled, and told him to hold on with
his knees. Young Sheridan did so, until the horse
had galloped about two miles across the country.
When the beast halted, Phil was still holding on with
his knees. The feat became the talk of the county as
gossip was scarce in those days. After that he was
known as an expert horseman.
The early days of Sheridan were spent in Somer
set where he clerked in a store. While he was
clerking in the store he often had occasion to wait
on a farmer, who lived only a few miles out of town
on the pike. This farmer was General Ritchie, who
was the Congressman from the Perry county District.
When there was a vacancy in the cadetship at West
Point, Congressman Ritchie offered the place to the
sturdy Irish lad who waited upon him in the store.
The neighbors thought it a rather strange proceed
ing upon the part of the General, for making such a
selection. But Mr. Ritchie evidently could see more
in Phil than did the neighbors, and his interest in his
protege never flagged. He watched him with keen
interest through his cadetship and early military career.
At the time of the Civil War General Ritchie had
grown very old. He watched with eagerness*the rapid
promotions of Sheridan. It will be remembered that
when Grant was occupied before Richmond, Sheridan
was sent up into the Shenandoah Valley to take care
of Early. He waited some weeks maneuvering.
Grant visited him for the purpose of suggesting a
plan of action, but left him without making a sugges-
18

274 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
tion. The whole country was impatient. During
these weeks old General Ritchie went to the country
postoffice every day to hear whether Sheridan had
"struck" yet. Finally the papers brought the news
that Sheridan had "struck." Early had been attacked,
flanked right and left, his lines had been broken and
his defeated troops went "whirling through Winches
ter" with a loss of 4,500 men. The old Congressman
was elated. He mounted his horse and started for
home, calling to every person he saw, "My boy did it !
My boy did it! They laughed at me for it. I knew
there was fight in him." Sheridan was not content
with a partial victory. He pursued Early thirty miles,
attacked him again, captured his guns and 1,100 men.
Again he pursued him, driving him out of the valley,
into the gaps of the Blue Ridge. These victories elec
trified the North, while the South was equally cast
down. Early's troops were disheartened. The Rich
mond mob, disgusted at Early's repeated defeats, sar
castically labeled the cannon intended for him,

'To General Sheridan,
Care of General Early."

Sheridan had devastated the Shenandoah so com
pletely that it could not furnish support for his army.
It was said that a crow would have to carry his pro
visions with him if he went into that section. Sheri
dan retired to Cedar Creek. From here he was called
to Washington for consultation. While he was absent,
the enemy attacked his forces in camp, drove them
back in disorder and captured eighteen guns and 1,000
prisoners. Sheridan had stopped over night in Win-

GENERAL PHILIP H. SHERIDAN.

275

Chester. At nine o'clock that morning, while riding
toward the camp, he heard the sound of heavy firing,-
and he knew at once that a battle was in progress.
Soon he began to meet the fugitives from his own
army. Taking in the situation at a glance, he rode

SHERIDAN'S BIRTHPLACE.

forward at a gallop swinging his hat and shouting,
"Face the other way, boys, face the other way! We
are going back to lick them out of their boots !" The
scattered soldiers faced about and taking up the Gen
eral's cry "Face about," met the enemy and forced
them to a stand. The presence of Sheridan had as
much effect on the Confederates to terrorize them as
it had to. rally the Union forces. They precipitately

276 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
fled, leaving twenty- four guns, 1,600 prisoners and
i, 800 killed and wounded. Sheridan remained at
Winchester till the spring of '65 when he went to join
Grant, at Richmond. On his way, he again met his
old enemy and they fought their final battle. Early's
forces laid down their arms and surrendered. His
army and reputation had both been destroyed. Lee
relieved him and he retired in disgrace. The daring
ride of Sheridan stands preeminent as one of the
greatest achievements of American generalship. Cele
brated in song and story, it is with some degree of
pride that Ohioans remember that the hero was once
a boy in Somerset, Perry county.
The poem "Sheridan's Ride" was written by T.
Buchanan Read, in Cincinnati, November 1, 1864.
The same evening it was recited by James E. Murdoch,
the elocutionist, at Pike's Opera House, and was re
ceived with great enthusiasm. The audience was com
pletely carried away. So intensely were their feelings
wrought upon that one man exclaimed, after the last
stanza, "Thank God! I was afraid Sheridan would
not get there."
After the close of the war, Sheridan continued to
serve in the army. At the time of his death he held
the office of lieutenant general. But three men
had held it before — Washington, Grant and Sherman.
General Sheridan is buried in the National Cemetery,
Arlington, where so many of our soldiers sleep their
last sleep, under the shadow of the National Capitol.
On a beautiful hillside in this city of the dead, this
Perry county boy, one of the greatest of Ameri
can generals, awaits the call of the Angel of the Resur
rection.

Edwin McMasters Stanton.

A LITTLE more than ten years after Ohio was
admitted into the Union, there was living in
Steubenville a Quaker, Dr. David Stanton by
name, and his wife. He was known as a skillful phy
sician, a scholar, and a worthy citizen ; and his wife,
who was the daughter of a Virginia planter, as a wo
man of religious nature, strong character, and amiable
qualities. To this couple was born December 19th,
1814, a son whom they named Edwin McMasters.
It may be of interest to know that the house in which
he was born is still standing. Three other children
came to this couple to brighten their home, but their
happiness was abruptly brought to an end, in 1827,
by the death of the husband and father, who, though
a thrifty man, left his widow in straitened circum
stances. Young Edwin then, but nineteen years old,
was forced to leave school and take a place in a book
store where he received a salary of four dollars a
month. Although this was small pay, it greatly aided
the family in their poverty. Young Stanton, while
employed in the day time, continued his studies
at night under a former teacher, preparing himself for
Kenyon College at Gambier, Ohio, which, by the way,
is one of the oldest colleges in the state. It is said of
him at this age by one who knew, that "he had no taste
for the streets nor for association with boys of coarse
manners or language." He was courteous and kind,
(277)

278 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
but self-reliant and firm even in his plays and games.
He liked to control his companions and he did it, too.
At seventeen, he entered college and remained
there two years, when lack of funds forced him to
withdraw. This was a bitter disappointment. The
two years, however, spent at Kenyon had a great in
fluence upon his future life. It was there, through
work in the literary societies, that he became interested
in National politics, and he left Kenyon "burning with
patriotic enthusiasm," resolved to be forever enlisted
in the cause of the Union and the maintenance of its
rightful authority." "He learned no better lesson at
Kenyon than this. It was good training for the boy
who was to raise and equip the armies by which the
doctrine of nullification and secession should be for
ever silenced in the land. Had his father lived he
would have had reason to rejoice that he had a son
who, at eighteen, possessed individuality enough to
break away from old political traditions and rise to
the stature of a patriotic citizen in time of public
danger." He returned to his old employer, Mr. Turnbull,
who had moved to Columbus ; but remained with him
a short time only, when he went back to Steubenville
to study law to which he diligently devoted himself
for three years. In 1836, he was admitted to the bar
and began to practice in Cadiz the county seat of
Harrison County adjoining the one in which he was
born. Here he must have done well, for, in 1837,
though but twenty-three years old, he was chosen to
the office of prosecuting attorney. During his term he
was a busy man, and built up a good practice. In
1839, he settled at Steubenville, where he became the
law partner of Judge Tappan, who had just been

EDWIN M MASTERS STAJSTON.

279

EDWIN MCMASTERS STANTON.

280 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
elected to the Senate. Here, as in the earlier years
of his career, success came to him as the result of
close application. In this connection Thomas Mar
shall says of him, "He approached the object of labor
with the purpose to overcome it. He labored with
the diligence of the student and the courage of the
soldier. Herein lay the secret of his success." "Light
of heart and healthy of body, abounding in energy, he
deemed nothing very difficult, .much less impossible."
In 1847, ne 'elt Steubenville to take up his resi
dence in Pittsburg, where he remained until 1856.
His professional life there was of great activity and
brilliant success. Of this the writer above quoted
says, "After ten years of full practice here, the rare
ability, learning, and success of which may be traced
in contemporary reports, he removed to Washington
soon to enter upon that public career which made his
name famous wherever civilization had a foothold, and
patriotism, loyalty, and courage had admirers."
On the 20th of December, i860, he was appointed
Attorney General by President Buchanan, to quote
from Attorney General Hoar's eulogy on the subject
of our sketch, "in one of the darkest hours of the
country's history, when the Union seemed crumbling
to pieces without an arm raised for its support. For
ten weeks of that winter of National agony and shame,
with patriotism that never wavered and courage that
never quailed, this true American stood manfully at
his post and gave what nerve he could to timid and
trembling imbecility, and met the secret plotters of
their country's ruin with an undaunted front. His
published opinions as Attorney General fill but nine
pages, but the name that was signed to them had in

EDWIN M'MASTERS STANTON. 281
*-
that brief time become known through the land as the
synonym of truth, honor, and fidelity."
"Although of a different political party, he was
called by Mr. Lincoln into his cabinet, in 1862, as
Secretary of War. But it was at a time when all
party divisions had become insignificant and all party
ties trivial, compared with those great duties which
engrossed the thoughts and demanded the care of every
patriot. He brought to his great trust a capacity for
labor that seemed inexhaustible; unflinching courage,
indomitable will ; patience, and Steady persistence,
which no fatigue could weary and no mistakes or mis
fortunes direct, a trust in the people that never faltered,
an integrity which corruption never dared to approach,
and a singleness of purpose which nothing could with
stand." "His faith," says Gorham, "in the final tri
umph of the Union arms never for a moment faltered
or abated." When the outlook was most gloomy, in
time of war he spoke the words of cheer and hope
which again and again rallied the spirits of the people.
His stalwart nature was like a strong fortress for the
saddened and weary President, whose chosen com
panion he was at such times.
Stanton was the motive power of Lincoln's admin
istration. His unmatched and untiring will and energy
supplied the force which moved forward at all times,
setting the pace at which the Government also should
move, and carrying all along with it. Governors of
states looked to him for advice, and cooperated with
him as friends and associates in placing troops in the
field. Committees of Congress came to him for war
measures, and found him ready with advice. He sent
dispatches to the General commanding in New York —
giving reports of battles, orders with the President's

282 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
thanks to men and officers for great victories, explan
ations to break the force of disasters, announcements
of war measures, and such other matters as might be
necessary in the formation of public opinion, in aid of
the Union cause — -and had them published in the
great daily journals of the country."
Stanton's work did not close with the war, but
after that he rendered his country valuable services in
opposing President Johnson's policy of reconstruction.
This struggle with the President resulted in his being
forced out of the cabinet, in 1868, when he immediately
returned to the practice of his profession, a thing he
was forced to do by circumstances.
His last case was argued in his own library where
in view of his feeble health the Judge of the Supreme
Court consented to hear counsel, and in less than two
weeks afterward he died, on the 24th of December,
1869. Within a few days of his death he had accepted
the office of associate justice of the Supreme Court
of the United States, which he says, by the way,
was the only public office he ever desired.
So came to an end the life of Edwin McMasters
Stanton, "the one great organizer and energizer of
the work during the war by which armies were raised,
equipped, supplied, and placed in the field."

Note — The authority for statements in this sketch is
George C. Gorham.

Rutherford Bt Hayes*

BY J. A. SHAWAN.

AT the World's Fair in 1893, each state tried to
show, to the best advantage, what it considered
its greatest production. Some excelled in
fruits, some in agricultural products, and some in min
eral wealth. Massachusetts took great pride in the
pictures of her great men. Ohio had many things to
show as usual but nothing more suggestive of its real
wealth than the group of bronze figures — "These are
my jewels," which stood in front of the state building
at the World's Fair. Such names as Grant, Sherman,
Sheridan, Chase, Stanton, and Garfield might fill any
state with pride. These "Jewels" now stand in Capitol
Square at Columbus with the colossal figure of Ohio
on a pedestal above them. Since the World's Fair a
seventh figure has been added to this group — it is that
of Rutherford B. Hayes, another of Ohio's gifted
sons. A visitor to the city of Delaware, Ohio, will find
still standing on Williams Street, not far from the
postoffice, an old two-story house — -brick in front
with a frame addition in the rear. It is unpreten
tious in appearance but forms a part of our state's
history. It was in this house that Rutherford B.
Hayes was born on October 4, 1822. His father's
name was Rutherford Hayes and his mother's name
Sophia Birchard, so that he combined in his own
(283)

284

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

RUTHERFORD B. HAY£S.

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES. 285-
name, Rutherford Birchard Hayes, the names of both
sides of his family. In company with Sardis Birchard,
his mother's brother, then an orphan boy of sixteen,
his parents came from Vermont to Ohio, in 1817.
Young Birchard became a member of the Hayes fam
ily. In 1822, Mrs. Hayes was left a widow with the
care of three children : Lorenzo who was drowned
at Delaware while skating on the Olentangy River
when but ten years old, Fanny who became the wife
of W. A. Piatt of Columbus, and Rutherford B., the
subject of this sketch. At this time of need, her
brother, now twenty-one and a great favorite with
every one who knew him and who was especially fond
of his sister, proved almost a father to the future pres
ident. In 1827, his uncle took Rutherford and his
mother, when the former was but five years old, to
Lower Sandusky, now Fremont, Ohio. This has ever
since been the home of the Hayes family. Mr. Bir
chard never married but gave all his attention to the
raising of his sister's children. He was very suc
cessful in business and accumulated considerable
property and left to Fremont a noble monument, the
"Birchard Library.
Mr. Hayes had that kind of training as a boy
that develops men. His people were comfortable and
prosperous but the boy was not pampered — he was
allowed to exercise those powers which gave him in
dependence of thought. Above all he was trained to
be honest, humane, benevolent, elements of character
which were to be seen throughout his entire life.
His early education was obtained in the common
schools of the neighborhood and the academy at Nor-
walk, Ohio. His preparation for college was made at
Middletown, Connecticut. He was a diligent student

286 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
always maintaining a high standard of scholarship,
but his greatest mark was made in the literary
societies. At the age of sixteen he entered Kenyon College,
from which institution he graduated in 1842 as the
valedictorian of his class. After graduation he came
to the city of Columbus to prepare, under the direction
of Thomas Sparrow, for his law course.
In 1843, ne entered the law school of Harvard
University and completed the course in two years,
graduating in 1845. While a student at Cambridge,
an incident occurred, which showed his loyalty to his
own state, a genuine exhibition of what is often called
the "Ohio Idea," for Ohio has nothing if she has not
state pride. It was in the fall of 1844, when Henry
Clay was a candidate for the presidency of the United
States against James K. Polk. The campaign was
a sharply contested one and processions were the order
of the day.
Cassius M..Clay was to address the Henry Clay
Club of Boston and a large Whig procession had been
formed. Mr. Hayes, in company with two friends
from Ohio, was standing in front of the Tremont
House, Boston, as a large part of the motley proces
sion passed by. "It lacks but one thing to make it a
success," said Mr. Hayes, "What is that?" asked one
of his friends. "An Ohio delegation," was his reply.
Hardly had the words been spoken when Mr.
Hayes disappeared. In a very few minutes he was
.seen coming along in the procession carrying a board
which he had secured and on which he had scrolled the
word "Ohio." "Fall in," he said to his friends, which
they cheerfully did. As the procession advanced the
Ohio delegation kept increasing until it numbered

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES. 287
twenty-two persons and was greeted with cheers and
bouquets all along the line.
After graduation from Law School, young Hayes
was admitted to the bar at Marietta, Ohio, and opened
an office at Fremont; but, his health failing, he was
compelled to go south where he soon recovered. On
his return North, he established himself at Cincin
nati. This was in 1849. His ability and industry
soon gained recognition and, for a young lawyer, he
had an excellent practice. He was city solicitor
of Cincinnati from 1858 until April, 1861. This
office brought him prominently before the people
and the fidelity with which he discharged its duties
marked him for future honor.
As a soldier, R. B. Hayes was one of the bravest
and most successful. He once said, "I never sought
promotion in the army. I preferred to be one of the
good colonels rather than one of the poor generals."
Yet Mr. Hayes had frequent promotions and was held
in great esteem by his superior officers. "His con
duct on the field," says General Grant in his mem
oirs, "was marked by conspicuous gallantry as well as
the display of qualities of a higher order than that of
mere personal daring. This might well have been
expected of one who could write: Any officer fit for
duty who at this crisis would abandon his post to
electioneer for a seat in Congress, ought to be
scalped.' Having entered the army as a major of
volunteers at the beginning of the war, Gen. Hayes
attained by meritorious service to the rank of brevet
major general before its close."
The military career of General Hayes began at
the outbreak of the rebellion when he was elected
captain of a company formed from the old Literary

288 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
Club of Cincinnati. A few months later, June, 1861,
he was appointed a major in the Twenty-third Ohio
Volunteer Infantry, of which W. S. Rosecrans was
colonel and Stanley Mathews, lieutenant colonel.
After the promotion and transfer of these two noted
officers, the regiment was put under command of
the no less noted R. B. Hayes. Ordered at once to
West Virginia, his regiment took part in all of the im
portant battles of Sheridan's Campaign. In the battle
of South Mountain, he was severely wounded in the
arm but soon recovered and returned to duty again.
At the Battle of Winchester, he made the famous
charge across the swamp and saved the day. His
horse sank in the mire, but dashing ahead through
mud and water on foot, his "Forward" thrilled his
men with admiration and courage. Many fell in
that charge but the bloody day was won. No less
courageous was the gallant Colonel at Fisher's Hill
and Cedar Creek. In the latter engagement while
riding at full speed, his horse was shot under him.
He was thrown violently to the ground and his foot
and ankle badly sprained. Stunned for a few
moments, he lay exposed to a storm of bullets, but
soon recovering, he sprang to his feet and limped
away to his command.
For meritorious service in these hotly contested
battles, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier
general of Volunteers and later brevetted major
general. In those trying days, there were many who
felt that such men as General Hayes were needed in
Congress. He was a fine debater and could fight as
well in the halls of legislation as on the field of battle.
With this end in view, he was nominated for Con
gress in his home district at Cincinnati, and in the

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES. 289
fall of 1864, elected by a majority of 2,400. Some
prophets have honor in their own country as this
handsome majority shows. Before the time came for
him to take the seat in Congress thus thrust upon him,
the end of the war was in sight. He served from 1865
to 1868, when he became Governor of Ohio. Those
were the days of reconstruction when the evils that
followed in the wake of the Civil War were having
full sway at the South. A strong reaction against
many of the policies of the ruling party was felt in
many of the states at the North. It was under such
conditions that Mr. Hayes entered upon public life.
Contests were fierce and majorities small. His own
party was divided into "stalwarts" and the more con
servative. It was a difficult matter to unite these fac
tions and Mr. Hayes was one of the few men who
could do so, for his ability and integrity commanded
the respect of both. In his campaign for governor,
he had as opponents two of the strongest and most
popular men of the Democratic party — Judge Thur
man, whom he defeated in 1867 by a small majority,
and George H. Pendleton, whom he defeated in 1869
by a majority of only 7,506.
At the close of his second term as governor, he re
turned to Cincinnati fully determined to retire from
public life. Meantime his uncle, Sardis Birchard, died
leaving him heir to his large estate. In 1873, he
moved into the old home at Fremont hoping to spend
the rest of his days in the quiet enjoyment of rural
life. For such men as Rutherford B. Hayes, a quiet
life is impossible — the public demands their services.
Although at first he declined the honor, he was in
duced to accept the nomination for governor. He
19

290 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
knew that the contest would be a hard one and re
luctantly he entered it. The great issue was the money
question. There were those who believed and pub
licly contended that all that was needed to make
money was the stamp of the government of the United
States, that it was not necessary to have back of it
any intrinsic value. Thus national issues were forced
into the state campaign.
Mr. Hayes took up the gauntlet with all the spirit
of his vigorous manhood and stumped the state from
boundary to boundary.
The writer was in college at the time and remem
bers that a large per cent of the students was in sym
pathy with "the great financial movement." The idea
of having cheap money and plenty of it was popular
and many of the students felt the need of it. During
the campaign Mr. Hayes addressed them and fully
two thousand students and citizens attended the meet
ing. In the course of his address, after having ex
plained the necessity of a sound financial basis, he
began the following reductio ad absurdum: "It has
been said that all a dollar bill needs is the stamp of the
government and all it costs is a half a cent, and yet
its functions are as good as money as gold and silver
dare be. Why make it one dollar ? Why not make it
five? All it costs is a half a cent and yet its functions
are as good as money, as gold and silver, dare be.
Why make it five? Why not make it ten? All
it costs is a half a cent and yet its functions are as
good as money as gold and silver dare be. Why not
make it twenty? All it costs is a half a cent and yet
its functions are as good, as money, as gold and silver
dare be. Why not make it a hundred? Why not
make it .five hundred ? Why not make it a thousand ?

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES. 291
All it costs is a half a cent and yet its functions are
'as good as money as gold and silver dare be." The
tremendous applause which greeted the end of his
climax showed that the student body had made up its
mind. He received their votes at the coming election
almost to a man. They believed in his integrity. The
eyes of the nation were on the results. Mr. Hayes
won by the small majority of 5,500, but it was enough
for it was like snatching victory out of defeat. Thus
he became governor of Ohio for the third time.
When the National Republican Convention met
at Cincinnati in 1876, a number of prominent leaders
were candidates for the presidency. It soon became
evident that none of the recognized candidates could
be nominated and a "dark horse" was looked for.
Thus it happened that the modest Governor of Ohio
was sought and nominated on the seventh ballot.
The campaign which followed proved to be one
of the most hotly contested in the history of the nation.
The results were uncertain. Frauds were freely
charged on all sides and revolution and anarchy threat
ened. For the first time in our national life, a com
mission consisting of five members of the House of
Representatives, five senators, and five judges of the
Supreme Court of the United States, fifteen in all,
was created to pass upon the validity of the certifi
cates which had been returned by the different states.
By a vote of eight to seven, this commission refused
to gc behind the returns of the different governors;
so the votes of the Republican electors were admitted
from all of the doubtful states. This gave Mr. Hayes
a majority of one in the electoral college. Thus
Rutherford B. Hayes became the nineteenth president
of the United States.

292 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
It was a trying moment, but his courage and
patriotism were equal to the occasion. He had already
signified his "inflexible purpose, if elected, not to be
a candidate for election to a second term." Thus he
was unhampered in carrying out his plans by the
prospects of a reelection. Two things were upper
most in his mind: the one, the improvement of the
political condition of the South ; the other, "the restor
ation of the civil service to the system established by
Washington and followed by the early presidents."
In both of these, he was opposed by the machine pol
iticians of his own party. In spite of this opposition,
however, the troops were gradually withdrawn from
the South and self-government reestablished. As to
his second object, the people were slow to see the need
of civil service reform until after the assassination of
the lamented Garfield, a martyr to the "spoils system."
Who does not now approve of both of these policies?
As the years go by, the noble aims of President
Hayes' administration will become more apparent and
it will stand out as an era of honest endeavor to secure
good government.
At the close of his administration, Mr. Hayes re
turned to private but not to inactive life. His sym
pathy with humanity and his earnest desire to benefit
his kind were too great for this. His interest in edu
cation was shown by the work done as a member of
the boards of trustees of the Ohio Wesleyan Univer
sity at Delaware and the Ohio State University at
Columbus. Hayes' Hall at the latter institution bears
his name because of his enthusiastic devotion to the
cause of manual training. He was also president of
the John F. Slater Educational Fund and gave much
time to its proper distribution. For eminent scholar-

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES. 293
ship, he had received the degree of LL.D. from
Kenyon College, Harvard, Yale, and Johns Hopkins
Universities. His devotion to the cause of unfortunate human
ity was earnest and sincere. As president of the
National Prison Reform Association he did much to
educate the public to a more humane way of thinking
about the treatment of convicts and many of his
public utterances have become maxims in prison man-
egement. "There is no agreement between prisons
and politics," he would say. "We must get rid of
fixed sentences against hardened criminals. They
should remain in prison until they are cured." "We
are our brothers' keepers." With the spirit therefore
of an older brother, he was willing to assume his
share of the responsibility of caring for fallen human
ity. His work along these lines has been exceed
ingly valuable and permanent in its results.
Mr. Hayes was especially happy in his own family
circle. The name of his illustrious wife is quite as
well known as his own; for who has not heard of
Lucy Webb Hayes? She was quiet, unobtrusive, in
her methods but positive and unflinching in carrying
out what she believed to be right. As mistress of the
White House she discontinued the use of intoxicating
drinks at state dinners. This occasioned no little
criticism on the part of small politicians whose range
of vision did not extend beyond their own appetites,
but the great thoughtful mass of the nation approved
her course and hold her in grateful remembrance for
having placed the White House on record as a model
for the young. She was not an extremist, but simply
a sensible woman who had courage enough to do as
she thought best.

294 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
The following beautiful story taken from the
Cleveland Leader of Decemher 14, 1890, showing how
a poor Washington lunch girl won Mrs. Hayes'
friendship, illustrates the simplicity of her character
better than pen can paint:
There was a time when the "treasury girls" in
Washington had a grievance and were not backward
in declaring it. Said one of them:
" So Uncle Sam has had an economical fit ; can't
let us have our noonday tea ; 'takes too long ! "
"Well, Sarah, it isn't Uncle Sam's time; still
Secretary McCullough says 'teapots must be ban
ished from the Treasury of the nation! Every win
dow ledge in the building has one ! "
But this grumbling was long ago. It had be
come almost forgotten when Mrs. Hayes was installed
mistress of the White House.
Rachel Myers, a pretty girl, daughter of a sol
dier, kept a small lunch-room not far from the Treas
ury for the accommodation of the Treasury clerks, and
in plain sight from Mrs. Hayes' windows.
Rachel had so generous a face, was so modest,
and had eyes so earnest that Mrs. Hayes watched her a
good deal, and one day went into lunch after the noon
day tea had been served to the crowd of clerks.
Taking her seat, asking for a cup of tea and a
biscuit, she said, "Miss Rachel, don't you sometimes
find this dull and tiresome ? "
"Oh, yes'm ! " Rachel replied, "but of course I
must work, and the ladies are very kind in the De
partments; they hate to come out of the building for
lunch, and the half hour is so short; but nobody is
allowed to have a corner inside any more."
"Why not?"

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES. 295
"The Secretary turned out the teapots long ago,
and won't take 'em back."
Rachel tossed her head as she added, "I'd rather
be a poor girl selling cakes, than to be as mean as the
big people over there," pointing towards the White
House. "Are they mean, Rachel ? What makes you think
so ? " Mrs. Hayes sipped her tea and tried not to
smile. "Well, everything in this whole city has to be
just as they say ! They don't help the poor, but only
give big dinners, and ride out in their fine carriages
and enjoy themselves! If they wanted to, there are
so many ways of helping poor people."
"What could they do for you ? " Mrs. Hayes said*
as she laid down her ten cents. "I should think it
would be a great pleasure to do something for girls
like you." "O ! Mr. Secretary can't turn around without
asking the President, you know, and the President
don't trouble himself about the poor, hard working
women and girls," Rachel said spitefully.
"Have you ever seen the President's wife? I
think she is fond of young girls, and I wouldn't be
surprised if she could get you a little room for lunch
in the Treasury building. Suppose you go over to
morrow morning about ten. She is always at home
then." Rachel's eyes danced. "Oh ! how kind that would
be ; but — I — don't think — I shouldn't know how to
meet the President's wife, you know," and Rachel laid
her hand impulsively on the dark brown silk sleeve,
and the soft, warm, ungloved hand of Mrs. Hayes
kindly folded itself over Rachel's.

296 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
Promptly at ten the doorkeeper led Rachel to the
private sitting room of the "Mrs. President."
Mrs. Hayes met her with smiles and pleasure.
"Good morning, my dear," she said.
"Good morning, ma'am ; you see I've come as you
told me, but I do wish you'd do the talking for me
when she comes in. I feel afraid of the 'great people,'
but I love you."
"The 'great people,' child, are no greater than you,
in spirit ; and I hope you won't despise us any more.
I am the wife of the President! Do you feel afraid
now ? "
Poor Rachel! she laughed and cried, begged par
dons, stammered and hesitated ; but the two were
ever firm friends.
Somehow a nice corner in the big gray stone
Treasury became a cheery, cosy lunch stand. Every
body knew the tall, fine-eyed girl who made the tea.
Many a basket of fruit, many a tempting plate of
cakes found their way to the little table, from the
"Mistress of the White House," and the dainty doilies,
marked R. M., from Mrs. Hayes, were of greater
value than gold; but more than "trade," or gifts, or
"the honor," was the sweet sympathy of Rachel's
beautiful friend.
Many stories like the above might be told, for her
life was full of them, and the lives of the happy re
cipients of her kindness made richer and better.
Mrs. Hayes lived eight years after returning to
Fremont to enjoy the quiet life of "Spiegel Grove,"
as their home was called, and the ex-President
twelve years. Never was a home more cheerful and
happy. It was well named "Spiegel Grove," the
"grove of happy spirits."

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES. 297
"As to the origin of the name 'Spiegel Grove,' I
learn from reliable sources," says Basil Meek of Fre
mont, "that Sardis Birchard was very fond of trees
and delighted in visiting the forests and also had a
great fancy for fairy stories, and legends of old Ger
man forests, where these imaginary beings were sup
posed to dwell ; that this grove owned by him, was in
the earlier days of his ownership, very densely wooded
and contained here and there in it, occasional small .
mirror-like pools of water remaining, in the then un-
drained condition of the ground, throughout most of
the year; and that to his poetic turn of mind it re
quired but little stretch of imagination to discover a
likeness in this dense woodland, with its small mirror
like pools to the scenes of some of his favorite stories ;
and hence the name."
After the death of his faithful and strong com
panion Mr. Hayes seemed lonely at times as if looking
for something which he could not find. Only a few
more years and the sands of life had all run through,
and the brave soldier, the wise statesman, the friend of
humanity passed away. It was on the 17th of January,
1893, that he died in the fullness of years, mourned
by all who knew him best, loved by the unfortunates
whose cauie he had espoused, and respected by those
who had differed from him in public policies. But he
is not gone — such men never die. His spirit still lives
and the influence of his noble life and work will
gather strength and grow in appreciation as the years
goby.

John Sherman.

BY WILLIAM M'K. VANCE.

THE life of John Sherman brings us face to
face with all the main events of our National
history during the last half-century. He was
born at Lancaster, Ohio, May ioth, 1823. He was
the eighth child in a family of eleven, being the junior
by three years of his brother Gen. William Tecumseh
Sherman. After having secured an irregular and not
very complete general education, he studied law and
was admitted to the bar at twenty-one. He testifies in
his Recollections that he was not a "goody-good" boy,
and he narrates one or two school pranks of which in
subsequent years he was thoroughly ashamed. The
evil associations of his youth came near wrecking his
career before it had fairly begun, but his extraordi
nary veneration for his mother finally enabled him to
break away from his vicious companions and to live a
life of sobriety and uprightness. Of the young men
who were his contemporaries he says, "a very large
proportion became habitual drunkards and died pre
maturely." During his early experience at the bar he achieved
the reputation of being successful by full preparation
and thorough knowledge of the facts and law in the
case. He never attempted flights of oratory as he
thought it better to gain the confidence of a jury by
plain talk rather than by flowery rhetoric. He read
much history when a young man, — Hume's, Smollet's,
(298)

JOHN SHERMAN. 299
and other histories of England, Gibbon's Decline
and Fall of the Roman Empire, and such histories of
the United States as he could procure. From the ear
liest stages of his career Mr. Sherman exhibited in a
high degree that thrift which later in life made him
a very rich man. He made it a habit to lay up some
money every year, and he used to speak with pride of
the fact that he was worth ten thousand dollars when
twenty-four years of age. John Sherman's wealth
was the natural result of those traits which made
him one of the greatest financiers in the history of our
country. In the winter of 1846-7 Mr. Sherman visited
Washington, New York, and Boston. Letters of in
troduction to prominent men gave him unusual social
opportunities, not least of which was an invitation
to a grand banquet at Plymouth Rock where he heard
for the first time the greatest of American orators,
Daniel Webster. Mr. Sherman recounts the incident
in the following words : "Every voice was hushed.
He said that in fifteen minutes we would separate
never to meet again. And then with growing force
and eloquence he contrasted the brevity and vanity of
human life with the immortality of the events they
were celebrating, which, century after century, would
be celebrated by your children and by your children's
children to the latest generation."
Mr. Sherman early evinced a lively interest in
politics, though, as he says in his Recollections, "with
out the slightest desire for office." In 1848, he was a
delegate to the National Whig Convention at Phila
delphia. When the convention was being organized,
Colonel Collyer, chairman of the Ohio delegation, said
there was a young gentleman present who could never

300 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
hope to get an office unless that convention gave him
one, and nominated Mr. Sherman for secretary of the
convention. A member from Indiana said there was
a delegate from his state in the same condition, and
moved that Schuyler Colfax be made assistant secre
tary. These two young men marched together to the
platform, and thus entered upon the political life in
which they were to be closely associated for many
years. Mr. Sherman was president of the first Republican
Convention in Ohio, held at Columbus, July 13th,
1855, which nominated Salmon P. Chase for governor.
He had had no experience as a presiding officer except
ing over an Odd Fellows' lodge, but was chosen be
cause it was thought impolitic to take one who had
been offensively conspicuous in one of the old parties.
He took his seat as a member of the thirty-fourth
Congress, December 3d, 1855. The contest for
¦speaker, finally resulting in the election of Nathaniel
P. Banks, occupied two months, during which many
new members took occasion to air their oratory. Tim
othy Day, a cynical bachelor and proprietor of the
Cincinnati Commercial, sat at Mr. Sherman's side.
When a new voice was heard he would put his hand
to his ear, listen awhile, and then turning impatiently
to his writing, would exclaim: "Another dead cock
in the pit." This cynical suppression of a new mem
ber rather alarmed Mr. Sherman, who, nevertheless,
some time later ventured to make a few remarks.
When he sat down he turned to Mr. Day and said:
"Another dead cock in the pit." But Day encoura
gingly replied : "Not quite so bad as that."
The territory of Kansas had now become a battle
.ground between the advocates of slavery and its op-

JOHN SHERMAN. 301
ponents. On March 19th, 1856, the Speaker of the
House by order of that body appointed a committee of
three members to proceed to Kansas, and to make a
thorough investigation of the troubles. The appoint
ment of Mr. Sherman as a member of this committee
was a turning point in his political career. The inves
tigation was searchingly made although the lives of
the three congressmen were constantly in the greatest
jeopardy. By request of his colleagues, Mr. Sherman
collated the testimony and prepared the report, every
statement of which was supported by the clearest evi
dence. When presented to the House of Represent
atives it caused deep feeling throughout the country,
and subsequently became the basis of the political cam
paign of 1856.
He was invariably a firm advocate of economy in
public expenditures. Bills appropriating public money
were always closely scrutinized by Mr. Sherman.
Before the expiration of his first term as a member
of Congress, he had come to be recognized as one of
the leaders on every financial question, and, at the close
of his second term, he was easily the foremost man
in the House of Representatives.
But for a certain indorsement which he had been
led to give Hinton R. Helper's "Impending Crisis of
the South," a book unfriendly to the negro but which
opposed slavery on economic grounds, Mr. Sherman
would have been elected speaker of the House in the
thirty-sixth Congress. Those were portentous times.
The Nation was still quivering with the excitement
caused by John Brown's raid, and the irrepressible
conflict between the North and the South' was already
on in pulpit and press and public forum, and intensely
so in the halls of the National legislature. Mr. Sher-

302 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
man's Whig supporters from the South besought him
to declare that he was not hostile to slavery. He re
fused, and, after eight weeks of balloting in which he
came within three votes of e'lection, he yielded the
contest. Thaddeus Stevens had said that he would
never change his vote from Mr. Sherman until the
crack of doom. When afterward reminded of this,
Mr. Stevens said he thought he "heard it cracking."
He was given the chairmanship of the most im
portant committee, that of ways and means, which he
again resumed after his fourth election at the opening
of the troublous session of i860. He now had a most
difficult situation to meet. The indebtedness of the
United States had increased from $20,000,000 to
$100,000,000 during President Buchanan's administra
tion, and the finances of the government were so im
paired that congressmen's salaries could not be paid,
and other pressing demands could not be satisfied.
Mr. Sherman quickly demonstrated his exceptional
power as a master of finance. He watched carefully
the appropriation bills, speedily extended the credit of
the government, and provided for its future support.
When Salmon P. Chase resigned the U. S. sena-
torship from Ohio to enter the cabinet of President
Lincoln as secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Sherman
was elected his successor and took his seat March
4th, 1 86 1, — the day that Abraham Lincoln became
president of the United States. The first meeting
of Mr. Sherman and Mr. Lincoln took place on the
evening of the latter's arrival in Washington — a few
days before his inauguration. The President-elect
took both of Mr. Sherman's hands in his, drew him
self up to his full height, and, looking at him steadily,
said: "You are John Sherman! Well, I am taller

JOHN SHERMAN. 303
than you ; let's measure." Thereupon they stood back
to back, and some one present announced that Mr.
Lincoln, who was six feet three and one-half inches
tall, towered two inches above the younger statesman.
John Sherman sat continuously in the Senate of
the United States from 1861, with the exception of
the eventful four years during which he served as Sec
retary of the Treasury under President Hayes, until
President McKinley called upon him to take the pre
miership in his cabinet. During most of his senatorial
career he was chairman of the committee on finance.
When the Civil War broke out Mr. Sherman joined
some Ohio troops at Harrisburg, Pa., and tendered to
Gen. Robert Patterson his services. He served as
aide-de-camp without pay until the meeting of Con
gress in extra session, in July. At the close of the
session he returned to Ohio, and prior to December
1861, he had recruited, largely at his own expense, two
regiments of infantry, a squadron of cavalry, and a
battery of artillery, comprising nearly twenty-five
hundred men. This force served during the entire
period of the war, and was known as "Sherman's bri
gade." Although it had been his purpose to resign
the senatorship, in order to go to the front as a soldier,
by the advice of President Lincoln and Secretary Chase
he resumed his seat in the United States Senate.
Here he was unquestionably of greater service to the
Union cause than he could have been on the field
of battle. Here he was foremost in the watchful
oversight of the public finances. Here he successfully
endeavored to maintain and strengthen the public
credit and to provide for the support of the armies in
the field.

304 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
There is scarcely a great financial measure of the
last forty years with which the name of John Sher
man is not connected. Among these were, the making
of United States Treasury notes legal tender, the
enacting of the national banking bill, the refunding
act of 1870, and the resumption of specie payments.
The detailed record of measures by which the legal
tender notes of the government reached par, and by
which specie resumption became an accomplished fact
at the time fixed for it, exhibits the man under whose
leadership this was done as a financier of the highest
order. His name is linked with those of Morris and
Hamilton. The board of trade of New York City,
desiring to recognize in a suitable manner the im
mense service of John Sherman as a financial states
man, ordered his portrait painted and hung upon the
walls of their building, — a compliment that has been
bestowed on no other financier since the days of
Alexander Hamilton.
Mr. Sherman held the chief portfolio of President
McKinley's cabinet only a brief time. His impaired
health and vigor were not adequate to the extraordi
nary duties of the position due to our difficulty with
Spain. He retired to a well-earned rest after a half-
century spent in the service of his country. This
respite from active participation in the affairs of state
was but a prelude to the eternal rest into which he
entered October 22, 1900. All that is mortal of this
great son of Ohio lies in the beautiful cemetery at
Mansfield. His character, rugged, strong, inflexible,
imperishable, is like the massive block of granite at
his grave on which stands in bold relief the single
inscription,
John Sherman.

James Abram Garfield.

TIME and again in our National history men have
shown that "America is another name for
opportunity." No one, perhaps, has more
clearly shown the truth of this than James Abram
Garfield. His life is one which the youth of our coun
try may well study, for it is a striking illustration of
what industry, honesty, and fidelity to duty may do
for one however humble the beginning of his life.
Garfield's life is one series of successes and his
untimely death by the murderous hand of an assassin
sends a shudder through our hearts even yet. His
success was due not so much to the fact that he lived
in a time when strong men were needed as to that
other fact that he did well whatever was assigned him
to do. This is one of the best lessons of his life for
young people. The world to-day stands in need of
men and women who are willing to do their best in
whatever station of life they may be placed.
Like most great men Garfield was well-born.
The blood of Puritan and Huguenot flowed in his
veins, his father, Abram Garfield, being descended
from the one, and his mother, Eliza Ballou, from the
other. He used to speak of himself as the ninth in
descent from those who would not endure the oppres
sion of the Stuarts, and seventh in descent from the
brave French Protestants who refused to submit to
the tyranny of the Grand Monarch. His ancestors
were at Marston Moor and at Naseby; they were at
20 (305)

306 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
Bunker Hill and Saratoga, and he himself, played no
small part in the great Civil War. They, as well as he,
fought for freedom of thought and against slavery in
whatever form it appeared.
His father having died before he was two years
old, Garfield's early life was one of privation but not
want. His was not abject poverty, although as a boy
he was deprived of most of the things boys of to-day
think necessary. His educational advantages were
meager, but he made the most of them. No wealth
of books such as boys and girls now enjoy was his.
His library was indeed small and he was forced to do
what, perhaps, would be well for the children to do
now, namely, to read fewer books and those well se
lected and to read them to more purpose.
Through his own efforts and those of his mother
he was enabled, at eighteen years of age, to teach school.
He did this, as he did every thing he undertook, well.
From this time he was determined to have a college
education. To this end he bent his energy, working
in the harvest field, at the carpenter's bench, and, in
the winter seasons, teaching some one of the neighbor
ing schools. While doing these things he found time
to prepare himself for college and so successful was
he that at twenty-two years of age he entered the
junior class of Williams College whose president at
that time was Mark Hopkins, a man whom Garfield
greatly admired and whose influence over the young
collegian's life was most helpful.
The events of Garfield's life up to the time of his
graduation were not extraordinary. Many young men
have passed through similar experiences. From this
period, however, on to the time of his tragic death
his career was not of the ordinary. Within six years

JAMES ABRAM GARFIELD. 307
after his graduation, he was successively a college
president, state senator of Ohio, major general in
the United States army, and representative-elect to
Congress. This is a record of experiences such as few,
if any, men in America have had.
His preparation for military life was only such
as he could glean from books, yet his record as a mili
tary commander is a clean one. Into this he took
that prominent trait of his character, mastery of the
work in hand, and so valuable a man did he become
that he was raised to the rank of major general in the
Army of the United States. When the Army of the
Cumberland was reorganized under the command of
General Thomas, Garfield was promptly offered one of
its divisions. This he wanted very much to accept
but was embarrassed by the fact that, in 1862, he had
been elected to Congress from the district that Joshua
R. Giddings so long and so honorably represented.
So strong was his desire to serve his country upon the
battlefield that he did not resign his commission until
the 5th of December, 1863, and he took his seat in the
national House of Representatives, December 7.
In a Congress made up largely of able men Gar
field soon was recognized as one of the ablest. For
eighteen years he served his district and the Nation in
this capacity. Here his best work was done. He was
no great parliamentary leader such as Thaddeus Ste
vens, but the force of his logic, the able manner in
which he handled every question brought before him,
the candid, honest way in which he treated his oppo
nents, and his evident sincerity, all contributed to
make his influence powerful.
Prior to his nomination to the presidency in 1880,
Ohio honored him by electing him to the United States

308

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

JAMES A. GARFIELD.

JAMES ABRAM GARFIELD. 309
Senate. His nomination to the presidency was not
a surprise to the people of the United States although
it was not predicted. Through the campaign which
followed his nomination he conducted himself in the
same dignified and gentlemanly manner which had
always characterized him. He made some seventy
speeches to delegations that called at his home in
Mentor during the summer and autumn of 1880. In
vain did his political enemies look for a word or a
phrase that might be turned to their advantage and to
his own discomfort.
What Garfield's administration as President might
have been, we cannot say. He took into it those same
qualities that had made his previous life so eventful
and so useful. At the very time when the future of
his administration seemed to be secure he was stricken
down by the assassin's bullet. We call him one of our
martyred presidents and well we may, for he was
truly a martyr to the iniquitous system of "spoils.
politics." His death, tragic as it was, did much to
remove the worst features of the system and made
possible the merit system in the civil service.
In the midst of their grief the people of the great
American Nation recalled his own words upon the
occasion of the beloved Lincoln's death, "God reigns,
and the government at Washington still lives." This
was as he would have had it for he firmly believed
that "There's a divinity that shapes our ends,
Rough hew them how we will,"
and that that divinity is none other than the "God of
our fathers."

310 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

Eulogy on James A. Garfield.

BY HON. JAMES G. BLAINE.

Surely, if happiness can ever come from the
honors or triumphs of this world, on that quiet July
morning James A. Garfield may well have been a happy
man. No foreboding of evil haunted him; no slight
est premonition of danger clouded his sky. His ter
rible fate was upon him in an instant. One moment
he stood erect, strong, confident in the years stretch
ing peacefully out before him. The next he lay
wounded, bleeding, helpless, doomed to weary weeks
of torture, to silence, and the grave.
Great in life, he was unsurpassingly great in
death. For no cause, in the very frenzy of wanton
ness and wickedness, by the red hand of murder, he
was thrust from the full tide of this world's interest,
from its hopes, its aspirations, its victories, into the
visible presence of death — and he did not quail. Not
alone for the short moment in which, stunned and
dazed, he could give up life, hardly aware of its relin
quishment, but through days of deadly languor,
through weeks of agony, that was not less agony be
cause silently borne, with clear sight and calm courage,
he looked into his open grave. What blight and ruin
met his anguished eyes, whose lips may tell — what
brilliant, broken plans, what baffled, high ambitions,
what sundering of strong, warm, manhood's friend
ships, what bitter rending of sweet household ties!
Behind him a proud, expectant nation, a great host of
sustaining friends, a cherished and happy mother,
wearing the full, rich honors of her early toil and

JAMES ABRAM GARFIELD. 311
tears; the wife of his youth, whose whole life lay in
his; the little boys not yet emerged from childhood's
day of frolic ; the fair young daughter ; the sturdy sons
just springing into closest companionship, claiming
every day and every day rewarding a father's love
and care ; and in his heart the eager, rejoicing power
to meet all demands. Before him, desolation and great
darkness ! And his soul was not shaken. His coun
trymen were thrilled with instant, profound, and uni
versal sympathy. Masterful in his mortal weakness,
he became the center of a nation's love, enshrined in
the prayers of a world. But all the love and all the
sympathy could not share with him his suffering. He
trod the wine press alone. With unfaltering front he
faced death. With unfailing tenderness he took leave
of life. Above the demoniac hiss of the assassin's
bullet he heard the voice of God. With simple resig
nation he bowed to the divine decree.
As the end drew near, his early craving for the
sea returned. The stately mansion of power had
been to him the wearisome hospital of pain, and he
begged to be taken from its prison walls, from its
oppressive, stifling air, from its homelessness and its
hopelessness. Gently, silently, the love of a great peo
ple bore the pale sufferer to the longed for healing of
the sea, to live or to die, as God should will, within
sight of its heaving billows, within sound of its mani
fold voices. With wan, fevered face tenderly lifted
to the cooling breeze, he looked out wistfully upon the
ocean's changing wonders; on its far sails, whitening
in the morning light; on its restless waves, rolling
shoreward to break and die beneath the noonday sun ;
on the red clouds of evening, arching low to the
horizon; on the serene and shining pathway of the

312 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
stars. Let us think that his dying eyes read a mystic
meaning which only the rapt and parting soul may
know. Let us believe that in the silence of the reced
ing world he heard the great waves breaking on a
farther shore, and felt already upon his wasted brow
the breath of the eternal morning.

Edward Orton.

BY W. 0. THOMPSON.

THE last generation has seen many men whose
attainments and public services have made
Ohio citizenship a matter of some pride.
Among men who have risen to public prominence, the
Ohio teacher has been in constant evidence. The
qualities that make good teachers are the qualities
needed in all men who are to be trusted with the inter
ests of others or who are to lead popular thinking
into proper channels. Dr. Edward Orton for many
years stood among the first citizens of Ohio by reason
of his sterling manhood, his strong and lovable per
sonality, his efficiency as a teacher and his eminence
in the science of geology to which he devoted the chief
energies of his life.
Edward Orton had the common experience of
most notable men in that he was well-born. Relieved
of the distress of poverty and the temptation of wealth,
he was trained in those habits of economy and in
dustry that made a healthy growth and devotion to
his calling possible. His father was a Presbyterian
minister at Deposit, New York, where Edward Or
ton was born March 9, 1829. Later the family removed
to Ripley, New York, where the boy, under the tuition
of his father and the academies of Westfield and
Fredonia, prepared for college. He entered the Soph
omore class of Hamilton College, in 1845, and grad
uated with' distinction in 1848. These experiences
(313)

314

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

PROFESSOR EDWARD ORTON.

EDWARD ORTON. 315
brought him under the best influences of his day and
prepared him for the broad usefulness which awaited
him. After some experience in teaching, he attended
Lane Theological Seminary at Cincinnati, where he con
tinued to exercise his gifts as a tutor to other students.
His eyesight for a time interfered with the progress of
his study, but, in 1851, he was again engaged in teach
ing in the Delaware Literary Institute at Franklin,
New York. His experience in teaching led him to-
further study and he became, in 1852, a student in the
Lawrence Scientific School of Harvard University.
Here his love for scientific study was cultivated so that
as early as 1856 he became professor of the natural
sciences in the State Normal School at Albany, N. Y.
From 1859 to 1865 Professor Orton was principal of
an academy at Chester, Orange County, N. Y. From
this position he was called to Antioch College, Yellow
Springs, Ohio, where he remained as professor of nat
ural history until 1872 when he became president of
that institution. In 1873, he was elected first president
of the Ohio State University and remained in this
office for eight years when he resigned the presidency
and continued as professor of geology, in which
capacity- he served until his death, October 16, 1899.
In 1869 Governor Rutherford B. Hayes appointed
Professor Orton one of the assistants upon the Geo
logical Survey of Ohio. In 1882, he became State
Geologist and served with distinction in this capacity
until his death.
The history of Professor Orton is interesting in
every detail but a brief sketch may dwell only on the
outstanding features that arrest universal attention.
Preeminently Dr. Orton was a teacher. To this he
devoted his life and here his greatest work was done.

316 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
His students remember his genial personality, his un
selfish devotion to the work and his inspiring enthusi
asm. He had in rare degree the power to awaken
the intellectual life of his students and stir enthusiasm.
His students bear testimony to the fact that his class
room was a delight. He not only knew men but was
himself a splendid example. In his relations to the
public he magnified the importance of his high office
as a teacher. Before teachers' associations, farmers'
institutes and other public gatherings Professor Orton
was not only a welcome but an instructive speaker. He
made no effort to amuse or entertain but his addresses
were none the less welcome for that fact. Possessed
of a high degree of moral earnestness and a genuine
love of learning he was always the teacher of men
whatever the occasion might be. The far reaching
character of this service can be recognized but not
measured. A teacher's work is not easily computed.
Its importance arises from the importance of man him
self. We are disposed to estimate men by their literary
remains or by some other material embodiment of their
work. These are not complete or true estimates.
Books are valuable but men are beyond value. The
teacher who can lead and inspire men can put his
energies to no better expression. In this particular
Professor Orton was eminently successful. He could
make a book — but better far he could inspire a boy
to become a man.
Back of Dr. Orton's teaching power was the re
pose of careful scholarship. This gave his teaching
that authority without which the highest results can
not be reached. His enthusiasm sprang from his love
of the truth. The science of geology had for him a
fascination from which there was no escape. In his

EDWARD ORTON. 317
later years when his friends valued his services and
loved him for his own sake and would gladly have
excused him from the drudgery of his calling, Dr. Or
ton showed the same devotion to science that had
characterized the years of his earlier manhood. When
infirmity had overtaken him and a partial recovery
followed, he could not turn aside from his chosen work.
His address before the American Association for the
Advancement of Science, but three months prior to
his death, was a fine example of the scholar in the
presence of men devoted to the work of education and
science. During his years of service as state geologist
he made valuable contributions to the literature of the
subject, evidence of which can be seen in the volumes
of the Geological Survey of Ohio published under his
direction. He was commonly known as a special
student of the problems of economic geology. The
questions of sewage disposal, water supply and public
sanitation were the subjects of special study and in
quiry. He gave much attention to the supplies of coal
oil and natural gas. In his study of these subjects he
kept constantly before his mind the economic relations
of these materials and their relation to society. He
was a devoted student of pure science but more also
he believed and taught that applied science was to be,
in large measure, the means of adding to the pleasure
and comfort of society.
The two qualities suggested above added to his
strength and usefulness as a president. In this office
he was a rare man whose tact allowed his other quali
ties to serve in a most efficient way. The administra
tive work of a president was not welcome to him.
He was averse to the proposition when he was asked
to assume the presidency of the new Agricultural and

318

OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

MAP SHOWING GLACIATED AREA OF OHIO.

EDWARD ORTON. 319
Mechanical College. Only when he came to feel the
pressure of duty did he turn aside from personal
preferences and assume the responsibilities of the office.
This disposition associated with a genuineness and sin
cerity that no man could question doubtless added to
his efficiency. During his presidency there were many
and difficult problems before the young institution.
The question of industrial education was then new in
Ohio. The prejudices against agricultural education
had to be overcome. Education in the mechanic arts
had few advocates. When the time came for reorgan
ization and the proposal was made to establish the Ohio
State University and thus widen the sphere of educa
tion under the control of the State there was serious
and bitter opposition. In these trying times Dr. Orton
was a president of rare judgment, farseeing wisdom
and unusual tact. His university addresses during
these years show a clear grasp of the problems of
education and a statesman's insight upon matters of
public education.
His relations to the faculty were as near to the
ideal as are ever realized. His leadership was due to
the universal confidence in the soundness of his judg
ment, the sincerity of the man, the honesty of his
purpose and his determination to do the right as he
saw it. Amid all the problems of the young college
he never lowered his ideals but stood for an ac
curate scholarship that should command the respect
of the educated world. He could not tolerate careless
or indifferent work in the college. He had the fore
sight to see that the reputation of the College must rest
on the quality of its work. To him more than to any
other man is due the credit for laying the foundations

320 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
so well that the later years add emphasis to the im
portance of this work. *
In his relations to the students Dr. Orton was
singularly felicitous. He could penetrate any boyish
sophistry and bring the student face to face with him
self in such a way as to win the boy he was compelled
to discipline. He made manifest to students the obliga
tions of college life and with an appeal to reason and
principle held the student body about him with love
and esteem. In those days the college was small but
steadily and rapidly growing. To every student Dr.
Orton was a living inspiration. His modest bearing
and his manly character endeared him alike to Trus
tees, faculty and students. He was able to stand
quietly in his place and so conduct the affairs of the
College that most unreasonable and often bitter criti
cism failed utterly. His name and work alike abide
as an invaluable heritage to the institution where
twenty-six years of his life were- spent.
In one other relation Dr. Orton proved his worth.
He deserves a place among Ohio's foremost citizens.
His patriotism was of the type that puts the public
welfare always in the ascendency over any private or
partisan interests. He identified himself closely with
the affairs of his city and served as a member of the
Board of Trade gratuitously on important committees,
giving much time and counsel to questions of sanita
tion, water supply, sewage disposal, the care of streets
and other matters that minister so much to the health
and comfort of those who reside in cities. Outside of
the city he was equally interested in the problems that
were important to the industrial and commercial in
terests of the people. As a student of geology he

EDWARD ORTON. 321
brought his learning to bear upon the important ques
tions of coal, oil, gas and indeed all the mineral in
dustries of the state. In political matters he took a
lively interest in securing the "nomination of men who
would consider the public service as the chief opportu
nity of public office. In all these matters he was the
same hopeful, industrious, capable man. His winning
personality added to his natural and acquired gifts
made him a man everywhere beloved. Of such citi
zens the state has too few; of such men there is al
ways a scarcity ; of such teachers there can not be too
high an appreciation.

21

322 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.

WILLIAM MCKINLEY.

William McKinley.

BY J. A. SHAWAN.

HAD you been at Camp Chase just west of the
City of Columbus on the nth of June, 1861,
you might have seen two young men walk
ing along the old national road toward the recruiting
station where, in cool deliberation, they enlisted in the
service of their country. There was nothing to move
them, no exciting speeches; their enlistment was a
calm, deliberate, manly act. Their country needed
them and they were ready to serve. These two young
men were William McKinley, Jr. and his cousin Wil
liam McKinley Osborn, afterwards consul general
of the United States at London, England.
William McKinley was born at Niles, Ohio, on
the 29th day of January, 1843, and was at the time
of his enlistment but eighteen years old. He was
genuinely American, his great grandfather having
served in the Revolutionary War; he was thoroughly
a Buckeye, his grandfather having settled in Ohio as
early as 1814. He combined the mental vigor of the
Scotch with the love of religious freedom which char
acterized the Puritan ; for the McKinleys were Scotch-
Irish having emigrated to America from Scotland,
while his grandmother's people belonged to that band
of Puritans who went from England to Holland and
came from Holland to Pennsylvania under William
Penn. His early education was obtained in the public
schools of Niles, his native town, the Union Seminary
(323)

324 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
of Poland, Ohio, and Allegheny College, Meadville,
Pennsylvania. As a student he was industrious and
succesful, showing that power of close application
which characterized all of his later work.
Though young when he enlisted as a soldier, Mr.
McKinley had already taught a term of school and in
this experience had acquired that knowledge of human
nature which proved so valuable to him in later years.
The two young men enlisted as privates in Com
pany B of the Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
This illustrious regiment had as its commanding offi
cers three of the best known men of the nation. It
started to the front with W. S. Rosecrans as its
colonel and Stanley Mathews as lieutenant colonel.
When these two noted men were promoted and were
transferred, Colonel R. B. Hayes was placed in com
mand of the Twenty-third. Think of the influence of
these three great men on the life and career of a young
man not yet twenty ! What a training school ! It
was here that he and Colonel Hayes came to know
and appreciate each other and formed that personal
attachment that lasted through life. "Hayes believed
in him and he believed in Hayes."
For a mere boy Mr. McKinley's advancement
was phenomenal. He was made second lieutenant
on September 24, 1862, for gallant service. On the
seventh day of February, 1863, he was promoted to
position of first lieutenant and soon became Cap
tain of his company. Before he had yet reached his
twenty-first birthday, he was brevetted major by
Abraham Lincoln. The signature of the nation's first
martyred president gave this order a priceless value.
No wonder that in after years he took so much pride
in the modest title, Major McKinley.

WILLIAM m'kinley. 325
In charge of the commissaries at the bloody
battle of Antietam, he served the men with Lot coffee,
a thing never before heard of in the history of the
world. And yet, how like him! It was but the ex
pression of his sympathetic nature as shown again
when, as Governor of Ohio, he sent provisions to the
suffering miners in the Hocking Valley. Preemi
nently a friend of the poor, his sympathies always ex
pressed themselves in action.
William McKinley's political ideas were but the
outgrowth of his own early life. His father ran an
iron furnace and his boyhood was filled with exper
iences connected with industrial life. It is not strange
that these experiences were so often reflected in his
public addresses and political speeches. More than
we think are our lives influenced and shaped by the
surroundings of childhood. Thoughts take root then
that do not fully develop until late in life. Thus it
was that Mr. McKinley became the great champion
of the "protection of American industries."
He was seven times elected to Congress from the
same district, his term of service covering a period
of fourteen years, from March 4, 1877, to J89i.
During his last term in Congress he was a candidate
for the speakership of the House but was defeated by
Thomas Reed of Maine. In defeat he was strong.
Speaker Reed made him chairman of the committee
on ways and means, the most important committee
of the House of Representatives. As chairman of
this committee he prepared the bill which bears his
name and gave him an international reputation; in
fact, it made him president. During these years in
Congress he was thoroughly schooled in national

326 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
affairs which no one doubts he understood better than
those of his own state. His judgment in state matters
was sometimes questioned, but in national affairs,
his opinions were sought and respected by all parties
alike. By a redistricting of the state, Mr. McKinley's
district was niade so strongly Democratic that it was
impossible for a Republican to be elected to Congress,
so he was defeated. The following summer he was
nominated for governor of Ohio and elected by the
usual majority of his party. In 1893 he was renomin
ated and elected by the unusual majority of 81,000.
As governor of the state he was unassuming and
cordial with every one and his face was familiar on
the streets of Columbus as he walked to and fro
from his hotel to the Capitol — often stopping to shake
hands or chat with a friend. The school children
loved to place themselves in his way and receive his
smile as he passed by.
He was a delegate to the National Republican
Convention which met at Chicago, in 1884, was chair
man of the committee on resolutions and so shaped
the platform of his party. He was a delegate at
large from Ohio to the National Republican Con
vention also held in Chicago in 1888, was again chair
man of the committee on resolutions, and supported
John Sherman of Ohio for president. He was again
a delegate to the convention which met at Minne
apolis in 1892 and presided over that body. He sup
ported President Harrison for renomihation. He was
repeatedly urged to allow his own name to be used
before this convention, but persistently refused. In
spite of his refusal, he received the votes of 182 dele-

WILLIAM m'kinley. 327
gates of the convention. Mr. Harrison was renom
inated for a second term, which he richly deserved.
No one will honestly say that Mr. McKinley was
not ambitious to become president. It is a worthy
ambition. He felt that he could not afford to accept
a nomination which was not obtained by an open and
honorable contest. The wisdom of' his course was
fully demonstrated; for the great convention of his
party that met in St. Louis, in 1896, nominated him
on the first ballot by a practically unanimous vote
and he was elected by the tremendous majority of
600,000. Like Abraham Lincoln, he seems to have been
a man of destiny, for a great crisis was upon
the nation when he took the presidential chair ; Cuba,
the gem of the Antilles, was in a state of anarchy
brought on, as it was believed in this country, by
Spanish oppression and misrule. Pressure was
brought upon the President and Congress from all
sides to declare war against Spain and to free Cuba.
President McKinley believed that war might be
avoided and did all in his power to prevent it. But
war was inevitable. The sinking of the battleship
Maine, in the harbor of Havana, without warning
and without cause, fired the American people with a
determination to shake off Spanish rule on this side
of the Atlantic. This country was not prepared for
war. For years it had been at peace with all nations
and the -world little dreamed of its mighty power.
The President moved at once and the world knows the
result. The thunder of artillery at Manila, Santiago,
El Caney, and San Juan shook the throne of Spain.
War was soon over. Peace was sought and obtained,

328 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
and Cuba was free. That his course in the Spanish-
American War was approved was amply shown in
his reelection to the presidency in 1900 by a majority
of 850,000. One thing that always impressed Mr. McKinley's
hearers was the evident sincerity of the man. He
might have joirted himself to the prevailing party in
his own city and county and in this way he would have
secured earlier preferment. But he chose rather to
stand by what he believed. This was the source of
his great power, he had confidence in his own teach
ings — being honest, he was earnest, intense even, in
advocating his own views. The American people al
ways admire a man of such character whether or not
they believe in all his teachings.
President McKinley was not a brilliant man, but
clear, sober, earnest, full of good common sense,
just what is needed in the executive of a great nation.
He was never headstrong or radical, but always calm
and considerate. Thoroughly democratic in his
methods, he deferred to the judgment of others in
a way that secured their most hearty support and co
operation. He was courteous almost to a fault, often
leading those of slight insight into human nature to
imagine that promises had been made when respect
ful treatment only was intended. In many respects he
resembled Lincoln, his ideal statesman : each began his
first administration amid the gathering of the clouds
of war ; each pursued a conciliatory course and tried
to avoid the struggle with all of its bloodshed and
horror; both were criticised for their delay and vili
fied by members of their own party; neither shrank
from the performance of duty after war had once

WILLIAM m'kinley. 329
been declared; at the close of the contest each laid
his life on the altar of his country; the one abolished
human slavery in America, the other has opened the
way for the universal brotherhood of man. The
death of Lincoln united the North as it had not been
for years preceding the Civil War — the death of
McKinley not only united all sections of this country,
but touched the heart of civilization. For the first
time in its history, services were held in Westminster
Abbey in memory of a ruler of a foreign land.
Our martyred presidents form one of the sad
pages in American history. Two of the three thus
sacrificed belonged to our beloved Ohio. One could
understand something of the feeling that led to the
assassination of President Lincoln, for the Civil War
had just ended and one side had lost. Those were not
lacking whose embittered feelings and shattered in
tellect 'would make them equal to such a dastardly
deed. Garfield fell as a sacrifice to the "spoils sys
tem," and a disappointed politician with a racked brain
and murder in his heart sought out and hurled into
eternity his victim. But what motive could there
be for the murder of President McKinley? He had
maintained the honor of the American people on land
and sea. He was not the victim of sectional strife or
party hatred. Yet, on the 6th of September, 1901,
a guest of the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo,
not suspecting that any one meant him harm, he was
shot down by an assassin without a motive other than
base notoriety. What a shock to the American people !
What a shock to the civilized world! Eight days
later, September 14, 1901, he died. All of his country
men, regardless of party or sect, hastened to do him

330 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
honor. There never had been such a funeral in the
history of the world. For five minutes on the day of
the funeral, September 19, every engine, every form
of motive power throughout the land stood still, a
silent expression of love and sympathy.
One of the beautiful traits of our lamented Presi
dent was his simple, manly devotion to his invalid
wife. When in sickness, she never called in vain, no
matter how great the distance or how important the
business that had temporarily separated him from her.
Even in that dark hour when the assassin's bullet had
penetrated his body, as he sank back into the chair,
his first thought was of her comfort and protection.
"Do not tell her," he said pleadingly, for he feared
the consequences of such a shock upon one so deli
cate. His love for her was only equaled by hers for
him. On one occasion the writer had the honor to
sit on the platform when Mr. McKinley made one of
his great speeches. Mrs. McKinley was present and
her eyes never left him during the entire speech.
To one who congratulated her on the clear and
forcible manner in which her husband had spoken,
she answered enthusiastically, "He always does well
and I always love to hear him."
He himself once said when speaking on Lincoln,
"A noble manhood, nobly consecrated to man, never
dies." Certain it is that the influence of the life of
McKinley will be felt for years and his last words of
resignation, "It is God's way" will ever be remem
bered. The beautiful strains of his favorite hymns:
"Lead Kindly Light" and "Nearer My God to Thee"
have been sung by the millions as never before and a
heavenly benediction has seemed to descend upon the

WILLIAM M'KINLEY. 331
American people as if they had fallen heirs to the
mantle of the departed. Surely
"His life was gentle; and the elements
So mixed in him. that Nature might stand up,
And say to all the world, 'This was a man.' "

A Century of Statehood Reviewed.

BY DANIEL J. RYAN.

OHIO has passed through her first century of
statehood. No political society of ancient or
modern times has progressed in moral and
material growth as has Ohio in that hundred years of
her history. Her development and achievements re
present in a stronger degree than that of any other
state of the Union the triumphant history of the Amer
ican people. Her physical location and favorable sit
uation, between the Great Lakes on the north and the
beautiful Ohio on the south, made her a point of con
centration for early emigration from the east. Her
boundless natural resources, fertile soil, valuable for
ests and a pleasant climate, induced permanent location
of settlers. The men who settled Ohio came as home builders,
and not as conquerors. The pioneer blood of Ohio
was the bravest and truest that New England, Pennsyl -
vania and Virginia could give. A century has min
gled it with the strong and healthy emigration of other
lands. The result has been a powerful, patriotic and
opulent state. Its history covers no more years than
the lifetime of many men, but it shows a wondrous
transformation from a land of savagery to a common
wealth of the highest civilization. The annals of hu
man history do not furnish a parallel.
When the Nineteenth Century opened, the foun
dations of Ohio had been laid. The settlements at
(332)

A CENTURY OF STATEHOOD REVIEWED. 333
Marietta, Cincinnati, Gallipolis, Cleveland and Chilli
cothe had developed into important towns. They were
the centers of agricultural regions, and were the points
from which trade in those days was distributed. The
settlers in the sparsely populated portions were en
gaged in clearing the land for farming purposes. The
population was rapidly increasing and all was peace
and prosperity. The Indians had been subdued, and
they no longer were a menace or terror to the white
man. At this time — 1800 — the population of what
is now Ohio numbered about 42,000 souls. Trans
portation and trade were increasing in the Ohio River.
Bullet-proof keel boats were moving regularly between
Cincinnati and Pittsburg. The transportation by land
was by the heavy and cumbersome trading wagons
drawn by four and six horses. Cincinnati was the
great distributing point for the southern part of the
territory; Chillicothe for the central part; Marietta
for the southeastern part, and Cleveland for the north
ern and eastern part.
' The necessaries of life consisted wholly of the pro
ducts of the field and the conquests of the hunt. The
table of the pioneer Ohioan of 1800 was usually laden
with bear or venison and turkey ; if near lake, river, or
stream, fish often took the place of game ; tea and corn-
bread with wild honey completed the meal. Beef and
pork were easily obtained.
The iron, that was used in Ohio in those days,
came from Pittsburg and Baltimore, and, when from
the latter place it cost $200 a ton to carry it into the
interior. As for salt, the southern and central part
of Ohio got their supply from the "Scioto Salt Works,"
in what is Jackson County to-day, to which place
hundreds of settlers regularly repaired to secure a

334 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
supply of that needful article. It sold at the works
for two and three dollars a bushel, and after the
journey homeward of a hundred miles the purchaser
sold it to his neighbors for seven dollars a bushel.
There were no vehicles in those days except those
for burden. A conveyance for pleasure was unknown.
Such was the general condition of the people within
what is now Ohio, in 1800.
The people in convention adopted their first Con
stitution November 29th, 1802, and on Thursday,
March 1st, 1803, the first legislature of Ohio met at
Chillicothe. Edward Tiffin was elected governor in
January before. Under the first constitution, the leg
islature appointed the state officers. The following
were the first officers of the new State of Ohio : Secre
tary of State, William Creighton Jr. ; Auditor of State,
Thomas Gibson ; Treasurer of State, William McFar-
land ; Judges of the Supreme Court, Return J. Meigs,
Jr., Samuel Huntington and William Spriggs.
Thomas Worthington and John Smith were elected
United States Senators. Thus fully equipped with
all the agencies of government, Ohio entered the sister
hood of the Union.
The first seven years of Ohio as a state was a
period of most marvelous advancement. The year
1810 found the population of the state to be 230,760,
an astonishing increase of more than 400 per cent over
that of 1800. The immigration was of a healthy,
constant and valuable class. The establishment of
eighteen new counties within this period shows that the
newly added element to Ohio's population was scatter
ing itself all over the State, for these were in the south
ern, central and northern portions. Out of the wilder
ness, by industry, came wealth; and we find, in 1810,

A CENTURY OF STATEHOOD REVIEWED. 335
that the taxable property in Ohio was valued at twenty-
five millions of dollars. The natural resources of the
state became known in this period. The first blast
furnace was operated in 1808 in Mahoning County,
and coal was first mined in 1810 in Summit County.
Thus two of the greatest factors in the growth and
importance of the state were contemporaneous.
Education had secured a substantial start in the
new state by the establishment of the Ohio University
at Athens, in 1804, and the Miami University at
Oxford, in 1809. When the foundation of Ohio was
laid popular education was its cornerstone. The ordi
nance of 1787, and the constitution of 1803 provided
that education should be forever encouraged and main
tained. It was not, however, until 1825 that the
system of common schools was established. The ma
terial and intellectual development of the state went
hand in hand, and we find that in that year the great
system of canals and common schools were simultane
ously authorized and projected by the legislature. The
system of popular education established in 1825 has
"been improved so that it stands to-day a structure of
majestic power and good. So thoroughly are the
people interested, and attracted to it, that no means
are spared that are necessary to a perfect condition.
While the state was progressing in its moral and
physical attributes, it was not without its trials. The
War of 1812 was partly fought within its borders.
The siege of Fort Meigs, the defense of Fort Stephen
son and Perry's Victory on Lake Erie were all partici
pated in by Ohioans and added to the fame and glory of
the state. Ohio expended over $300,000 as her share of
the war, and her Governor Meigs won for himself and

336 OHIO HISTORY SKETCHES.
his state the approbation of the country by his ener
getic and patriotic efforts in resisting British invasion.
The arts of peace and progress continued to flour
ish undisturbed after the war of 1812, and their chief
victories have been mentioned in the accomplishment of
internal improvements and popular education. The
state which had for a half a century been purely of an
agricultural type, began to develop its mining and
manufacturing interests. It became one of the great
est states of the Union in the production of coal and
iron, and with their development came machinery and
manufacturing. Its commerce also extended, and its
resources became as diversified in the productions of
artificial life as they were in those of nature.
In 1861, the state of Ohio was called, in common
with the other northern states, to bear her share in
the suppression of the rebellion of the southern states.
To do this she furnished 317,000 of her -citizens to the.
national government. She gave to the country Grant,
Sherman, Sheridan, McClellan, Rosecrans, McPherson,
Buell, Gilmore, McDowell, Mitchell, McCook and a
dozen other generals of the war. She furnished to
the cabinet the head of the war department, Edwin
M. Stanton. One of her governors, Salmon P. Chase,
became secretary of the treasury. In the senate,
two of her sons, Benjamin F. Wade and John Sher
man, the respective chairmen of the Committee on the
Conduct of the War, and the Committee on Finance.
Wherever wisdom, valor, conviction, patriotism were
needed, there Ohio men were to be found. When
peace came, the great State, which had sent into the
field an army of her sons equal to the war footing of
Great Britain, received them again within her borders
as civilians, again to become workers in the shops, the

A CENTURY OF STATEHOOD REVIEWED. 337
mines, the counting rooms and on the farms. With
peace and return to civil life came prosperity un
bounded, and with pride in her past and hope in her
resources, Ohio marched forward to a quiet and tri
umphant future. She has never lagged in her pro
gress. Every year has been one of added increase in
greatness, in wealth and in power. The first hundred
years of her statehood have gone, and she opens the
twentieth century with the richest prospects of exceed
ing the past.

*22

INDEX.

Andrews, Israel Ward : —
Author of "Manual of
Constitution," 208; comes
to Marietta, 205; on date
of admission of Ohio,
209; urges union schools,
207.
Bebb, Gov. William : — Ar
rested in 111., 148; de
fended by Corwin, 150;
governor of Ohio, 146.
Beecher, Henry Ward : —
At Amherst College and
Lane Seminary, 183, 184;
editor of "The Cincinnati
Journal," 184; enters min
istry, 184; in England, 186.
Beecher, Lyman, 181.
Bienville de, Celeron, 13.
Cabots, 13.
Cary Sisters : — Birthplace,
151; education, 153; first
volume of poems issued,
154; estimate of their po
etry, 156; quotations, 157.
Cartier, Jacques, 12.
Champlain, Samuel, 12.
Chase, Salmon P. : — Anti-
slavery leader, 190; ap
pointed Chief-Justice, 193;
candidate for President,
192; early experience, 189 ;
enters law, 190 ; estimate
of Clay's compromise,
191; in Lincoln's cabinet,
192; Lincoln's estimate,
188; U. S. Senator, 196.

Connecticut Land Compa
ny's Purchase, 49.
Corwin, Thomas : — Advice
to young men, 141; to
ward Mexican War, 145;
defends William Bebb,
147; defense of General
Harrison, 144; early edu
cation, 139 ; outline of life,
139.
Court, for the Northwest
Territory: — Mentioned,
22; changes in, 69; duties
of, 70; laws enacted, 70;
members of, 67.
Crogan, Maj., 105: — Genl.
Harrison's report, 107.
Cutler, Manasseh : — Agent
of Ohio Company, 28;
son's account of departure
for Ohio, 27; sketch of
life, 29; work before Con
gress, 29.
Dohrmann's land grant, 53.
Ewing, Thomas : — Admit
ted to bar, 213; a friend of
Lincoln, 218; chosen U.
S. Senator, 214; comes to
Ohio, 210; early life, 211;
early teachers, 226; first
books, 223; graduates
from Ohio University,
212; law experiences, 228;
Sec'y of Interior, 213;
Sec'y of Treasury, 216.
Fallen Timbers, Battle of,
95.

(339)

340

INDEX.

Fire lands, 49.
Fort Stephenson, defense
of, 102.
French land grant, 47.
Fugitive Slave Laws, 166.
Garfield, James A. :— An
cestry, 350; chief events
of life, 307; elected presi
dent, 309; eulogy on, 310;
U. S. Senator, 307; work
in army, 307.
Giddings, Joshua R. : — Be
comes lecturer, 163; birth
place, 158; consul-general
to Canada, 163; early
training, 158; member of
Congress, 160; member of
Ohio Legislature, 159;
politically independ
ent, 161; removes to Ohio,
158; serves in Indian war,
159.
Grant, U. S. :— Early life,
249; enters West Point,
251; in civil life, 253; in
Mexican War, 251; in
War of Rebellion, 254;
President, '255.
Harrison William Henry : —
Early education, 115; en
ters army, 116 ; goes to
Ohio, 117; Governor of
Indiana, 119, 23; nomin
ated for president, 123;
Sec'y of Northwest Ter
ritory, 119; under Wayne,
117.
Hayes, R B. :— Attitude to
ward cheap money, 290;
boyhood, 285; elected gov
ernor, 289 ; elected to Con

gress, 289; elected Presi
dent, 291; in Kenyon and
Harvard, 286; services in
Civil War.
Lafayette :— Visits U. S.,
126; visits Ohio, 128; re
ception, 129 ; school child
ren, 132; Genl. Harrison's
address, 130.
Land grants, 43-55.
Mann, Horace : — Early life,
196; enters law, 197; edu
cator, 198 ; enters Con
gress, 200; in Massachu
setts Legislature.
MacGahan, Janarius A. : — ¦
Early life, 240; enters
journalism, 243; in Rus
sia, 244; in Spain, 244; in
Turkey, 244; pleads for
Bulgaria, 246.
McKinley, William :—
Early life, 323; elected to
Congress, 3 2 5; elected
President, 327; estimate
of, 328; services in Civil
War, 324.
Maumee road lands, 53.
Moravian land grant, 55.
Morrow, Governor, 129.
Mounds: — Location of, 2?
principal mounds, 3, 4;
uses of, 6.
Mound Builders : — Anti
quity of, 8; civilization of,
2; results of study, 10;
villages, 3.
Northwest Territory :
— Boundary of, 12 ; be
comes English territory.
15; ceded to U. S., 16;

INDEX.

341

different claimants to, 12.
13; different claimants to
under U. S., 16; disposi
tion of claims, 18; govern
ment for, 20; first court,
66.
Ohio : — Admitted to Un
ion, 24; character of set
tlers, 332; conditions in
1800, 333; in the War of
1812, 335; in War of Re
bellion, 336.
Ohio Company of Associ-
a t e s : — Organized, 35;
land granted to, 35.
Ohio Company's purchase,
46.
Ohio Constitutional Conven
tion, 24; slavery in conven
tion, 62.
Ohio - Michigan boundary
dispute, 215.
Ordinance of 1787 : — Char
acter of, 36; provisions of,
37-42.
Orton, Edward : — • Early
life, 313; events in life,,
315; estimate of, 316-321.
Parsons, Samuel H. : —
Sketch of, 63-69.
Perry, Oliver H., victory
on Lake Erie, 108.
Pioneer Living, 221.
Putnam, Rufus, 22, sketch
of, 81.
Refugee land grant, 52.
Salt sections, 54.
School reservations, 54, 55.
Seven ranges, 46, 46.
Sheridan, Philip H., sketch
of, 273.

Sherman, John : — Charac
ter of his reading, 299
elected to Congress, 300
report on Kansas, 301
Sec'y of Treasury, 303; U.
S. Senator, 302.
Sherman William T. : —
Graduates from West
Point, 267; part taken in
Civil War, 268; personal
appearance, 265.
St. Clair, Arthur : — With
Genl. Wolfe, 56; serves in
Revolutionary War, 56;
Governor of Northwest
Territory, 58, 32; removed
from office, 63; closing
years of his life, 63.
Stanton, Edwin M. : — Boy
hood, 277; Att'y Gen.,
280; Sec'y of War, 281;
member of Supreme
Court, 282.
Stowe, Harriet Beecher : —
Comes to Cincinnati, 181;
marries Calvin E. Stowe,
181 ; Uncle Tom's Cabin,
182.
Symmes, John Cleves, 22.
68; sketch 'of, 73.
Symmes' Purchase, 48.
Thames, Battle of, 123.
Thurman, Allen G. :— An
cestry, 231; enters law,
_233 ; U. S. Senator, 236.
Tiffin, Edward : — Comes to
Ohio, 99; first governor,
99; U. S. Senator, 100.
Tippecanoe, Battle of, 121.
Treaties : — Of Paris of
1763, 15; of Paris of 1783,

342

INDEX.

16; of Ft. Stanwix, 18; of
Ft. Mcintosh, 14, 44; of
Ft. Harmar, 19; of Green
ville, 44, 93; of Ft. Indus
try, 44; of St. Marys, 44.
Turnpike lands, 53.
Underground Railroads : —
Canadian incident, 171;
friends of colored fugi
tives, 165; methods of
conducting slaves, 170;
naming of the road, 167 ;
number of slaves escap
ing, 171; routes, 166; sta
tions, 167.
U. S. Military Lands, 50.
Varnum, James M, 22, 66;
sketch of, 68.

Virginia Military Lands, 50.
Wade, Benjamin F. : —
Early life, 173 ; enters law,
175; Ohio senator, 177; U.
S. Senator, 178; president
of senate, 179.
Waite, Morrison R. : — Char
acter of, 263; early life,
259; Chief Justice, 261;
U. S. Consul at Geneva
260.
Wayne, Anthony : — Boy
hood, 88; character as a
general, 92; in Revolu
tionary War, 9; in Indian
War, 93.
Western Reserve, 48.
Zanes' sections of land, 54.