Cu

YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

1938

CONTRIBUTIONS

EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST,

INCLUDIKO TUB

MORAVIAN MISSIONS IN OHIO.

SAMUEL P. HILDRETH, M. D.

CINCINNA TJ:
HITCHCOCK & WALDEN.
NEW yORK:
CARLTON & LAN A II AN.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, iu the year liJBl,
BY POE & HTTOHCOCK,
In tho Clerk's Office of tho District Court for the Southern
District of Ohio.

•J

ADVERTISEMENT.

The following sketches of pioneer life and
times were written by the late Samuel P. Hil-
dreth, M. D., and by him given some years
since to Hon. Elisha Whittlesey, first Con
troller of the Treasury. On Mr. Whittlesey's
death they came by bequest into tho possession
of T. B. Tait, of Ashtabula county, Ohio, by
Avhom they were sent to our Agents for pub
lication. They relate mainly to scenes and
incidents in North-Eastern Ohio, and include
a brief account of the Moravian Mission.
The author. Dr. Hildreth, was himself a pio
neer and the historian of pioneers. He was a
native of Methuen, Essex county, Massachu
setts. In 1806 he commenced the practice of
medicine at Marietta, when the place contained 3

4 ADVERTISEMENT.
but ^ix hundred inhabitants, and continued it
fifty-five years. In 1861, as he said, "I laid
it entirely aside, and am now waiting the time
of my departure with resignation and hope."
He died at his home in Marietta, July 28,
1863, aged eighty years.
The reader will find these pages entertaining
and instructive. Some of the events recorded
have occurred within the life-time and memory
of those yet living, and a few of the actors
or witnesses of these scenes still survive. One
of them, Joseph Kelly, died since these pages
were in the printers' hands. A daughter of the
missionary Ileckewelder yet lives in Pennsyl
vania, having reached a ripe old age. Doubtless
others whose stories are given, are yet with us;
but one by one the aged pioneers are passing
away, and we welcome this volume to perpetuate
their names and deeds to those who enjoy the
fruit of their labors.
The Editor.
Cincinnati, August, 1864.

PREFACE.

On the appearance of a new book before the
public every reader has the right to inquire the
object of the writer in presenting it. In this
instance the author's only plea is the desire
of preserving from utter loss a few of the
many interesting events connected with the
early history of this country, which in a few
brief years would have been entirely forgotten.
They are at present tolerably fresh in the
memories of some of the actors themselves, *
but are fast fading away before the touch of
time. Another object was to compare past
things with present, and thus better enable
the generation of these days to appreciate the
trials and sufferings of those who inhabited this
now beautiful land when it was covered with

6 PREFACE.
vast forests, and tenanted by savages and wild
beasts. The achievements of these men ought
not soon to be forgotten. And last, not least,
was a desire to bring to the light the trials
and sufferings of the Moravian missionaries and
their Indian converts in Ohio. Very few of
the present inhabitants even know that such
a mission ever existed, and still fewer are ac
quainted with the particular events connected
therewith. Copious extracts have been taken
from Loskiel's history, to whom I am indebted
for the facts relating to the mission, and many
of them in his own language.
With these brief remarks the following pages
are presented to the rising generations of tho
West, accompanied with the wish that they
may afford to them as much satisfaction in the
reading as they have to me in the writing.

CONTENTS,

CHAPTER I.
SUMMER, EAMBLINGS.
PAQR.
1. Facts Qatheked  15
2. A Venerable Pioneer  16
3. A Story op Olden Times  21
CHAPTER II.
LEWIS WETZEL.
1. Early Training  21
2. A SiNODLAR Encounter  26
3. Recognition and Reconciliation  29
4. Telling a Sayaqe by his Tracks  30
5. Theory Tested  30
6. The Poesuit  32
7. The Enemy Oyertaken  33
8. Skillful and Successful Attack  34
9. Death of Wetzel  36
CHAPTER III.
BORDER SETTLEMENTS.
1. Old Fort M'Intosh  ,  37
2. Brady's Hill  40
7

8 CONTENTS.
3. Trapping Excursion  43
4. New Connecticut  46
6. Ravenna  48
6. Brady's Pond  49
7. Brady's Leap  60
CHAPTER IV.
INCIDENTS ON THE BORDER.
1. Falls of the Cuyahoga  56
2. Indian Fisheries  58
3. Joseph Kelly, or the Lost Son  59
4. Treaty with the Indians  67
5. Indian Tact  68
6. Cuyahoga Falls  70
7. Tuscarawas  71
8. Fort Laurens  ?!
9. Siege of Fort Laurens  73
10. Relief op the Garrison  73
CHAPTER V.
THE MORAVIAN MISSIONS IN OHIO.
1. schoenbrunn and the moravian missionaries  76
2. Missionary Enteepeise'.  77
3. John IIeokewelder  80
4. Epidemic Disease  81
5. Migrations of the Christian Indians  82
6. Loskiel's Naeeatiye  83
7. Incidents on the Route  86

CONTENTS. 9
PA08.
8. Living Ashes  88
9. Removal to Qnadenhutten  89
10. Proceedings of 1774  91
11. Relief Obtained  84
12. Transactions of 1775  94
13. A New Town Built by the Delawares  95
14. Transactions of 1776  96
15. New Station Established  96
16. Indian Baptism  98
CHAPTER VI.
THE MORAVIAN MISSIONS — CONTINUED.
1. Transactions of 1777  100
2. Trials OP THE Missionaries  101
3. Sohoenbrunn Abandoned  102
4. The Delawares conclude to Fight  102
5. Alarms of the Christian Indians  103
6. Engagement BETWEEN the Hurons and Whites  104
7. Progress of the Mission  1  104
8. Cruelty or the Indians  105
9. Removal feom Gnadenbutten  106
10. Efforts of the British  '.  106
11. Peeservation of the Mission  107
12. Teansactions of 1779  108
13. Plots against THE Missionaries  108
14. Kindness of Colonel Gibson  109
15. Salem Built  110
16. Cheering Appearance OF the Church  Ill
17. Additional Missionaries  112

10 CONTENTS.

PAGU.

18. Birth OF THE First White Child  .'  114
19. Transactions OF 1781  115
20. Attack ON the Missionaries  115
21. Interfeeenoe of a Sorcerer  117
22. Fuethee Aggressions  ,  118
23. Conduct op Believing Indians  121
24. Maqnaniuity OP AN Indian Female  122
25. Exile of the Missionaeies  123
20. Severities OF the Journey  125
27. Sandusky Creek  126
28. The Missionaries Oedered to Detroit  127
29. SuFFEHiHCs DURING THE Winter  123
CHAPTER Vll.
THE MORAVIAN MISSIONS — CONTINUED.
1. Visit op the Hurons  130
2. Further Troubles of the Mission  131
3. Massacre AT Qnadenhutten  132
4. Departure of the Missionaries  134
5. Dispersion OF the Christian Indians  134
6. New Qnadenhutten  135
7. News of Peace  133
8. Transactions of 1784  138
9. Famine AT New Qnadenhutten  139
10. Peogeess OP New Qnadenhutten  141
11. Transactions OF 1785  142
12. Ravages of the Wolves  142
13. Proceedings AT New Qnadenhutten  143
14. The OuippEWAS Order Them Away  144

CONTENTS. 11
PAOB.
16. Departure from New Qnadenhutten  145
16. The Travelers Leave Detroit  146
17. Troubles of the Journey  147
18. Settlement op Pilqeerah  148
19. Remarks  148
20. Proceedings at Pilgeerah  .*.. 149
21. Departure OF Mr. Heckeweldee  150
22. Sickness of the Missionaries  150
23. Transactions of 1787  161
24. Removal from Pilgeerah  163
25. Great Storm  154
26. Fine Fish  154
27. More Trials AND Disappointments  155.
28. Removal to Pettquotting  166
29. Conversion op a Noted Savage  157
30. Mission History since 1787  163
CHAPTER VIII.
CONTINUATION OF BORDER HISTORY.
1. Story of Silver Heels  161
2. Logan's Spring  167
3. First Settlement at Marietta  170
CHAPTER IX.
PIONEER BIOGRArHY.
1. Isaac Williams  179
2. Story op John Wetzel  183
3. BioGRApnY Continued  187

12 CONTENTS.

PAGS.

4. Famine AMONG THE Colonists  189
6. Simple Habits  193
6. Hamilton Kerb  194
CHAPTER X.
• LEGENDS OF BORDER HISTORY.
1. Legend op Carpenter's Bar  199
CHAPTER XI.
MISCELLANEOUS SCRAPS.
1. Description of Fort IIaemae  215
2. Escape op R. J. Meigs, Esq  220
3. Description OF Campus Martius  ;  227
4. Character OF THE Pioneers  232
6. The First Preacher in Ohio  233

CONTRIBUTIONS

EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.

CONTRIBUTIONS

EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.

CHAPTER I.
SUMMER EAMBLINGS.
FACTS GATHERED.
For a number of years past it has been my
practice, during the vernal months, to make
rambling excursions into distant and remote
parts of the Western settlements, for the double
purpose of amusement and the collection of
useful facts in relation to geology, and to the
early history of the country. There is a fresh
ness and youthfulness over the face of the carth
during this season of the year which is gratify
ing to the senses, and highly promotive of cheer
fulness and kindly affections. During these
15

16 EARLY HISTORY OE TUB NORTH-WEST.
periods I have been enabled to gather up many
interesting facts connected with the early settle
ment of the "near West," especially that por
tion of it lying east of the Muskingum River.
It is only in this way that some few of "the
thousand and one adventures," and sufferings
of that brave and hardy race of men, who first
settled on the western side of the AUeghanies,
can be preserved from the oblivion to which
they are rapidly hastening. The period of
human life is so short, that most of the actors
in and the cotemporaries of those events have
already passed away; a few, however, are still
living. A VENERABLE PIONEER.
Only a few days since I saw and conversed
with one of these venerable and aged pioneers —
Peter Anderson — who had resided on the banks
of the Ohio for sixty-six years, or since the
year A. D. 1770. He was then a boy of twelve
or fourteen years of age, and lived witli his

• A VENERABLE PIONEER. 17
parents near the Ohio River, a few miles above
the present town of Wellsburg, in Virginia.
At that time their nearest neighbor was ten
miles distant, and the next nearest, thirty miles.
The first year the family lived in a hut con
structed of the bark of trees, and it was only
in tho second year that a force sufficient to
raise the walls of a log one could be collected.
Within the life of this man what changes
have passed over the face of the West, and
that of the United States generally ! We were
then feeble colonists, and the vassals of a for
eign power — now a great and independent nation.
The whole region, from Fort Pitt to the Missis
sippi, was covered with one continued forest,
and the red man not only claimed the right to,
but possessed unlimited control over this vast
region. The canoe of the savage navigated its
numerous and mighty rivers; the wild beasts
of tho forest tenanted the wild domain — within
the brief life of a single individual, how vast
the changes that have taken place ! The steam-
2

18 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WESC.
boat, like a Leviathan, dashing the waters from
her bows, and causing even the earth to tremble
on the adjacent shores as she moves, now navi
gates those streams over which the light barge
of the savage once silently glided. The forests,
then filled with the buffalo, the deer, the bear,
and the wolf, have fallen before the ax of the
woodman; and lowing herds and bleating flocks
cover the fields opened to cultivation.
Mighty cities and innumerable villages, with
their attendant spires and piles of massive build
ings, now cover the ground once occupied by
the lowly hut of the Indian; and in all this
wide space, so lately teeming with wild game,
from Fort Pitt to the Mississippi, the hunter
with difficulty finds a single victim for his rifle;
and where he once lived in plenty on the spoils
of the chase, would now starve with no other
resource. Even the fishes, apparently so safely
protected by the element in which they move
from the depredation of man, have partaken of
the general destruction of the aboriginal races,

A VENERABLE PIONEER. 19
and the waters, which in early days were filled
and teeming with the finny tribes, are now
nearly deserted and desolate. From a cause
as yet unexplained, even the molluscous ani
mals are nearly or quite extinct in the Mus
kingum River, from above Zanesville to its
mouth. In the months of May and June, 1886,
the river was partially covered with the floating
bodies of clams, uniones and anadontce, that
had died in their oozy beds, and, as the specific
gravity changed by incipient putrefaction, had
risen to the surface, leaving the empty shell
open on the bottom of the river. Some disease
more fatal than the cholera has attacked this
secluded race; perhaps induced by the chinge
in their element, from the mixture of salt water
and bittern, draining from the numerous salt
wells on the shores of the river. Even a slight
change in the ingredients of our atmosphere
induces in man disease and death.
Four millions of whites now occupy the an
cient domains of the savages of the eastern

20 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
portion of the valley of the Mississippi. How
little the present inhabitants know or dream of
the privations and sufferings of the pioneers of
this fair valley ! For more than thirty years
they lived in almost continual contests with
the aboriginals. Every tree they felled, evfery
rod they plowed, and every hour they trav
ersed the forest in search of game, was at
the hazard of life and limb. If they visited
the mill, or attended a neighboring meeting to
hear the preaching of an itinerant minister of
the Gospel, it was with the trusty rifle in their
hands; and he who lay down in peace' and
apparent safety, was often awakened by the
yell of the savage; the morning sun rose on
the smoking ruins of his hut and the reeking
limbs of his murdered family. But, as the old
proverb hath it, " the back is fitted to the
burden." These heroes were men of steel,
whose courage no dangers could appall, and
whose perseverance no difficulties could ob
struct. Even the females were equally hardy

A STORY OF EARLY TIMES. 21
and gifted with fortitude fitted to the emerg
ency. To preserve the remembrance of these
days from the oblivion to which they are hast
ening, I have recorded a few of the feats of
individuals, whose names are only known in the
vicinity of the spots where the events took
place, and to a few of the descendants of the
old inhabitants, whom the unceasing tide of
emigration has not yet swept away to the re
gions of the "far West.'
A STORY OF EARLY TIMES.
In the month- of May, in the year 1836, as
I was gliding along the smooth waters of the
Ohio, between the town of Steubenville and the
mouth of Beaver River, the site of old Fort
M'Intosh, in one of those beautiful inventions
of modern days, a steamboat, the following story
of early times was narrated by a passenger,
who received it from an old settler, intimately
acquainted with the hero of the adventure. This
region and the settlements at Wheeling were

22 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
for many years the western frontier, and more
individual prowess was displayed, and more blood
shed, within a space of forty miles square,
than in any other portion of the valley of the
Ohio of equal extent. Many powerful tribes
of savages lived on the north-west side of the
Ohio River within a few days' march, and the
Mingoes, a vindictive race, possessed the rich
alluvion, commencing a short distance below the
present town of Steubenville, for many miles
along the banks of the river, till within a few
years of this time. These lands still retain the
name of "the Mingo Bottoms." Within this
district the family of Logan, the celebrated
Indian chief, were murdered in cold blood by
a party under Captain Greathouse, at Baker's
Bottom, opposite the mouth of Yellow Creek,
near the upper portion or north-east extremity
of the present State of Virginia. The particu
lars of this odious and much-contested transac
tion have been recently published, as related by
Henry Jolly, Esq., who is so kindly and honor-

A STORY OF EARLY TIMES. 23
ably mentioned in some of the communications
of Mark Bancroft to the " Casket," published
in Philadelphia. But I must return to tho
promised narrative.

24 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.

CHAPTER II.
LEWIS WETZEL.*
EARLY TRAINING.
Among the heroes of border warfare Lewis
Wetzel held no inferior station. Inured to
hardships while yet in boyhood, and educated
in all the various arts of woodcraft — from that
of hunting the beaver and the bear to that of
the wily Indian — he became in manhood one
of the most celebrated marksmen of the day.
His form was erect, and of that hight best
adapted to activity, being very muscular and
possessed of great bodily strengtli. His frame
was warmed by a heart that never palpitated
* This story and two others of Samuol Brady were reccjitly
published in the American Journal of Science; but so few
readers have access to that work in the West that it wa.s
thouglit best to republish them here.

EARLY TRAINING. 25
with fear, and animated by a spirit that quailed
not, nor became confused in the midst of danger
and death.
From constant practice he could bear pro
longed and violent exercise, especially that of
running and walking, without fatigue; and had
also acquired the art of loading his rifle when
moving at full speed through the forests, and
wheeling on the instant could discharge a bullet
with unerring aim, the distance of eighty or
one hundred yards, into a mark not larger than
a shilling. This art he has been known, more
than once, to practice with success on his savage
foes. A celebrated marksman in those days
was estimated by the other borderers in the
same way that a knight templar or a knight
of the cross was valued by his cotemporaries
who excelled in the tournament or the charge,
in the days of chivalry. Challenges of skill
often took place, and marksmen frequently met
by appointment, who lived at the distance of
fifty iniles or more from each other, to try the

26 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
accuracy of their aim, on bets of considerable
amount. A SINGULAR ENCOUNTER.
Wetzel's fame had spread far and wide
through the adjacent settlements as the most
expert rifleman of the day. In the Spring of
the year A. D. 1784, it chanced that a young
man, a few years younger than Wetzel, who
lived on the waters of Dunkard's Creek, a
tributary of the Monongahela River, heard of
his fame; and as he was also an expert woods
man and a first-rate shot — the best in his set
tlement — he became very desirous of an oppor
tunity for a trial of skill. So great was his
anxiety that he very early one morning shoul
dered his rifle, and, whistling his faithful dog to
his side, started for the neighborhood of Wetzel,
who then lived near the forks of Wheeling
Creek, a distance of fifteen or twenty miles,
although the two streams rise in the vicinity
of each other.

A SINGULAR BNCOUNIER. 27
When about half-way on his journey a fine
buck started up just before him. He leveled
his rifle with his usual accuracy, but the deer
did not fall dead in his tracks, although mor
tally wounded. His stout dog soon seized him
and brought him to the ground; but while in
the act of so doing another dog sprang from
the forest upon the same deer, and his master
made his appearance at the same time from
behind a tree, and with loud voice claimed the
deer as his property; having, as he said, been
brought down by his shot, and seized by his
dog. It so happened that they had both fired at
the same instant and at the same deer — a fact
which may very well happen where two active
men are hunting on the same ground, although
one of them may fire at fifty yards and the
other at double that distance. The dogs, feel
ing a similar spirit to that of their masters,
soon quit the deer, which was already dead,
and fell to worrying and tearing each other.

28 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
In separating the dogs the stranger hunter
happened to strike that of the young man.
The old adage, "Strike my dog, strike me,"
arose in full force ; and without further cere
mony, except a few hasty oaths, he fell upon the
stranger hunter and hurled him to the ground.
This was no sooner done than he found him
self turned, and under his stronger and more
powerful antagonist.
Perceiving that he was no match at this play,
he appealed to the trial by rifle, saying it was
too much like dogs for men and hunters to
fight in this manner. The stranger assented to
the trial, but told the young man that before
ho proceeded to put it to the test he had better
witness what hewas able to do with that weapon;
saying that he iv^as as much superior in the use
of the rifle as he was in bodily strength. In
proof, he bid him place a mark the size of a
dollar on the side of a huge poplar that stood
beside them, from which he would start with
his rifle unloaded, and running a hundred yards

RECOGNITION AND RECONCILIATION. 29
at full speed he would load it as he ran, and,
wheeling, discharge it instantly to the center
of the mark. The feat was no sooner proposed
than performed; the ball striking the center of
the diminutive target.
RECOGNITION AND RECONCILIATION.
Astonished at his skill, his antagonist now
inquired his name. "Lewis Wetzel, at your
service," answered the stranger. Forgetting
his animosity, the young hunter seized him by
ihe hand with all the ardor of youthful admira
tion, and at once acknowledged his own inferi
ority. So charmed was he with Wetzel's frank
ness, skill, and fine personal appearance, that
he insisted on his returning with him to the
Dunkard settlement, that he might exhibit his
dexterity to his own family, and to the hardy
backwoodsmen, his neighbors. Nothing loth
to such an exhibition, and pleased with the
energy of his new acquaintance, Wetzel agreed
to accompany him ; shortening the way with

30 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
their mutual tales of hunting excursions, and
hazardous contests with the common enemies
of the country.
TELLING AN INDIAN BY HIS TRACKS.
Among other things, Wetzel stated his man
ner of distinguishing the footsteps of a white
man from those of an Indian, although covered
with moccasins and intermixed with the tracks
of the savages. He had acquired this tact
from closely examining the manner of placing
the feet; the Indian stepping in parallel lines,
and first bringing the toe to the ground, while
tho white man almost invariably first touches
the heel to the earth, and places the feet at an
angle with the line of march.
THEORY TESTED.
An opportunity they little expected soon
gave him a chance of putting his skill to the
trial. On reaching the young man's home,
which they did late in the afternoon, they

THEORY Tinted. 31
found the dwelling a smoking ruin, and all
the family murdered and scalped except a
young woman, who had been brought up by
his parents, and to whom the young man was
tenderly attached. She had been taken away
alive, as was ascertained by examining the trail
of the savages.
Wetzel soon discovered, by a close inspection
of the footmarks, that the party consisted of
three Indians and a renegade white man — an
occurrence not uncommon in those early days,
when for crime, or the baser purpose of revenge,
the white outlaw fled to the savages, and was
adopted on trial into their tribe. As it was
late in the day, the nearest help still at some
considerable distance, and as there were only
four to contend with, they decided on imme
diate pursuit. And, moreover, as the deed had
very recently been done, they hoped to over
take them in their camp that night, or perhaps
before they could cross the Ohio River ; to
which the Indians always retreated after effect-

32 EARLY HISTORY OF VHE NORTH-WEST.
ing a successful foray, considering themselves
in a manner safe from pursuit when they had
crossed to its right bank, at that time wholly
occupied by the Indian tribes.
THE PURSUIT.
Ardent and unwearied was the pursuit; the
one to recover his lost love, and the other to
assist hia new friend, and take revenge for the
slaughter of his countrymen — slaughter and re
venge being at that period the daily business
of the borderers. Wetzel followed the trail of
the retreating savages with the unerring sa
gacity of a blood-hound, and just at dusk traced
them to the Ohio, some miles below Wheeling,
nearly opposite the mouth of Captina Creek.
Much to their disappointment, they soon found
that the Indians had crossed the river by con
structing a raft of logs and brush — their usual
manner of passing a stream when at a distance
from their villages. By carefully examining
" the signs " on the opposite shore, Wetzel

THE ENEMY OVERTAKEN. 33
directly discovered the fire of the Indian camp,
in a hollow way, a few rods from the river.
THE ENEMY OVERTAKEN.
Lest the noise of constructing a raft should
alarm the Indians, and give notice of the pur
suit, the two hardy adventurers determined to
swim the stream a few rods below. This they
easily accomplished, being both excellent swim
mers. Fastening their clothes in a bundle on
the tops of their heads, with their rifles and
ammunition above, they reached the opposite
shore in safety. After carefully inspecting
their arms, and putting every article of attack
or defense in its proper place, they crawled
very cautiously to a position which gave them
a full view of their enemies; who, believing
themselves safe from pursuit, were carelessly
reposing around the fire, thoughtless of the fate
that awaited them. They soon discovered the
young woman, alive and seated by the fire, but
making much moaning and complaint; while

34 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
the white man, whose voice they could dis
tinctly hear from their position, was trying to
console her with the promise of kind usage,
and an adoption into the tribe.
The young man could hardly restrain his
rage, but was for firing and rushing instantly
upon the foe. Wetzel, more cautious, told
him to wait till daylight appeared, when they
could make the attack with a better chance of
success, and of also killing the whole party;
while, if they attacked in the dark, a part of
them would certainly escape.
SKILLFUL AND SUCCESSFUL ATTACK.
With the earliest dawn the Indians arose
and prepared to depart. The young, man se
lecting the white renegade, and Wetzel one of
the stoutest Indians, they both fired at the
same instant, each killing his man. His com
panion rushed forward, knife in hand, to release
the young- woman, while Wetzel reloaded his
piece, and pushed in pursuit of the two Indians

SKILLFUL AND SUCCESSFUL ATTACK. 35
who had taken to the woods till they could
discover the number of their enemies. When
he found he was seen by the savages, Wetzel
discharged his rifle at random, in order to draw
them from their cover.
Directly they heard, the report and found
themselves unhurt, they rushed upon him be
fore he could again reload, thinking on an easy
conquest. Taking to his heels, he loaded his
gun as he ran, unnoticed by his pursuers, and
suddenly wheeling about discharged its con
tents through the body of his nearest and
unsuspecting enemy. The remaining Indian,
seeing the fate of his companion, and that his
antagonist's gun was now certainly empty,
rushed forward with all energy, the prospect
of revenge fairly before him. Wetzel led him
on, dodging from tree to tree, till his rifle was
again ready, when, suddenly facing about, he
shot his remaining enemy dead at his feet.
After taking their scalps and recovering the
lost plunder, Wetzel and his friend returned

36 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
with their rescued captive unharmed to the
settlements. DEATH OF WETZEL.
Like honest Joshua Fleehart, after the peace
of 1795, the country becoming filled with new
settlers, Wetzel pushed for the distant frontiers
on the Mississippi, where he could trap the
beaver, hunt the buffalo and the deer, and occa
sionally shoot an Indian, whom he mortally
hated. He died, as he had always lived, "a
free man of the forest."

OLD FORT M'INTOSH. 87

CHAPTER III.
BORDER SETTLEMENTS.
OLD FORT m'INTOSH.
At the close of the foregoing narrative, the
boat had reached the mouth of Beaver River,
where I disembarked at a spot called "the
Point," about a mile from Beavertown, the
county seat of Beaver county, Pennsylvania.
It stands near the site of old Fort M'Intosh,
on an elevated alluvion of several square miles
in extent, composed of clay, gravel, and large
bowlders of sand rock, thrown up by the river
in ancient ages, but which has subsequently
retreated to its present bed, some eighty or
one hundred feet below the surface of the plain.
This elevated alluvion was once doubtless tho
bed of the Ohio. It is now covered with a
fertile soil, and was clothed with forest trees at

38 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
the period of the erection of Fort M'Intosh,
which was built in the year 1778, by a military
force from the garrison at Fort Pitt, under tho
command of General M'Intosh. It stood near
the verge of the plain, commanding a view of
the Ohio River and the mouth of Beaver. The
walls of the fort formed a square, covering
about half an acre of ground, regularly stock
aded, and built of timber from the adjacent
forest. Here were four bastions mounted with
field pieces, from four to nine pounders, one in
each bastion, and two in the center of the fort.
A covered way led down to the river for the
supply of water for the troops, and to protect
them from the attacks of the Indians. Fort
M'Intosh was twenty-eight miles below Fort
Pitt, and was a rallying point for the borderers
when assembling for a foray against the Indian
towns on the Muskingum and Scioto Rivers,
and also for the pursuit of war parties when
returning from their depredations on the white
settlements. I love to finger round these an-

OLD FORT m'INTOSH. 89
cient relics of by-gone days, and call up the
shades of the departed warriors who once trav
ersed these forests, and to ruminate on tho
¦deeds, both of the battle and the chase, that
excited the admiration and the praise of their
cotemporaries. In those days every hunter was
also a warrior. Their neighborhood was a fa
vorite haunt with the savage, both on account of
the abundance of fish found below the falls of
the Beaver, and ^or the fine hunting grounds in
the vicinity. It was also geographically favor
able for ingress to the white settlements on
the Monongahela and intermediate country; the
Ohio here taking a wide sweep to the north
west, formed a semi-circle or peninsula, to which
this was the gate. It is now equally favorable
to the pursuits of civilization, and the iiames
and the feats of the borderers are abeady swal
lowed up in the vortex of commercial and agri
cultural avocations. Two canals and a railroad
center at this place, and already several large
and bustling villages have sprung up on the

40 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEfiT.
banks of the Beaver — Bridgewater, about a
mile from the mouth, near the lower bridge,
and Brighton and Fallstown, five miles up at
the falls of the Beaver. These will shortly be
towns of great manufacturing importance, from
the double advantage of one of the finest lyater
privileges in the State, and the immense de
posits of coal found in the adjacent hills. A
bed of cannel coal, lately opened, ia said to be
twelve feet in thickness. Brady's hill.
At eleven, A. M., I took a seat in the mail
coach for Poland, in Trumbull county, Ohio,
thirty-eight miles northerly from Beavertown.
Directly on leaving Bridgewater, and crossing
a small stream on a neat bridge, we began to
ascend a long, steep hill, called "Brady's Hill."
It took its name from an interesting border
adventure which occurred near its base, "in
early times," about the year 1777.
Captain Samuel Brady was one of that band

BRADY'S HILL. 41
of brave men, who, in the trying days of tho
Revolutionary war, lived on the western borders
of Pennsylvania, exposed to all the horrors and
dangers of Indian warfare. He held a commis
sion from the Congress of the United States, and
for a part of the time commanded a company df
rangers, who traversed the country below Pitts
burg, bordering the Ohio River. He was born, as
I learn from one of his sons, in Shippensburg,
Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, in the year
1758, and must have removed when quite young
across the mountains into the valley of the
Monongahela to have become so thoroughly
versed in woodcraft and Indian adventures. He
was over six feet in hight, remarkably erect,
and active in his movements, with light blue
eyes, fair skin, and dark hair.
In personal and hand-to-hand ponflict with
the Indians he is said to have exceeded any
other man west of the mountains excepting
Daniel Boone. Several interesting sketches were
published in the Blairsville Recorder, a year or

42 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
two since, detailing some of his adventures,
which in the hands, of a Weems would make a
most interesting volume. At the period of this
event. Captain Brady hved on Chartier Creek,
about twelve miles below Pittsburg, a stream
much better known, however, to pilots and keel-
boat men of modern days, by the significant
name of " Shirtee." He had become a bold and
vigorous backwoodsman, inured to all the toils
and hardships of a borderer's life, and very ob
noxious to the savages from his numerous suc
cessful attacks on their war parties, and from
shooting them in his hunting excursions when
ever they crossed his path or came within reach
of hia rifle. He waa in fact that Avhieh many
of the early borderers were, " an Indian hater."
His hatred was not without cause — his father,
one brother, wife, and two or three children
having been slain by the savages. This class
of men seem to have been more numerous in
the region of the Monongahela than in any
other portion of the frontiers, which doubtless

TRAPPING EXCURSION. 43
arose from the slaughter at Braddock's defeat,
and the numerous murders . and attacks on de
fenseless families that followed that defeat for
many years. Brady was also a very successful
trapper and hunter, and took more beaver than
any of the Indians themselves.
TRAPPING EXCURSION.
Jn one of his adventurous trapping excur
sions on the waters of the Beaver, or Mahon
ing, which so greatly abounded in the animals
of this species in early days that it took its
name from this fact, it so happened that the
Indians surprised him in his camp and took
him prisoner. To have shot or tomahawked
him on the spot would have been but a small
gratification to that of satiating their revenge
hy burning him at a slow fire after having run
the gantlet in presence of all the Indians of
their village. He was therefore taken alive to
their encampment, on the right bank of the
Beaver, about two miles from its mouth. After

44 EARLY HISTORY OP THE NORTH-WEST.
the usual exultations and rejoicings at the cap
ture of a noted enemy, and the ceremony of
the gantlet was gone through with, a fire was
prepared by which Brady was placed, stripped
naked, and his arms unbound. Around him the
'Indians formed a large circle of men, women,
and children, dancing, and yelling, and uttering
all manner of threats and abuse., that their
small knowledge of the English language could
afford, previous to tying him to the stake.
Brady looked on these preparations for death,
and on his savage foes, with a firm countenance
and a steady eye, meeting all their threats with
a truly-savage fortitude.
In the midst of their dancing and rejoicing,
the squaw of one of their chiefs came near him
with a child in her arms. Quick as thought,
and a presence of mind with which few mortals
are gifted, he snatched it from her and threw
it into the midst of the flames. Horror-struck
at the sudden transaction, the Indians simul
taneously rushed to rescue it from the fire. In

TRAPPING EXCURSION. 45
the midst of this confusion Brady darted from
the circle, overturning all that came in his way,
and rushed into the adjacent thickets with the
Indians yelling at his heels. He ascended the
steep side of the present hill amid the discharge
of fifty rifles, and sprung down the opposite
declivity into the deep ravines and laurel thick
ets that abound for some miles to tho west.
His knowledge of the country, and wonderful
activity and strength, enabled him to elude his
enemies, and reach the settlements on the south
side of the Ohio.
He lived many years after this escape, and
gratified his hatred by killing numbers of his
foes in the several rencounters which ensued.
The hill near whose base this adventure was
achieved still goes by his name, and the inci
dent is often referred to by the traveler as the
coach is sloAvly dragged up its side. In looking
down upon the laurel thickets which still cluster
round the rugged cliffs of sand rock, and by
their evergreen foliage perpetuate the memory

46 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
of Brady, I fancied I could still hear the shrill
whoop of the savage, as he pursued with des
perate energy his escaping foe.
NEW CONNECTICUT.
After leaving the vicinity of Brady's Hill
the road passes over rather a hilly country,
which, as we progress northerly, gradually be
comes more level. The whole region is rich
in materials for legendary lore, many of which
are already lost in the lapse of time and the
negligence of oral tradition. I reached Poland
that evening. It is a thriving village, located
on a small tributary branch of the Mahoning,
in the south-east corner of Trumbull county,
Ohio. The soil, climate, and face of the coun
try constituting what is called "New Connect
icut," and of which this county forms a part,
are as favorable to agriculture as any portion
of Ohio. The inhabitants are chiefly from the
State of Connecticut — that land of industry and
economy.

NEW CONNECTICUT. 47
The improvements already made show that
a removal to the West has in no way dimin
ished their habits of diligence and love of cul
tivation. Nearly every settler is the owner of
the soil he tills ; and in no portion of the United
States is there a more uniform equality of prop
erty or unwn in supporting measures for the
promotion of the public weal. School-houses
are seen at short intervals along the roads, and
well-built churches in the center of every town,
showing that the two great pillars of the Re
public — reUgion and learning — are liberally and
carefully sustained. ^
Most of the counties in New Connecticut are
without poor-houses, and in several of them
scarcely a single individual is supported at the
public charge. After leaving Trumbull county
we enter Portage on the west, so named from
the circumstance of the grand carrying place,
or portage between tho waters of Lake Erie
and the Muskingum River, bring within this
county.

48 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.

RAVENNA.
Ravenna is the county scat, and is a beau
tiful village, fast rising into importance. It
stands directly on the dividing Une between
the waters of the Ohio and those of Lake Erie;
so that while one portion of the rain which
falls within the village runs into the Cuyahoga
and is discharged finally into the Gulf of the
St. Lawrence, another part falls into the Mahon
ing and finds its way into the Gulf of Mexico.
West of Ravenna the country becomes more
undulating and studded with low hills, com
posed of gravel, sand, and primitive bowlders,
washed into deep hollows, as if some mighty
current had swept over it. Many of these
concavities are now occupied by beautiful sheets
of limpid water, covering several hundred acres.
They are generally bordered with low green
hills, or grassy slopes, calling to mind the liv
ing simile of a beautiful pearl surrounded by
emeralds.

Brady's pond. 49
" Brady's pond."
On the margin of a very fine pond, which
lies near the road from Ravenna to the Falls
of the Cuyahoga, I stopped a considerable time,
searching for shells, and musing on the various
events that had transpired on its borders, and
to which it had been a silent, but still living,
witness in by-gone ages. The shore is covered
with fine white sand, sparkling with minute
scales of mica. It is called "Brady's Pond,"
and lies about three miles east of the Falls of
the Cuyahoga. It is noted as the scene of a
thrilling adventure, in which the man whose
name it bears was a principal actor. This pond,
with two others adjacent, I am told, will soon be
swallowed up in the great reservoir of the Ohio
and Pennsylvania Canal, lying on the summit
between the Mahoning and Cuyahoga. As
many private advantages and comforts have
to be sacrificed on the altar of public good
when necessity requires, so the lovers of leg-
4

50 early history of ihe north-west.
endary lore, and of places hallowed by striking
events, must also give up this pond on similar
principles. "Brady's leap."
Samuel Brady seems to have been as much
the hero of the north-east portion of the valley
of the Ohio as Daniel Boone was of the south
west; and the country is as full of his hardy
adventures and hair-breadth escapes, although
he yet lacks the industrious pen of a Flint to
collect and to clothe them in that fascinating
language so peculiar to his style. From un
doubted authority it seems tho following inci
dents actually transpired in this vicinity.
Brady's residence was in that part of Penn
sylvania now called AVashington county, aa
noted in the "legend of Brady's Hill;" and
being a man of uncommon activity and cour
age, as well as very superior intellectual facul
ties, he was generally selected as the leader of
the hardy borderers in all their forays and pur-

" Brady's leap." 51
suits into the Indian territories north of the
Ohio. On this occasion, which was about the
year 1780, a large party of Indian warriors,
from the Falls of the Cuyahoga and adjacent
country, had made an inroad on to the south
side of the Ohio River, in that part of Wash
ington county then known as the settlement of
" Catfish Camp," so called after an old Indian
warrior of that name, who lived there when the
whites first came into the country, on the Mo
nongahela River. This party had murdered
several families, and with the plunder had re-
crossed the Ohio before effectual pursuit could
be made.
Directly after the alarm was given Brady
collected his chosen followers, and hastened on
in pursuit; but the Indians having a day or
more the start before a sufficient party could
be gathered, he was unable to overtake them
in time to arrest their, return to their villages.
Near the spot where the town of Ravenna
tiow stands the Indians separated into two

52 early history of the north-west.
parties; one of which went to the north, and
the other west to the Falls of the Cuyahoga.
Brady's men also divided; a part pursued the
northern trail, and the remainder went with
him to the Indian village lying on the river,
in the present township of Northampton, in
Portage county. Although he made hia ap-
proachea with the utmost caution, yet the In
dians, expecting a pursuit, were on the look
out, and ready to receive him with numbers
fourfold to those of Brady's party. Their only
safety, after a few hasty shots, was in retreat,
which soon became, from the ardor of the pur
suit, a perfect flight. Brady directed hia men
to aeparate, and each one to take care of him
self. The Indians immediately knew him from
his voice; and having a most inveterate hatred
of him for hia former numeroua injuries, left
all the other borderers and pursued him with
united strength. The Cuyahoga here makes a
wide bend to the south, including a large tract
of several miles of surface, like a peninsula;

5S
within this tract the pursuit was hotly con
tested. The Indians, by extending their line to tho
right and left, ^rced him on to the banks of
the stream. Having, in peaceable times, often
hunted over this ground with the Indians, and
knowing every turn of the Cuyahoga as famil
iarly as the villager the streets of his town, he
directed his course for the river at a spot where
the whole stream is compressed by the rocky
cUffs into a narrow channel of only twenty-two
feet across the top of the chasm; although it
is considerably wider beneath, and much more
than that in hight above the current. Through
this pass the water rushes Uke a race-horse,
chafing and roaring at its confinement by the
rocky channel. A short distance above, the
stream is at least fifty yards wide. Brady, as
he approached the chasm, concentrating his
mighty powers, knowing that life or death was
in the effort, leaped the pass at a bound.
It so happened that a low place in the oppo

54 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
site cliff favored the leap, into which he dropped,
and, grasping the bushes, helped himself to as
cend to the top of the precipice. The Indians
for a few moments were lost in wonder and
admiration, and before they had recovered then:
recollection he was half-way up the side of the
opposite hill, but still within reach of rifle-shot.
They could have easily ahot him before, but
being bent on taking him alive for torture, and
to glut their long-delayed revenge, they fore-
bore the use of the rifle; but now, seeing him
likely to escape, they all fired upon him. One
shot wounded him severely in the hip, but not
so badly as to prevent his progress. The In
dians having to make a considerable circuit
before they could cross the river, Brady gained
a good distance ahead; but hia wound growing
stiff, and the enemy now gaining on him, he
made for the pond which still bears hia name,
and, plunging into the water, awam beneath the
surface for some distance, till he came up under
the trunk of a large oak-tree, which had fallen

"Brady's leap." 55
into the pond. This completely covered him
from observation, but furnished a small breath
ing place to support life. The Indians tracked
liim by the blood to the margin of the water;
made diligent search all round the pond; but,
finding no signs of his exit, finally came to the
conclusion that he had sunk from the quantity
of water taken in at tho wound.
They were at one time standing on the very
trunk of the tree beneath which he lay con
cealed. Brady, understanding their language,
was very glad to hear the result of their argu
ment; and after they had gone he made good
his retreat, lame and hungry, to his home.
His followers also all returned in safety. The
chasm over which he leaped is in sight of the
bridge where we crossed the Cuyahoga, and
is known in all that region by the name of
"Brady's Leap."

56 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.

CHAPTER IV.
INCIDENTS ON THE BORDER.
FALLS OF THE CUYAHOGA.

" Cuyahoga," in the language of the Dela
ware Indians, means " crooked." The Falls
are situated on the south bend of the river,
in Portage — now Summit — county, thirty miles
from Lake Erie. The stream here, making a
wide sweep southerly, touches the northern
margin of the coal measures, and is said to be
the only lake river that has coal on its shores.
That portion of it called "the Falls" is more
than two miles, in extent, and has a descent of
nearly two hundred and twenty-five feet from
the head to the foot of the rapids. During its
passage down thia declivity, the water, in various
places, falls from ten and fifteen to twenty-two
feet at a single leap; at others, it rushes down

FALLS OF THE CUYAHOGA. 57
an inclined plane, strewed with fragments of
rocks, so that a continued roar is heard the
whole distance. In tho course of ages the
water has cut away the rock strata to the
depth of nearly two hundred feet.
Immense masses of sand rock still continue
to fall, from year to year, as the water under
mines the cliffs, and the wintery frosts loosen
them from their beds. In one place a huge
mass, of fifty feet in hight and one hundred or
more in length, has formed an island, around
the sides of which the water rushes and foams
with great fury. Several large pines and hem
locks have found a footing on its top and
sides, casting a youthful freshness over its
hoary front. The margins of the cliffs are
lined with beautiful evergreens of several spe
cies. The Falls afford one of the finest natural
sections for the geologist. The rock strata,
being accessible from the tops of the adjacent
hills to the bed of the river, give the order
of superposition in a very beautiful manner.

58 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
Among the series is a thick bed of red sand
stone, very suitable for architectural purposes.
The rapid water at the foot of the Falls afforded
a favorite and very valuable site for fishing to
all the Indiana of thia vicinity.
INDIAN FISHERIES.
In the Spring of the year the Cuyahoga and
other lake streams, especially such as communi
cated with ponds, were literally alive with fish,
especially that species known to Western sports
men by the name of tvhite fish. This fish ia
peculiar to the lakea, and is the coreganiis alhiis
of Lesear. The savage of the Atlantic coast
was not more favored in this respect than he
of the shores of Lake Erie. The fish-spear,
plunged at a venture into the water, brought
out two or three fish at each throw.
I have been told by a man, now Uving in
Marietta — Mr. Joseph Kelly — and who was a
prisoner when a boy with the Shawnee Indians
for several years, that the fish in these streams

JOSEPH KELLY, OR THE LOST SON. 59
were astonishingly numerous. At the season
of fishing — which commenced in April and con
tinued for several weeks — every man, woman,
and boy of the whole village were called out.
The men were occupied in spearing or taking
them with hooks, and the women and boys in
cleaning and drying them on frames over a fire
of brush-wood, in the same manner that jerked
venison is prepared. Having no salt, they re
quired a thorough drying and smoking to pre
serve them from decay, and to supply food
during the Summer months when hunting was
poor. These fishing grounds were given up
with great reluctance by the aavages to the
more powerful claimants of their "father-land" —
the whites. But might has too often usurped
the place of right, in modern as well as in more
rude and barbarian times.
JOSEPH KELLY, OR THE LOST SON.
Joseph Kelly, the person above referred to,
wns taken a prisoner by the Shawnee Indians,

60 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTE -WEST.
on the 7th of April, 1791, when only seven
years old. He was then living in a garrison
at Belleville, thirty miles below ilarietta, on
the left bank of the Ohio. He had gone out
very early in the morning, with his father and
another brother, to a field near the walls of the
fort, to finish some planting. Hia father waa a
man of uncommon muacular power, but con
siderably deaf; so that he was not aware of
tho approach of the Indians till one of them
had seized him, although little Joseph, who was
near him, hallooed with all his might. The In
dian who had grasped him around the waist as
ho was stooping down to his work he instantly
pitched, heels over head, for more than two
rods, and defended himself so stoutly with his
hoe, having no other weapon, that the Indians
were obliged to shoot him, although their design
evidently waa to take him priaoner. In the
midst of this struggle and alarm one Indian
was killed by a shot from the garrison, which
consisted of only five men, with several women"

JOSEPH KELLY, (.R THE LOST SON. 61
and children. The mother of little Joseph was
an agonized spectator of the scene, and of the
escape of another son, two years older, who,
although in the same field, happened to see the
Indians sooner, and reached the garrison. Two
Indians seized Joseph, one by each hand, and,
tossing him over the fence, hurried, or rather
flew, with him through the woods, out of reach
of the shot from the men in the garrison —
among whom was Peter Anderson, a noted
ranger and woodsman. As soon as the Indians
reached a place of safety, they mustered their
party, who were scattered about in the forest
on different sides of the fort, and amounted to
thirty warriors, assembled on purpose to take
the garrison of Belleville, and destroy the in
habitants. Having a prisoner now in their possession,
they proceeded to question him as to the num
ber in the fort. This they accomplished by
the aid of a renegade white man, with red hair
and a freckled face, who had joined the Indians.

62 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
When asked by this white savage, whose fea
tures he perfectly remembers to this day, after
the lapse of forty-five years, how many men
there were in the fort, little Joseph, with won
derful presence of mind, or the whim of the
moment, answered "that it was full of men
with guna, at least as many aa a hundred."
Thia answer, from the well-known innocence
and simplicity of childhood, intimidated the In
diana, and probably saved the garrison, as they
soon after crossed the river, and commenced a
retreat to their town near the Sandusky Bay.
This they reached after a fcAV days of tedioua
marching, and placed their priaoner in ^he coun
cil-house, according to custom, till the warriors
and old men had decided on his fate.
In this instance. the decision was on the side
of mercy; for little Joseph wi^s adopted into
the family of an old veteran warrior, who now
had no childi-en, but had, in different engage
ments, lost five sons by the hands of white men.
The old warrior's name was "Mishalena," and

JOSEPH KELLY, OR THE LOST SON. 63
Mr. Kelly says he was one of the moat kind-
hearted and benevolent men he has ever met
with in his whole life, as well as of the most
noble and commanding appearance. His wife's
name was "Petepsa," a thick-set, burly old
woman, with her hair always at sixes and
sevens. After losing five sons, these untu
tored natives of the forest adopted the child
of their mortal enemies, and treated him as
their own! What a lesson to the professors
of Christianity !
Petepsa was naturally ill-natured and diffi
cult to please, and treated him, as she probably
always did her own childi-en, rather harshly.
But he was always well fed when they had
any thing to eat, and carefully nursed when
sick, as he was in the Summer of 1794, with
a severe attack of dysentery. He distinctly
recollects that Petepsa gave him as a medi
cine the decoction of a very bitter herb, which
he has since ascertained from the taste was
eupatorium perfoUalum, or "Indian sage"—

64 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
known also by the names of " thorough wort "
and "boneset" — a very effectual remedy for
bowel complainta.
Little Joseph soon became reconciled to his
situation, although his thoughts often returned
at night, while lying on his bear-skin bed before
the wigwam fire, to his kind-hearted mother,
and his little brothers and sisters. But time
and habit gradually accustomed him to his new
acquaintances, and old friends were nearly for
gotten in the attachments he had now formed
for his new ones. Whether covered by a red,
black, or white skin, the human heart is the
same, and meets a kindred feeling in all that
wear "the human face divine." In childhood
our affections are like the softened wax, and
are easily molded to suit the circumstances
around us. The sports of the young Indian
boys, who treated him as a brother, attracted
his attention ; and he directly became as expert
in the use of the bow and arrow, and as active
in foot-races, ball, etc., as the best of them.

JOSEPH KELLY, OR THE LOST SON. 65
His appetite being good, and possessing a vig
orous frame, their food and cooking were fully
as acceptable to his palate as that of his former
home. In this way four years passed off, during
which time the war still continued, and with
almost unvaried success on the side of the In
dians. During this period the armies of Har-
mar and St. Clair had been defeated, and de
struction and desolation threatened the whole
of the frontier settlements. At length "Mad
Anthony," that "thunderbolt of war," turned
the tide of battle, and gave the Indians a signal
defeat. The near approach of his army drove
the Indians, consisting of women and children,
and a few old men, in great haste from the
village in which little Joseph was then living,
near the mouth of the River Auglaize. So
unexpected was the advance of General Wayne
that they had no time to take any provisions,
and only a few kettles and blankets, but hurry
ing into their canoes pushed off down the Mau-

6(5 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTU-WEST.
mee into the vicinity of Detroit. It was in the
month of August, 1794, and Mr. Kelly re
members weU with what regret they left their
fine fields of corn, which he had assisted to
cultivate, already fit for roasting eara, the
beans, and the squashes, with large patches of
water-melons. It was just at evening when they abandoned
their village surrounded by plenty: the next
morning sun rose upon its ruins. That night
the American army destroyed all -their crops;
cutting down and wasting the corn, and burn
ing the dwellings where their forefathers had
Uved for many, many years. The suffering
from hunger and cold the following Winter
was very great, but borne by the Indians with
philosophical equanimity. The poor savage will
cease to suffer from the wrongs of the white
man only when he ceases to exist. A few brief
years, and the whole aboriginal race will have
vanished from the valley of the Mississippi
beyond the mountains.

TREATY WITH THE INDIANS. 67
TREATY WITH THE INDIANS.
At the treaty of Greenville, in 1795, it was
stipulated that all white prisoners living with
the Indians should be restored. Colonel Meigs,
father of the late governor, was acting at the
treaty, and being well acquainted with the
circumstances of the captivity of Joseph — he
living in Marietta at that time — made . daily
inquiries after him from every new Indian face
that he could see; but for a long time without
success. It seems that young Kelly, and a boy
named "Bill," from Kentucky, whose family had
all been killed, were kept back, from the reluct
ance their present parents felt to part with
them — ^having become greatly attached- to the
boys, considering them as their own. At length
he heard of a boy of a similar age on the River
Raisin, several days' march from Greenville,
and obtained an order from General Wayne to
send out a party of six men and an Indian
guide, for the express purpose of bringing them

68 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
in. Little Joseph parted from hia Indian par
ents with nearly aa much regret aa he had
formerly done from hia white onea; and poor
Miahalena and Petepsa were now left in their
old age like two ancient forest trees, around
whose roots no green shoot appears.
Directly after reaching Greenville, and Col
onel Meigs had got him into his possession, he
started with a party by land, in February,
across the swamps for Marietta; so anxious
waa thia good and kind-hearted man to restore
the lost Joseph to the arms -of his sorrowing
and widowed mother. A young Indian guided
the travelers, without deviation, through the
trackless forests, and struck the Muskingum
River at " Big Rock," twenty-four miles above
Marietta, and near the aettlement of "Wolf
Creek Mills." INDIAN TACT.
Aa a specimen of Indian tact in pursuing
a course through the wilderness, Mr. Kelly

INDIAN TACT. 69
says, that one cloudy and snowy day the party
became a little bewildered in a thick beecli
woods. Colonel Meigs produced his compass,
and, setting it, insisted their course lay east.
The Indian, after examining the trees a few
minutes, pointed to the south-east. The Colonel
still sticking for the authority of the compass,
was unwilling to proceed. The Indian at length
became vexed, and shouldering his rifle, mut
tered in broken English, "dam' compass," and
pursued his own course. In a short time it
proved him to Be right and Colonel Meigs in
the wrong. They reached " Campus Martius,"
the- stockaded fort at Marietta in safety ; and
the fervent and oft-repeated prayer of the
widowed mother was at length answered in the
restoration of her "lost son."*
*NoTE. — While these pages aro passing through tho press —
midsummer, 1864 — Joseph Kelly, whoso captivity ia hero
mentioned, departed this life at Marietta, agod eighty years.
Ho was a native of Plainiield, Massachusetts, and waa brought
by his father to Marietta, when four years old, in the Spring
of 1789. In 1?90 the family removed to Belleville, West Va.,

70 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NOilTH-WEST.
CUYAHOGA PALLS.
But to return to the Falla of the Cuyahoga.
The location of this spot is more favorable for
manufactures than any other in Ohio. The
fall is so great that the water can be used over
and over again, in turning machinery, before it
rcachea the foot of the deacent. The advantage
of two railroada and canals in the vicinity will
facilitate the transport of the raw materials and
the distribution of the manufactured articles to
all parts of the West. The center of a fertile
and healthy region will add all the facilities of
agriculture to feed the artisans. Several vil
lages have sprung up on both sides of the falls,
and the foundations of wealth are already laid.
To this add the water-power on the Little

whore ho was captured. Ho remained with the Indi'ans till
tho Winter of 1795-6, nearly five years, when ho was roloasod.
He had lost the English language, and left his Indian parents
with regret. He arrived in Marietta in March, 1796, and was,
as the narrative rooords, restored to his mother. — Editoe.

FORT LAURENS. 71
Cuyahoga, and that of the Akron, and no spot
can combine more advantages.
TUSCARAWAS.
In passing down south from the summit level
at Akron, the canal traverses some fine ponds,
which are used both for transportation and for
feeders. These were once stocked with the half-
reasoning beaver, wMch, like the tribes of abo
rigines, have disappeared at the approach of the
white man. Several branches flow from these
ponds, which soon uniting form that beautiful
stream, the Tuscarawas. It takes its name from
a powerful tribe of Indians who once resided on
its borders. FORT LAURENS. i
The canal proceeds down the valley of this
river, and after crossing the northern boundary
of Tuscarawas county, passes through the ruins
of old Fort Laurens, one flank of Avhich rested
on the river. It was named by the builders in

72 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
honor of Colonel Laurens, of South Carolina,
then a prisoner in the Tower of London, and
one of the most patriotic men of that day. In
the eleventh edition of the Ohio Gazetteer, the
township in which the ruins are located is called
Lawrence, as if named for Captain Lawrence,
of the United States Navy, which has probably
been done by mistake.
Tho ditch and parapets are yet plainly seen,
covering about an acre of ground, but the stout
wooden walls were long since burned by the
Indians in whose territory it was seated. The
fort stood on an elevated plain near the right
bank of the river, a little below Sandy Creek,
which puts in on the opposite shore, and waa
built in the Autumn of the year 1778, by a
detachment of a thousand men from Fort Pitt
and vicinity, under the command of General
M'Intosh. A garrison of one hundred and
eighty men waa left in the fort for the pro
tection of the frontier, under the order of
Colonel Gibson.

SIEGE OF FORT LAURENS. 73
SIEGE OF FORT LAURENS.
As soon as the Indians were aware of its
erection they besieged it with an army of eight
hundred warriors, and as they could not carry
it by assault, were determined to subdue it by
famine. For this purpose they closely encircled
it for six weeks, in the beginning of Winter,
suffering no one to go out or to enter into the
fort. By this time the stores of the garrison
were nearly exhausted, and famine stared them
in the face. The Indians suspecting their con
dition, and being still more destitute themselves,
proposed to Colonel Gibson, that if ho would
give them a barrel of flour and some tobacco,
they would raise the siege, thinking by this
to learn the state of their stores. The flour
was rolled out and the Indians departed.
RELIEF OF THE GARRISON.
Soon after a detachment from Fort M'Intosh
brought a supply of provisions. Although the

74 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
main body of Indians left them, yet small par
ties still continued to linger around the fort,
watching for stragglers. Some timo in January,
1779, during very severe cold weather, a party
of men, seventeen in number, were ordered out
very early in the morning to bring in fire-wood,
which was cut for the use of the garrison before
the army left in the Fall. The men had been
out for several preceding mornings, and no
signs of Indiana being seen for some time they
were not very careful. The wood lay near an
ancient tumulus or mound, not far from the
walls of the garrison, behind which a party of
Indians lay concealed, Aa the soldiers passed
round on one side of the mound, a part of the
Indians came behind them on the other side,
and inclosed the wood party, killing and scalp
ing the whole of them. My informant, Henry
Jolly, Esq., was acquainted with some of the
men, and assisted in burying them when ho
came on with the reUef from Fort M'Intosh,
in the Spring following.

RELIEF OF THE GARRISON. 75
The garrison 'suffered so much from constant
attacks, and the difficulty and hazard of keep
ing up a fort in the enemy's country at a dis
tance of seventy miles from the frontiers was
so great, that finally the Americans concluded
to abandon it. Thia was done in August, 1779 ;
and Henry Jolly, then an ensign in the Conti
nental army, and now living near Columbus,
Ohio, was the last man who left the walla of
Fort Laurens.

76 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.

CHAPTER V.
THE MORAVIAN MISSIONS IN OHIO.
SCHOENBRUNN AND THE MORAVIAN MISSIONARIES.
As we proceed south along the Ohio Canal,
near the center of the county of Tuscarawas,
and not far from the site of the present town
of New Philadelphia, we reach that ancient scat
of missionary labor — Schoenbrunn, or "Beauti
ful Spring." From the writings of Loskiel this
region has become in a manner classic ground.
It was the spot selected by David Zeisberger,
the Moravian missionary, for a station as early
as the 3d of May, in the year 1772. A strip
of country, extending for twenty miles along
the wide alluvial lands of the Tuscarawas, waa
formally ceded to the Christian Indians, at that
time living in Fredericstadt, on the Big Beaver,
by the Delaware tribe, among whom was White

MISSIONARY ENTERPRISE. 77
Eyes, a celebrated warrior. This Indian al
ways remained a firm friend of the missionaries
to the day of his death, which took place in
1780, at Pittsburg, where he died of the small
pox. The whole history of the missionaries, and
that of their Christian converts, seems to have
been a continued scries of persecutions. They
had been driven from their stations on the Sus-
quehannah River, to one on the Alleghany, and
from that to Fredericstadt on the Big Beaver.
A brief sketch of these holy men, and their
labors, as connected with the border history of
the West, can not fail to be interesting.
MISSIONARY ENTERPRISE.
The Moravians commenced their missions
among the North American Indiana as early
as the year 1742. One of their first establish
ments for the spread of the Gospel was among
the Mohegan Indians, at a place called Sheko-
meko, within the boundaries of the colony of

78 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
New York, not far from Poughkeepsie. Here
the missionaries were greatly persecuted by the
whites, who maUciously accused them and the
Christian Indiana of being in a league with the
French, who at that period held extenaive pos
sessions in America".
In 1746, David Zeisberger, and Frederic Post,
who had been on a visit to the Iroquois In
dians to perfect their knowledge of the native
languages, were arrested at Albany on their
return and thrown into prison in New York,
where they remained nearly two months. Zeis
berger was a man of low stature, but full of zeal
for the cause of Christ, and animated like St.
Paul with undaunted courage. He personally
estabUshed nearly all the missionary stations in
the valley of the Ohio, traversing the wilder-
nesa on foot, braving the dangera of flood,
famine, and the hatred of hostile savages often
displayed in the most threatening manner.
How wonderful to reflect upon the persever
ance and zeal of such men as Zeisberger, Hecke-

MISSIONARY ENTERPRISE. 79
welder, and their brethren — self-supported and
fed by the labor of their own hands — their
bodies a living sacrifice on the altar of inis-
sions! At that day no societies existed for the
support of missionaries as at this period of the
Church. The love of missions and the spread
of the Gospel waa their only help. Amid tho
wilderness, and far removed from civilized so
ciety, they received no aid from Government as
most missionaries now do. Their only protector
was God, and their faith in the cause they had
espoused. Sir William Johnson, I find, often
lent them the assistance of his powerful influ
ence over the savage nations, in recommending
them to their friendship.
Even then, as now, a large portion of the dif
ficulty in Christianizing the Indians arose from
the cupidity of white men in trafficking with
them in rum — ^that spirit of the fire. Wherever
they met with Indians free from its influence,
they were generally ready to listen to the mes
sage of the missionary ; and not only to listen,

so EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
but to believe. Their teachings were not only
conformed to the doctrines of Christianity, but
also to schools and the arts of civilized life;
80 that in a few years they always created
around them most of the comforts to be found
in the white settlements. JOHN HBCKEWELDER.
John Heckewelder, with whom I was per
sonally acquainted, commenced hia miasionary
career with Frederic Post, in the year 1762,
at a station one hundred miles west of Fort
Pitt, on the heads of the Tuscarawas, among
the Delaware Indians, for the expreaa purpose
of learning their language. This mission failed,
and he returned to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
He next joined the mission at San-gun-to-ut-en-
uenk, or " the Town of Peace," generally known
by the name of Priedenstadt, aboVe the falls of
Beaver. He was a man of mild manners _ and
pleasing address, whose heart overflowed with
" the milk of human kindness." In disposition

EPIDEMIC DISEASE. 81
he was more like the apostle John, ivhile his
companion, Zeisberger, partook of the spirit of
St. Paul, but equally devoted and faithful in
his Master's service.
This mission was estabUshed by the latter
missionary, the third of May, A. D. 1770, by
the removal of a number of families of Chris
tian Indians from a station near the head of
the Alleghany River. They made the journey
by water in sixteen canoes, ascending the Beaver
with great labor and difficulty, to a place above
the falls on the right bank of the stream.
' EPIDEMIC DISEASE.
About this period, and for a year or two pre
vious, a fatal epidemic disease prevailed among
the Indians in this quarter of the country. It
was most probably a bilious remittent fever,
such as has since appeared at intervals of
twenty or thirty years in the western country.
Loskiel speaks of the measles and small-pox
as prevailing occasionally, so that this disease
6

82 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
was something elae, and very likely an epidemic
fever. The neighboring Indians pretended to
believe it waa sent as a punishment by the
Great Spirit, on account of their forsaking the
religion of their fathers.
MIGRATIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN .INDIANS.
As the country on the Susquehanna River
gradually filled up with white settlers, the mis
sions above Wilkesbarre, and in the vicinity of
what is now Bradford .county, Pennsylvania, at
Friedenshutten, became daily more and more
molested and incommoded by the traders and
wicked persons persuading the Christian In
diana to leave the care of the teachera, and
return to their former evil practices. Under
all these discouragements it was thought best
to remove the mission across the Alleghany
Mountains, to Fj.-cderic8tadt, on the Beaver
River. The following quaint but very inter
esting narrative of the journey from Loskiel
will give a faint view of the patience and suf-

loskiel's NARRATIVE. 83
ferings of the Indian converts, in their migra
tion through the wilderness, at thia early day.
It waa more brief than that of the ancient
Israelites, but borne with far more equanimity.
loskiel's narrative.
"June 11, 1772. — All being ready for the
journey, the congregation met for the last time
at Friedenshutten, when the missionary re
minded them of the great favors and bless
ings received from God in this place, and then
offered up praises and thanksgiving to Him,
with fervent supplication for his peace and pro
tection on the journey. The company consisted
of two hundred and fprty-one persons, and had
dwelt at this spot since the year 1765."
Brother Ettwein conducted those who went
by land, and brother Rothe those by water, who
were the greater number. The tediousness of
this journey was a practical school of patience
for the missionaries. The fatigue also attend
ing the emigration of a whole congregation.

84 early history of the north-west.
with all their goods and cattle, in a country
like North America, can hardly be conceived
by any one who has not experienced it, much
less can it be described in a proper manner.
The land travelers had seventy head of oxen
and a still greater number of horses to care for,
and sustained incredible hardships in forcing a
way for themselves and their beasts through
very thick woods and swamps of great extent,
being directed only by a small path, and that
hardly discernible in some places; so that it
appears almost impossible to conceive how one
man could work his way and mark a path
through such close thickets and immense woods.
It happened that when they were thus rather
creeping than walking through the thick woods
it rained almost incessantly. In one part of
the country they were obliged to wade thirty-
six times through the windings of the River
Munsy, besides Suffering other hardships. How
ever, they attended to their daily worship as
regularly as circumstances would permit, and

loskiel's narrative. 85
frequently had strangers among them, both In
diana and white people, who were particularly
attentive to the EnglisTi discourses delivered
by brother Ettwein.
The party which went by water were every
night obliged to seek a lodging on shore, and
suffered much from the wet. Soon after their
departure from Friedenshutten the measles
broke out among them, and many fell sick,
especially the children. The attention due to
the sick necessarily increased the fatigue of
the journey. The 'many falls and dangerous
rapids in the Susquehanna River occasioned
immense trouble and frequent delays. How
ever, by the mercy of God they passed safe
up the west arm of the river to Great Island,
where they joined the land travelers the 29th of
June, and now proceeded all together by land.
When they arrived at the mountains they
met with great difficulties in crossing them ;
for, not having horses enough to carry all their
baggage, most of them were obliged to carry

86 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
some part. In one of the valleys they were
suddenly caught in a most tremendous storm
of thunder and lightning, with violent rain.
During a considerable part of the way the
rattlesnakes kept them in constant alarm. As
they lay, in great numbers, either near or in
the path, brother Ettwein trod upon one with
fifteen rattles, which so frightened him that,
according to his own account, ho could hardly
venture to step forward for many days after,
and every rustling leaf made him dread the
approach of a rattlesnake. These venomous
creatures destroyed several of the horsea by
their bite, but the oxen were favored by being
driven in the rear.
INCIDENTS ON THE ROUTE.
In one part of the forest the fires and storma
had caused such confusion among the trees
that the wood was almost impenetrable. Sister
Rothe with her child fell several times from her
horse, and once with her foot entangled in the

INCIDENTS ON THE ROUTE. 87
stirrup; another time she fell into a d6ep mo
rass. Some persona departed this Ufe during
the journey, among them a poor cripple, ten
or eleven years old, who was carried by his
mother in a basket on her back. When he
perceived his end approaching he begged most
earnestly to be baptized. His request was
granted; soon after which he ended a Ufe of
misery, and departed rejoicing.
Our travelers sometimes tarried a day or two
in a place to supply themselves with food.
They shot upward of one hundred and fifty
deer in the course, of the journey, and found
great abundance of fish in the rivers and brooks.
They likewise met with a peculiar kind of turtle,
about the size of a goose, with a long neck,
pointed head, and eyes like a dove. It had
scales on its back and lower part of the belly ;
all the rest of its covering was soft, resembling
leather of a liver color.*
* The soft-shelled turtle, or Irionyx jerox.

88 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
July. 29th they left the ino»n tains, and ar
rived on the banks of the Ohio, [Alleghany
River, (?)] where they immediately built canoes
to send the aged and infirm, with the heavy
baggage, down the river. Two days afterward
they were met by brother Heckewelder and
some Indian brethren with horses from Fried-
enstadt, by whose assistance they arrived there
on the 5 th of August, and were received with
every mark of affection by the whole congre
gation. "living ashes."
The following beautiful apecimen of native
poetic imagery ia copied from the aame narra
tive: "The most troublesome plague, both to
man and beast, especially in passing through
the woods, waa a kind of insect called by the
Indians 'pouk,' or 'living ashes,' from their
being so small' that they are hardly visible, and
their bite as painful as the burning of red-hot
ashes. These tormenting creatures were met

REMOVAL TO GNADENHUTTBN. 89
in the greatest numbers in a tract of country
which the Indians call 'a place avoided hy all
men.' "
The following circumstance gave rise to this
name. A great many years ago an Indian,
affecting the manners of a hermit, lived upon
a high rock in this neighborhood, and used
to appear to travelers or hunters in different
garbs — frightening some and mUrdering others.
At length a vaUant Indian chief was so for
tunate as to surprise and kill him ; and having
burnt the hermit's bones to ashes, scattered
them in the air through the forest, which soon
took on a living form and became "pouks."
These insects were probably the same that after
ward became so well known as "seed-ticks."
REMOVAL TO GNADENHUTTBN.*
The mischievous consequences of the rum
trade still continued to follow the mission after
* This narrative is condensed from the history of Loskiel,
with occTsional remarks by the writer.

90 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
it had been on the Beaver but a short time; so
that at last it was quite insupportable, and led
them to look out for a station further removed
from the frontiera. Accordingly, on the 13th
of April, 1773, the whole congregation, con
sisting at this time of not less than four hundred
souls, broke up their settlement, leaving their
dwellings and cultivated fields to go to ruin —
esteeming all things as nothing in comparison
with the enjoyment of their religious rites in
peace. A number of the most hardy went directly
across the wilderness by land with brother
Rothe; but the larger portion traveled by
water, in twenty-two large canoes, under the
direction of brother Heckewelder — proceeding
down the Beaver to the Ohio River, thence to
the mouth of the Muskingum, and then up
that stream to Gnadenbutten, or the "Tents
of Grace;" which voyage was accompUshed
in three weeks, with great labor and fatigue.
When the different portions of the Indian con-

PROCEEDINGS OF 17T4. 91
gregation again met there was great joy and
gladness. The town of Schoenbrunn was inhabited by
the Delaware Indians, and Gnadenbutten by
the Mohegans. Dwelling-houses, fields, gar
dens, and cattle were apportioned among the
inhabitants according to their necessities ; and
all the comforts of civilized life were in the
course of a year or two within their reach.
The labors of the missionaries were much
blessed, and many converts added from the
adjacent savages, who constantly visited the
now settlements. PROCEEDINGS OF 1774.
In the year 1774 a general war broke out
between the Shawnees, Senecas, Mingoes, etc.,
and the whites; partly occasioned by the mur
der of the family of the celebrated Mingo chief,
Logan, and partly from other difficulties. The
hostile tribes, especially the Shawnees, used all
their influence with the Delawares to draw them

92 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
into the war ; but their regard for the mission
aries, and their connection with the Christian
Indians kept them quiet for the present. The
Delawares had also promised the brethren be
fore they moved on to the Tuscarawas that
they would not only be their friends, but pro
tect them from the hostilities of the other tribes.
This act of kindness drew upon the Delawares
the contempt of the other savages, who called
them, by way of derision, "shwannoks," or
whites, which so enraged the young warriors
that they could hardly be restrained from fall
ing on the new settlements. Even some of the
older chiefs were so much vexed that they sent
a formal embassy to the Shawnees, positively
declaring that they would not be called " shwan
noks ;" and if they were thus shamefully reviled
on account of the white teachers who lived in
their vicinity, they took this opportunity of
saying they had no hand in it, and never. in
tended to believe in their reUgion, or to live
conformably to it; that they had never called

PROCEEDINGS OF 1774. 93-
the believing Indians into their country, but
only connived at its being done by some old
fools among them.
This latter assertion was a falsehood, and the
message sent through fear ; but the young war
riors were so much emboldened by it that they
came in great troops to Schoenbriinn and Gna
denbutten, committing outrages, the conse
quences of which would have been fatal to
the missions had not God in his mercy pro
tected them by his almighty hand. The mis
sionaries being hourly in danger of their lives,
it was thought proper to send brother Rothe
and his wife with their two infants to Bethle
hem, whither the Lord cohducted them safely
through many dangers. Canoes were kept in
readiness for any sudden emergency — they be
ing often alarmed at night with threatened at
tacks. The sisters were several times driven
at noonday from their plantations when at
work, and all the inhabitants confined for
days and weeks to their houses for fear of

94 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
hostile parties watching in the neighborhood
for stragglers. 'RELIEF OBTAINED.
They were finally relieved from these troubles
by the march of Lord Dunmore, Governor of
Virginia, witli a large army into the country
of the Shawnees and Senecas, whose villages
were destroyed, and their most influential chiefs
taken as hostages. He also compelled them to
give up all their white prisoners. This peace
was the cause of great joy to the mission, and
waa celebrated by a public thanksgiving on the
6th of November, with great solemnity. Then-
affairs also greatly prospered, and many new
converts were added to the congregation.
TRANSACTIONS OF 1775.
The rest enjoyed by the Indian congregation
was very gratifying. Many strangei's visited
the settlement at Schoenbrunn; so that the
chapel, which would hold about five hundred

A NEW TOWN BUILT BY THE DELAWARES. 95
persons, was too small. A Mr. Richard Conner,
a white man, who had Uved several years among
the Shawnees, and his wife, joined them, and
conformed to their rules and regulations. They
had been living at Fort Pitt. Several influen
tial chiefs of the Delawares and Shawnees also
united themselves to the congregation. In this
year the war of the Revolution between Great
Britain and the Colonies broke out, and was
the commencement of much and lasting trouble
to the missions.
A NEW TOWN BUILT BY THE DELAWARES.
In the Spring of the year 1775 the Delaware
tribe of Indians, who had lived for many years
in the heads of the Tuacarawas River, removed
their chief village to the outlet of that stream,
opposite the mouth of the Walhonding, on the
spot where the present town of Coshocton now
stands. It was done under the direction of
their old chief, Ne-ta-wat-wees. The new town
was called Gosch-ach-gu-enk. Their old war-

96 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
rior continued a firm friend to the missionaries
and their cause as long aa he lived.
TRANSACTIONS OF 1776.
In this year a reading and spelling book
in the Delaware language was compiled by
brother Zeisberger, and introduced into all the
Indian schools, and gave great pleasure to the
scholars. NEW STATION ESTABLISHED.
In the Spring of 1776 a new station was
estabUshed, at the request of the Delawares, on
the east side of the Muskingum River, three
miles below the mouth of the Walhonding, and
called Lichtenau. On the 10th of April broth
ers Zeisberger and Heckewelder, with eight In
dian families, in all thirty-five persons, went
from Schoenbrunn to the spot proposed, and on
the evening of their arrival met in the open air
to praise the name of that Lord whom they in
tended to worship and serve in this place.

NEW STATION ESTABLISHED. 97
They first dwelt in huts, as usual in such
emergencies; marked out the plantations and
gardens for the town on the banks of the river,
and built one street north and south, with the
chapel in the center. They were assisted in
their labor by many brethren from Schoenbrunn
and Gnadenbutten, and by the old chief Ne-ta-
wat-wees, who often came with a large party
of his people from Gosch-asch-guenk to help
them. Thus in a short time all our Indians
who moved hither with their teachers left the
huts and took possession of their houses.
By the preaching of the Gospel many Indians
became concerned for their salvation; and all
who appeared to be in earnest were allowed to
settle here, so that the place rapidly increased.
Among the strangers was one who came from
the River Illinois, a distance of a thousand
miles, and appeared very thoughtful. At last
he asked brother Zeisberger, "Do you think
what you preach is true, and good for us?"
He answered, "I preach the Word of God,
7

98 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTU-WEST.
which is truth, and will remain ao to all eternity."
He repUed, " I can not beUeve it."
Thia honest declaration pleaaed the miasion
ary, and he explained to him that aa soon as
he should hear the Gospel and perceive its
power, he would without hesitation acknowl
edge its truth,
, INDIAN BAPTISM.
In July the nephew of the chief Ne-ta-wat-
wees was baptized, and named John. He soon
became an active and zealous Christian. The
chief himself became very thoughtful about hia
own salvation, and said that ho had made thir
teen notches in a stick, denoting the number
of Sabbaths he had heard the Word of God in
Lichtenau; and that when he looked at these
notches, and thought how often he had heard
of his Redeemer, he could not help weeping.
The believing Indiana at this time amounted to
four hundred and fourteen persons. The war,
still continuing, was the cause of a great deal

INDIAN BAPTISM. 99
of trouble to the missions. The old chief,
Ne-ta-wat-wees, did all he could to preserve
peace among the hostile Indians by embassies
and exhortations. But the Hurons and Min
goes, instigated by the British at Detroit, were
not to be deterred, but kept up continual hos
tilities with the white settlements in Virginia
and Pennsylvania; and generally passing with
their war parties and prisoners through some of
the mission stations, gave them great trouble —
they being always forced to furnish them with
food on these occasions, whether willing or not.
The American parties, with the Indians in their
interest, generally traveled the same route; so
that they were beset by both sides, and con
sidered as the friends of neither. The lives
of the missionaries were often in danger from
the hostile Indians, who several times came
into their houses for the express purpose of
kilUng them, but were always preserved by
some providential interference.

100 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.

CHAPTER VI.
THE MORAVIAN MISSIONS — CONTINUED.
TRANSACTIONS OF 1777.
The Huron Indiana having joined the British,
and taken up the hatchet against the Ameri
cans, used all their influence with the Delawares
to induce them to do the same. The Governor
of Detroit could not understand why these In
dians were so firm in maintaining peace. At
last it waa aacribed to the influence of the mis
sionaries. To remove this difficulty it was pro
posed to seize three men and take them by
force to Detroit; but it was not finally executed
till the year 1781, as will hereafter appear.
This year tho troubles of tho mission continued,
and the accounts of the capture of Burgoyne'a
army by the Americana increased the difficulty.
The Shawnees determined to go to war, and

TRIALS OF THE MISSIONARIES. 101
reports were received from all quarters that
the aavages intended to massacre the mission
aries, and then all those Indians who would not
join them in the war.
TRIALS OF THE MISSIONARIES.
Their severest trials, however, arose from
the ill conduct of some of their own followers,
who turned aside and joined the heathen In
dians. Among them was a chief named Ne-
wal-le-ke, who declared that the Christian doc
trine was all a fable. Captain White Eyes,
who did not belong to the Christian Indians,
hearing this, answered : " You went to the
brethren because you could find nothing in
the world to set your heart at ease, and
firmly believed you had found with them all
you desired. These are the words I heard
you speak, and now, being hardly begun,
you give up already! and return to your
former life. This is not acting the part of
a man."

102 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
SCHOENBRUNN ABANDONED.
The difficulties at Schoenbrunn increased so
rapidly that the miaaion at that place was aban
doned in the night of April 3, 1777, and the
people removed to Gnadenbutten and Lichtenau.
THE DELAWARES CONCLUDE TO FIGHT.
In the Fall of 1777 there waa a report that
an American general had arrived at Pittsburg,
who would give no quarter to any Indian,
whether friend or foe, being resolved to destroy
them all. This was probably General M'Intosh.
The report, although a fabrication of the hostile
Indians, waa the cause of the Delawares taking
up arms; who alleged, in defense, that they
must die whether they fought or not; and, as
the Americans were daily expected, their war
riors joined the Hurons, who were atill near
Lichtenau, and had threatened to deatroy it,
but were turned aside by the presents of food
and kind usage of the Christian Indians.

ALARMS OF THE CHRISTIAN INDIANS. 103
ALARMS OF THE CHRISTIAN INDIANS.
September 17th an express arrived at Gna
denbutten, with an account of the approach of
the white troops. The congregation immediately
fled with their teachers in canoes, to a spot on
the Walhonding River, before agreed on ; but in
such haste as to leave the greater part of their
goods behind. While hourly expecting to hear
of a bloody battle, an express came in saying
that what they had supposed to be the enemy
was only a great number of horses in the woods.
They remained there the 18th, and then re
turned. On the 23d a message arrived from
the American general at Fort Pitt, and Colonel
Morgan, assuring the Indians they had nothing
to fear from the Americans. But before the
truth was known, a report was again spread
that the American troops were in the neighbor
hood, and every one was preparing to escape.
Brother Zeisberger assembled them at midnight,
and made known the true account from Fort

104 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTU-WEST.
Pitt, when they all went cheerfully to rest. The
Delawares also returned to their former policy
of peace.
ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE HURONS AND WHITES.
In October an action took place between a
party of Hurons and a troop of American firee-
booters, who went, contrary to the ordei's of the
general at Fort Pitt, to deatroy the Delaware
town, and the mission stations among the rest.
They were defeated by the Half King, who
killed the greater part of them.
PROGRESS OF THE MISSION.
During this season of calamity, when tho
spirit of murder and the powers of darkness
greatly prevailed, the work of God proceeded
unmolested among the Indians, and many con
versions took place — cheering evidences of the
favor of Heaven and the faithfulness of the
missionaries. The war still continuing between
the United States and Great Britain, finally

CRUELTY OF THE INDIANS. 105
involved nearly all the Western tribes in the con
test, and gave immense trouble to the Moravian
Indians, by the passing of war- parties through
their towns, often carrying captives and scalps.
The Christian Indians, however, uniformly treated
them with kindness. CRUELTY OP THE INDIANS.
Among theae priaonera waa an old man of
venerable appearance and two youths. The
Christian Indians greatly pitied the old man,
and offered a large sum to his captors for his
release, but they refused. When they reached
their village the two young men were tortured
and burned alive. The old man was condemned
to suffer the same treatment ; but being informed
by a child of his fate he contrived to escape,
and seizing a horse fled into the woods. The
savages pursued, but he arrived safely in the
vicinity of Lichtenau, quite famished with hun
ger, having eaten nothing for ten days but a
little bark and herbs. An Indian brother found

106 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
him in the wooda, looking more like a dead
than a living man, and brought him with much
trouble into town, where he'was carefully nursed.
He exclaimed, "Merciful God, be praised that
thou hast brought me, wretched creature, to a
Christian people. If it be thy will that I die
in this place I am happy and contented." He
finally recovered and was brought to Fort Pitt.
REMOVAL FROM GNADENHUTTBN.
Most of these troubles were centered at Lich
tenau. Freebooters belonging to the whites in
fested every quarter, and endangered the lives
of our Indians. They were, therefore, invited
to come and settle at Lichtenau for the present,
and removed there in April, 1778. Thus three
Indian congregations lived on one spot. The
chapel was enlarged and new houses built.
EFFORTS OF THE BRITISH.
The Governor at Detroit still continued to
use all his influence with the Delaware Indians

PRESERVATION 01 THE MISSION. 107
to engage them in the war, inasmuch as several
other tribes, who considered themselves as de
scendants of the Delawares, and called that
tribe their grandfather, were waiting to see
what they would do, being greatly influenced
by the opinions of the Delawares. They, how
ever, continued firm in preserving peace at
present, listening to the counsel of the mission
aries, and to that of the Christian Indians, who
all strongly deprecated war.
PRESERVATION OP THE MISSION.
In the Summer of 1778, they received cer
tain intelUgence that the Governor of Detroit
was about to send a party of Indians and En
gUsh soldiers to carry them off. This plan was
frustrated by the death of the commander, and
it was some time before his place could be filled
with another. The hostile Indians were charged
to bring the missionaries, dead or alive, which
they promised to do ; but happily they neglected
to fulfill their promise.

108 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
TRANSACTIONS OF 1779.
In the Summer of the year 1779 danger
began to thicken around the peaceable habita-
tiond of the mission. An army, composed of
English and Indians, marched from Detroit to
attack Fort Laurens on the Tuscarawas, and
also to take the missionaries prisoners ; but on .
their way the news of an attack by the Ameri
cans on some of the Indian towns reached them,
which caused all the Indians to leave the British
officer; and thus the attack was abandoned.
That word of Scripture, "The Lord bringeth
the councils of the heathen to naught, he
maketh the devices of the people of none
effect," was often fulfilled.
PLOTS AGAINST TUB MISSIONARIES.
The Half King of the Hurons cautioned
the missionaries to be upon their guard, for a
plot was formed against their lives, especially
brother Zeisberger — some malicious persons tak-

KINDNESS OF COLONEL OtlBSON. 109
ing great pains to spread a report that this
missionary was going over to the Americans
with all the baptized Indians. But to all these
rumors this heroic missionary paid little atten
tion, trusting in God, and attending strictly to
the welfare of the mission. A white renegade,
who headed a party of eight Mingoes, robbers
.and murderers, met Zeisberger, with two Indian
brethren, one day in the woodsj while passing
from one station to another. As soon as he saw
him he called to his companions, "See, here is
the man we have long been wishing to see and
secure; do now as you think proper!" The
captain of the Mingoes shook his head, but said
nothing in reply. After a few questions they
marched off. All the reports about this time
agreed in this, that the destruction of the mis
sion stations was resolved upon.
kindness of colonel GIBSON.
In the Summer of 1779 Colonel Gibson, the
commander of Fort Laurens, gave the mission-

110 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH- iVEST.
aries an invitation to remove with their congre
gations to the fort, or to settle in its vicinity.
This kind offer they declined, for the reason
that the war was always most violent near the
forts. SALEM BUILT. •I
In the year 1780 the robberies, outrages,
and di-unkenness of the savages about Lich
tenau became so great, that it was thought best
to abandon it and build a new town five miles
below Gnadenbutten, which they called Salemj
or the City of Peace. Accordingly, on the thir
tieth of March the last meeting was held here,
and all the congregation united in praising God
for the many blessings received at that place.
The chapel was pulled down, according to their
usual custom when abandoning any settlement,
probably to prevent its profanation by the
heathen savages, or to prevent its being ap
plied to any other use. The congregation
embarked with their effects in canoes, and pro

CHEERING APPEARANCE OF THE CHURCH. Ill
ceeded by water to Salem; which, although
only twenty miles above Lichtenau, occupied a
whole week in rowing against the stream, the
river at this season of the year being generally
at its highest stage, and of a very rapid current.
By the assistance of the brethren from Schoen
brunn and Gnadenbutten, the settlement pro
gressed rapidly, and by the 22d of May the
new chapel was ready to be consecrated. On
the 23d they partook of the holy aacrament of
the Lord's Supper, and on the 28th baptism was
administered for the first time at Salem. In
December, 1780, the dwelUng-houses were all
finished. CHEERING APPEARANCE OF THE CHURCH.
Brothers Heckewelder and Jung had the
charge of the congregation. The spiritual state
of the Church was very favorable, and the labor
of the Holy Ghost in their hearts so manifest,
that the missionaries forgot all their sufferings
for joy. During the public sermons there was

112 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
frequently such a general emotion and weeping,
that the preacher was obliged to stop till they
became more calm. This good spirit waa par
ticularly manifest in the sick and dying, many
of whose deaths were wonderfully triumphant.
Among others was an old man more than one
hundred years of age, for he remembered the
time when the first house was built in the city
of Philadelphia, in the year 1682, in which he
had been a boy.
About this time Captain White Eyes, who
had so often advised other Indians with great
earnestness to beUeve in the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, but who had always postponed joining
tho believers himself, on account of his being
entangled in political concerns, died suddenly
at Fort Pitt, of the small-pox. His wife had
been a believer for some years.
ADDITIONAL MISSIONARIES.
In May, 1780, brother Grube, then minister
of Litiz, in Pennsylvania, came out to hold a

ADDITIONAL MISSIONARIES. 113
visitation to the Indian congregations on the
Tuscarawas. Brother Senseman and his wife
came in his company, aa Ukewise the single
sister, Sarah Ohneburgh, who afterward married
brother John Heckewelder. They traveled over
the ranges of the Alleghany and Laurel Mount
ains, which was excessively fatiguing at that
early day, and especially to brother Grube, who
had been hurt by the kick of a horse. At Fort
Pitt he preached the Gospel to a congregation
of Germans, and baptized several children, no
ordained clergyman being then a resident there.
From there the Indian brethren conducted him
and hia company safely to Gnadciihutten. The
Governor of Fort Pitt, Colonel Broadhead, and
Colonel Gibson, treated them with great kind
ness. The latter gave them a traveling tent,
and assisted them in many things necessary for
their safe conveyance, as the route was at that
time infested with hostile Indians. And what
waa still worse, three white men who were seek
ing to get Indian scalps, a large premium being

114 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
then given for them, lay in ambush near the
road and shot at one of the Christian Indians,
who waa a Uttle before brother Grube and hia
company. Providentially the ball passed only
through his shirt sleeve, and the other Indians
taking the alarm, the men who lay in wait
jumped up and run off. On the 30th of June
the whole company reached Schoenbrunn, to the
great joy of the missionaries and their congre
gations. Brother Grube visited and preached
at all the stations, and in the following August
returned to hia own people in Litiz.
BIRTH OF THE FIRST WHITE CHILD.
The marriage of John Heckewelder and Sarah
Ohneburgh must have been consummated shortly
after her arrival at the miasionary station, as
their first child was born the 16th of April,
1781. Thia child was a daughter, and is still
Uving in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and was
probably the first white child born within the
present bounds of Ohio.

ATTACK ON THE MISSIONARIES. 115
TRANSACTIONS OF 1781.
In July the missionaries, Zeisberger and
Jungman, arrived safe with their wives, and the
joy of the Indians was like that of children at
the return of beloved parents. Brother Zeis
berger had gone in the Spring to Bethlehem,
for the purpose of bringing out a wife. Whom
he married does not appear; but females who
could venture so far in the wilderness among
hostile savages must have possessed the spirit
of a Deborah, and the courage of Miriam.
ATTACK ON THE MISSIONARIES.
On the 10th of August, 1781, the long-
threatened arrest of the missionaries approached
a crisis. The jealousy of the Governor of De
troit, Arend Scuiler de Peyster, still continuing
against the Moravian missions, the Indian agent
at the great council of the Iroquois, or Five
Nations, held at Niagara, requested them to
take up the Christian Indians and their teach-

116 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
ers and carry them away. This the Iroquois
agreed to do; but, not choosing to do it them-
aelves, sent a message to the Chippewas and
Ottawaa, that they made them a present of the
Indian congregation "to make soup of," as
much as to say, murder them. The Chippewas
and Ottawas refused, saying they had no reason
for so doing. The same message was then sent
to the Ilurona, at the instigation of Captain
Pipes, a Delaware Indian, very hostile to the
missionaries. The Hurons accepted the invita
tion, and after a great feast, at which they
roasted a whole ox, they began to put the
plan, very secretly, into execution — but under
the pretense of friendship and to save the
Christian Indians from the dangers which sur
rounded them. Accordingly on the 10th of
August they made their appearance at Gnaden
butten, to the number of three hundred war
riors, headed by an English ofliccr, with the
Half King of the Hurona and Captain Pipes,
bearing the standard of Great Britain.

INTERPERENCB OF A SORCERER. 117
The Christian Indians treated them kindly,
and gave them plenty of provisions of the best
they had. The behavior of the British officer
and the savages was at first friendly; but when
the missionaries declined going with them im
mediately to Sandusky — the Spot proposed for
their exile — but chose to remain where they
were till their crops of corn, potatoes, etc.,
could be gathered to prevent famine in the
Winter, they became very abusive, and insisted
on their going immediately, pretending they
had an abundance of food for the supply of
them all at that place. The Indian chiefs were
willing for them to remain, but the British
officer was so importunate, and threatened them
with the displeasure of the Governor, that they
at length consented to take them by force.
INTERFERENCE OF A SORCERER.
At one consultation, as they afterward re
lated, they had decided on killing all the white
brethren and sisters; but before putting !*¦¦ in

118 EARLY HISTORY Oi? THE NORTU-WEST.
execution they consulted one of the warriors,
who waa accounted a great aorcerer, aa to the
conaequences which might follow from the act,
as all savages consider the character of priests
as sacred. He answered, this would only in
crease the evil, for the most influential of the
believers would still remain. They held an
other council, in which they decided on killing
the assistant teachers as well as the. mission
aries and their wives, and again consulted the
aorcerer. He answered: f'You have resolved
to kill my dearest friends; but if you hurt one
of them I know what I will do." Hia threats
alarmed them and they gave up the design.
FURTHER AGGRESSIONS.
The savages soon became very insolent, and,
although supplied with all the meat they needed,
commenced shooting the cattle and hogs in the
streets, and would not allow their carcasses to
be removed, so that the stench soon became
quite insupportable.

FURTHER AGGRESSIONS. 119
On the second day of September the mission
aries, Zeisberger, Senseman, and Heckewelder,
were summoned before a council of war, who
insisted on an immediate answer, whether they
would leave the place or not.- On their declin
ing to go, they were seized by a party of
Hurons, and declared prisoners of war. As
.they were dragged along to the camp, an In
dian aimed a blow with a lance at brother Sen-
seman's head, but missed his aim. When they
were in the camp the death-song was sung
over them, and the missionaries stripped of
their clothing to their shirts. While this was
doing a party rushed into the missionaries'
dwelling-houses, and plundered and destroyed
their furniture, books, papers, etc. They were
all now led into the tent of the British officer,
who, seeing their distress, expressed some com
passion, and said . this treatment was against
his intention, although he had orders to take
them by force if they refused to go willingly.
They were next led to the Huron camp and

120 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-AVEST.
confined in two huts. After they were thus
secured they saw a party of warriors march
off for Salom ^and Schoenbrunn, which caused
them much uneasiness as to what their families
might suffer. In the dusk of the evening they
broke open the mission-house, and took Michael
Jung, and sister Heckewelder and her child
prisoners. Mr. Jung narrowly escaped the blow
of a tomahawk aimed at his head. Having
plundered the house, they brought brother Jung,
about midnight, to Gnadenbutten, and shut him
up with the other missionaries. Mrs. Hecke
welder and child they left at Salem, at the
earnest entreaty of the Indian sistera, when
she and her child were safely conducted up by
the Christian Indians next morning. During
the same night some Hurons, who seem to have
taken the lead in mischief, came to Schoen
brunn, and broke open the mission-house, tak
ing brother Jung and his wife, and sisters
Zeisberger and Senseman out of their beds.
The house was plundered of its furniture, the

CONDUCT OP THE BELIEVING INDIANS. 121
beds ripped open and feathers thrown out, and
the church robbed of every thing valuable;
when they put all into canoes and returned
to Gnadenbutten. Sister Senseman had been
brought to bed three nights' previously, and
was now hurried off by these merciless barba
rians in a dark and rainy night. But God,
who docs all things well, suffered not her or
the child to receive any injury, by imparting
to her an uncommon degree of strength and
fortitude. Early on the morning of the fourth
day, they led this company into Gnadenbutten,
singing the death-song. The day following the
prisoners were allowed to see each other and
converse, when their resignation and composure
greatly moved the savages.
CONDUCT OF THE BELIEVING INDIANS.
In the beginning of these troubles, the be
havior of the believing Indians much resembled
that of the disciples of our blessed Savior;
they forsook their teachers and fled. When

122 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
they got together in the woods, they wept so
loud that the air resounded with their lamenta
tions. But soon recovering from their fright,
they returned and asaiated the misaionariea all
they could; recovering many of their articles
by purchase or persuasion from the savages,
and bringing them blanketa to cover them by
night, and fetching them again early in the
morning lest the Hurons should steal them.
MAGNANIMITY OF AN INDIAN FEMALE.
Amid all this cruel and vicious conduct of
the Ilurona, there was found one heart that
commiserated their sufferings. A young wo
man of this tribe, who Avitnessed the cruel
conduct of her countrymen, said to an Indian
sister, she should never forget this abuse, nor
could she sleep all night for distress. Ani
mated by the most generous feelings, early
that evening ahe got possession of a very
active horse belonging to Captain Pipes, and
entirely alone rode all night through the wilder-

EXILE OP THE MISSIONARIES. 123
ness. Before noon the next day she reached
Fort Pitt, where she gave an account of the
danger of the missionaries and of their congre
gations, urging an immediate attempt for their
release. She had been gone but a short time
when the Indians were informed of it, and
made instant pursuit; but so bold was her
riding, and so active the animal she bestrode,
that they could not get within sight of her,
and gave up the chase. The Hurons were
greatly enraged with the missionaries, believing
they had hired her to bring the Americans to
their rescue. The commander at Fort Pitt, it
seems, had determined to send a force to their
rescue, but was providentially prevented; which
was fortunate for the missionaries, as they would
probably have been killed on the first appear
ance of the Americans.
EXILE OP THE MISSIONARIES.
After four days' imprisonment, they were
allowed to join their congregations; but find-

124 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
-ing the Hurons were determined continually to
harass them till they removed, they finally
concluded to emigrate. Accordingly on the
11th of September, 1781, they abandoned their
three towns of Schoenbrunn, Gnadenbutten, and
Salem, with much heaviness of heart and great
regret, leaving in them the larger portion of
their possessions. They had already lost more
than two hundred head of cattle, and four
hundred hogs; and now left three hundred
acres of corn almost ready for harvesting, be
sides large stores of old corn, with cabbages,
potatoes, garden fruits, etc. At a moderate
calculation their loss was above twelve thou
sand dollars. But that Avhich most grieved
them was the loss of all their books* and writ
ings in the Delaware language, compiled for the
instruction of the Indian youth. These Avere
all burned by the savages, who hated every
thing that tended to turn them from the heathen
practices of their forefathers. A troop of Hu
rons, commanded by British officers, escorted

SEVERITIES OP THE JOURNEY. 125
them, inclosing them on every side, for the
distance of some miles. Their course lay along
the shores of the River Walhonding, some in
canoes, and some by land, on the route to
Sandusky Creek. OAving to the hurry and con
fusion a number of the canoes sunk, and the
travelers in them lost all their provisions, and
articles saved from the sack of their towns.
The number of exiles was about five hundred.
The emigrants by land drove the cattle, a
pretty large herd, collected from Schoenbrunn
and Salem. Although the fatigues and suffer
ings of tho journey Avero very great, yet broth
erly love prevailed in the congregation, and
daily meetings were held for prayer.
SEVERITIES OF THE JOURNEY.
At Goskhosink, or Owl Creek, so named from
the great number of those birds formerly found
there, the exiles left their canoes and all went
by land. The savages now drove them on Uke
a herd of cattle, whipping the horses of the

126 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-AVEST.
missionaries, and often. not alloAving the females
time to nurse their children. The road much
of the Avay led through swampy ground, making
it very tedious and wearisome traveling.
S.'i.NDUSKY CREEK.
On the 11th of October they reached San
dusky Creek, about one hundred and twenty-
five miles from Gnadenbutten. Here the Huron
Indians left them, in the midst of the wilder
ness, Avhere there was little or no game, nor
any provisions, as they had promised there
should be. After roving about some days, they
finally fixed on Upper Sandusky to spend the
Winter, and built small huts of bark and logs.
They Avere nearly destitute of blankets, and
the provisions they had brought with them ex
hausted — the savages having stolen every thing
from them on the journey, only leaving them a
feAV kettles for cooking. During the building
of the huts, the evening meetings were held in
the open air, by large fires, for they could not

ORDERED TO DETROIT. 127
live without their social meetings for piayer,
any more than they could Avithout food. They
•often thought of the Israelites in the wilder
ness, and of that bread by which they were
fed from Heaven. In these atraita a few of
the missionaries and Indian brethren returned
to the settlements on the Tuscarawas to collect
some of the corn left in the fields, and trans
port all this long distance; a journey full as
tiresome aa that of the children of Jacob into
Egypt to buy corn of Joseph.
THE MISSIONARIES ORDERED TO DETROIT.
The last of October, the Governor of Detroit
sent a message to the missionaries, directing
them to come to him. The brethren Ziesberger,
Heckewelder, Senseman, and Edwards, with four
Indian assistants, went on this journey, while
Jungman and Michael Jung remained Avith the
congregation at Sandusky. They reached De
troit the 3d of November. At first, the Gov
ernor, Arend Scuiler de Peyster, used them

128 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
harshly ; accusing them of carrying on a cor
respondence with his enemies, the Americans.
Captain Pipe, their old enemy, appeared as their
accuser; but as he could substantiate none of
his charges, the Governor allowed them to return
to the Indian converts, but would not suffer
them to go back to Gnadenbutten. He, more
over, redeemed four of their Avatches from the
Huron Indians, which they had sold to tho
traders, gave them new clothes, and kindly
entertained them at his own house ; and finally
dismissed them Avith many good Avishes. They
reached Sandusky the 22d of November, to the
great joy of the poor Indians.
SUFFERINGS DURING THE WINTER.
That Winter they suffered greatly from fam
ine and cold, and Avould have fared still worse,
but for the kindness of tAvo Indian traders,
M'Cormick and Robbins, Avho bought corn for
them and assisted them all in their power.
By the 1st of December they had built a new

SUFFERINGS DURING THE WINTER. 129
chapel, in which they celebrated Christmas ; but,
having neither bread nor \sine, could not keep
the holy communion. In January and February
many of their cattle died from hunger, and tho
severity of the cold. The famine also increased
among the Indians, who had to support life by
digging for ground-nuts, a species of Avild po
tato, and the carcasses of the dead cattle. Prov
identially many deer came into their neighbor
hood during the cold weather and were killed
by the hunters. The missionaries fared no
better than their congregation, and were often
dependent on them for a meal of ground-nuts,
having nothing in their huts of their own.
9

130 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-AVEST.

CHAPTER VII.
THE MORAVIAN MISSIONS — OONTINUET
VISIT OF THE HURONS.
During this miserable situation the Half
King of the Hurons, with a retinue of savages
and white people, made them a visit. One of
the Christian Indians went to him and told him
there was no meat to be had but that of the
dead cattle, and added, "Formerly, Avhenever
you came to Gnadenbutten, we gave you not
only enough to eat, but if you desired sugar,
bread, butter, milk, pork, beef, or any other
article, we always gave it to you and to your
Avarriors. But you bade us rise and go with
you, and that Ave needed not to mind leaving our
plantations, for we should find enough to Uve
on here. Now, if any one catches a bird, or
any other animal, his first care is to get food

FURTHER TROUBLES OF THE MISSION. 131
for it; but you have brought us hither and
never offered a grain of corn to any of us.
Thus you have obtained your whole aim, and
may rejoice that we are perishing for Avant."
The Half King seemed struck with the reproof,
and went aAvay in silence.
FURTHER TROUBLES OP THE MISSION.
At the instigation of tho Hurons, and other
heathen savages, who were determined to break
up the mission, and disperse the Christian In
dians, the Governor of Detroit, on the 1st of
March, 1782, again summoned the missionaries
to appear before him, with their families. The
Indian congregation were overAvhelmed . with
grief, for they felt when they were gone, that
they would be a flock without a shepherd, in
the midst of ravenous wolves. The mission
aries also felt that they would rather die than
leave their charge, but there was no alternative.
They were compelled to abandon their homes
and take up their march through the wilderness.

132 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTU-WEST.

MASSACRE AT QNADENHUTTEN.
The day before they started on their journey,
a Avarrior from the Muskingum brought the
distressing news of the murder of ninety-three
of their congregation, Avho had gone back to
the deserted viUages on the TuscaraAvas for the
purpose of collecting corn, for their starving
relatives. While there a party of Americana
under the command of Colonel Williamson, from
the Mingo Bottoms on the Ohio, surprised and
took them prisoners, and afterward put them all
to death. This transaction took place on the
8th of March, and for cool-blooded atrocity
has no parallel in the whole circle of American
history. The particulars of this horrid transac
tion have been often before the public, and need
not be again detailed to tarnish the fame of
Western borderers. In mitigation of the above
Avickedness, it may be stated that in the council
held by the borderers as to the fate of their
prisoners, a majority voted for murdering them

MASSACRE AT GNADENHUTTBN. 133
the next day, while a large minority were op
posed to it, and called God to witness that they
were innocent of the blood of these harmless
Christian Indians. To describe the grief and
horror of the Indian congregation at Sandusky,
on receiving the news of the murder of their
friends, is impossible. Parents mourned the loss
of children, husbands their wives, and wives their
husbands; children for their parents, brothers
for their sisters, and sisters for their brothers,
in one wide, weltering stream of woe. And
now having lost their teachers who used to
sympathize with them, and strengthen them in
their reliance on the faithfulness of God, their
grief was neany insupportable. But they mur
mured not, nor did they call for vengeance on
their murderers, but prayed- for them. Their
only consolation Avas the belief that their mur
dered relatives were now in heaven.. The mur
derers themselves acknowledged that they were
good Indians, for- said they, "they sung and
prayed to their last breath."

134 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.

DEPARTURE OF THE MISSIONARIES.
On the 15th of March the missionaries, with
many tears, took leave of the remnant of their
congregation, for so many years under their
charge; one part of which was about to be
imprisoned, another part already murdered, and
the remainder in danger of being dispersed and
forsaken. In this jouriiey the missionaries were
conducted by a Frenchman, in place of the
British officer.
DISPERSION OF THE CHRISTIAN INDIANS.
The Indians left at Sandusky, after the de
parture of the missionaries, living in continual
fear of their lives, dispersed among the adjacent
tribes, and some to the River Maumee. It was
providential that they did so; for early in May
their station was visited by another party of
white men, for the purpose of destroying them,
only a short time after their departure; but
venturing too far into the Indian country Avere

NBAV GNADENHUTTBN. 135
themselves attacked and defeated, and one of
their commandera. Colonel Crawford, taken and
burnt alive at the stake. Colonel Williamson
died in jail, in Washington, Pennsylvania.
NEW GNADENHUTTBN.
In July the missionaries obtained liberty from
the Governor to make a settlement on the
Huron River, thirty miles from Detroit, and
soon collected a part of their congregation
around them — so loth were these good men
to leave the poor Indians, although repeatedly
offered the chance of returning to Pennsylvania.
The settlement on Huron River they called
New Gnadenllutten. The Governor and his
wife, whose hearts had become tender on see
ing the sufferings and faithfulness of the mis
sionaries, assisted them in many things neces
sary for their comfort, and in building the new
town. The 20th of July the missionaries, Zeis
berger and Jungman, with their wives, and the
single missionaries, Edwards and Jung, left

136 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
Detroit, with nineteen Indian brethren and
sisters, and crossing over Lake St. Clair, set
tled the next day on the south side of Huron
River, not far from the mouth. The mission
aries, HeckcAvelder and Senseman, with their
families, remained at Detroit, with the rest of
the believing Indians, to attend to the concerns
of the reviving mission in that place. Here
they laid out gardens and plantations, built
huts of bark, and maintained themselves by
' hunting and fishing. The foreata were filled
with sycamore, beech, ash, lime, oak, poplar,
maple, and hickory treea, Avith the largest sas
safras they had seen any Avhere. Wild hemp
grew in abundance,' but salt Avas scarce, and
could not be had even for money. They there
fore thought themselves highly blessed Avhen
they discovered some salt springs, Avhich yielded
them an abundant supply. There were also
springs of fresh Avater in plenty. In the begin
ning they were much tormented by musketoes
and other insects,, so that they had to keep up

NEW GNADENHUTTBN. 137
and sleep in a thick smoke. But they gradually
lessened in numbers as the ground became
cleared. In August they commenced to build,
and finished a street of block houses, and by
the 21st of September moved into their ncAV
house and celebrated the Lord's Supper to the
great comfort of the congregation. Others of
their old flock gradually joined them, and were
kindly treated by the inhabitants of Detroit as
they passed through on their way to the new
station. The Governor also supplied them Avith
food till they could raise their own. In the
Autumn some Chippewa Indians visited them,
but as to the Gospel they only listened to it in
silence. They are 'generally a peaceable tribe,
but very indolent; plant but little corn; live
chiefly by hunting; boil acorns for bread to
their meat, and, like the Calmuc Tartars, eat
the flesh of dead horses. By the middle of
November fifty-three Indians had rejoined them.
The Winter was passed in comparative comfort;
the Indians bartering their skins and venison,

138 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
obtained in hunting, for corn at Detroit. They
also made baskets, canoes, etc., for sale. In'
the 'Spring a large quantity of maple sugar was
manufactured. NEAVS OF PEACE.
In May, 1783, the missionaries received the
joyful news of peace between England and the
United Statca. In the course of the year
forty-three more of the aeattered congregation
joined them; but many were kept back by the
influence and discouragements of the heathen
savages, among Avhom they had taken shelter.
The new chapel Avas consecrated, and their
spiritual comforts were greatly multiplied.
TRANSACTIONS OF 1784.
In the beginning of the year a most extra
ordinary frost set in, extending over all that
country. All the rivers and lakea were frozen,
and the oldest inhabitants of Detroit did not
remember ever to have seen such a deep fall

FAMINE AT NEW GNADjJINHUTTEN. 139
of snow. In many places it lay five or six
feet deep, and was the cause of much suffer
ing. The 6th of March it was still four feet
deep. About the end. of the month it began
to melt, but the ice on Huron River did not
break till the 4th of April, and Lake St. Clair
was not free in the beginning of May.
FAMINE AT NEW GNADENHUTTBN.
As no one expected so long a Winter, no
provision was made adequate to the wants of
man or beast. The early frosts in the preced
ing Autumn had destroyed a large portion of
the crops of corn, so that the Indians soon
began to suffer. It was very dear at Detroit,
and the bakers refused to sell bread at a dollar
per pound. The deep snow prevented hunting.
The Indians had to seek their food Avherever
they could find it, and some Uved on noth
ing but wild herba. At length a general fam
ine prevailed, and the hollow eyes and sunken
cheeks of the poor people bore sad tokens of

140 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTII-WBST.
their distress; yet they appeared resigned and
cheerful, and God in due time relieved them.
A large herd of deer strayed' unexpectedly into
the neighborhood of their town, of which the
Indians killed above a hundred. This they
accomplished by walking over the deep snoAV
on snoAV-slioes, Avhich are a kind of racket
made of a hoop, across which are stretched
thonga of deer-skin, in such a way as to sup
port the Avearer from sinking into the snow.
A part of thia venison was bartered for corn
at Detroit, so that they did not suffer to that
extremity they had done in 1781 at Sandusky.
As soon as' the snoAV melted, they went in
search of Avild potatoes, and came home loaded
with them. They are a farinaceous and very
nourishing article of food. When the ice was
gone they caught a great number of fishes.
Bilberries Avere their next resource, of Avhich
they gathered great quantities, soon after Avhich
their crops of Indian corn were ready for roast
ing ears, of which God blessed them with a

PROGRESS OF NEW GNADiSNIIUTTEN. 141
very great crop, so that no one lacked for any
thing. PROGRESS OF NEW GNADENHUTTBN.
The industry of the Christian Indians had
now rendered this place a very pleasant and
regular town. The houses were all weU built,
as if they intended to live and die in them;
the country, formerly a wilderness, was now
cultivated to that extent that it afforded a suf
ficient maintenance for them. The rest now
enjoyed was particularly SAveet after such ter
rible scenes of trouble and distress. But to-
Avard the end of the year 1784 it appeared
that they would also be obliged to quit thia
place. The Chippewas complained of their set
tling on their lands, and said they only ex
pected them to remain till peace was restored;
and threatened to murder some of them in order
to force the others to depart. The neAV Gov
ernor of Detroit, Major Ancrom, also sent them
word not to clear any more land, as nothing

142 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
was yet settled as to the bounds of the terri
tory or government. The missionaries, there
fore, concluded it most prudent to make prepa
ration for returning to the south aide of Lake
Erie — they being now on the north side, in
Canada — and to settle on the River Walhonding,
or at their old stations.
TRANSACTIONS OF 1785.
In the course of this year the spiritual con
cerns of the Indian congregation were very fa
vorable; so that they were filled with joy and
consolation after so many outward troubles.
RAVAGES OF THE WOLVES.
During the Winter the wolves were very
troublesome, traversing the country in packs,
and tore a ChippcAva Indian man and his Avife
to pieces near the settlement. One of the In
dian brethren Avas chased by them for several
miles on the ice, but having skates on his feet
escaped. The missionaries also lost all their

PROCEEDINGS AT NEW GNADENHl TTEN. 143
horses by their eating a certain juicy plant,
Avhich proved a deadly poison.
PROCEEDINGS AT NEAV GNADENHUTTBN.
Although they had begun to make prepara
tion for moving, yet from the unsettled state of
the savages they concluded it best to stay thia
season, and raise one more crop on the Huron.
In May the missionaries, Jungman and Sense-
man, returned with their families to Bethlehem
by the way of the lakes and the Mohawk River,
and left the mission under the care of brothers
Zeisberger, Ileckewelder, and Edwards.
In July brother Edwards went to Fort Pitt,
where he learned that Congress had reserved
lands at their old settlements on the TuscaraAvas
for the use of the mission, and had directed the
Surveyor-General to measure them off as much
land as he might think they needed. This, how
ever, was not accomplished till after the close of
the Indian war in 1795, when they received four
thousand acres at each of their old settlements.

144 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTU-WEST.
making tAvelve thousand acres. This news gave
great joy to the congiegation. One thing after
another delayed their return ; and now the
DelaAvares and ShaAvnees, being at war Avith
.the Americans, declared they would prevent
their going back by force.
THE CHIPPBAVAS ORDER TIIEIiI AAVAY.
Early in the year 1786 the missionaries re
ceived another message from the ChippcAva
chief on Avhose territories they were living,
stating his determination that they should re
main there no longer; and, besides this, a band
of murderers and robbers of the Chippewa tribe
rendered tho Avhole neighborhood very unsafe.
The missionaries therefore concluded, notwith
standing the threats of the savages in the
vicinity of the TuscaraAvas, to remove there,
and take possession of their old settlements,
and if they could not accompUsh it thia Spring,
to aettle in the first convenient place they could
find. The ncAv commander of Detroit, Major

DEPARTURE PROM NBAV QNADENHUTTEN. 145
Ancrom, approved this plan, and offered them
vessels and provisions to carry them to the
mouth of Cuyahoga River, whence the com
munication is easy to the heada of the Tus
carawas. He also assisted them in selUng
their improvements for a small sum of money;
so that their labor was not entirely lost. They
accepted this kind offer' thankfully, and as a
gracious interference of the Lord in their be
half. DEPARTURE FROM NEW QNADENHUTTEN.
The 20th of April they met for the last time
in the chapel to offer up prayer and praise to
God for all his favors and mercies received at
that place. Embarking with their effects in
tAventy-two canoes, they proceeded to Detroit,
where they were kindly entertained for several
days — all the inhabitants having a high opinion
of the fair-dealing and upright conduct of the
Indian brethren. For although they had run
largely in debt during the season of famine,
in

146 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
yet by their industry and economy they were
enabled to discharge the Avhole. One poor man
with a large family of small children fell short,
and the misaionariea were about to aasiat him
in the payment, when his wife, who waa walk
ing in the field, happened to find a guinea,
Avhich she suppoaed Avas a piece of brass; but,
when told its value, they took it to the trader,
paid their debt, and had a few shillings left.
THE TRAVELERS LEAVE DETROIT.
On the 28th of April they embarked on
board two trading vessels, OAvned by the North-
West Company, called the Beaver and Makina.
Owing to contrary Avinds they Avere a long time
on the voyage, being driven back once or twice
when within sight of their destination. For
two or three Aveeks they lay on the shore,
encamped on an island; and Avhen out in the
open lake among the waves, the Indiana Avero
made ao sick by the roUing of the vessela that
they could not atand.

TROUBLES OF THE JOURNEY. 147

TROUBLES OP THE JOURNEY.
Tlie 28th of May, four weeks from the timo
of their departure — the voyage being often
performed in forty-eight hours — a vessel came
from Detroit to inquire after the cause of the
long absence of the schooners, and to recall
the Beaver. The Makina then agreed to carry
their baggage, and let the congregation get on
by land from Sandusky Bay.
After a long and very wearisome journey by
the shores of the lake — some in light bark-
canoes, hastily built — they reached the mouth
of the Cuyahoga the 8th of June. Here they
built more canoes, and continued their voyage
up that river till the 18th of that month, when
they reached an old deserted toAvn of the Ot
tawas, about one hundred and forty miles dis
tant from Fort Pitt. This was the first spot
that they had found suitable for a settlement,
being a continuous forest from the mouth of
the river up to this place.

148 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
SETTLEMENT OF PILGBRRAH.
They first encamped on tho east side of the
river, where was an elevated plain, built huts,
and cleared some ground for planting ; and,
although so late in the season, concluded to
put in some Indian corn and spend the Summer.
Thia place they called Pilgerrah, or "Pilgrim'a
Rest." Here they again regulated their daily
worship, reestablished the statutes of the con
gregation, and God blessed their labors. Au
gust 13th they partook of the Lord's Supper,
which to them was the most important and
blessed of all festivals. REMARKS.
Never since the days of the wanderings of
the children of Israel in the Avilderness has'
there been a people Avhose situation, in many
respects, was so nearly assimilated to that of
the wanderers under the charge of Moses and
Aaron. Beset with enemies on their right hand

PROCEEDINGS AT PILGERRAH. 149
and on their left, persecuted by their own rela
tives, suffering by famine and privations of
every kind, they yet remained firm in the
cause they had espoused, and never rebelled,
like that favored people, against the laws of
their Master. Whenever they had a chance
for rest, like the Israelites at their stations,
there they set Up the tabernacle, and worshiped
God in simplicity and in truth. Their Canaan
was the pleasant country on the Tuscarawas,
from which they had been expelled, and to
which they looked forward as their place of
rest from their tiresome journeys; where they
had enjoyed much spiritual blessedness, and
hoped to lay their weary bodies when they
finally departed for that heavenly Canaan, the
great end of all their toils, and the resting-
place from all earthly sorrows.
PROCEEDINGS AT PILGERRAH.
Being near the great carrying-place or route
from the heads of the Muskingum River to

150 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-AVEST.
the lakea, they were enabled to procure from
tradera many necessary articles. Congress also
about this time ordered a quantity of corn and
blankets to be given them from Fort M'Intosh.
In hunting they were very successful, especially
in killing deer, bears, and mooae-deer. Their
Moravian brethren at Bethlehem alao sent them
many articles of clothing, etc., by way of Fort
Pitt, which reached them in August, to their
great relief and comfort.
DEPARTURE OF MR. HBCKBAVELDER.
In October, 1786, brother Heckewelder took
an affecting leave of the congregation he had
served so many years, and returned with his
family to Bethlehem, attended by the best
Avishes and prayers of the people, by whom
he waa greatly loved.
SICKNESS OF THE MISSIONARIES.
Brother Zeisberger and wife, with brother
Edwards, Avere now left alone in charge of the

TRANSACTIONS OP 1787. 151
mission. They had just recovered from a severe
illness, which ia the first time any notice is
taken of sickness among the missionaries for
sixteen years — proving the country to have
been remarkably healthy — although exposed to
great fatigues and privations. This disease was
doubtless taken during their voyage and jour
ney on the shores of Lake Erie, which have
always been noted for their malarious atmos
phere from its first discovery to this day, espe
cially in the Summer and Autumn.
TRANSACTIONS OF 1787.
In the year 1787 the mission received some
notice from Congress, and an offer of five
hundred bushels of corn as soon as they re
turned to their old towns on the Tuscarawas.
But fresh disturbances breaking out among the
several tribes, they were prevented from going
there ¦ at present. Lieutenant-Colonel Harmar
sent them word from the mouth of the Mus
kingum that they might now receive their five

152 EARLY HISTORY OF TUB NOATH-AVEST.
hundred bushels of corn and one hundred blank
ets at Fort M'Intosh if they would go there for
them. General Butler also wrote to brother
Zeisberger that they had better remain at Pil
gerrah for the present. The Delaware Indians
at this time insisted on their removing to Pett
quotting, on what ia now called the Huron
River, in the preaent State of Ohio. The con
gregation were anxious to return to the Tus
caraAvas, but the United States advised them to
remain where they were; while the savages,
on the contrary, would not suffer them to do
so, but said they should go to some other place.
Accustomed to venture their lives in the service
of the Lord, the missionaries were unconcerned
aa to their own safety; and if that alone had
been the point in question, they would not
have hesitated a moment to return to the Tus
carawas; but they durst not bring the con
gregation under their care into so dangerpus a
situation. They therefore proposed to the In
dians to give up all thought of returning for

.REMOVAL FROM PILGERRAfl. 153
the present; but at the same time leave the
Cuyahoga, and seek some spot betAveen that
river and the Huron, where they might find a
peaceable and quiet retreat. This was agreed
to by all, and some Indian brethren set out the
beginning of April, 1787, to seek a place for a
new settlement, and found one much to their
mind. In the mean while the Indian congrega
tion of Pilgerrah celebrated Lent and Easter
in a blessed manner. The public reading of
the Passion of our Lord was attended with a
remarkable impression on the hearts of all
present. The congregation could not suffi
ciently express their desire to hear more of it,
and it appeared as if they now heard this great
and glorious Word for the first time.
REMOVAL FROM PILGERRAH.
On the 19th of April the Christian Indians
closed their residence here, by offering up
solemn prayer and praise in their chapels,
Avhich they had used but a short time, and

154 EARLY HISTORY OF TUB NORTH-WEST.
thanked the Lord for the blessings they had
received at thia place. They then departed in
two banda ; one by water, with brother Ed
wards, and one by land, led by brother Zeis
berger. Those by water had to pass over a
considerable part of Lake Erie.
GREAT STORM.
Before they left the Cuyahoga a di-eadful
storm arose, the wind bloAving from the lake.
The waves beat with such violence against the
rocks that the earth seemed to tremble with
the shock. The pilgrims thanked God that
they Avere yet in the mouth of the river and
not upon the lake. FINE FISH.
Being in Avant of provisions, they passed the
time in fishing, and one night pierced above
thvee hundred large fish with their spears by
torch-light. They were of a fine flavor, and
resembled pikea in form, Aveighing from three

MORE TRIALS AND DISAPf OINTMENTS. 155
to four pounds each. A part of these they
roasted and ate, and dried the rest over brush
wood fires for food on the voyage.
On the 24th of the month the party by land
reached the place of destination, and the party
by water the day following. It appeared Uke
a fruitful orchard — numbera of wild apple and
plum trees growing here and there. They had
never settled on so fertile a spot. The camp
was formed about a league from the lake, which
in these parts abounded with fish. Wild pota
toes, an article of food much esteemed by the
Indians, grew here plentifully. The brethren
rejoiced at the thought of estabUshing a settle
ment in so pleasant a country, especially as it
was not frequented by those savages who had
heretofore proved such troublesome neighbors.
MORE TRIALS AND DISAPPOINTMENTS.
Their joy was of short duration. On the
27th of the month a Delaware captain arrived
in the camp, and informed them they should

156 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTU-WEST.
not remain in this place, but live with them at
Sandusky; adding that it was a matter posi
tively determined, and they need not deliberate
upon it. He added, as usual, the most solemn
declarations of protection and safety, and also
said that their habitation would not be near
any heathen town, but at least ten miles from
the nearest. To this command the congrega
tion reluctantly consented, after representing
to the captain the malice, treachery, and deceit
of the Delaware chiefs, which they had expe
rienced for six or seven years.
REMOVAL TO PETTQUOTTING.
In the beginning of May they were joined
by Michael Jung and John Weygand from
Bethlehem, and soon after left a country ao
pleasing in every respect with much sorrow.
Their course lay along the shores of the lake,
partly by water and part by land, .to Pettquot
ting, where they encamped about a mile from
the lake. Here they found the fallacy of the

CONVERSION OF A NOTED SAVAGE. 157
statement of the DelaAvare chiefs, for their resi
dence was not above tAVO miles from the towns
of the savages. They finaUy, with the consent
of the chiefs, fixed on a spot near the mouth
of the river, and went there in their canoes the
11th of May, and before night a small village
of bark huts Avas erected. They made their
plantations on the Avest bank of the river, but
erected their dAvelling-houses on the east side,
which Avas higher land. This place they called
"New Salem." Here they celebrated Ascen
sion Day and Whitsuntide, meeting in the open
air, and on the 6th of June^ finished and con
secrated their noAV chapel, which Avas larger and
better built than the one at Pilgerrah. June
9th the whole congregation attended a love-
feast, for which flour had been sent from Beth
lehem. CONVERSION OF A NOTED SAVAGE.
Among the savages who in 1787 became
concerned for the salvation of their souls was

158 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-AVEST.
a noted profligate, who in 1781 threatened the
Uvea of the missionaries, and had often lain in
ambush to kill them, but without success. He
Avas traveling and came Avithout design to Pil
gerrah, where he heard the Gospel with great
attention, and ardently expressed his desire to
be delivered from the service of sin. He would
not leave the congregation; but, giving up his
intended journey, staid with the believing In
dians, and, turning Avith his whole heart to the
Lord, Avas baptized at New Salem some months
after. MISSION HISTORY SINCE 1787.
The history ¦ of Loskiel closes at the middle
of the year 1787, at Avhich time their prospects
of usefulness Avere very flattering. In a fevt
years after thia the war commenced generally
among the Indian tribea against the United
States, and Avas not closed till the year 1795.
Sonyj years after this the Moravian Indians
and missionaries returned to their toAvna on the

MISSION HISTORY SINCE 1787. 159
Tuscarawas, where Congress had already sur
veyed for them three tracts of four thousand
acres each; namely, one at Schoenbrunn, one
at Gnadenbutten, and one at Salem. These
tracts, I believe, still belong to the Moravian
Missionary Society, and are leased for a term
of years, the rents of which go into the funds
of the Society for the support of the Gospel
among the Indians of . North America. Mr.
Heckewelder rejoined the mission after their
return, and I find was living at Salem and
Gnadenbutten, as late as the year 1805, from
a meteorological record kept at that place, and
published in Barton's Medical Journal. Soon
after which, from the rapid increase of Avhite
settlers all around them on the United States
military lands, and the traders urging upon
and supplying them with Avhisky, their con
dition became very distressing and troublesome.
Finding that little permanent good could be
expected for the poor Indians while living
among the unchristian whites, they finally

160 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NC RTH-WEST.
removed to the frontiera, and aettled on the
River Raisin.
David Zeisberger died at Schoenbrunn, No
vember 7, 1808, aged eighty-seven years, seven
months, and six days. He waa born in Moravia,
April 11, 1721.

STORY OF "SILVER HEELS." 161

CHAPTER VIII.
CONTINUATION OF BORDER HISTORY.
STORY OF "silver HEELS."
For many years after the first settlement of
Ohio, the article of marine salt was one of
primary importance in the catalogue of im
portations, as being absolutely necessary in tho
domestic economy of civilized man. The sav
age never having been accustomed to its use,
can live and enjoy very good health without
it — never laying by any great stores of meat,
but letting each day provide for itself. If he
needed a supply for a journey or the short
interval of Summer, when hunting was poor,
it was easily preserved by the process of "jerk
ing," or drying over a slow fire, a mode often
resorted to by the early borderers themselves.
Not so with the Avhite man; salt waa to him
11

162 EARLY HISTORY OP THE NORTH-WEST.
an article of absolute necessity, and he was
obliged to transport it across the Alleghany
ranges of mountains,- on packhorses, for many
years after the first settlement of the country,
at an expense of six or eight dollars a bushel,
even aa late aa the year 1800. The immense
fountains of brine that now are known to exist
deep in the rocky beda below, and furnish an
endless source of wealth to the country, Avere
then not dreamed of; and it was supposed the
West would always be dependent on the At
lantic coast for salt, and deeply deplored as a
serious drawback on the value of this beautiful
region. Although many springs of saline water
Avere knoAvn to exist in various places, yet they
Avere of so poor and weak a quality as to re
quire from four to six hundred gallons of the
Avater to make a bushel of salt; and when made
contained so much foreign matter as to be a
very inferior article. But as it could be used
in place of foreign salt, and saved the border
ers money, at that day not very plenty, it Avas

STORY OF "silver HEELS. 163
occasionally resorted to by the first settlers;
and gangs of six or eight men assembled with
their domestic kettles, and packhorses Avith
provisions, camped out in the woods for a week
at a time. These springs were generaUy dis
covered by the hunters, and were often at re
mote points from the settlements. One of the
most noted in this part of Ohio was on Salt
Creek, near the present village of Chandlera-
ville, in Muakingum county.
About the year 1798, ahortly after the close
of the Indian Avar, a party of men from the
settlement on Olive-Green Creek, a large tribu
tary stream of the Muskingum, thirty miles
from the saUne, had assembled at this spot for
the purpose of manufacturing a little salt for
their own use. While occupied at this business,
and cracking their rude jokes as the water
slowly evaporated from the boiling kettles, a
noted old Indian warrior, well known to the
borderers in early days by the name of "Silver
Heels," who waa hunting near the spring, called

164 EARLY HISTORY OF TUB NORTH-AVEST.
at their camp. During peace the intercourse
of the Indians with the whites waa free and
unrcatrained; nor waa it uncommon for them
to hunt in company Avitli perfect confidence and
good fellowship. At this period the old Avarrior
lived on the Muskingum River, a few miles
west of the saline, at a spot since well knoAvn
to all boatmen by the name of "Silver Heels
Ripple." As it Avas noAV peace he felt no fear,
and having drank very freely of the whisky
offered him by the whites, and Avhich in those
days formed one of the comforts, if not one of
the necessaries of life, he began to boast of his
exploits, saying he had taken the scalps of six
teen Avhite men during the course of hia battlea.
Among others he said he had taken one at the
mouth of Olive-Green Creek, near the garrison
at that place, during the late war. It Avas that
of an old man, and had tAVO crowna, or spiral
turns of the hair, on the top of the head. Of
this he made tAvo scalps, by carefully dividing
it, and sold them to the British commander at

BTORY OF "silver HEELS." 165
Detroit for fifty dollars each. He further re
lated that the old man Avas gathering the fruit
of the may-apple, and had the bosom of hia
hunting shirt full at the time. His gun, which
he had set against a tree, while picking the fruit,
he described as a musket, with iron bands or
rings around it; but fearing pursuit, and it
being useless to him, he had hidden it in a
hoUoAv log a fcAv rods higher up the bank of
the creek. The fact of the old man's death
was familiar to all present, as the most of them
were his companions in the garrison at the
time, and were well acquainted Avith tho cir
cumstances. It seems he was out near the
garrison, just at evening, hunting his cow, con
trary to the advice and remonstrances of the
other inmates, who Avere aware of Indiana
being in the vicinity, and stated the danger
of thus exposing himself. Put being a head
strong as well as a brave man, he disregarded
their fears. He had been absent but a short
time when the sharp crack of a rifle Avas heard.

166 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-AVEST.
It Avas knoAvn at once for that of an Indian,
as the gun of the old man was a musket, and
its report easily distinguished from that of a
rifle, especially by Avoodsmen. The garrison
contained but three or four men, but several
women and children. And aa it was nearly
dark, and the force of the Indians unknown,
no search was mjide for him till the following
morning, Avhen he was found dead and scalped,
with his bosom fiUed with may-apples, Avhich
he was busily engaged in gathering for his
children, at the time, as stated by Silver 'Heels.
It so chanced that a son of the old man, now
a robust forester, and Avhose name waa Sher
man, waa preaent Ustening to the Indian'a nar
ration. To aatisfy himself as to the truth of
the story, and of his being the actual murderer
of his father, he returned directly home, and
making ddigent search on the spot pointed out
as the place where the gun waa concealed, he
found under some rotten wood where the tree
had lain, the barrel, lock, and rings of his

"jjOGAN's SPRING." 167
father's gun, then lying there about eight
years, thus confirming the truth of the Indian's
statement. A few days after this, the dead
body of the old warrior was found in a by
path in the woods, pierced by a rifle bullet.
Thus ended the days of " Silver Heels ;" but
his name will be remembered as long as the
ripple shall remain in the bed of the Mua
kingum. "logan's spring."
The" following anecdote of Logan, the cele
brated Mingo chief, is so characteristic of hia
magnanimity and genuine love of the whites,
that it is well worth preserving. When not
goaded to madness by the cruelties of the
Americans, and under that all-absorbing pas
sion, revenge, he was one of the moat mild
and kind-hearted of men. That particular in
jury being canceled, benevolence and kindly
feelings, often predominant even in the savage
heart, returned in full force, and all former

108 early UISTORY ^F the NORTU-WEST.
injuries were forgotten. Could a disciple of
Spurzheim get possession of this savage hero's
skull, the organ of benevolence, as well as that
of combativeness, Avould be found largely de
veloped. In Ligonier Valley, Mifflin county,
Pennsylvania, on the Kishaquoquillas Creek, a
tributary of the Juniata, about the year 1767,
lived Mr. Samuel Maclay, a noted hunter and
surveyor of Avild lands. Ho Avas a man of
uncommon activity and courage, and stood high
in the estimation of the early settlers of that
remote part of the State. After the war of the
Revolution, he was for several years Speaker
of the Senate of Pennsylvania. Soon after the
capture of Fort Pitt, and before peace was
finaUy concluded with the Indian tribes en
gaged on the side of the French, Mr. Maclay
was out on a surveying excursion in Ligonier
VaUey. One evening after a fatiguing day's
march, exuniiiiing the country, and fixing tho
boundaries of lots, he encamped in a fine open
wood, near a large spring which rushed pure

"logan's spring." 169
and limpid from the earth, in a hoUoAV way
betAveen tjvo Ioav hiUs. After eating his sup
per of broUed venison, and drinking heartily
from the spring, he stretched himself on a fresli
bed of leaves, with his feet to the fire, and
slept very quietly. Early in the morning he
was suddenly aAvakened from his refreshing
slumbers,j3y the Ioav growl of his fiiithful dog,
who lay crouched by his side. As he opened
his eyes in the direction of the first rays of
the morning light, the figure of a large Indian
waa seen in bold relief against the clear sky,
only a few rods from him, on the top of the
low hill opposite. He was in the act of cock
ing his gun, with the barrel resting on his left
arm, and at the same time looking intently on
Mr. Maclay. Surprised, but not dismayed, he
seized the rifle which lay by his side and sprang
upon his feet. The Indian still stood in the
same posture, Avithout any attempt to tree, or
further motion of firing. They both remained
in the same attitude, a few moments, closely

170 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTU-WEST.
eyeing each other. At length the Indian sloAvly
opened the pan of his rifle and threw out the
powder — Maclay did the same — and laying
down his gun, approached the Indian with out
stretched hand in token of peace. 'The warrior
also made the same movement, and all enmity
disappeared immediately. This Indian was the
celebrated Logan, afterward so cruelly treated
by Avhite men. The spring near which this in
cident occurred is still called "Logan's Spring;"
They remained for many years after, and tUl
the encroachments of civilization drove the In
dians far west, warm and devoted friends. The
descendants of Mr. Maclay, from one of whom
I receive^ the anecdote, still venerate the name
of Logan. FIRST SETTLEMENT AT MARIETTA.
In tho Spring of the year 1836 I Avas in
Marietta on the 7th of April, a day halloAved
aa the one on which a little band of adventur
ers, the advance guard of the present great

FIRST SETTLEMENT AT MARIETTA. 171
State of Ohio, and consisting of only forty-
seven persons, landed at the mouth of the
Muskingum. This little band was led by Gen
eral Rufus Putnam, one of the directors of
"the Ohio Company," and subsequently Sur
veyor-General to the United States. He was
the intimate and highly-esteemed friend of the
great Washington. Under his direction a strong
stockaded garrison was built on the brow of
the elevated plain, about half a mile above the
mouth of the Muskingum, and called " Campus
Martius." Within the walls of this citadel,
two or three hundred of men, Avomen, and chU
dren Uved during the Indian war Avliich broke
out in 1790. This day was for many years
after scrupulously celebrated by all the inhabit
ants; with games at foot-racing, wrestling, and
cricket ball by day, and a hearty round of
dancing in the evening, at which the vigorous
and active Umba of the young females found a
fascinating and healthy amusement. The Gov
ernor of the North- West Territory, of which

172 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTU-WEgr,
this was for a short time the capital, and the
commander of the troops stationed in Fort Har
mar, honored and encouraged them by their
presence. In imitation of the ancient Greeks,
these athletic amusements Avere greatly encour
aged at that day, for the purpose of inuring the
limbs of the youth to violent exercises, that
they might be the better enabled to contend
with the supple and active frames of the sav
ages, if ever called into personal contact, as
they were daily liable to be.
For four years the inhabitants of Marietta
and Belpre lived Avithin the walls of their
garrisons, in a condition very simUar to those
of a besieged city; and, although not closely
invested by an Indian army, no one could leave
tho Avails of the fort without hazard from' the
rifle or tomahaAvk of an Indian. They Avere
continuaUy lurking around and watching for
the unwary white man, several of whom fell
victims to their temerity in venturing too far
from the defenses. The garrisons were ao

FIRST SETTLEMENT AT MA'ilIETTA. 173
strongly built, and so carefully defended by
brave and experienced men, many of whom
had served through tho war of tho Revolution,
that the Indians never made a formal attack.
By constant familiarity with danger, we lose
much of our fear for its consequences. The
men became more careless in exposing them
selves at work in their fields, and Avere sometimes
shot at; although one Avas generally placed as
a sentry on the top of a high stump in the
center of the field. Even the young women
caught the same spirit of fearlessness, and, tired
with the monotony of a garrison life, were
pleased with almost any change; so much so
that from their OAvn lips I have had narrated
to me the high spirits and delight which they
felt in hearing the drums beat, and the alarm
gun fired, as the signal that the Indians were
in the vicinity, and there Avas put in motion
aU the hurry and bustle of an actual attack.
Seeing no immediate danger, nor any signs of
fear, in those around them, they happily felt

174 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NC RTH-WEST.
none themselves; and enjoyed the stirring scene
Avith far more zest than the femalea of modern
days enjoy a military parade.
This day, so long honored and kept in remem
brance by our predecessors, had for a number
of years been neglected; but thanks to the
impulse given at Cincinnati in 1885, by a fcAV
patriotic and high-minded men, it has again
revived. The assembly on this occasion at
Marietta Avas numerous, and the large Congre
gational church filled to overfloAving to Avitness
the ceremonies. Tavo hundred of this number
Avere made up from the youth of the college
and the young ladies' academy, which have
sprung up in this place, and the inmates of
which were all born many yeara since the yell
of the aavagt; waa laat heard on the shores of
the Muskingum. Among the actors of the day,
I noticed several of the pioneers and hardy
borderers of 1788, Avhose venerable, but yet
robust frames still remained as Uving speci
mens of " the days which tried men's souls,"

FIRST SETTLEMENT AT MARIETTA. 175
as well aa their courage. Some of these men
had been living on the Ohio River for several
years before that time, especially Peter Ander
son and John Burroughs, who acted as rangers,
or "spies" for the Ohio Company during the
war from 1790 to 1795.
One of the most dangerous and fatiguing em
ployments ever consigned to man, Avas. that of
traversing the wilderness, singly or in pairs,
in ¦ search of North American Indians. The
life of the ranger was in continual jeopardy
from the ambush of the savage; and every tree
presented a point from behind Avhich hia enemy
could unseen hurl upon him wounds and death.
And yet there were many men who loved the
occupation merely because it was dangerous.
A service devoid of hazard was in their estima
tion without interest, and only fit for women
and coAvards. Of these men a very fcAV only
are left. The robust and still erect frame of
Peter Anderson, now seventy-eight years old,
clad in a calico Indian hunting shirt, the com-

176 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-AVEST.
mon dresa of the rangers, was there; a noble
specimen of Avhat man has been, and perhaps
may be again when the same causes shall call
them into existence.
To the courage and activity of "the spies,"
a frontier name for rangers, the early colonists
at Marietta, Belpre, and Belleville, were greatly
indebted for their safety. Their daUy excur
sions to the distance of twenty and thirty miles
through the Avilderness, gave the inhabitants
notice of the approach of the Indians in time
to prepare for an attack. During this service
several Indiana were killed, and a few of the
rangers lost their lives. Of those Avho first
landed here on the 7th of April, although tAvo
or three hundred came on in the course of the
year, four individuals only Avere present. Their
gray locks and attenuated frames bore solemn
proofs of the Avork of time. When ayo look at
the vast improvements, and tho multitudes that
now people the places Avhich Avere then covered
by dense forests, avc wonder that any of those

FIRST SETTLEMENT At MARIETTA. 177
who flourished in that day should still be living
at this.
Arius Nye, Esq., whose father ia yet living,
and was among the early adventurers, delivered
a very animated and eloquent address, detailing
the early history of the Ohio Company and
their progress at this place, disclosing many
facts not generally known, and which will form
an interesting chapter in the history of Mari
etta, that he is preparing for publication. The
ceremonies of the day being finished, the com
pany partook of a substantial dinner in the
largo hall of I. Lewis ; the waUs of Avhich Avero
decorated with two fine oU paintings, of old
Fort Harmar, and Campus Martius. Among
the numerous sentiments given was one sent
in by Francis Devol, who was prevented by
sickness from being present. His father. Cap
tain Jonathan Devol, waa one of the forty-seven
Avho first landed here on the 7th of April, and
bis mother, with several other heroic women,
came on with their famUies in the Autumn
12

178 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-AVEST.
foUoAving, and were here during all the Indian
Avar. Hia parcnta have been dead aeveral yeara,
as are nearly all the matrons of that early, day.
The sentiment given Avas a brief one, but em
braced thoughts and materials for volumes. It
Avas simply, "our mothers;" and I am happy to
say waa received with that deep feeling which
the Bubject merited. Dr. Hildreth, when called
upon, gave " the memory of Isaac Williams,"
accompanied with the folloAving brief sketch of
the biography of thia noble old pioneer, and
some historical incidents illustrating the times
in Avhich he lived.

ISAAC WILLIAMS. 179

CHAPTER IX.
PIONEER BIOGRAPHY.
ISAAC WILLIAMS.
At this interesting festival, hallowed as the
day on which our forefathers first landed on
these shores, and endeared to their descend
ants by many touching recollections, we can
not do better in honoring it than by calling up
the names and recounting somo of the scenes
of that far-distant period.
On the canvaa which decoratea that wall I
see shadoAved forth by the hand of the artist
the humble dweUing and the early "clearing"
of one who, although not forming a portion of
tho enterprising company that landed at tho
mouth of the Muskingum, and whose trials and
whose firmness have been so ably delineated by
the eloquent address of the orator of the day.

180 EARLY UISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
Avaa yet here in the wilderness before them,
ready to endure privations and to brave dan
ger. That little spot, Mr. President, waa the
" clearing " * of Isaac Williams, made nearly
tAVO years before the landing of the company,
and only a few months after the building of
Fort Harmar, in the Autumn of 1786. This
painting, copied from a drawing made by the
Hon. Joseph Gillman in the year 1790, gives
an accurate view of old Fort Harmar and the
surrounding scenery as it appeared at that
early day.
Mr. WiUiams took posaeaaion of his forest
domain the 20th of March, 1787. It ia the
memory of thia man Avhich I rise to pledge,
and some few of whose good deeds and daring
adventures I desire to commemorate.
So far aa I have been able to ascertain, Isaac
WiUiama Avas born in the principality of Wales,
not far from the year 1736. He immigrated to
* The " clearing " was opposite the mouth of Muskingum
River, in Virginia, and formed' a part of the painting.

ISAAC WILLIAMtJ. 181
America Avhen quite young, as he was known
to some of the family of Mr. Joaeph Tomlin-
son, many years before they settled in Western
Virginia, by the name of "the Welsh boy."
He lost his father soon after, when his mother
married a Mr. Buckley, and moved west of the
mountains. •
Mr. Williams was among the earliest adven
turers from the Shenandoah River to the waters
of the Monongahela; and becoming acquainted
with Rebecca, the daughter of Mr. Joseph Tom-
linson, was married to her about the year 1767.
In this noble-minded woman he found a spirit
congenial to his own — a stranger to fear, and
yet full of kind and benevolent feelings. For
several yearS she had been the housekeeper
of her two brothers, surrounded by dangers on
the frontier settlements amid the Indians, and
often, when they were absent on war and hunt
ing parties, for many days entirely alone. By
this marriage they had only one child, a daugh
ter who was born January 29, 1788, two months

182 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTiI-WEST.
before the arrival of the Ohio Company. Thia
Avas probably the first Avhite cliild born on the
banka of the Ohio, betAveen Grave Creek and
the mouth of Big Sandy River, and may em
phatically be called the child of hia old age, as
he was then fifty-two years old, and had been
married about twenty years. DrusUla, the only
hope of her aged parents, married Mr. John
Henderson, and died young, leaving no issue to
bear up the family name. i
In person Mr. Williams was of the medium
size, Avith an upright frame, and robust, mus
cular limbs ; his .features firm and strongly
marked, Avith a taciturn and quiet manner. In
hia habits he was remarkably abstemious and
temperate. Instead of the more' common and
fashionable beverage of tea and coffee, he used
altogether mUk or Avater at his meals. To such
simple palatea stimulating, drinka have no en-
ticementa; so that temperance with them ia a
native, inborn virtue. These primitive luibits
account for his almost uniform good health and

STORY OF JOHN AVBTZEL. 183
great age. From early youth he was much
attached to liuntmg, and to distant and solitary
rambles in the deep forests of the West — pur
suing the chase of the buffalo and the bear,
and trapping the sagacious beaver. In these
excursions, and in making locations of " rights,"
as the early land entries of Virginia were then
called, and AvWch extended to both banks of tho
Ohio, many of the most active yeara of his life
were passed.
In the Fall of the year 1780 or '81— my
informant, Mrs. Elizabeth Tomlinson, now a
very aged woman, but who then Uved in that
vicinity, is not certain Avhich — Mr. Williams
was engaged in the foUoAving adventure at the
mouth of Grave Creek.
STORY OP JOHN WETZEL.
John Wetzel, a younger brother of Lewis,
the celebrated ranger and Indian hunter, then
about sixteen years old, Avith a neighboring
boy of about the same age, were in search of

184 EARLY HISTORY OP TUB NORTH-AVEST.
horses that had strayed away in the woods on
Wheeling Creek, where the parents of John
then lived. One of the stray animals was a
mare with a young foal, belonging to John's
sister, which she promised to give to John as
a reward for finding the mare. While on this
service they were captured by a party of three
Indians, Avho, having accidentally found the
horsea, caught them and placed them in a
thicket, expecting that their bells would attract
the notice of their owners, and they should
then easily capture them, aa well aa the horses,
or take their scalps. The horse was always a
favorite object with the savage, as not only
facilitating his OAVn escape from pursuit, but
also assisting him in carrying off the plunder.
The boys, hearing the weU-known tinkle of
the beUs, approached the spot where the In
dians lay concealed, congratulating themselves
on their good luck in so readily finding the
strays, and Avere immediately seized by the
Indians. John, in attempting to escape, Avas

STORY OF JOHN WETZEL. 185
shot through the arm. On their march to the
Ohio his companion made so much lamentation
and moaning on account of his captivity, that
the Indians dispatched him with their toma
hawks ; while John, who had once before been
taken prisoner and escaped, made Ught of it,
end went along cheerfully with his wounded
arm. The party struck the Ohio River early
the following morning at a point near the
mouth of Grave Creek, and just below the
clearing of Mr. Tomlinson.
Here they found some fat hogs, and kUling
two put them into a canoe they had stolen —
two Indians taking possession of the canoe
with their prisoner, wWle the other Indian
was occupied in swimming the horsea across
the river. WhUe amusing themselves at the
squeaUng of some young pigs, and talking and
laughing very loud, they were overheard by
Isaac WilUams and Hamilton Kerr, who had
passed the night at Mr. Tomlinson's, and were
then on the look-out for signs of Indians.

186 EARLY UISTORY OF THE NORTH-AVEST.
Kerr first hearing the noise ran ahead, and
coming nearly opposite the canoe at once dis
covered the cause, and without a moment's
delay diacharged his rifle at the Indian who
Avaa steering it with such fatal effect that he
fell dead into the river. Mr. Williams came
up immediately after and shot the other In
dian, Avho fell into the bottom of the canoe.
By this time Kerr had again loaded liis rifle,
and was drawing up to shoot John, Avho he
supposed Avas also an Indian, Avhen he cried
out, "Don't shoot; I am a prisoner." He
was then told to paddle the canoe to shore,
to which he ansAvered, "My right arm is shot
through the elbow, and is useless." The canoe,
hoAvever, soon drifted into shoal water, Avhen
John jumped out and waded to the shore. The
boat floated on undisturbed, and Avas finally
taken up near the Falls of the Ohio, with the
two dead hogs stUl in it. The Indian avIio fell
into the Avater Avaa taken out just beloAV and
scalped.

BIOGRAPHY CONTINUED. 187
BIOGRAPHY CONTINUED.
This is a single sample of the many similar
adventures in which Mr. Williams was for sev
eral years engaged. He seldom spoke of his
own exploits, and when related they generally
came from the lips of hia companions. There
Avaa only one situation in Avhicli he could be
induced to relax hia natural reserve, and freely
narrate the romantic and hazardous adventures
Avhich had befallen him in his hunting and Avar
excursions in all parts of the Western wilder
ness, and that was when encamped by the
evening fire in some remote spot, after the
toils of the day were closed, and the supper
of venison and bear's meat finished. Here,
whUe reclining on a bed of fresh-fallen leaves
beneath the lofty branches of the forest, his
body and mind felt a freedom that the "hut"
and the " clearing " could not give ; but sur
rounded by the works of God, with no Ustener
save the stars and his companion, the spirit of

188 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
narration came upon him, and for hours he
would rehearse the most thi-illing and heart-
moving detaUs of his youthful and early adven
tures by forest, flood, and field. In this manner
the late Mr. Alexander Henderson^ whose worth
and whose kind and gentlemanly manners were
well known to moat of ua, informed me he had
paased with Mr. Williams some of the most
interesting hours of his life, while hunting on
the heads of the Little Kanawha. His romantic
and chivalrous spirit could well appreciate the
value of such daring deeds.
With the foresight of a reflecting mind, Mr.
WUliams had taken possession of a large tract
of land on the left bank of the Ohio, opposite
the mouth of the Muskingum; had erected
cabins ; made a clearing ; and was living on it
Avith his family, as I have already said, at the
time the Ohio Company took possession at
Marietta. Among his many kind and neighborly acta
to the first settlers and pioneers of Ohio, those

FAMINE AMONG THE COLONISTS. 189
of the year 1790 display his benevolence and
single-heartedness in the most pleasing Ught.
From the destructive effects of an untimely
frost in September of the year 1789, the crops
of corn were greatly injured, and where late
planted entirely ruined.
FAMINE AMONG THE COLONISTS.
In the Spring and Summer of 1790 the in
habitants, whose time had been chiefly occu
pied in erecting dwellings and stockaded garri
sons, and of course had cleared but little land,
began to suffer from the want of food, especially
wholesome breadstuff. The Indiana Avere be
coming troublesome, and rendered it hazardous
boating provisions from the older settlements
on the Monongahela. Many families had no
other meal than that made from moldy corn,
and were sometimes destitute even of this, for
several days in succession. Thia moldy corn
was sold at a dollar per bushbl, and when
ground on their hand mills and made into

190 EARLY HISTORY OP THE NORTH-WEST.
bread few stomachs Avere able to digest, or
even to retain it for a few minutes. My
eateemed friend, C. Devol, Eaq., Avho is now
seated at this festive board, and Avho was then
a small boy, has often narrated Avith much
feeling hia gastronomic triala Avith this moldy
meal, made into a dish called "sap-porridge;"
but which, Avhen made Avith SAveet corn-meal
and the fresh saccharine juice of the maple,
afforded both a nourishing and a savory dish.
The famUy, then living at Belpre, had been
Avithout bread for tAvo days, when his father
returned from Marietta with a scanty supply
of moldy corn. The band mill of " Farmers'
Castle," the name of the garriaon, Avaa imme
diately put in operation, and the meal cooked
into "sap-porridge," as it was then the sea
son of sugar-making. The famished children
eagerly SAvalloAved the unsavory mess, Avhich
Avas almost as immediately rejected — reminding
us of the deadly pottage of the children of the
prophet, but lacking tlie healing poAver of an

FAMINE AMONG THE COLONISTS. 191
Elisha to render it salutary and nutritious. Dis
appointed of expected relief, the poor children
went supperless to bed, to dream of savory
food and plenteous meals, unrealized by their
Avaking hours.
It was during thia period of want that Mr.
WUliams displayed his benevolent feelings for
the suffering colonists. From the circumstance
of his being in the country earlier he had more
ground cleared, and had raised a large crop of
corn. This he noAV distributed among the in
habitants for three shillings a bushel, Avhen at
the same time he was offered a dollar by a
speculator for his whole crop. Man has ever
fattened on the distresses of his felloAvs. "Dod-
rot him!" said the old hunter; "I would not
let him have a bu.shel."* He not only parted
with his corn at this cheap rate, but he also
* Tliis was a mode of expression used by Mr. AVilliams whcii
his feelings were much excited. Ho had the greatest abhor
rence of profanity; and I recollect distinctly of once hearing
him reprove with great severity a boatman who was guilty
of this unmanly vice.

192 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
prudently proportioned the number of bushels
according to the number of individuals in a
family. An empty purse Avas no bar to the
needy applicant, but hia Avanta Avere equally
supplied Avith those Avho had money, and a
credit given till more favorable times should
enable him to discharge the debt.
During this season of privation, I have heard
some of our present inhabitanta, Avho were then
children, relate Avith Avhat anxiety, from day to
day, they watched the tardy groAvth of the corn,
beans, and squashes, and with what rapture
they partook of the first dish prepared from
vegetables of their OAvn raising! Disinterested
benevolence, such as we have been admiring in
Mr. Williams, is confined to no country, nor to
any age, but flourishes Avith the greatest vigor
in the hut of the forester, and amidst the in
habitants of an exposed frontier. Common
danger creates community of feeling and of
interest; and I have no doubt that our fore
fathers, could they again speak, Avould say that

SIMPLE HABITS. 193
the years passed by them in garrison, sur
rounded by danger and privation, Avere some
of the most interesting, if not the most happy,
of their lives. SIMPLE HABITS.
But to return to the object of these remarks.
Mr. Williams retained a relish for hunting to
his latest days; -and whenever a little unweU,
forsaking his comfortable home, Avould take his
rifle and dog, retire to the wooda, and encamp
ing by some clear stream, remain there drink
ing the pure Avater, and eating such food as
his rifle procured, till his health Avas restored.
Medicine he never took, except such simples
as the forest afforded. The untrod wilderness
was for him full of charms, and before the close
of the Revolutionary war he had hunted over
all parts of the Valley of the Ohio as low
down as the Mississippi. Respected by all
for his benevolence and simplicity of manners,
the days of Mr. Williams passed sUently along

194 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-AVEST.
in the cultivation and improvement of the plant
ation his OAvn prowess had rescued from the
Avilderneas. During the Indian war from 1790
to 1795 he remained unmolested in his cabin,
protected in some measure from attack by the
Ohio River and the proximity of Fort Harmar.
Many years before his death he hberated all
his slaves, and by hia will left valuable tokena
of his love and good feeling for 4he oppressed
and despised African. Full of years and of
good deeds, and strong in the faith of a blessed
immortality through the atoning blood of his
Redeemer, he resigned his spirit to Him who
gave it on the 25th of September, 1820, aged
eighty -four years; and was buried in a beau
tiful grove on his own plantation, surrounded
by the trees he so dearly loved when living.
HAMILTON KERR.
IlamUton Kerr, the, man referred to in the
preceding sketch of Isaac WiUiams, was an
other of those stout-hearted and iron-sided

HAMILTON KERR. 195
men who seem to have been providentially
raised up to meet the exigencies of the time
in which they Uved. It is doubtless one of
the laws of nature that all its productions shall
be fitted to the climate and soil in Avhich they
are placed. The law holds equally good when
applied to man. In times of violence, tumult,
and strife, the mind and body of man are so
constituted as to be readily accommodated to
the emergency which requires their service. In
peaceable and quiet seasona the passions are
lulled into repose, and we dream not that such
stern hearts can be found Avho can look on
bloodshed and slaughter with composure.; yet
such has ever been the condition of poor human
nature. It is the animal triumphing over the
rational ; the fiendish portion of our being over
coming the spiritual and the angelic. Without
the holy and purifying precepts of Christianity,
subduing and suppressing the animal propens
ities, man would ever remain a' degraded and
brutish being; with the aid of this Divine gift

196 EARLY UISTORY OF THE NORTH-AVEST.
he can be' taught to overcome his most violent
passions, and to love and do good to those Avho
have heaped upon him the greatest injuries.
Even in his savage state, kind and benevolent
feelings toward an enemy are sometimes seen;
so that the Creator did not leave man without
some redeeming quaUties, although they have
been strangely perverted.
Hamilton Kerr was the intimate friend of
Isaac Williams ; and, although many years
younger, there was not only that sympathy
of feeling which a similar occupation produces,
but also that mutual regard which generous
and brave men ever entertain for each other.
For days and months they had traversed the
wilderness together, pursuing the chase of the
bear, the buffalo, and the deer, and side by side
had fought the common enemy of the country.
He was a tall, athletic man, possessed of great
muscular power, and one of those brave pioneera
who acted as rangers for the garrisons at Ma
rietta and Belpre during the Indian Avar; a man

HAMILTON KERR. 197
whose heart never knew fear, and would have
borne the torture by fire at the stake with the
same uncomplaining fortitude and contempt of
pain as the savage himself. From a similarity
of pursuits, and by frequent intercourse in times
of peace, many of the Western borderers had
insensibly imbibed a large share of that stoical
philosophy so peculiar to the savages of North
America. But fortunately Mr. Kerr was not
put to the test, although often in danger from
the rifles of his enemies. Several Indians were
known to have faUen by his hands in the vicinity
of the garrisons.
After the close of the war he settled on a
farm in Meigs county, Ohio, near the mouth
of a creek which stUl bears his name, and is
Avell known to all who navigate the Ohio as
" Kerr's Run." Although he had no advantages
of education, yet, like many of the sons of tho
forest, he possessed superior inteUectual powers.
He stood high in the estimation of the public,
and for many yeara held the office of a magis-

198 EARLY HISTORY OF TUB NORTU-WEST.
trate, bestowed upon him by the free suffrages
of his neighbors, aa a mark of their confidence
in his integrity and talents. Ho died a few
yeara since, greatly lamented as one of the
early friends and protectors of the infant West.

LEGEND OF "CARPENTER'S BAR.^' 199

CHAPTER X.
LEGENDS OF BORDER HISTORY.
LEGEND OF " CAIIPENTER's BAR."
Six miles above Marietta, at a .broad expan
sion in the Ohio River, is the location of
"Carpenter's Bar," a spot much dreaded by
all steamboat pUots in low stages of the water.
It took its name from a tragical event which
occurred in the early settlement of the country,
near the mouth of a small stream, which puts
into the Ohio opposite the bar. This stream is
caUed " Carpenter's Run." The inhabitants of
Marietta having migrated from a distant part
of the United States, were not in a condition
to bring many domestic animals Avith them,
and those they did bring were generally stolen
from them, or shot down in the Avoods by the
Indians. This state of destitution for aeveral

200 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
years after the settlement in 1788, opened a
favorable market for cattle to the older settle
ments on the Avestern branch of the Mononga
hela River, in the vicinity of the present tOAvn
of Clarksburg, Virginia.
In this region, especially on " the Elk," and
" the West Fork," settlements had been made
as early as the year 1772; and many large
farms Avere opened, and numeroua herds of
cattle groAvn in the rich hills of that country,
Avhich has ever been famous for its fine grazing
lands. It is distant about eighty miles in
nearly a due east direction from the mouth of
the Muskingum. Several droves had been sent
in as early as the year, 1790. Among others
engaged in this business was Nicholas Carpen
ter, a *iative of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania,
who had been one of the first settlers of thia
remote region. He Avas a man of great energy
and activity, and took the lead in all business
transactions; having not only a large farm,
with eighty or one hundred acres of cleared

LEGEND OF " CARPENTEK's BAR." 201
land, with a fine orchard, but a small store of
dry goods. He carried on a smithery, and gun
making, at which he worked himself; and also
employed a hatter, shoemaker, and clothier, all
on his own premises. For so remote a spot,
and so early a day, Mr. Carpenter may well
be considered a man of much importance to
the society among Avhich he dwelt. He Avas
not only a business man, but also a pious man —
commencing and closing the labora of each day
by prayer and praise to his Maker for the fa
vors he received in this world, and the cheering
hope of immortaUty promised him in the Gospel
among the blessed in the next.
At the period of the event which I am about
to relate, he was the father of eleven chUdren,
all by one mother. In those days such families
were not uncommon. Every thing waa in its
prime. The virgin soil brought forth by bund-
red-fold ; and mankind multiphed the more rap
idly, not only from their simple food and active
Uvea, but alao from the continual dangera that

202 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTU-WEST.
surrounded them. As a sample of the fecundity
of the climate, there were living about twenty-
eight yeara ago — aoon after the period of my
settling on the Ohio River, a little beloAV the
mouth of Fiahing Creek in Virginia — two broth
ers by the name of Wells, Avhose united progeny
amounted to forty -seven; one brother having
twenty-four and ^the other twenty-three chil
dren. The two famUies used to fill one school-
house themselves. They, however, had each of
them a second wife; and a number of the
children are yet Uving in that vicinity.
The latter part of September, in the year
1791, Mr. Carpenter left home for Marietta
Avith a large drove of cattle. Thia place he
had visited twice before on the same business.
He had in company with him, to assist in
driving the cattle through the wUderness by a
path, on each side of Avhich the treea had been
marked, five men, and hia little son, Nicholas,
then only ten years of age. He Avas, however,
an uncommonly-active boy, and often traversed

LEGEND OF "CARPENTER'S BAR." 203
the woods on horseback, to the distance of
twenty and thirty miles, all alone on the busi
ness of his father. As the Indians were then
hostile, he waa warned of the danger by hia
mother, who waa very aorry to part with him,
but he pleaded so earnestly to go, and playfully
answered that he could easily escape on his
Uttle horse if attacked, Avhich was very swift
of foot, that she finaUy consented. The names
of the men who accompanied him were Jesse
Hughes, George Leggett, ' John Paul, Burns,
and ElUs. They had traveled three days with
out any signs of danger, and were approaching
within sight of the Ohio River, and only six
miles from the mouth of the Muskingum, when
they encamped for the night on the banks of a
smaU run, a short distance from its mouth —
considering themselves as safe from attack, and
their journey in a manner completed. Their
horses were hoppled and turned loose to feed
in the vicinity of the camp, on the Avild pea
vine and tall plants with which the woods were

204 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-AVEST.
filled at that day ; whUe the drove of cattle lay
around and brOAVsed, or ruminated after their
Aveary travel, aa best suited their several in-
cUnations. WhUe they are thus, quietly resting -we will
travel to another part of the forest. It so
happened that not far from the time of their
leaving home with the drove, a marauding
party of six Shawnee Indians, headed as was
afterward ascertained, by Tecumseh, then about
tAventy years of age, and finally so celebrated
for bravery and talents, crossed the Ohio River
9, short distance above the mouth of the Little
Kanawha. They had left Old ChUUcothe, a
noted Indian town on the Scioto River, with
the intention of making a foray on the west
branch of the Monongahela, for the purpose
of stealing horses and killing the inhabitanta.
Passing by "Neal's Station" on the KanaAvha,
they met Avith a colored boy of Mr. Neal's,
about fourteen years old, Avho was at some
distance from the house collecting the cows.

LEGEND OF " CARPENTER'S BAR." 205
it being just at evening. They took him a
prisoner and forced him to go along with them,
but did no other mischief lest alarm should be
given and pursuit made, and the main object of
their excursion be frustrated. The route from
Kanawha to the west branch was well known
to the Indians and all the old hunters. And
although the country waa a continued wilder
ness, their main war paths were as famUiar to
them as our modern turnpikes are to travelers.
On this route a part of the old Indian trail, for
nearly tAventy miles, lies on the top of a narrow
ridge, now known to all thia region as "Dry
Ridge." It is so named from its being desti
tute of any water for all this distance, and is
the diA'iding line between the streams which
fall into Hughes -River on one aide, and those
which floAV into Middle-Island Creek on the
other. I Avell remember traveling on this ridge thirty
years ago. It was to visit a patient thirty-two
miles from Marietta, and we reached our desti-

206 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTU-WEST.
nation a Uttle before midnight. The sick man
was in the agonies of death, and expired shortly
after. The house, a small log-cabin, was so
croAvded with visitors, and there was so much
talking and noise that I could not sleep, and
concluded to mount my horse and return. It
waa the last of October, and a clear starlight
night, about tAvo o'clock, and was not the less
dreary from my being all alone, and the rec
ollection of the scene I had just witneased.
There waa not a house for twenty miles. Ever
and anon the howl of a wolf, or the shrill yell
of a panther, only a few rods from the path,
made both the horse and the rider prick up
their ears. After a soUtary ride of four hours
I reached a cabin at the foot of the ridge,
where on inquiry I learned that a great many
deer had been lately killed along the ridge,
and that an unusual number of wolves, attracted
by the smell of the blood, had assembled to
feast on the offal. This path was then pointed
out to me as "the old Indian traU," and was

LEGEND OF " CARPENTER'S BAR." 207
doubtless the same along which Tecumseh and
his party had marched.
But to return from this episode. Before they
reached the waters of the Monongahela Frank,
the black boy, became much tired Avith-his long
walk, when the Indians, to encourage him, prom
ised him a horse to ride oii their return. Soon
after leaving the ridge they came upon the trail
of Mr. Carpenter's drove, and thinking them a
caravan of new settlers on their way to the
Ohio, they immediately gave up any further
progress east, and turned with great energy
and high spirits on the fresh large trail, which
they saw had been made only the day before.
So broad was the track made by the drove of
more than a hundred cattle and six or seven
horses, that they followed it without difficulty
all night, and came upon the cattle and the
camp fire a little before day.
Previously to commencing the attack they
took the precaution of securing the black boy
with thongs to a stout sapling, a short distance

208 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
from the camp, telUng him if he made any
noiae the tomahawk would be his fate. The
tramping and noise of the cattle assisted the
Indians in making their approaches to recon-
noiter the camp, as their own movements would
be blended with those of the cattle in the ears
of the sentries, had there been any. But this
precaution they had not taken, as they in fact
considered themselves in no danger. Tecumseh,
Avith the caution that ever after distinguished
him, placed his men behind the trunk of a large
fallen tree, only a few rods from the camp,
where they could watch the movements of their
enemies and not be seen themselves. At the
first dawn of morning. Carpenter,* Avho was the
first to rise, aAvakened his men, saying it was
time to be moving; and when their ablutions
were completed, he called them together that
they might begin the day with the accustomed
acts of devotion. As the men sat around the
fire, he commenced reading and singing a hymn,
in which the men all joined, from the old " West-

LEGEND OF " CARPENTER'S BAR." 209
End" Baptist collection, and was in the act of
reading the following lines of the third verse :.
" Awake our souls, away our fears,
Let every trembling thought begone ;
Awake and run the heavenly race.
And put a cheerful courage on.''
At this moment the Indiana all fired, follow
ing the discharge Avith a most terrific yell, and
immediately rushed upon their astonished and
unprepared victims with their tomahawks. The
fire of the Indians was not very well directed.
as it killed only one man, ElUs, from Green
brier, and wounded John Paul through the
hand. EUis immediately feU, exclaiming, "0
Lord! I am kiUed." The rest sprang to their
feet, and before they could all get their rifles,
which were standing against a tree, the Indians
were among them. Hughes, who had been an
old Indian hunter, in his confusion seized on
two guns, his own and Mr. Carpenter's, and
pushed into the woods with an Indian at his
heels. He discharged one of them, but whether
14

210 EARLY HISTORY OF TUB NORTH-WEST.
with effect is not knoAvn, and threw the other
down. Not having completed di-essing himself
before the attack, his long leather leggins Avere
only fastened to the belt around his waist, but
were hanging loose below, and getting betAveen
hia legs greatly impeded his flight. Finding
he should be soon overtaken unless he could
rid himself of their incumbrance, he stopped,
and placing his foot on the lower ends tore
them loose from the belt, leaving liis legs naked
from the hipa downward. This operation, al-
though the AVork of a moment, nearly cost him
his life, for his pursuer, then within a few yards,
tliroAV his tomahawk so accurately as to graze
his head. Freed from this impediment he soon
left his foe far behind and escaped. My in
formant, a aon of Mr. Carpenter, now living
in Marietta, but then a small boy, says he Avell
remembers seeing the bullet holes in Hughes's
hunting shirt, so narroAV was hia escape.
John Paul, with his wounded hand, was saved
by his superior activity in running. George

LEGEND OF "CARPENTER'S BAR." 211
Leggett Avas pursued for nearly four mUea, over
taken and kUled. Burns, a strong, athletic man,
and not much of a runner, was slain near the
camp after a desperate resistance, as the vines
and weeds were all trampled down for more
than a rod Square around where he lay. When
found a few days after, his stout jack-knife was
stUl clasped in his hand, with which he had
doubtless inflicted some wounds on his foes.
Mr. Carpenter, although lame, having had his
ankle joint shattered by a rifle shot many years
before, Avould have done some execution on his
enemies could he have found his rifle, which
Hughes in his hurry and confusion had carried
off. Although a very brave man, yet without
arms he could do nothing, and being too lame
for a long race, he sought safety by conceal
ment behind a clump of wiUows in the bed of
the run, but was soon discovered. .His Uttle
son Avas also taken near him. They were hur
ried to the spot where black Frank was left,
and both of them kUled; the father by tho

212 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
plunge of a knife, and the son by the stroke
of a tomahawk. What led to the slaughter
after they had surrendered is not known, but
probably from the Indians' thirst for the blood
of Avhite men. Negroes when captured by them
they seldom killed, but treated kindly, either
from pity at their condition, or the fancy that
they Avere, from their color, in some way re
motely connected. Tho body of Mr. Carpen
ter Avaa found carefully Avrapped up in hia own
ncAV blanket, Avith a pair of new Indian mocca
sins on his feet, and his scalp not removed,
Avhile all the others had been subjected to this
operation. The removal of the scalp is con
sidered the greatest disgrace that can befall a
Avarrior. These marks of respect after hia
death Avere shoAvn him by an Indian of the
party, Avhose gun Mr. Carpenter had repaired
a few months before, and had refused any com
pensation for the service. Thia fact Avaa told to
Christopher Carpenter by one of the Indiana,
many years after, at Urbana, in Ohio.

LEGEND OP "carpenter's BAR." 213

Tecumseh' s party, after coUecting the plunder
of the camp, retreated in such haste, fearing a
pursuit from the garrison at Fort Harmar, that
they left all the horses, which had probably
scattered in the Avooda alarmed at the noiae of
the attack. Before starting from this scene of
blood, they sent out one of their number to
unloose the black boy Frank, and take him
along with them, but to save them this trouble
he had already unloosed himself. In the midst
of the confusion of the assault, by great exer
tions he broke the thongs which bound him,
and hid himself in a thick patch of tall weeds
near by. After all waa quiet, and he supposed
the Indians had departed, he raised his head
cautiously and looked around, when much to
his amazement he saAV a tall Indian within a
few paces of him, but who being occupied Avith
other thoughts fortunately did not see him, and
went off in another direction. Frank returned
to his master, and died only a fcAV months
since. The death of Mr. Carpenter and his

214 EARLY UISTORY OF TUB NORTH-WEST.
comrades filled the settlement on Monongahela
with grief and consternation, for he waa greatly
esteemed, and his loss for many yeara deeply
lamented.

DESCRIPTION OP FORT HARMAR- 215

CHAPTER XI.
MISCELLANEOUS SCRAPS.
DESCRIPTION OP FORT HARMAR.
Fort Harmar was built in the Autumn of
the year 1786, by a detachment of United
States troops under the command of Lieut.-
Col. Harmar. The form of the fort waa pen
tagonal, or five-sided, with a bastion of the
same form at each corner. The walls or cur
tains between the bastions were each about one
hundred and twenty feet in length and twfelve
feet high, constructed of hewed logs. The bar
racks for the soldiers were built against the
curtains, the walls of which formed the out
side of the buUdings, whUe the roofs descended
within, throAving the rain-water inside the in-
closure. The rooms in these were large, form
ing ample quarters for the troops, and buildings

216 EARLY HISTORY OF TUB NORTH-AVEST.
for the provisions and stores. The bastions
Avere constructed Avith large palisades, made of
the trunks of trees act upright in the earth,
and of an equal hight Avith the curtaina; the
sides of the bastions measured about forty feet
each, the outlines of Avliich are slUl distinctly
marked in the earth where they stood. Con
venient dwelling-houses for the officers were
built in each 'bastion, Avith two rooms at least
twenty feet square. An arsenal Avas built, near
the center of the fort, of logs covered with
earth, for the protection of the powder, and
Avas a kind of bomb-proof structure. The main
gate Avas placed on the side next the river, and
a sally-port on that looking toAvard the hUl,
Avhich is distant about eighty rods.
In the center of that line of barracks Avhich
stood in the curtain next the Muskingum, and
Avhich Avaa probably the guard-house, there arose
a square toAver like a cupola, in Avhich Avas
stationed the sentry. Cannon Avere mounted
in the bastions — four and six-pounders — so aa

DESCRIPTION OP FORT HARMAR. 217
to rake the curtains in case of an assault. The
main or water gate was at least fifty feet from
the edge of the second bank of the river, whence
the surface gradually sloped down about eight
feet to the first bank, similar to what noAV is
seen above the ferry. On this first bank or
bottom stood three large log buildings, which
were occupied by the artisans of the fort as
blacksmith's, wheelAvright's, and carpenter's
shops ; a few yards beyond these buildings
Avaa the verge of the river bank. All this
original space betAveen the river and the fort
had been washed aAvay some years since by
the crumbling of the loose earth, against which
the waters of the Ohio rushed with great vio
lence during the times of high floods. At this
period the old well, which was dug in the mid
dle of the works, is seen projecting from the
upright face of the bank from the gradual waste
of fifty years, and has partly tumbled down the
slope; in a few years more it will all be gone.
Shots of four and • six pounds are still picked

218 EARLY HISTORY OF TUB NORTU-WEST.
up in the soil, and were probably buried when
the troops under General Harmar left the place
in the year 1790. In the rear of the fort, but
close to the A\'alls, were laid out nice gardens,
and cultivated by the soldiers ; in these • Avere
grown many varieties of culinary vegetablea,
and very superior peaches, planted by Major
Doughty. At that time the virgin soil pro
duced fruit from the wood of three years'
groAvth. A fine variety of peach ia still known
about Marietta by the name of "the Doughty
peach." The Major Avaa a tasteful horticul
turist aa Avell aa a brave soldier.
This continual crumbling of the banks hag
Avidened the mouth of the Muskingum River
more than two hundred feet; the effect of
which has been that a dry sand-bar or island
now occupies the spot where once, previous to
the building of the fort, the Avater in the Sum
mer months Avas ten or tAVclve feet. deep, Avith
a smooth rock bottom. The huge sycamore
trees, as they reclined over the water on tho

DESCRIPTION OF FORT HARMAR. 219
opposite shores, nearly touched their tops; and
to a person passing hastily by in the middle
of the Ohio the mouth of tho Muskingum would
be hardly noticed, so deeply was it enshrouded
by these giants of the forest.
About the year 1800 there was found in the
mouth of the Muskingum, by a boy who was
bathing, a plate of lead of several pounds
weight, on which was engraven a Latin in
scription, indicating that formal possession was
taken of the country in the name of the king
of France ; but whether by Louis XIV or XV,
or in what year, my informant had forgotten,
although it waa found by one of hia own sons.
It would have been a very interesting relic,
but was unfortunately destroyed several years
since by being melted and cast into rifle bul
lets. It seems that this waa a common mode
of taking possession of a new country by tho
early discoverers; the leaden tablet being either
fastened to a large wooden cross set up on the
shore, or else thrown into the mouth of the

220 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
stream. Several tragical events transpired
during the Avar in the vicinity of the fort;
among others, the one in which the late Gov
ernor Meiga Avaa an actor is Avorthy of being
recited among the contributions to the early
history of the Valley of the Ohio.
THE ESCAPE OF R. J. MEIGS, ESQ.
During the whole Avar it waa customary for
the inmates of all the garrisona to cultivate
considerable fields of corn and other vegetables
near the walls of their defenses ; although a
very hazardous pursuit, it Avas preferable to
starvation. For a part of the time no pro
visions could be obtained from the older settle
ments above on the Monongahela and Ohio;
sometimes from scarcity among the settlers
themselves; and was procured at great hazard
from the attack of the Indians, Avho Avatched
the river for the capture of boats. Another
reason was the Avant of money, many of the
early inhabitants having spent a large share of

THE ESCAPE OF R. J. MEIGS, ESQ. 221
their funds in the journey to Ohio, and for the
purchase of lands ; so that necessity, the mother
of many good and many bad things, compelled
them to plant their fields. The war having
commenced so soon after their arrival, and at a
period entirely unexpected — as a formal treaty
had been made with the Indian tribes at Mari
etta in 1789 — and no stores being laid up for
future use, it fell upon them quite unprepared.
So desperate were their circumstances at one
period that serious thoughts were entertained
of evacuating the country by many of the
leading men of the colony.
In this state of affairs Mr. Meigs, then a
young lawyer, and but recently married, was
forced to lay aside the gown, and take up,
like Cincinnatus, the sword and the plow;
although at that time but little plowing was
done, as much of the corn was raised by plant
ing the rich loose soU among the stumps, after
burning off the logs and brush. Even by thia
simple process large crops Avere invariably pro-

222 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-AVEST.
duced ; ao that nearly all the implementa needed
by the farmer were the ax and the hoe.
Early in June, 1792, it so happened that
Mr. Meigs, whose residence Avas in "Campus
Martina," had been at work in a field of corn
Avhich he had planted on the west side of the
Muskingum, in the vicinity of Fort Harmar.
Having finished the labor of the day, just be
fore night, he with his companion, Joseph Sy-
monds, and a black boy, an apprentice, Avhom
he had brought with him from Connecticut, set
out on their return to the garrison. After
leaving the field there was a considerable piece
of forest to pasa through betAveen the "clear
ing" and the spot where their canoe A\as fast
ened to the shore, oppoaite the fort where they
dAvelt. Symonds and the boy were unarmed;
Mr. Meiga carried a small foAvling-piece, which
he had taken to the field for the purpose of
shooting a wUd turkey, Avhich bird at that day
abounded in such immense numbera aa Avould
hardly be credited at thia day. Flocks of sev-

TUB ESCAPE OP B. J. MEIGS, ESQ. 223
eral hundred individuals Avere not uncommon in
the Autumn, and of a size and fatness that
would have excited the admiration of an epi
cure of any period of the world — even of
Apicus himself. Meeting, however, with no
turkeys, he had discharged his gun at a
Squirrel. Just at thia juncture two Indians, who had
been for some time watching their movements,
sprung into the path behind them, atid unper-
ceived fired and shot Symonds through the
shoulder. He, being a superior swimmer,
rushed down tho bank and into the Mus
kingum River, when, turning on his back, he
was enabled to keep himself On the surface
till he had floated down near to Fort Harmar,
where he waa taken up by the soldiers in a
canoe. His wound, although a dangerous one,
was healed, and I knew him twenty years
after. The black boy foUowed Symonds into
the water as far as he could wade; being, how-
over, no swimmer, he waa unable to get out

224 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
of the reach of the Indian who shot at them,
but was seized and dragged on shore. The
Indiana were very deairoua of making him a
prisoner, and taking him along with them,
Avhile he as obstinately refused, and made ao
much resistance, aa they tried to drag him
along, that finding they should by longer delay
be in danger themselvea from the rangers at
the garrison, who Avere firing at them from
the opposite shore, they reluctantly tomahawked
and scalped him.
From some accident it seems that only one
of the Indian Avarriors Avas armed Avith a rifle;
the other liad only a tomahawk and knife.
After Symonds Avaa shot Mr. Meiga imme
diately faced about in order to escape to the
fort. The warrior armed with his hatchet had
placed himself between him and this refuge,
and cut off his retreat. Clubbing hia gun,
he rushed upon the Indian, aiming a bloAV at
his head, Avhich the Indian returned Avith his
hatchet. From the rapidity of the movement

THE ESCAPE OF R. J. MEIGS, ESQ. 225
neither of them were much injured, although it
staggered them considerably, but not so much
as to bring either to the ground. Instantly
recovering from the shock, Mr. Meigs pursued
hia course to the fort, .with the Indian close at
hia heels. He was in the vigor of his life, and
had by previous practice become a very swift
runner. His foe was also very fleet, and among
the most active of their warriors, as such only
were sent into the settlements on marauding
excursions. The race continued for the distance
of sixty or eighty rods Avith little advantage on
either side, when Mr. Meigs gradually increased
his distance ahead, and leaping across a small
run AA'hich intersected the path, the Indian
stopped, threw his hatchet, which narrowly
missed its object, and gave up the chase with
one of those fierce yells which rage and dis
appointment both served to sharpen. So shrill
and loud was the cry that it was distinctly
heard at both the forts.
About eight years since an Indian tomahawk

226 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.

was plowed up near this very spot, and was
most probably the one thrown at Mr. Meigs,
as the pursuit from Fort Harmar was so imme
diate on hearing the shots and the Indian war-
cry that he had no time, to search for it. With
the scalp of the poor black boy the Indians
ascended the abrupt side of the hill Avhich
overlooked the garriaon, and, shouting defiance
to their foes, escaped into the thick forest,
where pursuit Avould have been hopeless. The
excitement was very great in the garrisons, and
taught the inmates a useful lesson — that of
being better armed and more on their guard
Avhon they ventured out on their agricultural"
avocations. Had Mr. Meigs tried any other expedient
than that of facing and rushing instantly upon
his enemy, he must inevitably have lost his life.
On his right was the river; on his left a very
steep and high hill; beyond him the pathless
forest; and betAveen him and the fort his In
dian foes. To his sudden and unexpected

DESCRIPTION OF CAMPUS MARTIUS. 227
assault, to his dauntless and intrepid manner,
and above all his activity in the race, he un
doubtedly owed his Ufe. He, hoAvever, lived to
see this infant colony grow into a great State,
and to share largely and deservedly in his
country's confidence by holding some of the
most honorable posts in her power to bestow.
DESCRIPTION OF CAMPUS MARTIUS.
This fort or stockaded garrison was built at
Marietta by the Ohio Company, under tho
direction of General Rufus Putnam. At the
period of the landing of the first settlers, on
the 7th of AprO, 1788, the ground on which
it stood, and the whole adjacent region, Avas
covered with a thick growth of forest trees.
The plan of the garrison was made, and the
preparation of materials commenced, soon after ;
but it was not finally completed till near the
time of the Indian war in 1790. The walls
formed a regular parallelogram, the sides of
which were equal, and one hundred and eighty

228 EARLY HISTORY 'IP THE NORTH-AVEST.
feet in length. At each corner waa erected a
strong bastion or block-house, surmounted by a
toAver. The bastions were tAventy feet square,
and projected ten feet beyond the curtaina or
main walla of the fort; the upper stories of
which projected several feet over the lower,
BO as to give the occupants the command of a
raking fire on their assailants. The interme
diate curtains Avoro built up with dwelling-
houses made of hewn logs. The whole was
two stories high, and covered with good shingle
roofs. Convenient chimneys were built of bricks
for cooking and warming the rooms. In the
west and south fronts were strong gateways,
and over the one looking to the river Avas a
belfry. Running from corner to corner of the
block-houses was a row of palisades sloping
outward, and twenty feet in advance of these a
row of very strong and stout palisades set up
right in the earth. Gateways also led through
these. Each bastion was mounted with a small
piece of ordnance, so much elevated as to

DESCRIPTION OF CAMPUS MARTIUS. 229
command the adjacent plain; loop-holes were
made at convenient distances for musketry.
The dweUing-houses occupied about thirty
feet each, and were of tbe same width as the
bastions, and afforded sufficient room for the
accommodation of forty or fifty famUies, and
did actually contain from three to four hundred
men, women, and children during the Indian
Avar. At the commencement of the war the
block-houaea or bastions were occupied as fol
lows : one by the family of General St. Clair ;
one for the holding of courts and for religious
worship. The office of pastor was filled by the
Rev. Daniel Story during the war, and for
several years after that pferiod. The first civil
courts ever assembled in Ohio were held at
Marietta. A third bastion was occupied for offices by
the directors of the Ohio Company, and a
fourth for private famUies. During the war
a regular military corps Avas organized, and
sentries continually posted in the towers over

230 EARLY UISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST.
the bastions. The area within the AA'alls formed
a fine parade-ground, in the center of which
vvas a Avell, eighty feet in depth, for the supply
of water to the inhabitants in case of a siege.
A large sun-dial stood for many years in the
square, and gave note of the march of time;
it is yet preserved as a relic of the old fort.
The whole formed a very strong Avork, and
reflected great credit on the head that planned
it. The fort was in a manner impregnable to
the attack of Indians, and none but a regular
army with cannon could have subdued it. The
bights across the Muskingum, it ia true, com
manded and looked down upon the defenses
of Campus Martius, but there was no enemy
to fear in a condition to take posaeaaion of
this advantage.
The fort stood on the verge of that beautiful
plain overlooking the Muskingum River, and on
wliich those celebrated remains of antiquity were
erected, probably for a similar purpose, by that
ancient and wonderful people, whose fate yet

DESCRIPTION OF CAMPUS MARTIUS. 231
remains involved in obscurity. From a com
parison of the crania, or skulls, they have re
cently been ascertained to be of the same race
with the ancient Peruvians. The heads of this
ingenious people, the remains of whose industry
and skill are scattered all over the valley of
the Ohio, are entirely different from those of
the Indian races of the West; having much
narrower palatal bones, and the organ of con-
structiveness well developed, while those of
combativeness and destructiveness are small.
Thus much to the credit of phrenology. The
ground descended into ravines on the north and
south sides of the fort. On the west was an
abrupt descent to the river bottom; while the
east passed out on to the level plain. On this
the ground was entirely cleared of timber, to
the distance of a rifle shot, so as to afford no
shelter to a hidden foe. Extensive fields of
corn were planted in the midst of the girdled
and deadened trees beyond. The appearance
of the garrison from without was grand and

232 EARLY HISTORY OP TUB NORTU-WEST.
imposing; at a little distance bearing a striking
resemblance to one of the armed palacea, or
castles of the feudal ages.
Between the fort and the river, on the. rich
alluvions, were laid out convenient vegetable
gardens for the use of the inhabitants and the
officers of the Ohio Company. On the shore
of the Muskingum was built a substantial tim
ber Avharf, at which lay moored a fine cedar-
built barge for twelve oars, constructed by Cap
tain I. Devol, with a number of perogues and
light canoes of the country. In theae boata,
during the war^ most of the intercourse wag
carried on between the settlements of the com
pany, and the more remote towns above on the
Ohio River. Travel by land Avaa very hazard
ous, and besides there were no roads or bridges
across the creeks.
CHARACTER OF THE PIONEERS.
"While many of the early settlements in the
West were made up from the illiterate and the

THE FIRST PREACHER IN OHIO. 233
rude, the colony at Marietta, like those of some
of the ancient Greeks, carried with it the sciences
and the art^ ; and although placed on the front
iers, amidst the howling and the savage wilder
ness, exposed to many dangers and privations,
there flowed in the veins of its Uttle community
some of the best blood of the country; and it
enroUed many men of highlyrcultivated minds
and exalted inteUects." The directors of the
Ohio Company were men of sound sense, and
took extensive and liberal vicAvs of public good,
as may be seen in the ample -provision made for
the support of schools and the Gospel. One of
the first official seals engraved in Marietta had
for its legend, " Support religion and learning."
THE FIRST PREACHER IN OHIO.
Soon after the organization of the Ohio Com
pany, at Boston, Massachusetts, in the year
1787, it seems that the enlightened men who
directed its concerns began to think of making
arrangements for the support of the Gospel and

234 EARLY HISTORY OP THE NORTH-WEST.
the instruction of youth in their new colony
about to be established in the western wilder
ness. Accordingly a resolution .Avaa passed
at a meeting of the directors and agents, on
the 7th of March, in the year 1788, at Provi
dence, in Rhode Island, for the support of the
Gospel and a teacher of youth; in consequence
of Avhich the Rev. Manasseh Cutler, one of the
company directors, in the course of that year
engaged the Rev. Daniel Story, then preaching
at Worcester, Massachusetts, to go to the West
as chaplain to the new settlements commenced
at Marietta. After a tedioua and laborioua
journey across the Alleghany Mountains, Mr.
Story arrived at Marietta in the Spring of the
year 1789, and commenced his ministerial la
bors as an evangelist. The settlements Avero
new and situated at various points, some of
them a considerable distance from Marietta;
nevertheless, he visited them in rotation, in con
formity with the arrangement of the directors,
by which he was to preach about one-third of

THE FIRST PREACHER IN OHIO. 235
the time at the settlements of Wolf Creek and
Belpre. During the Indian war, from 1791 to 1795,
he preached the larger portion of the time in
the north-west block-house of Campus Martius.
The upper room in that house was fitted up
with bcnchea and a rude, aimple desk, so as to
accommodate an audience of a hundred or more.
The room was also used for a school, Avhich was
first taught by Major Anselm Tupper, a son of
General Benjamin Tupper, a highly-gifted and
Avell-educated man, who had served with much
credit in the army of the Revolution. During
this period, a committee appointed by the di
rectors to report on the religious and literary
instruction of the youth, resolved that one
hundred and eighty dollars be paid from the
funds of the company to aid the new settlement
in paying a teacher, with tho condition that
Marietta support a teacher one year, Belpre
seven months, and Waterford three months. If
they complied with that, this sum was to be

236 EARLY HISTORY OP TUB NORTH-WEST.
divided among them in proportion to the time.
Near the same period, twenty dollars Avere ap
propriated to pay Col. E. Battelle for religioua
instructions at Belpre. Colonel Battelle A^'as a
graduate of Cambridge University, and acted
aa chaplain to the settlement during the Indian
Avar, reading the Church service regularly each
Sabbath to the inmates of Farmer's Castle.
The meetings were held in the south-east block-
bouse, where he resided. These testimonials
sufficiently prove the interest the Ohio Company
felt for the spiritual welfare, aa well as the
temporal comfort of the colonists. Mr. Story
also preached occasionally at a large room in
the upper story of a frame house in the stock
ade or garrison at "the Point," being at the
junction of the Muskingum with the Ohio, on
tho left bank; Fort Harmar being on the oppo
site shore. At periods Avlien the Indians Avero
quiet, he visited and preached at the settlements
of Belpre and Wolf Creek, fifteen and tAventy
miles from Marietta. These pastoral visits were

¦ THE FIRST PREACHER IN OHIO. 237
¦ made by water in' a log canoe, propelled by
the stout arms and AviUing hearts of the early
pioneers. In the year 1796 he united and established
a Congregational Church, composed of persons
residing in Marietta, Belpre, Waterford and
Vienna in Virginia. In 1797 he visited his
native State, and remained there till he was
called to the pastoral charge of the Church he
had thus collected in the wilderness. He Avas
ordained the 15th of August, 1797, in Danvers, .
Massachusetts, there being no ministers to per
form that office west of the mountains, to the
care of the Church in Marietta and vicinity.
This relation continued betAveen Mr. Story and
his Church tUl the 15th of March, 1804, when
he was dismissed at his own request, his health
having become too much impaired for him to
perform the labors of pastor any longer.
Mr. Story was a native of the toA^¦n of
Boston, State of Massachusetts, and graduated
at Dartmouth CoUege in 1780. He was in the

238 EARLY HISTORY OP THE NORTH-AVEST.
ministry some years before he came to Ma
rietta, and when he Avas selected by Dr. Cutler
to come to the West the choice was much
approved by those who kncAV him. In coming
to Marietta, hoAvever, Mr. Story certainly sac
rificed his interest and his comfort. What
money he possessed at that time Avas invested
in Ohio lands, previous to coming out, Avith
the expectation of reasonable support from the
Ohio Company, till the rents of the ministerial
lands, set apart for the support of the Gospel,
should come into use or be available; but this
waa prevented by the Indian Avar, and no funda
were derived from thia aource till about the
year 1800. The support from the funds of
the Ohio Company Avas continued for only tAVO
years, their affairs being somcAvbat deranged by
the Indian Avar; the expense of which to their
treasury being upAvard of eleven thousand dol
lars. The inhabitanta Avere generally much im-
poveriahed from the same cause, and probably
his receipts for preaching, from the year 1789

THE FIRST PREACHER IN OHIO. 239
to the time of hia ordination in 1797, could not
have paid hia expenses for board and clothing.
He Avas obliged to draAV upon his former earn
ings by the sale of some of his lands. However,
the hospitaUty of one or two kind Christian
friends, who gave him a welcome seat ;it their
tables during a part of this period, relieved
him from some of his difficulties. At his death
the proceeds from the sale of his remaining
lands were insufficient to discharge all the
debts incurred while laboring in the new set
tlements. In person Mr. Story waa rather tall and
slender, and quite briak and active in hia move
ments; his manners easy, with a pleasant ad
dress ; cheerful and animated in conversation ;
and always a welcome guest in the famiUes he
visited. Hia sermons were practical; logically
and methodically written, after the manner of
that day; and Avere said to be fuUy equal in
matter and manner to those of the first preach
ers in New England. In prayer he greatly

240 EARLY HISTORY OF THE NORTU-WEST.
excelled, both in propriety and diversity of sub
ject, as well as in beauty of language. He was
never married, but lived a single life, after tho
manner and advice of St. Paul.
Placed in the midst of a people continually
tremblipg for the safety of their Uvea, filled
Avith anxiety for the support of their families,
and surrounded by the careless manners of the
soldiery, it is not to bo expected that much
could be done under such circumstances by a
humble minister of the Gospel in advancing the
spiritual condition of the people; nevertheless,
he did Avhat he could for the support of the
cause in Avhich he was engaged, and his name
is still held in respectful remembrance by the
few living remnants of the early aettlera of
Marietta. He died the 30th day of December,
1804, aged forty-nine yeara.

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