CHAPTER III
SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION OF MARION COUNTY
WITH SUBSEQUENT HISTORY
Pioneer Days--First Permanent Settlements--Indians of Pioneer Days--Indian Reservations in Marion County--Removal of Indians--Noted Indians of This Vicinity--Indians Trails of Marion. County--The Wyandot Mission.--First Settlements in the County -- Formation of County-- County Organized--Territory Detached--Growth of County--Population of County by Decades.
PIONEER DAYS.
In all ages and countries man has sought the river valley. Here man advanced from savagery to barbarism and from barbarism to civilization. The first peoples of the world to grow rich and powerful and to become enlightened were those who built their homes on fertile soil and beside cool waters. The rivers of our New World, like the leading rivers of the Old, have played a most important part in its development. They have not only formed the boundaries of States, but of ideas. They have been grand avenues of commerce. Their broad and fertile basins are now the abiding place of millions of inhabitants and the source of our national wealth. Of their valleys it may be said, as Dr. Thomas Arnold says, of the great and fertile basin of the Po-- that garden of the ancient world "Who can wonder that this large and richly watered plain should be filled with flourishing cities or that it should have been contended for so often by successful invaders '"
INDIANS OF PIONEER DAYS.
The first permanent settlements in Ohio were along the tributaries of the Ohio River. As each new settler arrived, he pushed farther inland and took up his home on the edge of the settlement, but near the streams. There were several reasons for this method of settlement. The river was the easiest and best method of transportation and furnished the swiftest communication between the settlements. Lands near the streams were usually more easily drained. Much of the land, which was formerly considered worthless, on account of its marshy nature, has, by modern methods of drainage, become the most valuable for agricultural purposes. But the early settler found enough to do to subdue the wilderness and to later generations left the drainage of the waste places. The bottom lands were passed by because, under the conditions then existing, they were poison-breeding, marshy and wholly unfit for the habitation of man. Consequently. throughout Marion County the first settlements
52 - HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY
were made on second bottom lands or on the hill country bordering the bottoms, and the bottom lands were gradually conquered by working into them from their outer boundaries.
INDIANS OF PIONEER DAYS.
When the first permanent settlements were made in Marion County north of the Greenville Treaty line, there was a tribe of Delaware Indians occupying a small reservation in the corner of four townships---Grand Prairie and Salt Rock in Marion County, and Pitt and Antrim, in Wyandot County. At that time almost the entire reservation was in Marion County. The reservation was a tract of land three miles square, its south boundary being nine miles north of Marion. .Adjoining the Delaware Reservation on the north was the Wyandot Reservation. 12 miles Square, the southern boundary of the reservation being about three-fourths of a mile north of the north line of Marion County as it was then located. These reservations Were perpetually secured to each tribe for their homes at a convention held on September 29, 1817, by Generals Cass, McArthur and others as commissioners of the United States at the foot of the Rapids of the Maumee. The Delawares ceded their reservation to the general government by a treaty concluded at Little Sandusky, Ohio, August 3, 1829, for $3,000 in money and a large reservation west of the Missouri River, near Kansas City.
The Wyandot Reservation was granted to nine chiefs. Doallquod, Howoner, Rontondee Tanyau, Rontayou, Dawatont, Manocue, Tauyaudautauson ancl Hadaunwaught The Wyandots were the last of the Ohio Indians to remove to the West. They ceded their reservation to the United States by a treaty negotiated at Upper Sandusky, Ohio, March 17, 1842. In 1800 there were 2200 Wyandot Indians on this reservation. In 1843, at the time of their removal to Indian Territory, their numbers had dwindled to 800, the principal cause of their decline probably being contagions diseases and consumption.
By the terms of this treaty it was stipulated that the chiefs should remove their people without other expense to the United States than $10,000, and receive 148,000 acres; a permanent cash annuity of $17,500; a permanent fund of $500 per anmulm for educational purposes, and an appropriation of $23,80O to pay the debts of the tribe.
On the 12th day of July, 1843, under the leadership of Jacques, their head chief. the remnant of the tribe numbering almost 700, set out on their long and toilsome journey westward..
The end of the first clay found the Wyandots at Grass Point, in Hardin County, the second at Bellefontaine, the third at Urbanna; the fourth at Springfield; the fifth, at Clifton; the sixth, within four miles of Cincinnati; and the seventh, at the wharf of the latter city. On the eighth day after leaving Upper Sandusky, they embarked on steamboats and accomplished the remainder of their journey via the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers.
To the north of the Wyanclots about 13 miles was the Seneca Reservation, including 40,000 acres in Seneca and Sandusky counties. The Senecas ceded their lands to the United States, by treaty concluded at Washington, D. C., February 28, 1831. and the following year the small remnant of 500 journeyed to the far West.
When the first white settlers crossed the Greenville Treaty line and took up their homes in the unbroken forest, they found the Delaware and Wyandot Indians camping, hunting and trapping along all the streams of the county. They were never confined to their reservations but lead a wandering life, making the reservations their home. The author has heard his grandparents speak many times of parties of Delawares, often as many as 50 in a party, camping on the present site of the brick schoolhouse on the west hank of the Olentangy, just north of the Jacoby bridge, and on the northwest quarter of section 30 in Richland township. Another favorite camping place in the same township was on the south bank of the Olentangy River on the northwest quarter of section 30.
Capt. George Beckley in his reminiscences of
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 53
the early settlements of the Whetstone Valley relates that upon the arrival of his father and family in 1821 at Wyatt's Tavern which was about one mile below the present site of Waldo, they saw "a half dozen or more Wyandot Indians, going into the white settlements on a trading expedition. They had their ponies loaded with divers articles or merchandise, such as cranberries, honey, splint baskets, wooden butter ladles, moccasins, etc., for which they took in exchange sickataw (Salt) , koosh-koosh (pork), nahah (meal), flour or almost anything in the shape of clothing or implements. They were very curious and friendly, shaking hands with everyone, and saying, "How-a-muttera."
It was no uncommon sight, in the early days of Marion, to see Delawares and Wyandots, who came to sell or barterpelty, moccasins, beadwork, baskets, game, cranberries, etc., with the merchants and citizens of the town. Sometimes they got drunk and then, whooping like savages, they would ride their ponies up and down Main Street at a breakneck speed. To prevent such debauchery in frontier towns, the Legislature very early enacted a law providing, "That if any person shall sell or barter any spirituous or other liquors, of any intoxicating quality, to any Indian or Indians, within this State, every person so offending shall upon conviction thereof, be fined in any sum not exceeding $100, or be imprisoned in the cell or dungeon of the jail of the county, and be fed on bread and water only, not exceeding 10 days, or both, at the discretion of the court; Provided, that nothing in this section shall extend to any tavern keeper, who shall sell to any traveling Indian; Provided, the same shall not exceed one gill, to each Indian." It is safe to presume that most of the Wyandots and Delawares who visited Marion passed as traveling Indians. It is probable, however, that the pioneers drank far more than the Indians.
NOTED INDIANS OF THIS VICINITY
It will be of interest to mention briefly some of the principal Indian characters of pioneer days. Captain Pipe, Jr., son of Captain Pipe who burned Colonel Crawford, occasionally called with the Delawares to trade with early merchants of Marion. He was a small, rather spare man, and quiet in disposition. He never married. He went West with his people and died on the reservation about 1840. Among his own people he was reputed to be a great "medicine man." It is related of him that he cured a child of Reuben Drake, who had been bitten by a rattlesnake. Mr. Drake lived in Grand Prairie township, near the Indian reservation and immediately sent for Captain Pipe. Pipe, who was under the influence of whiskey, refused at first to go, but finally consented. Seeing the child in great pain, he exclaimed, "Great pain, very sick." He there-upon laid down by the cradle and snored soundly for a while. He arose in about half an hour, called for milk, which he poured on some pounded roots, gave the child of it to drink, and applied some as a poultice to the place bitten, rocked the child for some time in its cradle, when it fell asleep and perspired freely. Seeing this the Captain said, "It get well," and soon the child was out of danger.
Tom Lyons was another Delaware who frequently visited the early settlers of the county. He could speak both German and English and often acted as an interpreter. He was always pleased to meet a Dutchman. He claimed that General Wayne gave him his name and his coat, and that he was more than 160 years old. However, as old Tom counted the winter a year and the summer another year, his great age can be accounted for. He had lived in Pennsylvania before the Delawares were forced out of that State. In his prime he had been a strong, powerful man, and by boasting of his deeds of prowess he made a great many enemies among the whites. One story he found especial delight in telling was, that he had killed and scalped 99 whites and his one remaining desire was to make the number an even hundred, before being called to the happy hunting-grounds. Lyons' wife was reputed to have been one of the finest looking squaws among the Delawares. He was very proud of her, and kept her dressed in the best
54 - HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY
Indian fashion. Nor did he compel her to work at menial labor, as was the Indian custom. Lyons is said to have been shot in his wigwam by two white hunters from Delaware County, but nothing authentic is known of his end.
Solomon Johnnycake, the husband of Sally Williams, who was a quarter-blood, was well known in this region. He was a well-developed, friendly hunter, and Sally and the children accompanied him on his expeditions. He would construct a bark wigwam for his wife and children, while he ranged the woods in search of game. Sally was a neat housekeeper. Her mother was a white woman, who was captured in girlhood, Upon the Pennsylvania Frontier. Johnnycake went West with his people and three of his sons served in a Kansas Indian company of the Union Army in the Civil War.
Before the War of 1812 two Wyandot families resided in the Quawqua Valley, on the farm now: owned by John Mautz, near the present site of the Locust Grove M. E. Church. They were on good terms with the Wyatts, Brundiges and Drakes, who were the first settlers in Marion County. Their names were John Standingstone and Dittawana. Daniel S. Locke, who knew Dittawana described him as being the largest Indian he ever saw. These Indians later removed with their families to Upper Sandusky. Here Dittawana became a chief and was killed in 1816 by two Canadian Indians in front of his own wigwam, while lying on a puncheon to rest. They accused him of killing their father 20 years before and out of revenge stabbed him to death, and successfully made their escape.
Billy Doudee and Pickles, his son-in-law, were considered bad Indians. They had frequent quarrels with the white settlers and finally "Bad Indian," as Pickles was called among his people, was shot and killed by Benjamin Sharrock of this county. Sandstone, Moonice and White Eyes were all known to the white settlers of Marion County.
When the Indians came to a cabin, they would walk right in without ceremony or invitation. If they were not cordially received, they were much offended and would go away saying, "Very bad man, very bad man." They would never sleep on a bed, but, rolling themselves in their blankets before a log fire in the fire-place, would make no trouble. In return for such hospitality from the settler they would often leave a saddle of venison or other game they had to spare. If a half dozen or more Indians were met with, only one of the party would speak English.
INDIAN TRAILS OF MARION COUNTY.
The Indians usually traveled single file along the trace, which was a well-worn path. There were several of these traces or trails in Marion County. One ran from their town in the Wyandot Reservation in a southeasterly direction across what are now Grand Prairie and Claridon townships to Owl Creek. Another, and perhaps one of the most important and frequented in Ohio, was the Scioto trail, which ascended the Sandusky River and descended the Scioto to the Ohio. This trail was one of the greatest warpaths in the Central West, leading southward into "Warrior's Path" to the land of the Cherokees and Catawbas. This trail ran south through Marion County, through the present townships of Grand Prairie, Marion, Pleasant and Prospect, following the ridge east of the Scioto, and passing through what is now known as West Marion.
These trails were paths two or three feet wide, on the highest ridges. They usually followed the course of a "buffalo trace," which, after that animal was driven westward out of the Ohio forest, became the "Indian trail." On the hilltops and following the ridges lay the deep but narrow paths of the buffalo and Indian. They were the highways (highest ways) of the wild forest, chosen because they were dry, windswept in winter, and afforded an outlook in case of danger and for signaling.
THE WYANDOT MISSION
Many years before the Wyandots settled in Marion and adjoining counties, when the country north of the Ohio was the domain of the French King, Jesuit priests, brave, devout and
PAGE 55 - BLANK
PAGE 56 - PICTURES OF ROBERT CRATTY, ROBERT KERR, WASHINGTON W. CONCKLIN, WILLIAM S. AYE, JOHN MARKEY, ABRAHAM MONNETT, MAJ. WILLIAM LARUE, CAPT. ELISHA H. HARDY AND MICHAEL JACOBY, SR. SOME PIONEERS OF MARION COUNTY
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 57
faithful servants of God, had visited the tribe and taught them in the faith of the Catholic Church. When the territory became English. the efforts of these traveling Catholic missionaries gradually ceased and the savages of the Northwest, as years rolled by, forgot and forsook the faith of their devoted priests. Upon the advent of the white settler in Ohio. the Protestant missionaries took up the work of Christianizing the Indian. They found the Wyandots to be the most receptive and friendly of all the Ohio Indians.
The first English missionary to visit the Indians of Central Ohio was John Stewart, a free-born mulatto, who visited the Wyanclots at Upper Sandusky in November, 1818. Early in the following year he attended a Methodist conference near Urbana. where he was licensed as a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Returning, Stewart continued his work among the Wyandot Indians. In 1821 Rev. James B. Finley was appointed resident missionary and teacher at the Wyandot Mission. He served here until 1827 and under his pastorate the mission flourished and grew. This mission was a potent influence for goocl, but fell into decline soon after Mr. Finley's removal. It was too much to expect, that in one generation these children of Nature should entirely forsake the ways of heathenism, surrounded as they were by rough and intemperate pioneer settlements.
FIRST SETTLEMENTS IN THE COUNTY.
The first permanent white settlers in Marion County were Nathaniel Brundige and Nathaniel Wyatt, Sr., who came to Marlborough township, Delaware County, now Waldo township, Marion County in 1806. They were born in Marlborough township, Ulster County, New York. They moved in 1797, to Washington County, Virginia, where they resided eight years. From there they moved to Pickaway County, Ohio, and then to Marlborough (now Waldo) township, in February, 1806, locating about one mile below the present site of the village of Waldo. Ruth Wyatt was probably the first white child born in Marion County. She was born in Waldo township in 1807. In 1807 Capt. William S. Drake joined the settlement and entered 160 acres of land at $2.50 per acre. paying one-third down and the remainder in one and two years. For several years this was on the outskirts of the Delaware County settlements. These early pioneers were soon joined by other settlers.
In 1814 and 1815 two other settlements were started in the present limits of Prospect township. The former was located about a mile north of Prospect village along the Scioto River. by Richard Tibbitt. Ephraim Markley and Evan Evans, and their families. These were joined in the following, year by a number of families. The settlement of 1815 was made by Darius Landon and his brother, Cyre Landon, and their families along the west bank: of the river, just opposite the village of Prospect. A third settlement was commenced by Robert Cratty, in the year 1819, about one mile east of Prospect.
About 1820 the tide of immigration began to beat hard upon the imaginary Greenville Treaty line. The general government by the treaty of the Rapids of the Maumee, with the Wyandots and other tribes, acquired title to all the Indian lands north of the Greenville Treaty line, except certain reservations, which have been fully described in the earlier part of this chapter. This treaty and the treaty concluded with the Delawares in 1829, by which they ceded their reservation in the north part of the county, extinguished the Indian title to all lands in Marion County north of the Greenville Treaty line. Soon after the treaty of 1817 was negotiated, many squatters settled north of the Greenville Treaty line, among whom were Jacob Idleman, William Holmes and David H. Beardsley, who became associate judges of the Common Pleas Court of Marion County in 1824.
FORMATION OF COUNTY.
It is interesting to trace the line of descent of Marion County. It has arrived at its pres-
58 - HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY
ent limits after more than half a.century of divisions, additions and subtractions. That part of the county south of the Greenville Treaty line belonged to Washington County, the first county in Ohio, erected by proclamation of Governor Arthur St. Clair, July 27, 1788. The territory to the north of this line was formed by proclamation of Governor St. Clair, August 15, 1796, into Wayne County. This county was large enough for a State, including in its limits all the territory in Ohio, north of the Greenville Treaty line and west of the Cuyahoga and Muskingum rivers, a large slice off of the north part of Indiana and all of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Adams County was next formed on July 10, 1797, by taking a strip off of the west side of Washington County and a strip off of the east side. of Hamilton County, thus including in Adams County the part of Marion County that lies south of the Greenville Treaty line. August 20, 1798, Adams County was divided, the north part becoming Ross County. December 9, 1800, Fairfield County was formed from Washington and Ross counties, its northern boundary being the Greenville Treaty line, and that portion of Marion County south of the treaty line was embraced in the new county. This completed the evolution of Marion County under the Territorial government.
Prior to the admission of Ohio as a State, counties were formed by proclamation of the Governor of the territory; after Ohio became a State, all counties were organized by act of the Legislature. At the time of Ohio s birth, the State was divided into nine counties. All of Marion County north of the Greenville Treaty line was included in Wayne County and all south of that line in Fairfield County.
The next movement in the evolution of the Territorial division of the Northwest Territory was the act of Congress dated May 7, 1800, by which the western part of the Territory was separated from Ohio, and called Indiana Territory. The following year an attempt was made to divide Ohio. The Territorial General Assembly, which met November 25, 1801I, was the first General Assembly in Ohio, in which a political agitation arose. At this session a bill was introduced declaring the assent of the Territory to a change in the boundaries of the States to be formed under the Ordinance of 1787. It was proposed that the east State be bounded on the east by Pennsylvania and on the west by the Scioto River up to the Greenville Treaty line, and thence by a line drawn to the west corner of the Connecticut Reserve and with it to the lakes. The middle State was to extend westward to the Falls of the Ohio and the Chicago River, and the western State to extend from a line drawn from the Falls of the Ohio to the Chicago River, westward to the Mississippi. The division as established by the ordinance was declared to be "inconvenient and injurious, as the eastern State (Ohio) in particular would be too extensive for the purposes of internal government." The real object of the bill was to delay the admission of Ohio, as a State, into the Union, until such time at least as the Federalists would again be in power. The bill passed, but not without strenuous opposition from the leading Democratic Republicans-- Tiffin, Worthington, Massie and Morrow.
At an indignation meeting messengers were sent to Washington to protest against this change of boundary, and it was not long before they and leading Democratic Republicans procured the passage of an act by Congress to authorize a convention of delegates, elected by the voters of the Territory, to declare whether they wished to form a State government. In compliance with this act, the necessary steps were taken for the admission of Ohio as a State with its present limits. This controversy is of more than general interest in a history of Marion County because the bill fixing the Scioto River as the western boundary of Ohio would have thrown part of the territory of Marion County into Ohio, and part into the middle State.
The legislature on March 30, 1803, formed Franklin County, including in its limits all of Marion County. On February 10, 1808, Delaware County was organized with the Greenville Treaty line forming its northern boundary. By an act of February 17, 1809, all that part of Franklin County lying north of Dela-
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 59
ware County was attached to the latter. From this date until its organization as a county, the territory embraced in Marion County remained a part of Delaware County.
Marion County was erected, named and attached to Delaware County by act of February 20, 1820. By this act Van Wert, Mercer, Putnam, Allen, Hancock, Hardin, Crawford, Marion, Seneca, Sandusky, Wood, Henry, Paulding and Williams counties were established, but only Sandusky and Wood counties were fully organizecl. Marion County was named after the famous Revolutionary General, Francis Marion. By this act Crawford County included townships 1, 2, and 3, south, in ranges 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, and the eighth county was to include all the last mentioned ranges, south of the third township, and to run south with said range lines, to the north boundaries of the organized counties, and east with the township lines to the Richland County line, and to be known by the name of Marion.
COUNTY ORGANIZED.
(MAP OF MARION AND CRAWFORD COUNTIES 1828)
On December 15, 1823, an act was passed organizing Marion County into a separate and distinct county, and providing that the county of Crawford should be attached to Marion County for judicial purposes. The act further provided for an election for county officers on the first Monday of May, next, who were to hold their respective offices until the next annual election. This act took effect May 1, 1824. The county at first did not extend south of the Greenville Treaty line, but included in its limits the townships of Cardington, Gilead, Canaan, Morven and Washington, in what is now Morrow County, and a strip of land two miles wide north of Tully, Scott, Grand Prairie and Salt Rock townships and a strip of land three miles wide north of Grand township.
No change was made in the territory of the county until by the act of February 3, 1845, Wyandot County was erected from. Crawford, Marion, Hardin and Hancock counties. By this act a strip of land two miles wide off of the north end of Tully, Scott, Grand Prairie and Salt Rock townships and three miles wide off the north end of Grand township, was detached from Marion County, and attached to Crawford and Wyandot counties.
When Morrow County was erected by act of the Legislature, passed February 24, 1848, from Marion, Delaware, Knox, and Richland counties, Marion County lost a still larger area of territory. The townships of Cardington, Gilead, Canaan, Morven and Washington were detached from Marion County and attached to Morrow County. As some slight compensation for this loss of territory, that portion of Waldo and Prospect townships lying south of the Greenville Treaty line was detached from Delaware County and attached to Marion County.
The first step toward the location of the county seat was taken when the (general Assembly, on January 28, 1822, passed the following resolution "Resolved by the
60 - HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY
General Assembly of the State of Ohio, that Isaac Minor of Madison County, Thomas Hurford of Stark County, and Cyrus Spink of Wayne County, be and are hereby appointed commissioners to fix the permanent seat of justice in the county of Marion." Previous to this date Claridon had been platted by James Kilbourn of Columbus, in 1820, and in 1822 Eber Baker and Alexander Holmes laid out their town plat, naming it "Marion." Byron Kilbourn, a non-resident, had laid out a paper town called Bellevernon, five miles east of Marion, where the Mount Vernon road, now Claridon pike, crosses the Columbus and Sandusky turnpike, now generally known as the ''Mud Pike.'' When the commissioners arrived to inspect the proposed locations, they found a vigorous contest on between the proprietors of Claridon, Bellevernon, Marion, the settlers at Big Island and Isaac Mouser, who resided about two miles north of Marion. After being `'wined and dined" by the citizens in the respective localities, the award was made in favor of Marion, it is said, "on account of the ease with which water could be obtained on Eber Baker's land."
GROWTH OF COUNTY.
On the 15th of August, 1820, the first tracts of land in the county north of the Greenville Treaty line were offered for sale. From that time on, a steady stream of immigrants flowed hither into every part of the county. They came from the older counties to the south; from Kentucky and Virginia; from the New England States and New York; from far off Maine came the founder of Marion; and lastly and most numerously they came from Pennsylvania --plain, simple, Dutch stock, young and vigorous, to hew a future home out of the virgin forest. Thus while the northeastern part of the State was settled by the Yankees; the southeast by the Massachusetts soldiers of the Revolution; the Virginia Military Lands of the Scioto and Miami valleys, by the aristocracy of Virginia; and the northwestern part by the Germans; Marion County has, because of location and in the ripeness of time, drawn the best from every quarter of our State and nation. Its sons and daughters are truly cosmopolitan, yet homogeneous.
The first settlers in the county were almost all native-born Americans. Beginning with 1830, immigration began from Germany, the immigrants locating mostly in the southern part of the county. The increase in population in the county for the decade from 1830 to 1840 was remarkable. In 1830 the population of the county was 6,558. It had increased to 14,765 in 1840. Of course allowance must be made for the territory detached from the county in forming Wyandot and Morrow counties in 1845 and 1848. But after making allowance for detached territory, it is safe to assert that the population of the present limits of the county more than doubled during this decade.
The German immigrants continued to come l in large numbers from 1840 to 1850, many of them having taken part in the revolutionary movements in Germany. During the decade from 1850 to 1860 large numbers began to arrive in the county from Ireland. This most desirable addition to the citizenship of our county continued for three decades. Forced from their native land by famine and oppression, the Irish immigrant to Marion County has prospered with the general prosperity of the county, and to-day many of his sons and daughters are numbered among the county's foremost citizens and most estimable ladies.
The total tax valuation of the county in 1906 was $12,247,430.
POPULATION.
The following is the population of Marion County by decades, beginning with 1830:
1830 .........................6,551
1840 .......................14,765
1850 .......................12,618
1860 .......................15,400
1870 .......................16.184
1880........................20,565
1890 .......................24.727
1900 .......................28,678
1906 (estimated).....35,000
The subsequent chapters on Marion an Townships and Towns will treat fully of the pioneer settlements of the several localities.