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OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest                    Volume 99 : Issue 370

Today's Topics:
  #1 HAMILTON COUNTY - PART 5             [AUPQ38A@prodigy.com (MRS GINA M RE]

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X-Message: #1
Date: Mon,  7 Jun 1999 23:53:22, -0500
From: AUPQ38A@prodigy.com (MRS GINA M REASONER)
Subject: HAMILTON COUNTY - PART 5


HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF OHIO By Henry Howe, LL.D., 1898

                                HAMILTON COUNTY PART 5

                SETTLEMENT OF CINCINNATI

        The facts connected with the settlement of Cincinnati are these: In
the winter of 1787-1788 Matthias Denman, of Springfield, New Jersey,
purchased of John Cleves Symmes, a tract of land comprising 740 acres, now
but a small part of the city, his object being to form a station, lay out a
town on the Ohio side opposite the mouth of the Licking river, and
establish a ferry, which last was especially important. The old Indian
war-path from the British garrison at Detroit here crossed the Ohio, and
here was the usual avenue by which savages from the north had invaded
Kentucky. Denman paid five shillings per acre in Continental scrip, or
about fifteen pence per acre in specie, or less than $125 in specie for the
entire plot.
        Denman the next summer associated with him two gentlemen of
Lexington, Ky., each having one-third interest, Col. Robert Patterson and
John Filson. The first was a gallant soldier of the Indian wars, and John
Filson a schoolmaster and surveyor, and author of various works upon the
West, of which he had been an explorer, one of them "The Discovery,
Settlement and present State of Kentucky," published in 1784; also a map of
the same. Filson was to survey the site and lay it out into lots, thirty
in-lots of half an acre and thirty out-lots of four acres to be given
thirty settlers on their paying $1,50 for deed and survey. He called the
proposed town Losantiville, a name formed by him from the Latin "os,"
mouth, the Greek "anti" opposite, and the French "ville," city, from its
position opposite the mouth of the Licking river. And this name is retained
until the advent of Gov. St.Clair, January 2, 1790, who, being a member of
the old Revolutionary army Society of Cincinnatus, expressed a desire the
name should be changed to Cincinnati, when his wish was complied with.
        PRELIMINARY EXPLORATION. -In September, 1788, a large party,
embracing Symmes, Stites, Denman, Patterson, Filson, Ludlow with others, in
all about sixty men left Limestone to visit the new Miami Purchase of
Symmes. They landed at the mouth of the Great Miami and explored the
country for some distance back from that and North Bend, at which point
Symmes then decided to make a settlement. The party surveyed the distance
between the two Miamis, following the meanders of the Ohio, and returned to
Limestone.
        On this trip Filson became separated from his companions while in
the rear of North Bend, and was never more heard of, having doubtless been
killed by the Indians, a fate of which he always seemed to have a
presentiment. Israel Ludlow, who had intended to act as surveyor for
Symmes, now accepted Filson's interest, and assumed his duties in laying
out Losantiville.
        LANDING AT CINCINNATI. - On the 24th of December, 1788, Denman and
Patterson, with twenty-six others left Limestone in a boat to found
Losantiville. After much difficulty and danger from floating ice in the
river, they arrived at the spot on or about the 28th, the exact date being
in dispute. The precise spot of their landing was an inlet at the foot of
Sycamore street, later known as Yeatman's Cove.
        Ludlow laid out the town. On the 7th of January ensuing the
settlers by lottery decided on their choice of donation lots, the same
being given to each in fee simple on condition: 1. Raising two crops
successively, and not less than an acre for each crop. 2. Building whithin
two years a home equal to twenty-five feet square, one and a half stories
high, with brick, stone or clay chimney, each house to stand in front of
their lots. The following is a list of the settlers who so agreed, thirty
in number: Samuel Blackburn, Sylvester White, Joseph Thornton, John Vance,
James Dumont, ____ Fulton, Elijah Martin, Isaac Van Meter, Thomas Gissel,
David McClever, ____ Davidson, Matthew Campbell, James Monson, James
McConnell, Noah Badgely, James Carpenter, Samuel Mooney, James Campbell,
Isaac Freeman, Scott Traverse, BEnjamin Dumont, Jesse Stewart, Henry
Bechtle, Richard Stewart, Luther Kitchell, Ephraim Kibbey, Henry Lindsey,
John Porter, Daniel Shoemaker, Joel Williams.
        The thirty in-lots in general terms comprised the space back from
the landing between Main street and Broadway, and there was the town began.

  THE NORTH BEND SETTLEMENT was the third within the Symmes Purchase, and
was made under the immediate care of Judge Symmes. He called it North Bend
because it is the most northerly bend on the Ohio west of the Kanawha. The
Judge with his party of adventures left Limestone January 9, 1789, only
about a month after that of Denman at Cincinnati, and two months after that
of Stites of Columbia. The history of this with other connecting historical
items we extract from Burnet's Notes:
        The party on their passage down the river, were obstructed, delayed
and exposed to imminent danger from floating ice, which covered the river.
They, however, reached the Bend, the place of their destination, in safety,
early in February. The first object of the Judge was to found a city at
that place, which had received the name of North Bend, from the fact that
it was the most northern bend in the Ohio river below the mouth of the
Great Kanawha.
        The water craft used in descending the Ohio, in those primitive
times, were flatboats made of green oak plank, fastened by wooden pins to a
frame of timber, and caulked with tow, or any other pliant substance that
could be procured. Boats similarly constructed on the northern waters were
then called arks, but on the western rivers they were denominated Kentucky
boats. The materials of which they were composed were found to be of great
utility in the construction of temporary buildings for safety, and for
protection from the inclemency of the weather, after they had arrived at
their destination.
        At the earnest solicitation of the Judge, General Harmar sent
Captain Kearsey with forty-eight rank and file, to protect the improvements
just commencing in the Miami country. This detachment reached Limestone in
December, 1788, and in a few days after, Captain Kearsey sent a part of his
command in advance, as a guard to protect the pioneers under Major Stites,
at the Little Miami, where they arrived soon after. Mr. Symmes and his
party, accompanied by Captain Kearsey, landed at Columbia, on their passage
down the river, and the detachment previously sent to that place joined
their company. They then proceeded to the Bend, and landed about the first
or second of February. When they left Limestone, it was the purpose of
Captain Kearsey to occupy the fort built at the mouth of the Miami, by a
detachment of United States troops, who afterwards descended the river to
the falls.
        That purpose was defeated by the flood in the river, which had
spread over the low grounds and rendered it difficult to reach the fort.
Captain Kearsey, however, was anxious to make the attempt, but the Judge
would not consent to it; he was, of course, much disappointed, and greatly
displeased. When he set out on the expedition, expecting to find a fort,
ready built to receive him, he did not provide the implements necessary to
construct one. Thus disappointed and displeased, he resolved that he would
not build a new work, but would leave the Bend and join the garrison at
Louisville.
        In pursuance of that resolution, he embarked early in March, and
descended the river with his command. The Judge immediately wrote to Major
Willis, commandant of the garrison at the Falls, complaining of the conduct
of Captain Kearsey, representing the exposed situation of the Miami
settlement, stating the indications of hostility manifested by the Indians,
and requesting a guard to be sent to the Bend. This request was promptly
granted, and before the close of the month. Ensign Luce arrived with
seventeen or eighteen soldiers, which, for the time, removed the
apprehensions of the pioneers at that place. It was not long, however,
before the Indians made an attack on them, in which they killed one
soldier, and wounded four or five other persons, including Major J.R.
Mills, an emigrant from Elizabethtown, New Jersey, who was a surveyor, and
an intelligent and highly respected citizen. Although he recovered from his
wounds, he felt their disabling effects to the day of his death.

        -continued in part 6

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End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V99 Issue #370
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