OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Tidbits of Ohio -- Part 71A ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgenwebarchives.org ************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 February 3, 2006 ************************************************************************** ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Historical Collections of Ohio And Then They Went West Know Your Ohio by Darlene E. Kelley Tide Bits -- Part 71 A Notes by S. Kelly ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid Bits - Part 71 A The Erection of Fort Harmar and the formation of Washington County. Washington County was formed July 26, 1788, by proclamation of Gov. St. Clair, being the first County formed within the limits of Ohio. Its original boundries being " beginning on the bank of the Ohio river, where the western boundary line of Pennsylvania crosses it, and running with that line to Lake Erie; thence along the southern shore of said lake to the mouth of the Cuyahoga river; thence up the said river to the portage between it and the Tuscarawas branch of the Muskingum; thence down the branch to the forks, at the crossing place above Fort Laurens; thence with a line to be drawn westerly to the portage on that branch of the Big Miami on which the fort stood that was taken by the French in 1752, until it meets the road from the lower Shawnese town to Sandusky; thence south to the Scioto river,and thence with that river to the mouth, and thence up the Ohio river to the place of beginning." This area so described, comprised more than the eastern half of the now State of Ohio. This County was the first settled in Ohio and under the auspices of the New England Ohio Company. Its earliest settlers were from New England, the descendants of whom constitute the largest part of its present population. In the autumn of 1785, a detachment of United States troops, under the command of Maj. John Doughty, commenced the erection, and in the next year completed Fort Harmar, on the right bank of the Muskingum, at its junction with the Ohio. It was named in honor of Col. Josiah Harmar, to whose regiment Maj. Doughty was attached. It was the first military post erected by Americans within the limits of Ohio, excepting Fort Laurens, built in 1778, near Boliver, in Tuscarawas county. The outlines of the fort formed a regular pentagon, embracing within the area about three-quarters of a acre. Its walls were formed of large horizontal timbers, and the bastions of large upright timbers, of about fourteen feet in height, fastened to each other by strips of timber tree-nailed into each picket. In its rear, Maj. Doughty laid out fine gardens. It continued to be occupied by United States troops until September, 1790, when they were ordered to Cincinnati. A company under Captain Haskell continued to make the fort their head quarters during the Indian war sending out occasionally small detachments to assist the colonists at Marietta, Belpre and Waterford, in guarding their garrisons against the Indians. At this time, the barracks and houses were not needed for the accomodation of the troops, so they were occupied by the inhabitants living at Marietta, on the opposite side of the Muskingum. In the autumn of 1787, the directors of the Ohio Company, organized in New England, made preparations to form a settlement. Upon the 23rd of November, they made arrangements for a party of 47 men to set forward under the supervision of Gen. Rufus Putman; and not long after, in the course of the winter, they started their toilsome journey. Some of these, as well as most of those who followed them to the colony, had served in the war of the revolution, either as officers or soldiers, being men who had spent the prime of their lives in the struggle for liberty. " During the winter of 1787-8, these men were pressing on over the Alleghanies by the old Indian path which had been opened into Braddock's road, and which has since been followed by the national turnpike from Cumberland westward. Through the dreary winter days they trudged on, and by April were all gathered on the Yohiogany, where they built boats, and then started for the Muskingum. On the seventh of April, they landed at the spot chosen, and became the founders of Ohio. As St. Clair, who had been appointed governor the preceeding October, had not yet arrived, it became necessary to erect a temporary government for their internal security. For this purpose, a set of laws was passed, and for the publishing, they were nailed to a tree in the village, and Return Jonathan Meigs, was appointed to administer them. Strong evidence of the good habits of the people of the colony show that during the three months, but one difference occurred, and that was taken care of immediately. On the second of July a meeting of the directors and agents was held on the banks of the Muskingum, for the purpose of naming the new born city and its public squares. As the settlement had been called merely ' The Muskingum,' the name of Marietta was now formally given it, in honor of Marie Antoinette. On the fourth of July an oration was delivered by James M. Varnum, who with S.H. Parsons and John Armstrong, had been appointed to the judicial bench of the territory, on the 16th of October, 1787. Five days later the governor arrived and the colony began to assume its form through the ordinace of 1787, which provided two district grades of government for the northwest territory. Under the first of which whole power was in the hands of the governor and three judges, and this form was at once organized upon the governor's arrival. The first law, which was for regulating and establishing the militia, was published upon the 25th of July; and the next day appeared the governor's proclamation, erecting all the country that had been ceded by the Indians east of the Scioto river into the county of Washington. >From that time forward, notwithstanding the doubt yet existing as to the Indians, the colonists at Marietta went on prosperously and pleasently. On the second of September, the first court was held, "with becoming ceremonies," which was the first civil court ever convened in the territory northwest of the Ohio. A letter sent from the Muskingum states; " the progress of the settlement was sufficiently rapid this first year. We continued erecting houses, but the arrivals are faster than we can possibly provide convenient covering. Our first ball was about the middle of December, at which were fifteen ladies, as well accomplished in the manners of polite circles as any I have ever seen in the old States. I mention this to show you the progress of our society in this new world; where, I believe, we shall vie with, if not excel, the old States, in every accomplishment necessary to render life agreeable and happy." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Camp Martius Soon after the landing, preparations were made to build the stockaded fort, Campus Martius. Although it was begun in the course of that year, it was not entirely completed with palisades and outworks, or bastions, until the winter of 1791. The walls were formed a regular parallelogram, the sides of which were 180 feet each. At each corner was erected a strong block-house, surmounted by a tower and sentry box. These houses were 20 feet square below and 24 feet above, and projected 6 feet beyond the curtains, or main walls of the fort. The immediate curtains were built up with dwelling houses, made of wood, whip-sawed into timbers four inches thick, and of the requisite width and length. These were laid up simular to the structure of log houses, with the ends nicely dove-tailed or fitted together so as to make a neat finish. The whole were two stories high and covered with good shingle roofs. Convenient chimneys were erected of bricks, for cooking and warming the rooms. A number of the dwelling houses were built and owned by private indviduals, who had families. In the west and south fronts were strong gateways; and over that, in the center of the front looking over the Muskingum river, was a belfry. The chamber underneath was occupied by the Hon. Winthrop Sargent, as an office, he being secretary to the governor of the N.W. Territory, General St.Clair, and performing the duties of governor in his absence. This room projected over the gateway, like a block house, and was intended for the protection of the gate beneath in time of an assault. At the corner of each block house was erected a bastion, standing on four stout timbers. The floor of the bastion was a little above the lower story of the block house. They were square, and built up with thick planks to the height of a man's head, so that when he looked over he stepped on a platform, or " banquet," running round the sides of the bulwark. Port holes were made for musketry, as well as for artillery, a single piece of which was mounted in the southwest and northwest bastions. In these the sentries were regularly posted every night, as more convenient of access than the towers; a door leading into them from the upper story of the block houses. The lower room of the southwest block house was occupied for guard house. Running from corner to corner of the block house was a row of palisades, sloping outwards, and resting on stout rails. Twenty feet in advance of these was a row of very strong pickets, set upright in the earth. Gateways through these admitted the inmates of the garrison. A few feet beyond the outer palisades was placed a row of abatis, made from the tops and branches of trees, sharpened and pointing outwards, so that it would have been very difficult for an enemy to have penetrated even within their outworks. The dwelling houses occupied a space from 15 to 30 feet each, and were sufficient for the accomodation of forty or fifty families, and did actually contain from 200 to 300 persons, men, women and children, during the Indian war. Before the Indians commenced hostilities, the block houses were occupied as follows; -- the southwest one by the family of Gov. St Clair; the northwst one for public worship and holding of courts. The southeast block house was occupied by private families; and the northeast as an office for the accomendation of the directors of the company. The area within the walls was 144 feet square, and afforded a fine parade ground. In the center was a well, 80 feet in depth, for the supply of water to the inhabitants in case of seige. A large sun dial stood for many years in the square, placed on a handsome post, and gave note of the march of time. It is still preserved as a relic of the old garrison. After the war commenced, a regular miltary corps was organized, and a guard contantly kept night and day. The whole establishment formed a very strong work, and reflected great credit on the head that planned and constructed it. It was in a manner impregnable to the attacks of Indians, and none but a regular array with cannon could have reduced it. It is true, that the heights across the Muskingum commanded and looked down upon the defences of the fort; but there was no enemy in a condition to take possession of this advantage. The garrison stood on the verge of that beautiful plain on the east side of and overlooking the Muskingum, on which are seated those celebrated remains of antiquity; and erected probably for a simular purpose, the defence of the inhabitants. The ground decends into shallow ravines on the north and south sides; on the west is an abrupt descent to the river bottoms, or alluvions; and the east passed out to the level plain. On this ground was cleared of trees beyond the reach of rifle shots, so as to afford no shelter to a hidden foe. Extensive fields of corn were growing in the midst of the standing girdled trees beyond. the front wall was about 150 yards from the Muskingum river. The appearance of the fort from without was grand and imposing; at a little distance resembling one of the miltary palaces or castles of the feudal ages. Between the outer palisades and the river were laid out neat gardens for the use of Gov. St. Clair and his secretary, with the officers of the company. Opposite the fort, on the shore of the river, was built a substantial timber wharf, at which was moored a fine cedar barge of twelve rowers, built by Capt. Jonathan Devoll, for Gen. Putman; a number of pirogues, and light canoes of the country; and last, not least, " the May Flower," or " Adventure Galley." in which the first detachment of colonists were transported from the shores of the Yohiogany to the banks of the Muskingum. In these, especially the canoes, during the war, most, of the communications were carried on between the settlements of the company and the more remote towns above the Ohio river. Travelling by land was very hazardous to any but the rangers or spies. There were no roads nor bridges across the creeks, and for many years after the war had ceased the travelling was nearly all done by canoes on the rivers. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Settlers of Marietta The names of the first forty-eight settlers of Marietta are; General Rufus Putnam, superintendant of the colony; Colonals Ebenezer Sproat, Return J. Meigs, and Major Anselm Tupper and John Matthews, surveyors; Major Haffield White, steward and quartermaster; Captains Jonathan Devol, Josiah Munro, Daniel Davis, Peregrine Foster, Jethro Putnam, Willam Gray and Ezekial Cooper; Jabez Barlow, David Bushnell, Phineas Coburn, Ebenezer Cory, Samuel Cushing, Jervis Cutter, Israel Danton, Jonas Davis, Allen Devol, Gilbert Devol,Jr., Isaac Dodge, Oliver Dodge, Samuel Felshaw, Hezekiah Flint, Hezekiah Flint Jr., John Gardner, Bejamin Griswold, Elizur Kirtland, Theophilus Learned, Joseph Lincoln, Simeon Martin, William Mason, Henry Maxon, William Miller, Edmund Moulton, William Moulton, Amos Porter, Allen Putnam, Benjamin Shaw, Earl Sproat, David Wallis, Joseph Wells, Josiah White, Peletiah White, Josiah Whitridge. Other settlers who came the first season to Marietta were; Of the agents, were Winthrop Sargeant, secretary of the territory, Judges Parsons and Varnum of the settlers, Capt. Dana, Joseph Barker, Col. Battelle, Major Tyler, Dr. True, Capt.Lunt, the Bridges, Thomas Cory, Andrew M'Clure, Thomas Lord, Wm. Gridley, Moody, Russels, Deavens, Oakes, Wright, Clough, Green, Shipman, Dorrance, the Maxons, Wells, and etc. The first boat of families arrived on the 19th of August, in the same season, consisting of Gen. Tupper's, Col. Ichabod Nye's, Col. Cushing's, Major Coburn's, and Major Goodale's. In the spring of 1789 settlements were pushed out to Belpre, Watrford, and Duck creek, where they began to clear and plant the land, build houses and stockades. Among the settlers at Waterford were Benjamin Convers, Gilbert Devol, Sr., Phineas Coburn, Wm. Gray, Col. Robert Oliver, Major Haffield White, Andrew Story, Samuel Cushing, John Dodge, Allen and Gideon Devol, George, William and David Wilson, Joshua Sprague, with his sons William and Jonathan, Capt.D. Davis, Phineas Coburn, Andrew Webster, Eben Ayres, Dr. Farley, David Brown, A. Kelly, James and Daniel Convers. At Belpre ( the French name for " beautiful meadow" ) were three stockades, the upper, lower, and middle; the last of which was called " farmer's castle, " which stood on the banks of the Ohio, nearly, if not quite, opposite the beautiful Island since known as " Blannerhasset's," the scene of " the scene of " Burr's conspiracy." Among the persons at the upper were Capt. Dana, Capt. Stone, Col. Bent, Wm Browning, Judge Foster, John Rowse, Mr. Keppel, and Israel Stone. At farmer's castle were Col. Cushing, Major Haskel, Aaron Waldo Putman, Col. Fisher, Mr. Sparhawk, and it is believed George and Israel Putman, Jr. At the lower were Major Goodale, Col. Rice, Esq. Pierce, Judge Israel Loring, Deacon Miles, Major Bradford, and Mr. Goodenow. In the summer of 1789, Col. Ichabod Nye and some others built a block house at Newberry, below Belpre. Mr. Nye sold his lot there to Aaron N. Clough, who, with Stephen Guthrie, Jos. Leavins, Joel Oakes, Eleazer Curtis, Mr. Dunham, J. Littleton, and a Mr. Brown, were located at that place during the subsequent Indian war. Every exertion possible for men in these circumstances was made to secure food and prepare for future difficulties. Col. Oliver, Major Haffield White, and John Dodge, of the Waterford settlement, began mills on Wolf Creek, about three miles from the Fort, and got them running; and these, the first mills in Ohio, were never destroyed during the subsequent Indian war, though the proprietors removed their families to the fort at Marietta. Col. E. Sproat and Enoch Shepard began mills on Duck Creek, three miles from Marietta, from the completion of which they were driven by the Indian war. Thomas Stanley began mills higher up, near the Duck creek settlement; these likewise were unfinished. The Ohio Company built a large horse mill near Campus Martius, and soon after, a floating mill. During the Indian war, which soon suceeded the first settlements, the inhabitants suffered much for the necessities of life. Although some of the settlers were killed, and others carried into captivity, yet the massacre at Big Bottom was the most alarming event. The escape of the settlers from greater suffering from this source was owing to the strong fortifications erected,, and the admirable judgement and foresight they displayed in taking precautions against danger. Among the incidents connected with the troubles with the Indians, was the taking prisoner at Waterford of Daniel Convers ( then a lad of 16 ) who was carried to Detroit; the murder of Warth while at work near Fort Harmar; the taking prisoner of Major Goodale, of Belpre, who was, is supposed, murdered; the death of Capt. Rogers, who was out with Mr. Henderson, as a spy, and was killed near the Muskingum, about a mile from Murietta; the death of a Mr. Waterman, near Waterford, and the narrow escape of Return J. Meigs, into Fort Harmar, by his fleetness of foot while pursued by the enemy. On the other hand retaliation was a measure inflicted upon the Indians, and among those most active in this duty was Hamilton Carr, a man eminently distinguished as an Indian hunter and spy. During the war a stockade was erected near the mouth of Olive Green Creek, above Waterford, which became the frontier garrison, and had in it about seven or eight men and boys able to bear arms, called Fort Frye. Just before Wayne's victory, Aug. 4, 1794, they lost one man, a Mr. Abel Sherman, who went into the woods incautiously, and was ambushed and killed by the Indians. A tombstone with a scalped head rudely carved upon it, marks the spot where he lies. Among the inmates of this garrison was George Ewing, Esq., father of the Hon. Thomas Ewing. His fortune and history were simular to that of many of the revolutionary officers who imigrated to the West at that early day. He inherited a handsome patrimony and sold it, investing the proceeds in bonds and mortgages, and entered the continental army as a subaltern officer in 1775, he being then but a little over twenty-one years of age. He continued to serve, with a few short intermissions, during the war. When the bonds fell due, they were paid in continental money, which, proving worthless, reduced him to poverty. In 1785, he migrated to the West and remained on the Virginia side of the Ohio until 1792, when he crossed over and settled at Olive Green. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ to be continued in Tide Bits - part 71 B.