OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Tidbits of Ohio -- Part 82C ************************************************************************ 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 July 19, 2006 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Historical Collections of Ohio And Then They Went West Know Your Ohio Tid-Bits - Part 82 C by Darlene E. Kelley notes by S. Kelly [ ] +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid -Bits - Part 82 C. Continuation of the findings- 11th. In the same collection are also a number of bayonets less perfect, collected by the families of Gov. Wood and Col Mervin. These at different times, were thrown up by the surf, or were drawn out of the water by fisherman seines. One thus obtained was still attached to a large fragment of a musket barrel. Two years since, a very entire and perfect musket barrel was obtained in the same manner, and presented to me, by the fisherman. It belonged to an English Queen's arm of the last century. It exacly receives the bayonet found by Mr. Bidwell, and the lead ball, washed from the Clay bank at McMahon's run. The locality, along the beach at Col. Mervin's where many of these relics have been found, is a favorable fishing ground, but the fisherman, after a few trials, are annually compelled to abandon it, as their seines are certain to be entangled by hidden and fixed objects some rods from land. Often they are cut and injured, and they draw in various relics. The remains of some of Bradstreet's engulphed batteau are doubtless the obstructions against which they become arrested. 12th. Pursuing the survivor's track from the beach, where they were overwhelmed by the storm, we first arrive at the ridge, near the house of Fredrick Wright. There he some years since disinterred the collection of gun flints above referred to. In quanity they are said to have amounted to a peck or more. They were adapted to the heavy musket, but had never been used. I have not succeeded in obtaining a specimen; altough the suthority upon the above statement is made, is good. 13th. Still further east along the ridge is the orchard of John Williams, where, at the first breaking up of the ground, a silver teaspoon was exposed, some thirty or more years since. It was retained by his till recently, when it was lost in a move. From report it seems to have been simular to those previously discribed, and doubtless belonged to some of the officers of the expedition. A vague report also states that a number of relics, including a sword and several bayonets, were in early times discovered in the next lot east, lately owned by Wm. Allen. 14th. A few rods still further to the east, in the garden of the atchen Inn, Mr. Silverthorn, in 1862, while excavating to put out a fruit tree, discovered some three or four dollars in silver, in a small pieces of change, of French and English coinage, one bearing date in 1717, and all of them earlier than 1764. It is regretted that he soon passed them off at their nominal value, thinking them to be no good. 15th. Mr. P.A. Delford, residing at the plank-road gate, discovered in 1863,while digging inthe garden a few rods from the last locality, found two copper pennies of 1749, bearing the effigies of George II, of Great Britain. I have been perhaps tediously minute in these details, but my object was to facilitate the labors of any future investigator, who may attempt to divest this subject of any remaining doubts and obscurities. A theory, to account for the manner in which these relics were scattered and depoited, at these several points has already been given. A tumulus or grave of unknown dead, long since observed, on the right bank of the Rocky River, I hav not noticed; yet I have little doubt, it has an intimate connection with one or the other of these disasters. It is situated one hundred an fifty feet east of the plank road bridge, at the head of a gully, that formally cut, from the high ground down to the bottom land, near the present bridge. This gully has been partially obliterated, by the construction of the road. In its pristine condition, it was the only accessible way, from the river to the uplands, except a simular gully nearer the lake, and at the head of which that ancient camp-fire was established, on the left bank of the river. This tumulous was observed at the time of the clearing of the land, forty years since, but as ascertained that it abounded with human bones, the early cultivators were careful to shun it. It then rose from two to three feet, above the level of the adjacent ground, and was about one rod square. The covering of earth was so thin that a spade easily reached the bones; and the surface was strewn with their fragments. The common belief was, that it was an Indian grave, Mr. Wordon, plwing the field with two yoke of oxen, eventeen years since, attempted to level it down by running his plow deeply through it. His furrows seemed to consist of human bones, skulls in large proportion; and all in a very perfect state of preservation. He again, interred them, and avoided any further disturbance of the locality. he informed me, that his sons, then small lads, picked up, from the rubbish of bones many small articles, such as metalic buttons and pieces of iron. The former were entire, the latter were nearly distroyed with rust. It was a mystery with him and hs family, how early Indians should possess so many of these articles. One of those sons, now an adult, comfirms fully the statement of the father. In 1861, Mr. Eaton again plowed into it, and threw up bones in like manner. Of te large ones, he brought me at least two bushels, including a dozen craniums, and I subsequently made additional collections. On examining them, they were evidentually were middle aged or younger adults, and all males. I pronounced them either Greeks or Anglo-Saxons, not evn knowing that a Greek colony had ever settled within the Union. I concluded, of course, they must have belonged to the latter race-which was confirmed by the decision of one of the most perfect of craniologists in our country. My further conclusion was, that they were the remains of those who perished in one of the shipwrecks, on the shipwrecks , on the adjacent coast. The following year, Mr. Kirkpatrick and myself, made thorough exploration to the bottom of the tumulous. This we reached at the depth of two or three feet, after digging through a rich compost of bones and decayed animal matter. The bottom tier of skeletons at that place, had not been disturbed since their interment. We examined two-one large and middle aged, and other somewhat smaller and younger, judging them by their teeth and length of the bones. Both were lying on their sides, thrown there in a careless manner. By the front of the large one, and near its middle, lay in close contact, the following articles, to wit; two small fragments of ancient Indian pottery, of the days of the race of mound building, once valve of the unio siliquiodes of the western rivers; a knife, or spatula formed of bone, and the pecular bone of one of the sexes of the raccoon. They occupied a small place only, and could have been embraced as charms, or amulets in an Indians pouch, or the pocket of a soldier as objects of curiousity. This discovery led to the conclusion that they all were Indian skeletons, but on re-examining such of the craniums we have not been lost. I am led to believe that the one of large size, found at that bottom of the grave, was that of an Indian, while the others were Anglo-Saxon. The grave was evidentually shallow, not over three feet deep. The bodies were thrown in one on another without much care, and were covered superficially, raiing the tumulius two or three feet above the surface of the adjacent ground, in the manner soldiers are many times buried on recent battlefields. That these individuals perished in one or the other of those wreckings, can be hardly doubt. That Bradstreet had with him many indians i certain, but nothing is known as to the number of men he lost; though that number was considerable is inferred from the fact that " the losses of officers and men by the wreck, was made a legislative action." That Wilkins lost a specific number, is well established; sventy men and three officers, bu whether he was accompanied by Indians is not recorded. Such was probably the fact, for they were wont to take part in all military movements in those days, and he would need them as scouts and guides to his expedition. One or more were probably lost, and were thrown into the bottom of this grave. Its dimensions adapted it for the reception of about the number of his dead. Another view may be taken, I may err in the conclusion, that one was an Indian's skull. All maybe Anglo-Saxon. The Indian amulents, may have been collected by a sailor while among the Indians, retained as curiosities in a pocket of his clothing and with his person buried in this grave, after he perished..... " To this I leave the reader to his own imagination. I have no doubt that my friend, knew what he was telling me, would not be doubted. He was always truthful and thorough in all his careful investigations. So thorough, that lots of his findings are invested at the Western Historicl Society, cataloged and numbered for all to investigate. But most of all the stories will be told over and over again by his proof, he left for us to ponder. General Bradstreet died at New York in 1772. From time of these disasters to the war of Great Britain; these localities were not much frequented by the Indians, and only cursorily visited by the white hunters; hence the relics escaped observations, until present population commenced their settlements about the year 1815. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid-Bits continued in Part 83.