OHIO STATEWIDE FILES OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 371 Today's Topics: #1 HAMILTON COUNTY - PART 6 [AUPQ38A@prodigy.com (MRS GINA M RE] #2 RICHARD B. WITT - HAMILTON COUNTY [AUPQ38A@prodigy.com (MRS GINA M RE] ------------------------------ X-Message: #1 Date: Tue, 8 Jun 1999 15:05:58, -0500 From: AUPQ38A@prodigy.com (MRS GINA M REASONER) Subject: HAMILTON COUNTY - PART 6 HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF OHIO By Henry Howe LL.D., 1898 HAMILTON COUNTY - PART 6 SYMMES CITY LAID OUT. -The surface of the ground where the Judge and his party had landed was above the reach of the water, and sufficiently level to admit of convenient settlement. He therefore determined, for the immediate accommodation of his party, to lay out a village at that place, and to suspend, for the present, the execution of his purpose, as to the city, of which he had given notice, until satisfactory information could be obtained in regard to the comparative advantages of different places in the vicinity. The determination, however, of laying out such a city, was not abandoned, but was was executed in the succeeding year on a magnificent scale. It included the village, and extended from the Ohio across the peninsula to the Miami river. This city, which was certainly a beautiful one, on paper, was called Symmes, and for a time was a subject of conversation and of criticism; but it soon ceased to be remembered - even its name was forgotten, and the settlement continued to be called North Bend. Since then, that village has been distinguished as the residence and the home of the soldier and statesman, William Henry Harrison, whose remains now repose in a humble vault on one of its beautiful hills. In conformity with a stipulation made at Limestone, every individual belonging to the party received a donation lot, which he was required to improve, as the condition of obtaining a title. As the number of these adventurers increased in consequence of the protection afforded by the military, the Judge was induced to lay out another village, six or seven miles higher up the river, which he called South Bend, where he disposed of some donation lots; but that project failed, and in a few years the village was deserted and converted into a farm. INDIAN INTERVIEWS. -During these transactions, the Judge was visited by a number of Indians from a camp in the neighborhood of Stite's settlement. One of them, a Shawnee chief, had many complaints to make of frauds practices on them by white traders, who fortunately had no connection with the pioneers. After several conversations, and some presents he professed to be satisfied with the explanation he had received, and gave assurances that the Indians would trade with the white men as friends. In one of their interviews, the Judge told him he had been commissioned and sent out to their country, by the thirteen fires, in the spirit of friendship and kindness; and that he was instructed to treat them as friends and brothers. In proof of this he showed them the flag of the Union, with its stars and stripes, and also his commission, having the great seal of the Untied States attached to it; exhibiting the American eagle, with the olive branch in one claw, emblematical of peace, and the instrument of war and death in the other. He explained the meaning of those symbols to their satisfaction, though at first the chief seemed to think they were not very striking emblems either of peace or friendship; but before he departed from the Bend, he gave assurances of the most friendly character. Yet, when they left their camp to return to their towns, they carried off a number of horses belonging to the Columbia settlement, to compensate for the injuries done them by wandering traders, who had no part or lot with the pioneers. These depredations having been repeated, a party was sent out in pursuit, who followed the trail of the Indians a considerable distance, when they discovered fresh signs, and sent Captain Flinn, one of their party, in advance, to reconnoitre. He had not proceeded far before he was surprised, taken prisoner, and carried to the Indian camp. Not liking the movements he saw going on, which seemed to indicate personal violence, in regard to himself, and having great confidence in his activity and strength, at a favorable moment he sprang from the camp, made his escape, and joined his party. The Indians, fearing an ambuscade, did not pursue. The party possessed themselves of some horses belonging to the Indians, and returned to Columbia. In a few days, the Indians brought in Captain Flinn's rifle, and begged major Stites to restore their horses -alleging that they were innocent of the depredations laid to their charge. After some further explanations, the matter was amicably settled, and the horses were given up. The three principal settlements of the Miami country, although they had one general object, and were threatened by one common danger, yet there existed a strong spirit of rivalry between them -each feeling a pride in the prosperity of the little colony to which he belonged. That spirit produced a strong influence on the feelings of the pioneers of the different villages, and produced an esprit du corps, scarcely to be expected under circumstances so critical and dangerous as those which threatened them. At first it was a matter of doubt which of the rivals, Columbia, Cincinnati or North Bend, would eventually become the chief seat of business. That, however, lasted but a short time. The garrison having been established at Cincinnati, made it the headquarters and the depot of the army. In addition to this, as soon as the county courts of the territory were organized, it was made the seat of justice of Hamilton county. These advantages convinced everybody that it was destined to become the emporium of the Miami county. PRIVATIONS OF THE SETTLERS. -A large number of the original adventurers to the Miami purchase had exhausted their means by paying for their land, and removing their families to the country. Others were wholly destitute of property, and came out as volunteers, under the expectation of obtaining, gratuitously such small tract of land as might be forfeited by the purchasers under Judge Symmes, for not making the improvements required by the conditions stipulated in the terms of sale and settlement of Miami lands, published by the Judge, in 1787. The class of adventures first named was comparatively numerous, and had come out under an expectation of taking immediate possession of their lands, and of commencing the cultivation of them for subsistence. Their situation, therefore, was distressing. To go out into the wilderness to till the soil appeared to be certain death; to remain in the settlements threatened them with starvation. The best provided of the pioneers found it difficult to obtain subsistence; and, of course, the class now spoken of were not far from total destitution. They depended on game, fish and such products of the earth as could be raised on small patches of ground in the immediate vicinity of the settlements. Occasionally, small lots of provision were brought down the river by emigrants, and sometimes were transported on pack-horses from Lexington, at a heavy expense, and not without danger. But supplies, thus procured, were beyond the reach of those destitute persons now referred to. STATIONS ESTABLISHED. -Having endured these privations as long as they could be borne, the more resolute of them determined to brave the consequences of moving on to their lands. To accomplish the object with the least exposure, those whose lands were in the same neighborhood united as one family; and on that principle, a number of associations were formed, amounting to a dozen or more who went out resolved to maintain their positions. Each party erected a strong block-house, near to which their cabins were put up, and the whole was enclosed by strong log pickets. This being done, they commenced clearing their land, and preparing for planting their crops. During the day, while they were at work, one person was placed as a sentinel, to warn them of approaching danger. At sunset they retired to the block-house and their cabins, taking everything of value within the pickets. In this manner they proceeded from day to day, and week to week, till their improvements were sufficiently extensive to support their families. During this time they depended for subsistence on wild game, obtained at some hazard, more than on the scanty supplies they were able to procure from the settlements on the river. In a short time these stations gave protection and food to a large number of destitute families. After they were established, the Indians became less annoying to the settlements on the Ohio, as part of their time was employed in watching the stations. The former however, did not escape, but endured their share of the fruits of savage hostility. In fact, no place or situation was exempt from danger. The safety of the pioneer depended on his means of defense, and on perpetual vigilance. The Indians viewed those stations with great jealousy, as they had the appearance of permanent military establishments, intended to retain possession of their country. In that view they were correct; and it was fortunate for the settlers that the Indians wanted either the skill or the means of demolishing them. The truth of the matter is, their great error consisted in permitting those works to be constructed at all. They might have prevented it with great ease, but they appeared not to be aware of the serious consequences which were to result until it was too late to act with effect. Several attacks were, however, made at different times, with an apparent determination to destroy them; but they failed in every instance. The assault made on the station erected by Captain Jacob White, a pioneer of much energy and enterprise, at the third crossing of Mill creek from Cincinnati, on the old Hamilton road, was resolute and daring; but it was gallantly met and successfully repelled. During the attack, which was in the night, Captain White shot and killed a warrior, who fell so near the block-house, that his companions could not remove his body. The next morning it was brought in, and judging from his stature, as reported by the inmates, he might have claimed descent from a race of giants. On examining the ground in the vicinity of the block-house, the appearances of blood indicated that the assailants had suffered severely. DUNLAP'S STATION ATTACKED. -In the winter of 1790-1, an attack was made, with a strong party, amounting, probably, to four or five hundred,, on Dunlap's station at Colerain. The block-house at that place was occupied by a small number of United States troops, commanded by Col. Kingsbury, then a subaltern in the army. The fort was furnished with a piece of artillery, which was an object of terror to the Indians; yet that did not deter them from an attempt to effect their purpose. The attack was violent,and for some time the station was in imminent danger. The savages were led by the notorious Simon Girty, and outnumbered the garrison, at least, ten to one. The works were entirely of wood, and the only obstacle between the assailants and the assailed was a picket of logs, that might have been demolished, with a loss not exceeding, probably, twenty or thirty lives. The garrison displayed unusual gallantry -they frequently exposed their persons above the pickets, to insult and provoke the assailants; and judging from the facts reported, they conducted with as much folly as bravery. Col. John Wallace, of Cincinnati, one of the earliest and bravest of the pioneers, and as amiable as he was brave, was in the fort, when the attack was made. Although the works were completely surrounded by the enemy, the colonel volunteered his services to go to Cincinnati for a reinforcement. The fort stood on the east bank of the Big Miami. Late in the night he was conveyed across the river in a canoe, and landed on the opposite shore. Having passed down some miles below the fort, he swam the river, and directed his course for Cincinnati. On his way down, the next day, he met a body of men from that place and from Columbia, proceeding to Colerain. They had been informed of the attack, by persons hunting in the neighborhood, who were sufficiently near the fort to hear the firing when it began. He joined the party, and led them to the station by the same route he had travelled from it; but before they arrived, the Indians had taken their departure. It was afterwards ascertained that Mr. Abner Hunt, a respectable citizen of New Jersey, who was on a surveying tour in the neighborhood of Colerain, at the time of the attack, was killed before he could reach the fort. His body was afterwards found, shockingly mangled. The Indians tied Hunt to a sapling, within sight of the garrison, who distinctly heard his screams, and built a large fire so near as to scorch him, inflicting the most acute pain; then, as his flesh, from the action of the fire and the frequent application of live coals, became less sensible, making deep incisions in his limbs, as if to renew his sensibility of pain; answering his cries for water, to allay the extreme thirst caused by burning, by fresh tortures; and, finally, when, exhausted and fainting, death seemed approaching to release the wretched prisoner, terminating his sufferings by applying flaming brands to his naked bowels. -continued in part 7 ------------------------------ X-Message: #2 Date: Tue, 8 Jun 1999 15:06:01, -0500 From: AUPQ38A@prodigy.com (MRS GINA M REASONER) Subject: RICHARD B. WITT - HAMILTON COUNTY HISTORY OF OHIO The American Historical Society, Inc., 1925 Volume V - page 380 RICHARD B. WITT. In January, 1923, when Richard B. Witt was elected sheriff of Hamilton County, the people of this community gave expression to their appreciation of the manner in which he had discharged his former public duties in the office of county treasurer. He has displayed the same energy and ability, as well as conscientiousness, that he showed in his former office, and his record is one that entitles him to the further support and confidence of his fellow citizens. Mr. Witt was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, December 15, 1867, and is a son of Richard B. Witt, Sr. His education was acquired in the public schools of Cincinnati, and at the age of eighteen years he started to work, learning the trade of sheet metal worker. For a number of years he was employed at various plants in Ohio, but finally entered business of his own account, and at this time is senior member of the firm of Witt & Brown, proprietors of a leading sheet metal works at Cincinnati. A republican in his political views, when the people of Hamilton County decided that a business man should be picked for county treasurer, Mr. Witt's name suggested itself as a possibility because of the practical manner in which he had made use of his opportunities in building up a successful business enterprise. In 1916 he was elected to that office by the largest vote on the republican ticket, and served in the office four years. In January, 1923, he was elected to that office by the largest vote on the republican ticket, and served in the office four years. In January, 1923, he was elected county sheriff, again by the largest vote on the ticket, and will probably be his party's next choice for the same office for a second term. Mr. Witt is widely known in various circles of Cincinnati, where he is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Business Men's Club, the North Central Turner Hall and the Cincinnati Gymnasium. In 1899 Mr. Witt was untied in marriage with Miss Kathryn Schlosser, and they are the parents of two sons: Richard, who is identified with the firm of Witt & Brown; and Robert, who is connected with the Fleischmann Company of New York. -------------------------------- End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V99 Issue #371 *******************************************