OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Tidbits of Ohio -- Part 73A ************************************************************************ 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 March 1, 2006. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Historical Collections of Ohio And Then They Went West Know Your Ohio Tid-Bits - part 73A by Darlene E. Kelly Notes by S. Kelly [ ] ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid-Bits - Part 73.A Darke County Darke County was formed from Miami County, January 3, 1809, and organized in March, 1817. The surface is generally level and it has some prairie land. It is well timbered with oak, popular, walnut, blue ash, sugar maple, hickory, elm, and beach, the soil being exceedingly fertile. It was named from Gen. William Darke, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1736, and removed at the age of 5 years with his parents to near Shepherdstown, Va. He was with the Virginia provincials at Braddock's defeat, taken prisoner in the Revolutionary War, at Germantown, commanded as colonel two Virginia regiments at the siege of York, was a member of the Virginia Convention of '88, and was repeatedly a member of the Legislature of that commonwealth. He distinguished himself at St.Clair's defeat, and died November 20, 1801. He possessed a herculean frame, rough manners, a strong but uncultivated mind, and a frank and fearless disposition. The Townships derived at Darke County were; Adams; Allen; Brown; Butler; Franklin; German; Greenville; Harrison; Jackson; Mississinewa; Monroe; Neave; Patterson; Richland; Twin; Van Buren; Wabash; Washington; Wayne; and York. This county is of considerable historic interest. The defeat of St. Clair, Nov. 4, 1791, took place just over its northwestern border, near the Indiana line, on the site of the village of Fort Recovery. On this march north from Cincinnati, St. Clair built a fort five miles south of the site of Greensville, which he named Fort Jefferson. His army left on the 24th of October, and continued their toilsome march northward through the wilderness, which in less than two weeks was brought to its disastrous close. In the summer of the next year a large body of Indians surrounded this fort. Before they were discovered, a party of them secreted themselves in the underbrush and behind some bogs near the fort. Knowing that Capt. Shaylor, the Commandant, was passionately fond of hunting, they imitated the noise of turkeys. The Captain, not dreaming of a decoy, hastened out with his son, fully expecting to return loaded with game. As they approached near the place the savages rose, fired, and his son, a promising lad, fell. The Captain turning, fled to the garrison. The Indians pursued closely, calculating either to take him prisoner or enter the sally-gate with him in case it opened for his admission. They were, however, disappointed, though at his heels; he entered, and the gate closed the instant he reached it. In his retreat he was badly wounded by an arrow in his back. ++++++++++++++++++++ Greenville, the county-seat is ninty two miles west of Columbus, and ten miles from the Indiana line. It was laid off August 10, 1808, by Robert Gray and John Dover. In December, 1793, Wayne built a fort at this place, which he called Fort Greenville. He remained until the 28th of July, 1794, when he left for the Maumee rapids, where he defeated the Indians on the 20th of the month succeeding. His army returned to Greenville on the 2nd of November, after the absence of three months and six days. Fort Greenville was an extensive work, and covered the greater part of the site of the town. The township lived within the Fort. The quarters of Wayne were on the site of which was the residence of Stephen Perrine, on Maine street. The soldiers built log huts, arranged in rows, each regiment occupying one row, and each hut --- of which occupied six soldiers. Wayne drilled his men to load while running; and every night, when on the march, had good breastworks erected, at which each man had been do well to practice as to be able to construct in a few minutes. On the 3rd of August, 1795, Wayne concluded a treaty of peace with the Indians at Greenville. The number of Indians present were 1,130. 180 Wyandots, 381 Delawares; 143 Shawnees; 45 Ottawas; 46 Chippewas; 240 Pottawattamies; 73 Miamis and Eel river; 12 Weas and Piankeshaws: and 10 Kickapoos and Kaskaskias. The principal chiefs were Tarhe, Buckongehelas, Black Hoof; Blue Jacket and Little Turtle. Most of the chiefs had been tampered with by M'Kee and other British agents; but their people, having been reduced to great extremities by the generalship of Wayne, had, notwithstanding, determined to make a permanent peace with the " Thirteen Fires," as they called the federal States. ++++++++++++++ The first permanent white settler in Darke County was Azor Scribner, who in 1806 or 1807 established an Indian trading-house in Greenville township. His goods were hauled from Cincinnati along Wayne's road by a yoke of oxen attached to a rough sled which denominated a mud boot, and a trip usually occupied from three to six weeks. He exchanged his goods for furs and did a thriving business. The manner of trading was thus described: The Indians, bringing with them their rolls of furs, walked into the cabin and found seats, while each was presented with a small piece of tobacco. Pipes were lighted, and the residue was placed in pouches. After some time passed in smoking and talking among themselves, one arose, went to the counter, and taking a yard-stick, pointed out the article wanted and asked the price. Payment being made in skins, there was to each kind a recognized value. The muskrat was held at a quarter, the raccoon at a third, a doe at a half, and a buckskin at a dollar. Payment was made following each purchase, until all exchanges were effected. As each retired another came forward in his turn until all had traded. No one desired to anticipate his turn, decorum was observed, and no attempt was made to " beat down," for, if not satisfied, another article was pointed out and named. It is reported that Scribner not only sold the Indians tobacco, but rum, and they generally reserved some of their furs with which to procure liquor for a final frolic. In the winter of 1807-8, came Samnel Boyd with his family, and in 1810 the three Rush brothers and some others. A year later the Indians became hostile and committed some murders. Prior to the war of 1812 several dwellings and four blockhouses were erected in Greenville. Among those who were killed by the Indians was Andrew Rush. One day in April, 1812, while going to the mill through the wilderness, he stopped at the cabin of Mr. Daniel Potter, when Mr. Potter asked him if he was not afraid of the Indians waylaying and killing him. Upon this he laughed, and running his hand through his hair jokingly replied; " No, I had my wife cut my hair this morning, so short they could not scalp off." That afternoon he was shot from his horse, tomahawked and scalped. So slow was the settlement of the county, that in 1824 there were entire towns that did not contain a single inhabitant. There were but two meeting houses, one Methodist, the other a Hardshell Baptist. The roads of the county consisted of the old war traces of St.Clair and Wayne, some Indian paths and some few other traces cut by the early settlers. Educational advantages in town and county were for many years quite limited. There were a few rude school-houses widely scattered, and these were occupied three months of each winter by teachers whose qualifications better adapted them for burning brick than solving problems in mathematics, and consequently there was little learned. Schools were taught by subscription. Settlers built houses as they were needed. Many settlers had large families -- as many as ten children were found in a single cabin --- and to provide for the future of these young people, the parents came to this county. There was always work to be done, and the services of all hands were needed; it was only during winter months that schools could be attended. At these only the elementary branches were taught, and the predominant idea of the school-master was discipline first, learning afterward. No grammar nor geography was taught. Few studied arithametic, and these did not proceed much beyond the rudiments; and when at length grammar was introduced, such pupils were thought well advanced. In any locality, whenever sufficient families had moved in to form a school, the settlers stood ready to build a house and engage a teacher. Tall, strapping youths attended school, and the master had need of decision and courage as well as method and erudition. It was the custom for the person applying for the school to call upon the parties within sending distance and canvass for scholars. If enough were secured school opened. An illustration of the old time method is given as follows: About the year 1815 a man came into the Rush neighborhood and offered his services as a teacher. The settlers located along Mud Creek, West Branch and Bridge Creek talked the matter over and concluded to employ him. It was light labor for all to turn out with axes, handspikes and oxen, upon a day appointed, to chop and draw logs to a chosen site for purpose of putting up a school-house. The location was near Rush Fort, on Mud Creek. While some put up round logs, notched down one layer upon each other, until they were sufficient elevation to form a story, split clasp-boards for the roof, chamber floor, and door, and puncheons for the floor, others drew stone for the fireplace, and prepared sticks and mud for the chimmey. The floor being laid, next came the desks and the seats. Large holes were bored in a log on each side of the room, wooden pins were driven in, and a slab or unplaned plank laid on these pins. For seats holes were bored in puncheons and legs driven in, two at each end. Windows were made by cutting out a log nearly the whole length of the house, leaving a hole a foot wide. Into this was foiled a sort of lattice-work of sticks, and upon this greased paper was pasted to transmit light. Such was the school house of the settlers. It was not much a structure, but there was no great contrast between it and the homes of the builders. There was no ventilation, and the wood was not too long for the fireplace. The arrival of a family occasioned eager inquiry by the young men as to whether there were any marriageable daughters of the number, The demand was in excess of the supply. The same maiden had sometimes several suitors; this involved the delicate manner of rejection as well as choice. Sometimes the girls were betrothed before leaving home, and a knowledge of this fact caused disappointment. For a long time after the first settlement of the county the people generally married young. The parties differed little in fortune, and none in rank. First impressions of love resulted in marriage, and a family establishment cost only little labor. The marriage ceremony was arranged to take place before dinner, which was a substantial feast of beef, pork, fowls, and sometimes venison and bear meat, roasted ad boiled, with abundance of potatoes and other vegetables. Dinner was free from formality, and a time for mirth and enjoyment. There was dancing after dinner. The figures of the dance were three or four hundred reels or square sets and jigs. The commencement was always a square four, which was followed by what is called jigging it off; that is , two of the four would single out for a jig, and were followed out by the remaining couple. The jigs were often accompanied with what was called cutting out, that is, when either of the parties tired of the dance, on intimation the place was supplied by someone of the company without any any interruption to the dance. In this way the amusement was often continued till the musician was heartily tired of the situation. Among marriages in pioneer days was that of Ullry to his brother's widow; they had lived together some time during the inoperative period before the election of justices, and when a justice was chosen they were legally married. In spite of jovialty a party of young people, being resolved to have a marriage, seized upon a man named Isreal Wertz and fitted him out with a suit. One of the party furnished leggins, another some other article of dress until he was properly clothed, and then calling upon a women named Jane Dugan, asked her if she was willing to marry Wertz. She replied affirmatively, and they all started for the house of Alexander Smith, a justice of the peace who lived east of Greenville. Wertz repented and broke away, upon which a dog was sent after him, and he was caught and held. The ceremony was then performed, and the twain thus singularly made one, lived many years together happily, and both finally died of old age. At this time the only article of export from the county was hoop poles. During the winter the principal employment of farmers was wagoning these hoop poles to Germantown, Middletown, Lewisburg, etc., and by this means they were enabled measurely to supply themelves with salt, groceries, leather and other necessities. This supplied the people with ready money. The county seat had only about 300 people, many very poor finding it hard work to get a living. Since the early settlement of Darke county occurring changes have greatly modified the climate, and to a less extent this is still in progress. The original forest, together with the undergrowth, shut out the sun from the soil and impeded atmospheric circulation. The almost monotonous level, receiving the winter snows and spring rains, retained the water, through the summer, and thereby caused a moist, cool air. The forests broke the sweep of the cool northwest winds of winter, and the freezing of large, partly submerged tracts gave off a sufficient amount of heat to sensibly mitigate the cold incident to the season. The soil, bedded in leaves and vegetation, was greatly protected from the frost, and the warm air of spring speedily awakened the germs of vegetation. It also, being protected by the overhanging foliage from the heat of summer, more readily experienced the influence of wind and frost, and hastened winter. The forests being gradually cut down to make room for cultivation, the land being throroughly drained, these conditions have correspondingly changed. The earth now receives the sun-rays unobstructed; the air has free circulation. The tilied lands have been underdrained with tile and open ditches, thereby carrying away at once the melting snows of winter and the rains of spring, leaving little moisture to affect the climate by evaporation. The effect of this denuding and draining soil is seen in the great depth to which the summer's sun-rays penetrate, and as these rays are given off, the arrival of winter is proportionally delayed. But when the reserve of heat is exhausted the unprotected earth is deeply frozen, and fom these conditions come later springs, warmer summers and delayed but more severe wnters. An analysis of the climate of Darke county, according to the previous description, requires a consideration, also, of the situation of its land, and the direction and character of its winds. Located about midway between the Allegheny mountains and the Mississippi river there is observable a prevalence of westerly winds. This is expaind by the enormous area of level lowlands, whereon the atmosphere is influenced by the earth's rotary motion, causing it to move in westerly currents toward or from the equator. The west and northwest winds are mainly dry-air currents, so that although the annual rainfall is considerable, yet under their action the moisture is rapidly absorbed. Such conditions would inure to the productiveness of moist soils, but in a good, rich soil, such as Darke county occupies, there is almost a certainty of ample and abundant crops. Breathing an agreeable atmosphere, surrounded by healthful conditions, the beholder looks with pleasure upon the fields, the orchards and gardens. Turning to the woodlands, he sees the maples, elms and oaks in holiday attire, preparing for their period of rest. There is every hue and all shades of color. The winds toy with the branches; the sunlight is all about them; some are darkened as in shadow, others are brilliant in the glow of light. and all about there are seen bluish, smoke-like mists, completing natures finest portraiture of the forest in the full-time arrayed in splendor. Such is the picture of Darke county. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ continued in Tid-bits part 73 B.