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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRAI
BLIC LIBRA
3 1833 02533 1155
Gc 97'7^2<5PM76k"'^""~^^
KroLit, Caroline Virginia
The pathfinders
R. E. BANTA
Bookseller & Publisher
Crawfordsville, Ind.
INDIANA COUUECTi
OISi
Ic
917.7243
K92p
995998
' 995998
^■^y^\J Path-finders, •/
There is no stirring, rom-antic or tragic history connects! 'vith
the early settlemnt o^ this county,7^a*\ that of Vincenn®, and the
whole southern border of the state. The war of Revolution was Oi
long since concluded; the War of 1812 was finished before the
first white settler had invaded the primeval forests of what be-
caiTie Mont.-oraery County. As was natural the first settlements
in the North West Territory, of which Indiana was part, were made
along navigable watercourses. For one reason th es^ fur-oished a rap-
id road for retreat; for another, they furnished food to the
settler, in th^.fish i»k>i nfh inhabited them, and the large and
small fUBsixe which inevitably must quench their thirst ti^re.
Throueh this •ounty passed the well known war trail to the Oui
~T'""t.fVC--5
etanon v il 1 if^, vhi ch^ from tho s e vill ages^continued on to
the great trading- post of Detroit. The ^ench courier de bois
was f^mili^.r with all Its ^^ndian traces, he could thread his
way by %lnK)«t indlatinffulshable ma-ks throufrh the black, shadowy
forests, he knew minutely the nameless streams which would lead hi
to the ereat highway, the Wabash river, on to the portage at ^'eke.
©n^i, .nd yet he v^^ not a settler. vincnne,.* elaln.ed a stl^
tlauent o- flench t^-aders as early as 1711, m , th«r« 1. no record
to dispute it ^ the f..t must stand. At^ what 'i^ now! the city
of -o.n -ayne wa. another -rench po.t. lar^e ni flourUhing. Sv«
Iven at t'.e deradent village of Thorntown -rench traders
were located, under th . as^is of Thorn the the ^hief; aUo at
iStrawtown-the • -iirmi'im - tr^oHn-. «,.^.* .u
^ r "^ ^ ^* tr=!jin«r pobt, where Straw anothsr
chief gave them kindly protection.
•vC •«iili'U«r«A •H' •**•! •#••« ^airr ^rr «w »#w «9t»« #-^^ ^•^
^i«#«M «v«#t t^i^ .t^H •«i»»^* '^9i*t0^ %f»i^'»'H-'
•iM»l#«*i^f fiviM 4»<* ^r^ ^•Wt
ill-
Tn the year 1822 the State legislature fixed the boundries of
Montgomery county, which included what later made on ^he noi'th CV^y
fc«ss. Carroll Clinton Tippecanoe. On the e8St it reched to Marion, _^
south to 'Jkrke and west to the Wabash. Tn the beginning there was
but one township in the cou/nty, called Montgomery, but the pop-
ulation grew rapidly so that in 1824 Scott, Union and Wayne were
"■ ■ ■ n^i I/. I'kc. f^'^uiL
organized. Offiel as.conimissionei' hgd pait in this, and his two
associates were .Tames Blevins and John Mccullough. How they were
elected could not be learned but they belonged to the cljass which
is now vulgarly called Hustlers Toy the s.^^m.® a^.t^^snopn of ,j,heii*
election they held their firsx meetini^^, an^, p|^^^^^^ir^J7aiiii;jijejC'
• .as Clerk of the County, this mejBtin^ w^s,^^el^^^ ^tr\;y^p^fiy|\^^
fashion, in the open-air. The^i^, s^e^cor^^ip^^^tl^,^^^^ ^^|it '^V^^^
h^ouse of willip. Miller,^^j^^^|4 ^^r^ ^vo^^fi k^^'^
tr»* no n— 94 «tt !•• tWiMti* ^^ Iwt »OTM«l«llM«t #Mlf
Mff SMl •^Mf ttiillOWIJ! •iNM' U«i ••#) # M •! •VwtMAH •<' <«'
Wilv»f| .MlMf* » •# tft<wtl« •» ?••• iifiTif* •»•"• - ^^^* "'•
<-»«t
3
I r^' :.:'■:■-<■
Of this county. T am very smr»c that he came here in ?eb.l8Sl T thi)^^{C_
the man t^r9-t -.rrote th-^7 article you sent me is mistaken about 0ff4~
deld's age, T dont think he '.vas over thirty when T knew him in
1821 ; 1841 "vould be twenty yrears after , which woald make him
<
a^out fifty years old when the "/rite"" stayed overno -ht with hira^
ii^ . . (1
This is ?^out all a Reniember about Mr Offild, as I was a boy, and
my acquaintance with him nbut short?.*
Tn 1821 the surveyors had but .i'JSt ftone through this county
■^ a virein forest, a hxinting ground for the savage, who must
"haVe loolced in astonishment at the" white man who had the t^. mer_.^.
l?l^^^td^i*^e hi'^rin a home utterly , isolated from all his kind,
TWft^'f^-'^^^iAf'e^ "and'- five children. Df field brought wi^th him
•4<ii4*^rt^8^'i«*Wt'^l^^'intSiV8.' He^i^^^ a site for his
H^^ I' .,~j []■ r"' ** •^ -= :c'0
eahln at the mouth of the creek which .nears his name,' some 8 or 9
miloft •outhw«i.t of this town. Tt is said he wa^r induced to make
this choice because the^'e w%o a omall Indian village there, in ^
haMtel by what tribe no one knows now. On the side of the
hill oiT:o»ite ^hlb village he built his cabin and cleared a «*
spot for ••#•• ^on W^ Couat^ «n« ♦t»*«fTt2«d h« wa« one of tHo
fiiJ'b^ mmmii^mtAmmf^. and. his slcnaturs aty y«t b« »««a on tht
•erliest deeds, li Is •tld that )»• wm Hut tntlPtly illl%«r«tr^
y* ^»*>- ilffiistarw tB, in a fla* bold hand^ iereii:»»lnsd hse* les« thai
■ Ix years ^nti then sllr^Yi^i •««r as silently a* a ohadow, leaving
the ofrr two '^oirnl salon en» In the lurch without any txflsjf nation.
Wiere ho ve-r h^s pver been ^>lly deitintinecl, though M^ / /
Johnson sumalzstd that he w*-*^ ♦*••*»- to Tsmi. . ^» ««i« fii«« tm
y%r% of hti souloum hsips thsi^ vae ne settl«>:ent at CwlU*.
>H
The—aiassa^re of Pigeon Roost had taken plice before the first —
wb^ite settler had found a home In Montgomery county. '
Thj|(^ fivst white settler, is now conceded to h'^ve bee,_ n a man
named Offiel; as some call him, Of field a»i othoifD. Accounts con-
flict in moiitc minor detailes concerning this man. One person
describes him as a sho-^t, squat, dark, silent man. This last is
indisputable , for the pioneer was not loquacious when every wind
would ca^ry to the ears of his, foe the hated message of the ^jfepja-s-e*-
presence of the white man.. A second and of the two the more re»
^norable Arch
the
liablejis the description furnished by the late ^norabl
Johnson, who^saw 0ffii4[ (ihg^'itt uimj i bmjt, aai- lived in
same county, ''j^ says:* In the fall of ^1820 my father moved
from -^ashinp-'ton County, this state, to what is now Morgan County,
on 'Vhite !^iver four miles below the bluffs, and about 24 miles
below Tndpla. , and stopped within « half a mile of Mr Offields.
'i» (0' had riisei -> ? "op of corn that summer of 1820, T was at
a corn-huskin?r at his h ouse in the fall. T think Mr Offiel came
■ i
fMA Ttnn. T know ' . .c v<5s bom. '!• was a rather small*
•^ fMdtwn sized i^an, rather slende^ built, about 5 feet 9 or 10
inehe. in helrht, woul i w-^ o.it iso lb».--8^ndy complexion
wi h blue eyea; was a eonaiderahle of a hunter, loved backwoods
life. T know nothing of hi^ education, hut he had so.ae knowledge
o** thi ng» -^ ,^v-, the woods by the
section lines vhi"^ were frefah in r - .try ,t th%t ti.r.e. It
was sai^d o- hii. th.t vhen he heca.r.e - -^ .,,oda ha »ou^l
butt his head ^/rainat a tree until hi. . ,o v^i,,,.
• {ry .,,3y of. explanation pert^.lt me to a^y that t-:is confuulun waa
March lot 1823. Tt ia ^aid that off i eld was the first whita aettl»
ai laPl iir'T .nem J:;-->Ila , inpfa jf. j a ,J'o'
biilM! Yievs -'9f'r awoioeiJf'Ol Jon sfv neertolq er^i ' c"" ef-'f M-qafiir-l
.. •-- or* r "y f-^raa-.t?; . .>. • . '^ o uf^e ar*^ o^ Yf«<P9 hfrow
....;;, ^r. ^^^..^ ^.-.^.-, ^. .., -Xrfeil
9j-'j ax iib vx I, *;;.:*. ^ 'CO- * i£V,- jr r::;.-'v. iS-'xllJ v £ ii Oi-'y ,:ioanr'oL
bevoa: ler'^jpl ym Cigei»» '♦.o JX**! er^j* nT "rgv^i ei: ,Y#mioo •(»■
Y^rrx/or nfa-xoi; wor ax Jerv; o^ .etesa dlrff .v^fujof) no^*^9fliffa«r oxTfl
aeXitr ^S ^xrodf i^ni: ,is11uld ec'f wo£t<f ••Iloi Wrol friH •fti'W no
.otX9i'!lo 111 Jo eXiiTt « ^X«r' • ni^ttw b^tn•i9 fedff ,«8ffftfiT vof«4
se aey.' I .(JS81 ^o ittixwa #M«« iriM ^« fm* » l)t«lr^ Mif *0) •!!
emeo XolllO lU Mnlf'* T .IlKt •<«# fli •••• I? tll^ #• ^l<««l» «%•• t
XX»fl» n»ff/*«i ff ii«r ti .m*? *#f •!• #*•!* #•• »•< t ,mmff ••rt
OX no 6 itfl e *»«l» ,#ltii# ••••utto ^f9m ttmrn *••!• Mrtft»« w
nolml^na* fin«*-«.««I «•! #•»••» <•••» Mwv rl^il^ •• ■■^■*
«ftaa»«Mtf f^U .miim^ • ^# liii'iilii" • ••» •••«• •••^ •"••
V • J
a very seruious thing and was dreaded by the pioneer who called
it mazed or bewildered, it was not uncoimion in a new coiintry. where ^o^ku^ 1
'-'.■'• ' • ' d %.'
t..e woods and praries presented vinvarying aspects for miles on mi«^...^ ^
PI
■ **
-nd suddenly the most skilful pioneer would lose all sense of
direction, a feelin/r of utter hopelessness and bewilderment would
pd/ssess him, sometimes it would clear from his brain ^s suddenly
as it came; again it would remain for hours or days, with dire -^
ful results, and it was a thing dreaded for there vas no guarding
against it ) --therfore Of fields was rather heroic treatment for
this mental phazeJ /Toresume Mr J-s letter,^ Tn the winter of 1 821
four men living close neighbors determined to 1 e ve White river
on jccount of overmuch ague. Lly father, Thomas Johnson,^ Jubal
Dewee«» |ohn Syler, and William Offield all left home in leb 18% i
9t, to hunt a location* Offield being a pioneer by nature, vrent of-f
alMM , ind settled In this County (Montg); the other three going
t- wh«**e (i»«encaatle now stand»,^tn^kln(? his road as he traveled. "
ft ••OTM thtt 'fter he found his location hf returned for his fami-
ly ■^< - ria^'ra tive states that " he hired "^ younir man by the
name of Andrew Siftler so-^ o** o-"'^ mentioned John Syler, to .em'"
99m9 with hiia when he vuula take the vsfon ♦^aek that he moved in.
8yle!» v^s tentnjr m% ali^ut tha trip only ». few year a a«o. le
said when ♦hey ea;;ie to « steep hill rffieli would '-ut dovn a tntl
ma 1 ^r99 and make th-B butt fast to the hind part of the wagon A
s br-Uie to s-o down hill^Mr offield dll -ot r'^'n^i'^ h'; re ve'.'7
Ion? until ^e went >« ck to Tenr.; but as T _ .- ,, „., history
of this -ounty ^e vas o"e of t\e first '.'oi.iidssioners that met
March lot 1825. Tt i^ .aid that (>ffield was the first white settlor-
-^•^
s
t^Lli') offy f.vr.oi ^ \t['J «ut
£i '.t:oor' «.
eili) r'Jir ^a^i} "o aiuori to'\ nteaat i nle'^e ;ecftrr^ si a'
'iol jrfjirJcs'ij' oxofer! ler'Jerc s,£k aiilsx'i'!'. «'{o'^-!:3f't--( jl jerieae
r5a8 I ^o t'?.*''lr c.-'* -T f^.ttsf aT. ni.. oi!i.'<je'!oT'' ,9sjpr'q iPSr.QiTi atc's
81 d6;^ i-ii 0i<ia'^ jlsJ rifi jjIsx'ilO iruBlIIir ix\B ,l9t\Z rv'ol ••••••d
'to jnsv.' .sti.j^FH Ycf Tsenolq p '!\nl9(i l>X»1^10 •IMl^fOOl • #«:<* Ot ft
Snxos dsir-J ^sr^to srfl :(9^noM)t^mroO ftli^T fll i«|l/«« An. ••«> t
ia:£'\ ale' *to^ i}dfRV««n 7!^ n«|#«Ml tllf JiWl^ •!« n»#^# #«•# •■«•• #t
eri^ Yd nam ^fusox e bmi^ M* * 99^9 m99im 99iS§^m9n •t'f ^^ ff
i«mi • ■»•* $99 *t»a» tivl^O fflU' tWM • •' •«•• VM** n»<^ Ut«
Yi|«V MilMf nl«Ml «^ lift if»f^u ^ tfl# '*««* «i» «! »S#^ •
V
1/
but by 1826 there was a decided boom on. Major Whitlcck had been
placed in Charge of the Land Office, and associated with him as
Register was Judge Willi aiiison Dunn. But before the adl^ent of
either Williajii Miller, a Revoluiirtionary soldier had arrived here,
where he rerriained to the day of his death, which occurred in his
85th year in ^ ISl
Ma.ior Jihitlock caaie to this town from "'^incennes having been ap—
pointed as to— *^*e*-«*M«»f»e of the Land Office here by President
Monroe, a personal friend^ f^e was a naViv« of ^r..'g*nia. Willi ainson
Dunn It ao ^; f f out- Juad had been a Captain of lialitia, and lived
at Madison, tehen a thriving tourn, previous to his coming here.
X-J^^ivo beon ■iJifai3iied__thai^i>iaj-Whiiytorcic*s title was yu»'eTy"~"corapTt'»-'
AliTtOSt coincident with their arrival, these two men became what
was then called proprietors of the town, that is, they laid ^^Lju^yu^JtcA^
o*'f a certain portion of the wildernesB into town lots regularly
gurveveA, ani in May 1823 the "'ornuisaionera fixed the price of
theaa %©wn lota, anl ♦rilliai'.i ?, Rwney acted as agent, and was or-
dered to take no le»6 than ten dollara fb ^ a lot 4) feet by 180.
Mr Rtniay also held the offiof tf "Lister", now ealled ^Maessor. ,A
and hit salarv waa tht #BAMM«a s m of three dollars a year.
The f^rak ^-and and «etit Juries o*" the county vere ordeed it a
Beetln-^ o** the conuaissloneFt .Tun* 28, 1823. At th-^t tir.a there #
were not enough taxpayers to fin the lej'ally recjuired niai^ibe" of
Jurora» who received a fee of 75 c„o p.^^ da, Th. r. »• a«*.s*^n
hel-i lasted ©ne day • oUted in one iMiietaient for aaaault
lo SC.9 he
V •i&is.i^Qp.
V8I i"!! nx Tpey .''J'38
O S-.-Tf
,eiBc^ ainxiTioo air* oj- avolvitq ,nwoi T^r.xvinr^^ £ ner'e.* ^noaibev SM
j .■■ -'v; e.' s o.? cf
oT\t sao-'j lBvi«r»e nlsf't r*lhr in«bieflio?> IsotiiCA
\:Xteiu^9i a^ol nro^ ofnl ••tnn»Allr •/*/ ^o n9l#n«f nlri^te • t^«
'!o eoliq Br's fxt^ ntnolft«iaaQ(> •l'# MM V»M nl t«t« •A»v«iFi««
to acw f}n« «M«9« •# te#t# tti^ff Y «9lfflr fA# ,•#•! RV«f •M/'t
*, .10M«««M« l)9XX«t tan ,*^*l»IT« ^« •tff%^« ffi^ *!•#' «•!• IMif W
•• titf •# !!««»# ttU v«!
r»if
4)
and b'^ttery, ^nd five terms later the accused was tried ^nd found
guilty and fined — one cent I His n^iie could not be learned.
Jairies Stitt, a farmer, afterwards known as Judge, and one of
whose decision :S|k was incorporated into the laws of England, as wel]
as our OTn st'^tutes, was th e first Treasures o f Montgomery Coun-
ty. He 'vas appointed March 1, 1823, and in the following Nov-
ember made his first .sport of revinue received, '.yhich was $250/
fro m the sale of lots,
John 'Wilson was the first Clerk of Court from 1823 to 1827, the
first Recorder was George lliller',^ a'r^" the first Sheriff was Saml.
D/Maxwell , appointed r.iqy 23M 1823. £egal mavters wex e not ^hor —
oughly organizeiiat this uime, and the county commissioners had
wide jurisdiction, and great power. Then they settled the price of
a liquor license detemiininp that in the new town of Cville it
•ho'jld be ten dvll^.s, in ihw «iih*^ }t^r\% ^f 4h# e*uniy, $JT
Whiskey and %11^ kin^^s of spitrits were sold in^stores with all l^-j^
>i>wts of merchandlst, and in grocery stores, it was -hought no
■•M • matter of rtp'-cach to sell it thus than ooaloil nowsuiays,
but t% •MMM the b*;ie wram of disasters foi" *i« Us% c« Sod .he
flra% iwirder in thit. county.
•Po return to t^e stle o** lo^ts in Cvilk , the propiHeto ••
granted four lots -fo>' ehurch purposes. One to the Methodists, »he
pr-^ sent %%\\^. o" the h«»ndso:ue edifice known a* he ♦"*i.b^ i.iethodlsT^.;^!^*. •/,
one to the 'Christian church, still held by them; one to the C*tH -
olies, located on North -treet; fourth to the Fpiscopali^n '
^ody,of >Thlc^. Mai -^itlock and his family were coninunle^-^nts. situat-
ed on V- spot 'here ^^^^.^^^^ onc^ s .ood ^.own 'c Vatkins mill.
.«i^ oX 1 o alt c
.Xn:e8 8?V' 't'+ xierfS javi"! 9;'* if.i .rtsllii; ST^rrosO arv. lelrtor*^? .fail^
Ilfi r'jiw estoJn til l)Xo« 9«r»r nlHllq* ^« •J«aIjI ffft l!n« t*i«l^
on i:"^i\^t'. »cr li ,Mn«#« VV«t««l aI £fi# ,>ti>lin*t<t<i ^« a^ilM
.aVf^won XioXfo* nvr*/ nut*! ll If** •# f*«*«^(|in ^« ^f»Mi t t^fti
i:>«
(pne lot was given for a school house, and one half of^ these town
lots were held by the couril^, "4h 1 G^-wwi* de»iA.8ci Jaju^ly j,j3^^flae .qI*^.
iho otho- all the ev-n».iuts or all the odd numbered lots/«
These lots were disp .^ei of by auction, and on the 23rd of June 13-
23 the sale was held ^ the auctioneer beinp: Wr.i P Ramey. The lot
known as cannpbells corner at Washington and Main sts. comaianded
xhe highest price, '|73. on it waa erected the tavern kept by l.Iaj.
Henry Ristine. The saiae day this auction was held the County Com-
missioners halii a special meeting, the object of which was to
order vhe building uf a Cvirtr* i.o«*se, xo meet the deaiandar of busi
ness of the growing town, which had no rival within 4o miles., /nfe
the lot where Barnhill -i.^: Ps store now is^ the first court house
w»s builx, ;ijhHe.**t<?r^''irs lo'T'M
1 nrniT'rt f^r It was ejcA^-^mL a log bnrlttlnf? 26 f set long twenty
ft vide, and two stories higji, Th« specifications dem^nde that the
house be chinked and pointed Igood lime '^ind sand, and .hat it
should be completed by the 2oth o** '»ay 1824.Eliakiri Ashton «a» the
successful bidder, his bid being the lowest, ^95.. iis security
was James sxltt, t^iit owing to vexatious* delays the building was
not completed till xhe 24th of Auffust//^?.^.
Previous to t'e anut«i<taii of t'-e| court house court had been
held In private houses, the first fas helu in ^inii.ii . illers
eabln. The first ^udge to hold court in the fine new ^^^^ ht^us*
taa J««pb Call, a self-riiSde nian, ■i soldier of 1812 an^i a i(entv«k-
Ian. *nrhl» fl.«- tt»m 9-$-~4vtdm im^'ivp he .. ^s elecwed'li* «^ng* wbtt and
died in his firti, ^e*-\u in that body.. The second j^df^e was was •»
Mas*. niAn named John R -Porter, who presidei over his extensive cir^
W» (Wve-^LA^ J^ {JL^^^ ^^ l-~y-ir^->^. 7^'' c4(y>^^ ^^
dn^ , .«©Xxj3i ai^ f.i.'j-ir Ipvi'i on b?^ c^.slr^y.' ,m.'OJ r^rtlwo''- vn
• 4iuorf Stuoo satlt er'J- ai von s'<oia a'? ir'n-r*'
Xtn9wt snoX i««l GS jiniMiiid j|oI e isjoefe ar. ,
#< IM*. lm# ,A«t»« An# tttlX tOQ%o beftiioq tns Iwjinido ed euuor'
•^# •#• ll0#ff«A «ilM«l||«^at| XB** y I'tCl ti'i Trf b9S9tc^on ed i)Ir'of^s
f#H«M« sAi •«Oii| ««M«aC #<*# llUttf titf Miff fbbiti ltfl%<iotoua
••f«i«MI 1« !*#*• ti^ ff Ai teltl^oM ion
MM I*/' /^M« tiTi^ fnwm l«f*# ^« fittltl«l«M • '<•' (^ uuQi^nn
t ■
4««Ifl« atfllf IT «l Mm« ••« fMlt •!'# •«•■•»«« •itvHf nl feltrf
tm ■inpi^ «» L««««f« St* ,i^ fi<«M^Art ^« •»#. ••!% tl^ •? .Ml
7
Tn 1823 there seems to h^^ive been no physician located in C^ville
fo/' Saml. Cox one of the earliest s chool^m 9 st^jf^^ records the fact tM^
' d^^^it^U^ thatthey h-^d to go to Indianapolis for a doctor
Tn/824 we learn of two physicians , Thomas \K G^^y and Magnus
Holmes, abo I, the s^iie time the first lawyer arrived, providence
IvI Curry.. From this time it may he considered a well equipped
frontier town, aC^ life began to assume somewhat of a conventional
aspecw. The first white child born in the town of C-ville
.vas the late Mrs Shevlin; Hon Jaiiies Wilson is accredited with /
^ : - . ■' >-^ .._■■ ■
being the first boy born here. The first marriage was thai o)kf 981^
Saml Maxwell and a Uiss Cowan, and Mr Maxwell was compelled to go
to Tndpls ^'or his licensel.y^Now the' town began to attract people
to it from all parts of the state, the Whitewater valley sent
the Cox familf^one of the first school masters, and John Beard
also c«ime from there as well as the Hoovers, ti%«u<^%^»>'^>' w«4?«-»%ra^
On leaving the \|ihitewater country ©ox wrote in his J ournalpC^^'O *
•Tomo;^-© V we set out/* fo-^ Crawfordsville on Sugar river. We
expect to oross the White River by an old Indian traceuirhich has
been wia- • wagon road hy movers^ 11/4. Sw^awtown,
and f^ke the w.lderness road oo Thornto.tn. Our ox tea:ii ruoved
slowly alonr the nar-^ow road, v'-i<'h ve^del th^^^ui^h a vast primeval
fores , elo"^hea ^n 'V'' e iich (t>af«r| wf autumn. Next day 've reach
edii'^ero creek -^n i -ncamped there at an unextinguished c-^.;.pfire
where some pe^ so'-^s had staved he p revious nii?ht. They had
killed '1 deer ^nd dressed and oised what they needed of it, and vih
eontfaendable regard for their fellow travellers throupht the
0 onsfjxyoiq ,i5evi'''f^' 'isvrsL .nji'^lt 9r*j : . a9ri;Io:
ir^'l'lii'lQ . ■ ..■■,•■
l£/i\>x,#ne"''- r/ee* o-'',np'^9f< ^"^ ■ >"'
. -li'l er'T .-J*; ;•■' .'ttorf v.o:f j-a'.-i1 :•:': t^rtis'
9l -T^scf rtrof : . T9<3n?oiI iiff to" alqbnT ot
jnea Ysff^'v isJ^we^ifn'' er'i ,9iPSs er'J "!o a^icq fir ovjtA 9k o^
ijirsl nr'oT. U'.e ,a^.esiiea) Xoorfoa lati** ©/fl ^O vno Ylliwt XOO •/*#
jiBUi'^ - ev 1 »^fiX 9.-'^ ,8nevooJ! er*^ ar fftw •• n«f'# mtn^ 9mf9 ••|»
:lpniuut ale* nk 9tcnw xA rr#a»o* fi^wtitH •ft 9fi|v»«f iiO
eW .navii n««if8 no tCflTaMi^HinO "t^ ^m» #«a •* r« ••■ir*
a*/* /'olrfw •Ml* n#ilviT k|o «• t^ •••^1^ •# tf^ •<•! —m* •# f*«^M
,nwo^va«4a ^ Ji ««^yaa f^ »»i^ wiHt i^«««« f •#nl ft»M»ilv !♦••<
^««M tm9$ K« «iH» •a»«tm«ffT •• tmm mmm^tUw •I'i •#»« Mi
i(«*«ir tv t** /«•* •amumm t« %t«^«ft f^«« •"• '• ^^ »<* < '•**<^
m^ f«*T .$t%^ mmi^m* n •<•* fi###» *»i» • t^* ^m •nii^ i^pi^
#|» i4w ,fl ^« l»4itii t'»/*r ;»«V »»««• •» iiWiii^jiMr -J**^ '^i
/»
c^l
wilderness thev h-'.d salted and baked one side of he ribs of
the deer pVoVxttUs .o leaving, and then had turned the other side 0
to the fire to be properly cooked for the next ermigrants who
■fryofi/^e—Lx mi^rht chance to pass.^ Ve were the lucky travelers who
foiond it. On the 29th of Oct. we struck the fi'"St house in 40
miles--I.Ir Wisehearts. At dark we concluded our journey by ar-
riving in the midst of a snow sXo»m a-rf" John Deweys abput a mile
and a half east of C^ville , " Tt is quite probable that this Dewy
was a sti-anger to the travelers but such was the wide generous
hospitality^, thinjt they took everyone in and grave of their best.
According to this saiTie Cox Cville was then the only town
between T, Haute and Ft Wayne. Business was lively and he relates
that Maj Ristine kept the tave^^n on the c£>r of Main and Washing
ton, -Jonathan powers had a little grocery store. Stoith had a store
near the land office, and Tsaae riston had 4ne h'near t he tavern; *
Nicholson carried on a tannery, Scott and Mack had •^cabinet shop;
pTeorgre Key was the villapre blacks- ith. liills had a mill on the
south ^bank of iu^ar creek. Clustred about the town Sin, land now
Included inostly in the citvs bounds were^ae- small _ corrnu ni ties,
probably for rriutual protection for Indians were becoming trouble—
fcOfTis^est o** the town '.»as a small neighborhood co.uposai of John
^eard, Tsaae ^eeler John Isaac and ^reo Miller John Cox John Ktllen ,
John Stitt, thio l5St n^ied person owned a rriill west of town'ii mil^^
South west ofthe village near Fallen Tirriber lived Cm ne (Sbwan a-a^
^cott and ^urbridire. Eas: of town resided ^eelai" l.leCvi loufrh, 'Vhit —
lock .Catterlin and John Dewey, still furthe'* east,Ja«)b neeler and
Jud?e stitt.-lnt^ny d^-tiifiA£- iiayjae -»-till f »*i-i4-»*^ -Hrnr t»t-4i„j3ount^._ ..
• Jc ■ 9v-^ Iff ni enov^pve 3ioo;r yef'.j ^9/*j' if-^ii?<?'Jtq8or'
'<vi.; ■ 1 •'. '-ir'r . . -■ ,sv- '-. r r i •..''■' xoD 9iu?«i esir'j oi' sjnlijtoi-: A
i . ns ri'j'xj bi-v c:c.9i-./eijr .9n\:fW i". fjnr e^wcl! T near^ed
vj MOO er^J^ f-o arevBt ©r'i iqeX •nl^iilH l«ll *i»/**
5Toje B iMT* dyxiCjB .9iu,ta Y*re30ta irlJ-llI r fc#/' «*I0VO? itfififAQt.* ,/!•#
Jr inTevej- e/ ; liesrsr- en* ber* no^sXl o««tt l>n# ,«9l^^o fcnri •!?# n«MI
;qur'o mr.i'Je or tec' }0#ia i^np 11098 ,t*i*nnfl • no ^l*i*t»t n«Nlf<M«tlV
9.-<i no Ilia. ^ i>fr' «IXIh .i<ll'«jlMXd tMniv «/«# ii#v xtX fH^M^
won Lpj>1 ni rwoi t<fi luurftf toniMrlO .llM^t ^gniM ^u ttirite /'iiroa
,«eiiinuiino» fXara tn«^v ■>wit< •▼#!# t^f III ffftftn itivftut
iVoT. 10 hiUfpt JbnttwIrNlow IImm • ••v nvM oM ^« iM(i^«o«
n«Xltx n(<oT. Kco ni««t. ^olflM c^r an» ••••I ii^ii wfM' f •#•? ,M#««
il« « IIV<M 1» #«•• |I|« • »iBPt flM%«4 ttr^n #««X •l^t ,#fl»fl fH'O''.
•0* Mvoo w 00 »ov|| ^^italt Mlirt ^•on WMfXtv •!«# 9« /rfw ^lao^
ti/^ ,^f0i»l tf^oa %olM^ »oil««M tmt «• ;«»s .«ai«<Mir> i«it tto^
• UnmwO • 1% n| ^lll«#t HIM mn^p «^-
A:)
< f -- (
Tt has been -tieid that when Judge Burbridge liniimiit his household ^
goods to the town on a flatboat. which landed at the £) ot of Washing
v/ ton St, that he brought the first Norway rats to thent ry, and
that these soon exterminated the small native blue la t; certain
it is that titai: -vere all gone in a year.
3sBfr3: Cox tells of a fish trap owned by John Stitt. ^e had • a
pond attached to his mill and ^. one night they took ifom sugar
creek 9o0 fish, pike, salmon, bass, and perch; some of the largest
saliTion measured from two to four feet in length and weighed from
12 to 25 pounds. They c rried them by the skiff -load and threw the
into t*** mill-pond, which was fed by springs. The customer
went to the pond made his own selection, the fish was secured for
him andpaid for according to size and Vv^ei'ht, This pond lept the
community;^ all the year round. These earlv settlers did not lack
for game, deer, bear.-squirrels we^'e overly abundant. Thef* !• mn
record the account o*' a plague of •quir'^els lo— titii faa'pi'ilft^V
Grey sciui^^eli* appeared very suddenly in such nunbers that the t
fields were overrun, the woods swarming with them. At first they -^0
were regarded as ^ sort of -; joke but soon *• their destructive*
ness c^vrie home to the people, it put .-^fltf^ie" f ce on the matter.
They abandoned guns and too^ to clubfi allying aoores of them with*
•pprtclably 4eereit;inr their number, oT ■♦^pr***f^t*'°^ " depreda —
tions, ^Mms'j threatenel to destroy the fruits of the fields and
the copd in the f -aneries/ then they as suddenly disappeared.
Tn the**- years of '24 "^«6 there seeris to h=ive been no reo^u —
larly organized denominational church, though intermittantly
services were hold when some circuit cider chanced to come
/. -c
nol i}**ru9»tt WW rfutt er^J .noxjoeleei nv.o air' eLf.:.' bm-
•/♦l iqti faioq •J/*T .lr*-l« fcn« 9si8 oJ^ •^nifjTOfJoe to .
MttfX #on itfl) ntf^ita YXn»» taern* .fjnuov iee\' e.-'j llf vtiMUiiuwo
«• •! rt*<«T .m^Amrdt Tfv*vo •*'tr «Ir!<ilii|)« need leeh ,9iT:pr> •}o'>
t 941 ##^l •^■iiw KMM •! ffwiil Y««v ftntt(!<i# •Xv'sniL'pa veTP
.««««• •4'#M ••^^ «*«/'#«l tVf ft tf^Mf 91^ •# t««f •<»» •••fl
m*lm M4f ^« iMMi lalfito •«M» •# ftM# Im tram l»tfi«iMu<i« xtf^
#af«^ft «!•<•» HHltlMt M .<li— ^tofi Wilton*** f|«»l»«nff9
.|»»%##ti^»U tMWMM « t««# Mf't WiMfirm ti^t nl MTTtt aft
«M^ m nM<f #^<t «#««»• •^•^ «••♦ #«• ^* •''••t •••<•♦ M
^'' *J I-. f2L..-i9 »a,o« n»/^ ila.-* r»«» •••^^•«
into the village. J^se^ Rev Hackaliah Vredenburg of the Methodist s^
ect preached occasionally; and the primative Baptists also held
meetings before the division of that body into old and nevf, and
they are crdited with havinfg built the first house of worship
in the town, rhe Methodists bepan to take steps toward organi -
zation, and the Presbyterians also. This latter leligious body ev«-
even then w.%^ agita-ting creating a sentiment in favcr of a col-"
j.ege in the near future - a drearu not realized form ore than a
a
deade. However the first regxilarly instituted religioa s gathering
was set on foot by Judge Dunn, who started a Sundays chool, he
having a large family of eleven children. Judge Dunn built the
first VaW^ house in town . a two story hewed- log house, wi vh a
brick kitchen Just without the main building. .M«' Ben Ristine
presided over the brick yaM, two of Judge Dtinns sons were off
bearers, while a third, a little fellov too small to carry over ,
half a dozen brick at ^ time, ewppHed ♦he mason. This raan.was
brought from Jefferson county to build the kitchen ft) r there
seems to have been no brickjuason yet in the town. It may not
be miss to <4uote the description of this forest home by one of
the boys who dwelt t'-ere, a inn »f Tha^MiH^-». : "T remember"
.--Said he. "when ou** fa;:iily fii»et took shelter under its roof. We
caiiie to it throu^' *' vllderness, literally outtin,'^ a way through
the woods ''or ou- wagons. Tt vas in beautiful October weather. The
grand old forest trees filled the yarti an I, to the infinite ie-
^^'^'"'^ ^' '^'^ w^'i cove-'ed with walnuts and hick-
ory nuts. in that house have T heard the wolves in t^
woods howling around. This hon.e looked very nice to my eyea when
s'^-ni'
"" .noist%
IOJ> # to 1. 9 "9
i? f'« /v .saiior' jsoL te\9r' M'joja ov/^ e nvos nl eauor^ 0^icl mill
'no 910 V- tin OS annxra ev^bul lo 0«1 ,in«Y Mtlntf mtt itvo fc«l)l««^f
"3VU Y'^'^^a oi rrema ool roXXt^ •X^flX • ,llFflfi » •lli^ ,M9^t0tf
oi^v n£m sirfT .no«tA t<f^ toUq^Mt •••tl # t« <•!«« !§•«•& • tltlt
oterfJ t (ft ntr<9/ij| •f'# Alltfrf •# Y#MNi9 MlW»n«t Mfft t^9mm4
J on Y«iTi iT .nro/ •!*! aI #tt IHMMHH* «i f>M<t tv#f •# •«•••
««T .^CfMir V^dlM^O |irtl»MiM at ••» tf ««MiOT ^•><^r#iil-Mt
•t •#ifii%ii #<'' •# .'At mt/H 0^M,miU% •m'ii*'Mmi^ i^^mit^
r .J ttOOV
(l^)
-11
both were young. After it was we a th'? ''bo a Med ind painted white and
hade a large gr'een yard ibOut *.^. wherp was no place so lovel/ in
all that region." Yet in this house it is said that the first
death in the coir/nunity took place, a visitor from Maysliclc a man
named -:iolbt^oie, ^ Tf . / . * .^-. !\^t /Ji ■-rfrf«
i^iL. III if ifc li iiidfai>«i>>'"'»i* rr—- -|- ^ ^— — »«M««ji— »— — i^ r-r-^ ZSiP'f
Tt is strange that. »AjcujjAlly XXS'Q-'^'ifti' *'«''T>a smmaa *hiin ■liBiitii.Jr
tgwn. in *he yaara,.j8i:3^>-*^^ »ni* »n. afcatafeaaayy^jied, ' was supplied from
K'^^^w*-^^ the same source it is now, the Whitlock spring^j/Kt* still flows is*' /
l4^ the ^'.fhitlock hollow ^ and it was this which induced the iiaj to
secure th spot for a h^ome. From this source the whole V&wn got
water. The usual manner of securing a supply was to borrow--with
or .vlthout his knowledge, as it chanced-- Maj Ristines old horse
forap, attach him to a sled and haul the water home/^ The only
kind of bread to be had 'tas ;<corn, and the little mill which groud
It w«» situated at the point where the at ream, that now flows from
the water.iworks^eiuptie* Into Swar •reek/Tt seeins incredible
that in those l^ys the '"abash was navagable for boats as far as
the Ouietanon towns, and that #«aiNir creek was coiauonly used
for batteauxs, which were tied up at the ^oot of Washington st.
About 1824 or 5 Isaac Elston w«nt baek east and brought to
*
the nade frontier* town, from a r«flned and settled homtOuaker
Hill N Y, a brido.^vlrs Eli«%beth Binford then a young mlaa,
ffa-"e me an a^f^ount of theball heli in honor o*' the event at t.h«
'^' tavet'n. The bride a i-ie^-e girl o ^, 18 or 19, was dr«ss«d in bridal
finery o*" silk. .-e thoupht she had n*ir«r •••n m nm9^ h9m%% T'^^^
ful ereature, with her jet black h-.ir, dark eyes and red cheek*.
n/-::' ^ Ar>iLdXB[[ li.on'l to.*iaiv f ,90/
/;-^J asv/ il ijm» vollorf ^.oolJ'if'v ar'J
.0 - 'to** j-oqa f*^ eitrnsa
dldibetonl a.i:ee« iT\]1m<s» ^#iutt oini m%it%tm ttMnW9ifi99 Ml
b9%u tXnoaiQOV «•« Mm^v n«lPt #«l^ Hit «•!■»•# MV«t#«l«0 M#
•ifi #• «nvwi t^*! *>• nonvr* •! fcftC lli<f»f*i n« #niM »# «» •«••«•
tefthitf Ml i»M««ft •#« .81 •(• •! "^v tuit rrvji #^ tAJ«id •!« J9#«ir»
llM«4vM«rii • jiv««^»rvn b-'* •«•» 4#iH/o««f tiV lilt ><f !• ^o X»^>ni^
,^—tf bvn iMf %9r9 JH#* .ilf«* ii^tt** tvl *»•!• f'i^' ,^fmmt9^» ««1
She knew nothing of pioneer life and Mrs B said she pitied her
for the hardships before her, but veil and br'^vely she bore them.
Mrs Binford 3nd her sisters \vere living t-.think rvith Maj Whitlock
at this time, his wife being: g,rt- aunt. They too cantie from ^.''incen —
nes, possibly 'vhen Major brought his family in 1823. It was then
that the Major brought the historical sideboa-^i, owned b"" tw*,
'presidents, and alsw a fine oil portrait of Touissant Dubois, so
closely identified with ''^incennes. Among the jude s^>p»-t^f»4 an««s of
other households these articles must have shone^'^^^cS c-L.vvi'-*^.^ '
In 1825 a new tavern keeper conies upon the scene, one Richard
Johnson, whether he succeeded Maj Ristine;--as I am inclined to
think ,*-or was a rival, could not be fully determined. He was also
a surveyor, and in that capacity was very useful to the project-
or* of a new town on the Wabash, just a little north of the Wea
towns, atill wttHl 'i© was employed by William Digby to survey
his town vhif*'. he prnpoiad to name after the popular hero. Gen Laf
'''ayette. As jflhaah county in which this proposed town V? rvc cA H*^ **
was to be located h^d no court all legal transactions had to be
ratified in Cville /here the first deed s of Lafayett^^e s«» re-
corded. Afte" laying off the town in tiie midst of thi^ckets of
hazel qnl groves of sliiri saplings, the proprietor sold it to Saml.
Sarpent an Eastern ;:.an, who thought if hw could interest some of
the more prominent citizens of Cville intey^^tad in t he project
it vo'ild ^e more successful; for it was a puny infant for a year
or so, and a favorite joke at the proprietors expense, whs to
Inqui'^e how frhis town of "I.augh-«t w^s getting on. ie t*
•ucseeried in selling 5/S of all the o.id ntw»bered lots to
'jsr' fceio* *?: 9r
jJ?
oal£ &BV 9i! ,i)snlu;TsJ^??l) v^-t^^'l scf «*on hlf'oo , If/if b epr to ,;lnir'J'
^oet^^'^T ■"•'■'^ '^•^ Lsjloasj ^c'^av hb'. Jioeqeo Jet'3' ni tr.e .novvv'tt'* •
B9V £.-r^j "to rfj'ion elj-jix b hojI ,rf««d«W er** no tnot mwn » *!© MO
V3 "ijja o; YriT^la CTFilXlF vc? b9\oLqam «»r •!' Ii^llw ill#a ,tliv«#
t£^J r.Ov ,of9rl "t^ljjqoq 9r^J iell« ttoiMt 01 ftOSO^O^q •«' /•l/'w mr«# ollf
nroj b^H^lotq all's Ati^ fll t#mr«9 f^M^iV sA •###•?§*
d(f oj l)firf bRotS9Btut^i XtMf !!• #«M» Ml tp^ Imif—i 9^ t mv
-et 1* • sj9xt^»^ ^o • b—k imt^ 9i»f •*t«*r tlflvo nl kai^ttt^
1o *»jejlo«lrti lo fUn oit nl inr#i •«•/ Ti* V\ix»i t9i^^ .••i«o«
Xaui2 OS it Mo« «iolol«i^r«^q e^^f >,«9nlff»« «lf« 1« m^^*** ^'^ tos«i<
lo •*!«• i«vi»#nl tXuo0 •<• 1i #(•««/**<«# «% •«§«!< ir»»»«#t n# iiwvrta
leoto^q •/<inl ^•iM«it#fll •rilvO^« •notifl" #'«#^l.'^«f #^*p •''#
n#ox » n«A *r#lnl tUM » •»• '• •'•^ Slirt«o»9»w« r»«n v-^ cft^ur »1
•1 MV .•MWqM •«O*0Hq«»*q •<♦# /• =t«#l •#H«1«^ # »«» ^ "JO
•i .no HrtJ*t»^ , t ^••iMlttJ* 1# •»•# tliW iroi* o^hnnfl
•r- altf Wn*d«Mi AiiO •«'l ii« ^« iNl «niilo« il tof)«9»«u«
\
^:
\L H -r- Ar^ j^ Is ace vfl> Els ton, Jonathan powers and \ ^
— ^ ■■" ' . d;^^
John Wilson for ;'':130 dollars.. One year later, 18256 by act of •• ^
legislature Tippecanoe co was formed '^nd Lafayette became its cout^ **
seat, which insured its success. John Beard was in the legislate
ure , representing a vast r ''gion just how much is not now known, 1^-*^
and had a part in the transactions of that day . To him a n to
- ■ '4 -J
Prof l.Ulls we owe the soQ.d basis for our school fund. ...^ ^
Tt was not until 1832 that the presby terians began to serious _
ly consider the erection of a college in C-vile, and in the fall *»
of 1833 a primary dptmt was actually organised and Caleb Mills ^ r-'
a young man from New Hampshire was placed in charge. The charter >S ) ^
was granted by the Legislature of the winter of 33 and 34. ^^Ttwas m
now "i recognized /college and a president vas secured in the persa->^
of F.lihu Baldwin, the pastor of the 7th Presbyterian church of N.Y
city, w^o ^ssuriied the office in Dec 1834. Associated with him
were Bii»nd 0 Fiovey^, Prof Rhetoric and Belles Lettrea; Caleb
/'■ '
Mills, prof of lanituageM: John S Thompson , Prof of Mathematics; R
H»bt C fregory, Trea». Pre»X Baldwin died six years later, a
younc man of brilliant parts; Proi^ Mills and |||ovey remained with
V_ the institution throu(fh life, and such self abnegation, and devo -
O \^ tion is seldom shown by a^en as was theirs for thei beloved col—
le^e. Vith the foiindinr of the college the pioneer s"t%ge of her K
^ C>i passed; the pioneers themselves may be said to have found the patb |
''"'V
>^-\ ^
sa: u ■
,nwori}l ton •r' sasji
. ii
i 95^ If oo f "^o nol^re-'
' ■ f^! . 6^9*1 0ffo ni i:>oeIq bET stlr'aqniPl ve'4 0jo^l ner.
n • 'biasicf £ fjn,- y-'^erfoov Jsslns^oosi ? won
; lo f")-;'.-.'- -'• '♦ •' : ■^oJ'afiq or^J ,nlri)X«ff xrrfilS *!o
;aeij*el d9fle=» l;fiF olno^eiffl lont*? ,Yfvoi! 0 ftruiJMI ••!•»
;a9Xj£i::9r'JitM lo loi<7 , no«qaio/4T 8 lu^ol :s«9««9M t ^v ^«Hq ,tlllll
.Tdjc^I of rev xi« 1)0 tfc nlTbU^ fM^^ .MtiT ,rim^t 9 ttfiff
f'jiv hsnirmei vevqd itnr sXtlU lo^^ {•''•ff tn#Jfll^tf t« mm mmt\
loo tovoXvcf ler^f to^ snlMfi mv m ami «tf fl»«f% «•*!•§ •! fMlf
•I nef* lo 09)/«« •■•tnolq •/*$ •mtlQt •<** ^» ^Ifcnw^ •:*f^eitr ••^tf
Transcript of original
THE PATHFINDEB^
(A Historical Sketch of the Early History
of Montgomery County, Indiana)
by
CAROUNE BROWN
(Caroline V. Krout)
ca. 1890-95
'/iiinnriffTA'i .-iHT
rM yl (f; I 'ul I ^(^< d)t'»y!.'' ( (;> i "U) i ^. HI A)
qqcoQo
THE PATHFINDERS ^^^^^^ o
There is no stirring, romantic or tragic history connected^the early settlement
of this County, comparable to that of Vincennes, and the whole southern border of the
state. The war of Revolution was long since concluded; the War of 1812 was finished
before the first white settler had invaded the primeval forests of what became Mont-
gomery County. As was natural the first settlements in the Northwest Territory, of
which Indiana was part, were made along navigable watercourses. For one reason,
these provided a rapid road for retreat; for another, they furnished food to the
settler, in the fish that inhabited them, and the large and small game which inevitably
must quench their thirst there.
Through this county passed the well known war trail to the Ouietanon towns
which, from those villages, continued on to the great trading post of Detroit. The
French courier-de-bois was familiar with all its Indian traces, he could thread his
way by almost indistinguishable marks through the black, shadowy forests, he Icnew
minutely the nameless streams which would lead to the great highway, the Wabash
River, on to the portage at Kekeongi, and yet he was not a settler. Vincennes
claimed a settlement of French traders as early as 1711, as there is no record to
dispute it the fact must stand. At a point where now stands the city of Fort Wayne
was another French post, large and flourishing. Even at the decadent village of
Thorntown, French traders were located, under the aegis of Thorn the Chief; also
at Strawtown north of Mooresville there was a trading post, where Straw, another
chief gave them kindly protection.
In the year 1822 the State legislature fixed the boundaries of Montgomery
County, which included what later made on the north Cass, Carroll, Clinton and
Tippecanoe. On the east it reached to Marion, south to Parke and west to the
Wabash. In the beginning there was but one township in the county, called Mont-
gomery, but the population grew rapidly so that in 1824 Scott, Union and Wayne
were organized. Offiel as one of the first commissioners had part in this, and his
two associates were James Blevins and John McCullough. How they were elected
could not be learned but they belonged to the class which is now vulgarly called
"Hustlers" for the same afternoon of their election they held their first meeting,
and chose John Vawter as Clerk of the County, this meeting was held In true pioneer
fashion, in the open air. Their second meeting was held at the house of William
Miller of this county. It is very probable that he came here in February 1821. I
think the man who wrote that article you sent me is mistaken about Offield's age.
I don't think he was over thirty when I knew him in 1821; 1841 would be twenty years
after, which would make him about fifty years old when the writer stayed overnight
with him. This is about all I remember about Mr. Offield, as I was a boy, and my
acquaintance with him but short."
In 1821 the surveyors had but just gone through this county, a virgin forest, a
hunting ground for the savage, who must have looked in astonishment at the Intrepid
white man who had the temerity to make herein a home utterly isolated from all his
kind, except for a wife and five children. Offield brought with him three horses, some
cattle and hogs. He selected a site for his cabin at the mouth of the creek which still
bears his name, some eight or nine miles southwest of this town. It is said that he
was induced to make this choice of location because there was a small Indian village
there, inhabited by what tribe no one knows now. On the side of the hill opposite this
village he built his cabin and cleared a spot for corn. It is said that Offield was not
entirely illiterate and his signature may yet be seen on the earliest deeds written in
a fine bold hand. He remained in this county less than six years and then slipped
away as silently as a shadow, leaving the other two commissioners in the lurch without
any explanation.
Where he went has never been fully determined, though Mr. Johnson surmised
that he returned to Tennessee. Others claim he went to the far west beyond the Missis-
sippi. For the first few years of his sojourn here there was no settlement at C-ville.
That first white settler of this county is now conceded to have been a man named
Offiel, or as some call him, Offield. Accounts conflict in minor details concerning
this man. One person describes him as a short, squat, dark, silent man. This last
is indisputable, for the pioneer was not loquacious when every wind would carry to the
ears of his savage foe the hated message of the presence of the white man. A second,
and of the two the more reliable, is the description furnished by the late Honorable
Arch Johnson, who when a boy saw Offiel frequently, for he lived in the same county.
Mr. Johnson says: "In the fall of 1820 my father moved from Washington County, this
state, to what is now Morgan County, on White River four miles below the bluffs, and
about 24 miles below Indianapolis, and stopped within a half a mile of Mr. Offield's.
He (O) had raised a crop of corn that summer of 1820. I was at a corn-husking at his
house in the fall. I think Mr. Offiel came from Tennessess. I know not where he was
born. He was a rather small, or medium sized man, rather slender built, about 5 feet
9 or 10 inches in height, would weigh about 150 pounds, sandy complexion with blue
eyes; was a considerable of a hunter, loved backwoods life. I know nothing of his
education, but he had some knowledge of things around him, for he traveled through the
woods by the section lines which were fresh in this country at that time. It was said of
him that when he became confused in the woods he would butt his head against a tree
until his senses would come to him. "(By way of explanation permit me to say that this
confusion was a very serious thing and was dreaded by the pioneer who called it amazed
or bewildered, " it was not uncommon in a new country where there were no land marks,
where the woods and prairies presented unvarying sameness aspects for miles on miles
and suddenly the most skilful pioneer would lose all sense of direction, a feeling of utter
hopelessness and bewilderment would possess him, sometimes it would clear from his
brain as suddenly as it came; again it would remain for hours or days, with direful
results, and it was a thing dreaded for there was no guarding against it)- -therefore
Offield's was rather heroic treatment for this mental phaze. To resume Mr. J's letter,
"In the winter of 1821 four men living close neighbors determined to leave White River
on account of overmuch ague. My father, Thomas Johnson, Jubal Dewees, John Syler,
and William Offield all left home in February, 1821, to hunt a location. Offield being a
pioneer by nature, went off cilone and settled in this County (Montgomery); the other
three going to where Greencastle now stands, Offield making his road as he traveled."
It seems that after he found his location he returned for his family, for the narrative
states that "he hired a young man by the name of Andrew Sigler, son of the above men-
tioned John S3der, to come with him when he would take the wagon back that he moved
in. Syler was telling me about the trip only a few years ago. He said when they came
to a steep hill Offield would cut down a small tree and make the butt fast to the hind part
of the wagon as a brake to go down hill. Mr. Offield did not remain here very long until
he went back to Tennessee; but as I see by the history of this County he was one of the
first commissioners that met March 1st, 1823. It is said that Offield was the first
white settler but by 1826 there was a decided boom on. Major Whitlock had been
placed in charge of the Land Office in 1823, and associated with him as Register was
Judge Williamson Dunn. But before the advent of either, William Miller, a Revolutionary
soldier had arrived here, where he remained to the day of his death, which occurred in
his 85th year in 187?
Major Whitlock came to this town from Vincennes having been appointed as Receiver
of the Land Office here by President Monroe, a personal friend. He was a native of
Virginia. Williamson Dunn had been a Captain of Mounted Rangers, and lived at Madison,
then a thriving town, previous to his coming here.
Almost coincident with their arrival, these two men became what was then called
"Proprietors" of the town, in previous two years it was a hamlet, that is, they laid off
a certain portion of the wilderness into town lots regularly surveyed, and in May 1823
the Commissioners fixed the price of these town lots, and William P. Ramey acted as
agent, and was ordered to take no less than ten dollars for a lot 40 feet by 160. Mr.
Ramey also held the office of "Lister, " now called assessor, and his salary was the
sum of three dollars a year.
The first Grand and Petit Juries of the county were ordered at a meeting of the
commissioners June 28, 1823. At that time there were not enough taxpayers to fill the
legally required number of jurors, who received a fee of 75 cents per day. The first
session held lasted one day and resulted in one indictment for assault and battery, and
five terms later the accused was tried and found guilty and fined — one cent! His name
could not be learned.
James Stitt, a farmer, afterwards known as Judge, and one of whose decisions
regarding was incorporated into the laws of England, as well as our own
statutes, was the first Treasurer of Montgomery County. He was appointed March 1,
1823, and in the following November made his first report of revenue received, which
was $250 from the sale of lots .
John Wilson was the first Clerk of Court from 1823 to 1827, the first Recorder
was Georgei who lived to nearly 100 years old, and the first Sheriff was Samuel D.
Maxwell, appointed May 23rd, 1823. Legal matters were not thoroughly organized
at this time, and the county commissioners had wide jurisdiction, and great power.
Then they settled the price of liquor license determining that in the new town of Cville
it should be ten dollars, in the other parts of the county , five dollars. Whisky and all
kinds of spirits were sold in general stores with all sorts of merchandise, and in grocery
stores, it was thought no more a matter of reproach to sell it thus than kerosene now-
adays, but it brought the same train of disasters for its use caused the first murder in
this county.
To return to the sale of lots in Cville, the proprietors granted four lots free for
church purposes. One to the Methodists, the present site of the handsome edifice
known as the First Methodist Church; one to the Christian church, still held by them;
one to the Catholics, located on North Street; the fourth to the Episcopalian body, of
which Major Whitlock and his family were communicants, situated on the spot where
oi^e stood Brown & Watkins mill. One lot was given for a school house, and one half
of all these town lots were held by the county, either all the even numbered lots or all
the odd numbered lots. These lots were disposed of by auction, and on the 23rd of
June 1823 the sale was held, the auctioneer being William P. Ramey. The lot known
as "Campbell's corner" at Washington and Main streets commanded the highest price,
$73. On it was erected the tavern kept by Major Henry Ristine. The same day this
auction was held the County Commissioners called a special meeting, the object of
which was to order the building of a Court House, to meet the demands of the business
of the growing town, which had no rival within 40 miles . On the lot where Barnhill
H. & Ps store now is, the first court house was built. It was a log house 26 feet long,
twenty feet wide, and two stories high. The specifications demanded that the house be
chinked and pointed with good lime and sand, and that it should be completed by the 20th
of May 1824. Eliakim Ashton was the successful bidder, his bid being the lowest, $295.
His security was James Stitt. But owing to vexatious delays the building was not com-
pleted till the 24th of August 1824.
Previous to the erection of the court house, court had been held in private houses,
the first was held in William Miller's cabin. The first Judge to hold court in the fine
new log court house was Jacob Call, a self-made man, a soldier of 1812 and a Kentuckian.
During his first term he was elected to congress and died in his first term in that body.
The second judge was a Massachusetts man named John R. Porter, who presided over
his extensive circuit 12 years. He was succeeded by Judge Isaac Naylor, 3rd judge.
This circuit extended from Rockville to Laporte, and the journey was made on horseback
on any of . Court day was a gala day, and when court set every-
one, whether personally interested or not, made it a point ot be present. It was circus
and opera, all in one, to the pioneer. In 1823 there seems to have been no physician
located in Cville for Samuel Cox, one of the earliest school masters, records the fact
in his diary that they had to go to Indianapolis for a doctor.
In 1824 we learn of two physicians, Thomas M. Curry and Magnus Holmes, about
the same time the first lawyer arrived, Providence M. Curry. From this time Cville
may be considered a well equipped frontier town, and life began to assume somewhat of
a conventional aspect. The first white child born in the town of Cville was the late Mrs.
Shevlin, daughter of William Miller; Honorable James Wilson is accredited with being
the first boy born here, son of a pioneer neighbor. The first marriage was that of
Samuel Maxwell and a Miss Cowan, and Mr. Maxwell was compelled to go to Indianapolis
for his license. The first school master was Holbrook. Now the town began to attract
people to it from all parts of the state, the Whitewater valley sent the Cox family among
whom was one of the first school masters, and John Beard also came from there, as well
as the Hoovers.
On leaving the Whitewater country Cox wrote of the journey in his journal thus:
"Tomorrow we set out for Crawfordsville on Sugar River. We expect to cross the White
River by an old Indian trace which has been widened into a rough wagon road by movers,
via Strawtown, and take the wilderness road to Thomtown. Our ox- team moved slowly
along the narrow road, which wended through a vast primeval forest, clothed in the rich
drapery of autumn. Next day we reached Cicero Creek and encamped there at an unex-
tinguished campfire where some persons had stayed the previous night. They had killed
a deer and dressed and used what they needed of it, and with commendable regard for
their fellow travelers through the wilderness they had salted and baked one side of the
ribs of the deer previous to leaving, and then had turned the other side to the fire to be
properly cooked for the next emigrants who might chance to pass. We were the lucky
travelers who found it. On the 29th of October we struck the first house in 40 miles —
Mr. Wiseheart's. At dark we concluded our journey by arriving in the midst of a snow
storm at John Dewey's about a mile and a half east of Cville." It is quite probable that
this Dewey was a stranger to the travelers but such was the wide generous hospitality
of the pioneer that they took everyone in and gave of their best.
According to this same Cox Cville was then the only town between Terre Haute
and Fort Wayne. Business was lively and he relates that Major Henry Ristine kept
the tavern on the corner of Main and Washington, Jonathan Powers had a little grocery
store. One Smith had a store near the land office, and Isaac Elston had one near the
tavern; Nicholson carried on a tannery, Scott and Mack had a cabinet shop; George
Key was the village blacksmith. Hills had a mill on the south bank of Sugar Creek.
Clustered about the town on land now included mostly in the city's bounds were small
rural communities, probably for mutual protection, for Indians were becoming trouble-
some. West of the town was a small neighborhood composed of John Beard, Isaac
Beeler, John, Isaac and George Miller, John Cox, John Kellen, John Stitt, this last
named person owned a mill west of town. Two miles southwest of the village near
Fallen Timber lived Crane, Cowan, Scott and Burbridge. East of town resided Beeler,
McCullough, Whitlock, Catterlin and John Dewey, still further east, Jacob Beeler and
Judge Stitt, who owned a saw mill, W. P. Ramey, the widow Smith and the Elmores.
Mrs. Smith was the sister of Ray Whitlock's wife. Tachaseet Gapen had a little tan
yard near Stitt's mill. On the north side of Sugar Creek lived one Miller, Henry and
Robert Nicholson, Samuel Brown, Farlow and Harshbarger. According to Cox hardly
one half dozen more families lived in town and county. It has been said that when Judge
Burbridge conveyed his household goods to the town on a flatboat via Wabash and Sugar
Creek, which landed at the foot of Washington Street, that he brought the first Norway
rats to the country, and that these soon exterminated the small native blue rat; certain
it is that the native rats were all gone in a year.
Sanford Cox tells of a fish trap owned by John Stitt. He had a pond attached to his
mill and in one night they took from Sugar Creek 900 fish, pike, salmon, bass, and
perch; some of the largest salmon measured from two to four feet in length and weighed
from 12 to 25 pounds. They carried them by the skiff- load and threw them into this mill-
pond, which was fed by springs. The customer went to the pond, made his own selection,
the fish was secured for him and paid for according tpsize and weight. This pond kept
the community in fish all the year round.
These early settlers did not lack for game, deer, bear, squirrels were overly
abundant. There is on record the account of a plague of squirrels on the north section
of the county. Grey squirrels appeared very suddenly in such numbers that the fields
were over run, the woods swarming with them. At first they were regarded as a sort
of a joke but soon their destructiveness came home to the people and put another face
on the matter. They abandoned guns and took to clubs slaying scores of them with appre-
ciably decreasing their number, or checking their depredations, which threatened to
destroy the fruits of the fields and the crops in the graneries. Then they suddenly disap-
peared.
In the years of '24-25 there seems to have been no regularly organized denominational
church, though intermittantly services were held when some circuit-rider chanced to
come into the village. Rev. Hackaliah Vredenburg of the Methodist sect preached occa-
sionally; and the primative Baptists also held meetings before the division of that body
into "old and new, " and they are credited with having built the first house of worship in
the town. The Methodists began to take steps toward organization, and the Presbyterians
also. This latter religious body even then was creating a sentiment in favor of a college
in the near future, a dream not realized for more than a decade. However the first
regularly instituted religious gathering was set on foot by Judge Dunn, who started a
Sunday School, he having a large family of eleven children. Judge Dunn built the
first big house in town, 1822, a two story hewed-log house, with a brick kitchen
just without the main building. Ben Ristine presided over the brick yard as moulder,
two of Judge Dunn's sons were "off bearers, " while a third, a little fellow too small
to carry over half a dozen brick at a time, supplied the mason. This man, James
Park, was brought from Jefferson County to build the kitchen for there seems to
have been no brickmason yet in the town. It may not be amiss to quote the descrip-
tion of this forest home by one of the boys who dwelt there. "I remember, " said he,
"when our family first took shelter under its roof. We came to it through the wilder-
ness, literally cutting a way through the woods for our wagons. It was in beautiful
October weather. The grand old forest trees filled the yard and to the infinite
delight of us boys the ground was covered with walnuts and hickory nuts. Many a
night in that house have I heard the wolves in woods howling around. This home
looked very nice to my eyes when both were young. After it was weatherboarded
and painted white and had a large green yard about it there was no place so lovely in
all that region." Yet in this house , it is said, that the first death in the community
took place, a visitor from Mayslick, Kentucky, a man named Boyd.
It is strange that then the town was supplied with water from virtually the same
source as it is now, the Whitlock spring, which still flows abundantly in the Whitlock
hollow, and it was this which induced the Major to secure the spot for a home. From
this source the whole village got water. The usual manner of securing a supply was
to borrow--with or without his knowledge, as it chanced- -Major Ristine's old horse
"Pomp, " attach him to a sled and haul the water home in a barrel. The only kind of
bread to be had was corn, and the little mill which ground it was situated at the point
where the stream that now flows from the waterworks, empties into Sugar Creek.
It seems incredible that in those days the Wabash was navigable for boats as
far as the Ouietanon towns, and that Sugar Creek was commonly used for batteauxs,
which were tied up at the foot of Washington Street.
About 1824 or 5 Isaac Elston went back east and brought to the rude frontier
town, from a refined and settled home, Quaker Hill, New York, a bride. The late
Mrs. Elisabeth Binford, then a young miss, gave me an account of the ball held in
honor of the event at the tavern. The bride, a mere girl of 18 or 19, was dressed in
bridal finery of silk, of the latest fashion, very striking among the plain garb of the
pioneer women, and she thought she had never seen a more beautiful creature, with
her jet black hair, dark eyes and red cheeks. She knew nothing of pioneer life and
Mrs. B. said she pitied her for the hardships before her, but well and bravely she
bore them. Mrs. Binford and her sisters were living with Major Whitlock at this
time, his wife being their aunt. They too came from Vincennes, possibly when
Major brought his family in 1823. It was then that the Major brought the historical
sideboard, owned by two presidents, one of whom was Harrison, and also a fine oil
portrait of Touissant Dubois, so closely identified with Vincennes. Among the rude
belongings of other households these articles must have shone transcenently.
In 1825 a new tavern keeper comes upon the scene, one Richard Johnson,
whether he succeeded Major Ristine, or was a rival, could not be fully determined.
He was also a surveyor, and in that capacity was very useful to the projectors of a
new town on the Wabash, just a little north of the Wea towns. He was employed by
William Digsby to survey his town which he designed to name after the popular hero,
General Lafayette . As Wabash County in which this town which was to be was to be
located had no court all legal transactions had to be ratified in Cville and here the
first deeds of Lafayette were recorded. After laying off the town in the midst of
thickets of hazel and groves of slim saplings, the proprietor sold it to Samuel
Sargent, an Eastern man, who thought if he could interest some of the more promi-
nent citizens of Cville in the project it would be more successful; for it was a puny
infant for a year or so, and a favorite joke at the proprietor's expense, was to
inquire how his town of "Laugh-at" was getting on. He succeeded in selling 5/8 of
all the odd numbered lots to Isaac C. Elston, Jonathan Powers and John Wilson for
$130 dollars. One year later, 1826 by act of legislature Tippecanoe County was
formed and Lafayette became its county seat, which insured its success. John
Beard was in the legislature, representing a vast region, just how much is not now
known, and had a part in the transactions of that day. To him and to Professor Mills
we owe the solid basis for our state school fund.
It was not until 1832 that the Presbyterians began to consider seriously the
erection of a college in Cville, and in the fall of 1833 a primary department was
actually organized and Caleb Mills, a young man from New Hampshire was placed
in charge. The charter was granted by the Legislature of the winter of '33 and '34.
A building was erected at a point north of the town in a beautiful section, but
and a tract of 40 acres bought, and a brick building three stories was erected and
in it were the rooms, library, and the remainder housed the few students,
no less than 40. It was now a recognized college and a president was secured in the
person of Elihu Baldwin, the pastor of the 7th Presbyterian church of New York City,
who assumed the office in December 1834. Associated with him were Edmund O.
Hovey, Professor Rhetoric and Belles Lettres; Caleb Mills, professor of Languages;
Johns. Thompson, Professor of Mathematics; Robert C. Gregory, Treasurer. Presi-
dent Baldwin died six years later, a young man of brilliant parts; Professor Mills and
Hovey remained with the institution through life, and such self abnegation, and devotion
is seldom shown by men as was theirs for their beloved college. With the founding of
the college the pioneer stage of her passed; the pioneers themselves may be said to
have found the path!
3 1833 02533 1155
Gc v7 7,2ol n76^
K r out, Caroline V 1 1- g i. n i a
The pathfinders
R. E. BANTA
Bookseller & Publisher
Crawfordsville, Ind.
The Pioneer.
/ ■.. ' 4 .
vhere are the sturdyjf- jg^^m*«
Who battled for this land,
And trod these hoar old forests,
A brave and gallant band?
Thev kne^Jf no dread of danger
'Vhen rose the Indian's yell;
Ri|?ht gallantly they struggled,
Right -valiantly they fell.
From Allegheny's su-urdts
To the farthest western shore,
These brave men's bones are lying
Where they perished in their gore.
Their bones -rere left to whiten
The t>pot whore thev 'vere sldln,
And were ye now to seek theiii
Thev wtrild ^e sou»rht in vain.
995998
.'ie
j.r. 3VTf d eeer'T
rejt^v oi i'\el tntw atnod nk9tT
a*rf^ i»t« Of ton t« tnor teA
t /" ^ J
Tn 1769, accordinfr to an old do«uir.ent the white population of
Indiana give.^' the names of nine heads of families at Ft Miaird-.f
ter-va-ds -t Wayn-ve--: 12 at Ouiotenon, .nd 66 at vincennes. women
and children added to this list would swell tH^-itSt to some hun -
dreds, besides these pemanent residents there was a floating ^
j population of traders, couriers coming and going, a«loi soldiers ^v^-flk
shifting from post to post. After the Revolution land grants
to soldiers stimulated the settlement of Indiana in the counties
adjacent ot the Ohcjio river, but when the ae.LLlJaBKri became too <J^'^
tl«M»4c the natural pioneer- pushed northward into the unfaiidliar
parts of the state to make new homes, undeterred by the fact that
the Tndlans were /implacably hostile, The beautiful White Water
veiiey T^s the first valley settled after this fringe on the
dhlo river border, anl It e ai.e about from a romantic tragic circum -.
.t%nce, the lonp captivity of two boys aifong the Indians.
^
o
f " - -^ .. o ox J fill, ,-roa
.an.ii,„T a^, 'nnoa. .rod o^/ ,• XiMffm «,«| .^, .,,«,,,
^ U^ r
Nothwiths tending the lives of the pioneer were .laborious b'eyund
our power of cw vprehension, that they were even J,^ peril from
Indians, th^ managed to have recreation of a sort suited to thft:
spirit of the day. The tremendous task of clearing a virgin for
est was turned into merryiiiSdcing. Neighbors for, miles around would
take part in the /^logrolling and tree burning ayaft'-«md parcel oft ;
the/rwives and children joined together in preparation of the feast
which as far as wild game went, was fir for a royal banquet. The b^
bread was the inevitable co^^n bread, wild fruits of the forest
were *sM»wd, either natural or dried, sugar was supplied from
the forest tree.^ It is said tdMrt the white man learned to make
maple sugar from the Indians^ yov tea sassafraS'S was in demand.
Hunting, of course, was the finaet amusement. of all, and reg-
ulai^ly, whMi t*it d««r had , passed through the velvet, parties ^
wen^Tforth.to obtain the winter's supply of venison, , which if^au^ ^
4ri«A, •n* for-ned the staple of their winters diet . . They pF-
hunted the fur be^jrlng animals ftor their pelts In the winter
months, tlli ^Wle ^seareelay sny were eaten their skins were the
jMAluDM)f bftrttr and exeh%nge when the furtradeft^ mwie their rounds.
flMir%09 I ..0 1.. ,7 w^» in HlgH ffWwr «« a verr varly day. The
The
eould shoot SM TnAisn thiH»ttgH « f99f hole in -. eibln
y^fo'ild dance -11 ni«rht, with a pir^tner
who ^ f e T days before hed brained and scalped a war —
i^BM*^ 1P*-.e fiddler wa.-: the moiit popular man in the settleitient.
''^ ^ r%e greeted flth bolster , the occasion of
a fr. ^. ':'-!^tlent chronicle -i' -.- '.he foX-
S '
lowinr ar-.using details of a pioneer b'idal. :
t-t b
bnoX'sd aiJoxiocfil B'iev tot
OKi'i') Li*
bl' ■ 'Of? .sinijS*::
:t' ,Jape*rd r- oo sldp^ivenl er*.* sev feBSTd
3 8«w • ijoi'it to LBtvSen 'teZ-Jle .borj-icft eisv
-•ftijpeX I xBa ax ?[ .^efi J-aeio** 9;-'J
^er i^oic^^ ,r.oiiinev lo \lqqv% »*ftniw 91^* tiiai^ ol i^in^ %nw
si ys/'T . i9lb Hftntw iki*t lo •Xft#» •i'# AMnift fcn* ,itl *
er^s errsv anlis •ii«f«« At/** •*!•» tlM lt<*M«tM vlif^ ill* ••(«#^«■
^ •1*7 ,x»b t*^#t t^tv • 99 nm9tf% imi^ fil t*v nmt^^
•«n«a«|##t« •f'l •! AMI ^If < #••■ Mit •••'^iMfli %^ 'Mil
%• ii>iftf itfT* .fil lA^ittilii 0$$9 mmm i#* •MM^I' *'*^^
/ r ''^^
"The men vere dressed in leather breeches, hunting shirts of
<irCflr)jj/d6 , and moccasins. Their guns, like the p- r were always wito
them. The 'vomen wore linsey petticoats, linsey or linen shortgowns
( tue ancestor of the present tea jacket), coarse shoes and stock-
ings, handkerchiecves and buckskin half-h'snders . Tf t.ey pos-
sessed any little piece of Jewelry, it wis ?n heirloom carried
with infinite solicitude from the faroff home in Virginia, Penn.
h.:^ '}k- "yr-u. /^
or North Carolina.. The wav to the hoiue of the bride was by
'' horse paths" -, and , as now, every "Sock had his Jill, with whom
he was particularly noisy and demonstrative. They proceeded in
double file where there were no obstructions, and were continu-
' ally joined by neighbors ^ from ten miles n r a^nni w, until there wa^
quite %n imposing cavalcade. Even among this primitive company
was fo'.ind the "cut up", who as now diversified ,the tedium of the
Journey to the nearest squiras where these earliest marriages «««#>-
la muat bt parfonued, by rouph Jokts^ one of the favorite
was ta form an wubuaeada, fira off the precious powder,
make a blr amaka and much confusion, heai4eg tarrifyi«j? the more
tii'iid who imaplnad they ware besat by Indians. Tf th- aquire
%qp|^«Mi fm dwell in the imiediate vieinity of the br_/id«,
• •''•^^ ''onowi^ tamitately u-^cn the cererjony, and If tabXe_^
knive- .. ., . .rce the ale pnests obligingly used their S^lly^
inr knives, ^c r* then th^ ^ork was considered a AifliMf<MW Implimant
^ Feasting ovf||,4g|MiS M0M •■§ itMCi «ll ni<rht. Tf a eovfia y^glt^^^'^uc
^MMmne tired out, •tuttini*' l ouf'^ta l»e6orted to, t*m
intimat'^d as 'nueht to a waitlflf fMpie vho at once took their
places wf> thou stopping the quadrille, /hieh was par excellena« ,
the dance o ' t'.- pioneer. Reel « d Wfk'- •r.r.p a«i* .«,.f^,«...««'.
]i9oj<£ hniF a©
c F .■ .■ . . r 1 " i I .
■:o,-'v ' /' ,Xri'. iif' i.rr' xoc^ vriitve .wo.' "a.';fcj t-aio;'
nl b9b&e90tq v^rT ,9 viJFTJ^af!0.i.«fc Lpp ynion Yl*jf luoljirq sew er'
ur.l^noo a;ioiiOirf jttdo or; sisv' 9*r9r'J s'^er'v.' 9Lti elduob
av. ■• o aeflm naj jtoi** aiocfrf:«\i9fi vc^ ber.iol xLtB
■•■^: i:.tiij-.xiq t.ir'j- r'.foru? r'9','3: 9i>ef>X#v«o ^nlaofni n« •ilup
sr' .i.iijsj SffJ f)ei'ilai9vlf) won Bt Offr .•fir #»#• ti** tet'o^ ••*
fisdf. d9T;f ii'i«i;: jaetliBB 9a9e*t en^f'v Milflfa t«tv«fi 9i»t 9$ T«nv«l
e^i*:{o^'Fl er'^ lo tno .Mi«l «^0V V4 •ftMRifl^tf t^ #MM> CiMfl
.leibwoq ttuoifttif •i!! 1^« t^M ,»A»IMPtfi» n» «M|A •# MV WMt
Btwi er*! vi^vll*rnt« ttMt*^ .iMlMrtnM |lWM Ant MBM tttf •
fftM ^l*/*! iM» liifilAliii •iMM 99m tl'f CMMC MfV ••ilHI
timiU»ii iwtwwiMi • imiiW MM
at«f •tfPM • %t •# iMi ft* iM«M !••
e
aZSr
(^)
f e".v there vera ^who could dince them. Often if not in times
of stress, the the feasting gnd d -ncing w-^s kept up several
; /
days. ^*fcs was followed b^y he settling of the vo'jng couple, in
their- 'Y^own cabin, which at the time of the c^rtraony was in the
^ form of liv-iftff- trees. The men would quit dancing to cut i^down
the trees for the walls and clapboards for the roof, and puncheons
for the floors, It generally took three days to con:5)lete the «%-
structure^ mud- chimney and all. The fourth day cstome the house —
warmir:g, equ'^lly as vigorously jolly an occasion as the nuptial"
day, and yet these pioneer women seem to have felt little or
no ill e^'fect from this strenuous gaiety.
Our pioneer youths were athletes from necessity. As a matter
of course they learned to use with incredible skill fire arms, arti
•van *^e aavftjre's we^ponj how and a-TOw, before they had reached
t>i9iy' Tift decade. Tt w-.» no fiction that tht^ could kill a
§<|ulrrel by dhootinK It in t'- e eye. They could also "bark a
aquir>*el" not so sxilful ^ feat as the "orrier perhaps , but rath-
er a. eurlo'Jo onre. The hunte^ after oin-htlng his game high on the
kraneh of a tree, would shoot, not at the squirrel, but at the
Vmrk directly baneath his hedy, and '-it so unerringly that the
ani.r.al hy eoicussion^tnould be th-^o ^ in the air several feet
then f... .„ the srround dead with not •? v -•-•• ipc it.
A favorite a'^^oiuplls" 1_ -'ir l; j i vao to learn the
call a.'-d cry o ^^ -a -^at hy i-iit*-
tion. Tt vas, too .very p^-antical knowledge ; ^'o" th-Trdians used
these irild calls, to warn each other whe" on forays against the
»*i i tes . zho- turn .Til— Th-I
er'j- r.x afw Ynojr.»"^9 erf* "to SihIj er** ji> r^nir^r .nlrfun nwoo^ • is.*'*
nwoJ)* Suo 03 nnxflrtfij J xirf bfijov nsm e.-'t a©9*ij 'ami-'il lo ir*xo^
J& J.-': efolc:..o" o; aVf/: eei.-'* ^v..;,* vllfian.sr! ^Ts'xo^I'* •:.;•'' -.• o**
ieiJqun ar'J df nola^opo r*^ YlXo|, vIslu-ot'.xv bp ^riet-'P'© ,5^'iiijtfw
'!o alJJir i-X?1 ever' oj »T:eea asinor nesnoxq easr'j' .tsy bnr ,YJPb
.Y^eifa atrojjne*!f.ra alj-'j ixionl ^oe*!"*© Ill on
;r!X' ,aiir(i> dixl Xlx^la eXdXlseioni r'Xir ••if O/ A^fiV*! T^f*' tMtfOt ^«
bdr'oc'a'i fjfrT yer'j snolod ,won« Imf ««rf ,lltfftV Mltvta •/# fMVt
£ 1 1 in i)XiJ09 •Yr'j #•/«/ a«l#0lt M StV If .ti0»«* MWD -tolU
£ jiif d* Mi« bXuot t*i^ ••t* •!** At tl tnl'wif* Y' ir>^l«f«
•/(} no t*y^l^ •em% •ii' iiftl«fNi« ^ti%B n%nmf %09 smm mni^Hm • nm
•f4# Iff #•# iiwlia •f^ #• #« ttviA Wtm %mm • \%
•#1 n«fv iMKiv t #« Mt» its* AMMm Mr tt iii% mm
■-«Si^
d
who tixrne'l it to thei own ^dvantage^ B¥--*«»*^'^rriT!j,^_jUiS--^»irl^-t^^
^"•eJ!»/~tS^y--cxiuid--o4yfai^"~-<ood^ by reapondins, and thus briniET; the sav8>f!»-
age in range of his deadly flintlock. Then too this faculyy was of
u^e mr^ imitating the call of the wild turkey and other gaiae birds
which never learned the deadly deceit of the white mai , to v{i^- u
Qwo destruction. . Theyi.oould swim like ducks^and they learned the
a^rt f*«&«. — »ie Tndlane' of swi.iming under water ,jae4 ruffling the
surface, so that many an escape was made in this way from
iheirv fvBs: . Running limping, wrestling were of course as conmfin *^
to them as to boys now, but instead ofj on cinder paths ainid th-L.
plaudit of crowds, this aglity was used in running the gaunt-
let, leaping the brush to escape ^Me~ burnint/ at the stake.
wrestling for life with a greased naked savage.
Tn spit* •f t^:e wild alfiiost savage life -k^of the pioneer , they
had a^aenie of what was due them, and rinrif ideas of moral-
ity, Curioaaly tnuuiiih, they hated the conte.nptible sins of
scandal -jnon'^erln^ an.l tattling, which were met with utter dis-
belief 'ind conteupt. Courage was tai^en as a ma- ter of course^
=.nd If a man lo«t his li^'cli was no more than anyone of than
riaJied. lit a man faile- ._ u,ln his tui^n^to scout, whic'-: took
VMRwfiNMk 9\v% t« Utriy miles from the 8tttl«rTient,--h« ««• trvftt
M with «Mlii9%>«M »4«(M^ tpltheis were u^ed to tell tJlM»4r opini^iA^
<^f hkll, 9SM9 thltwery was repaid with rather too overfull a meas
^&f%i^ If •<!# Wtk •tilt a a»nf antena cake ' -o . the ^shes they named
the culprit "»?r«tA«raunda", or I'-ey would bawl to eachother "'Vho
stole the cake f*^:;! the saahes" with annoyin?» persistency. •'The an
swer would be"Jtohn Saith th %tji trua ana no lial •-»f«»ar=^Kl'aK~^^^^
'«>;rtii*. 4*f i
•n; f-Ir
:i .:;J:v
liXTu-
- eJsrsi Slid ,tor svorf o." -sf fro;-** os
-aiJa i9Siu tittw fm •ntf i«»lr«v «iiUI###t liR* yihn^— I#Am—
tMvoo lo ft '•> • •• «• •! ^fV tUMMO .ffMfai* Mir t«ir«(f
Moo# .^•it'w ^itm— f# fpt«f Of Ml 09 •# *•!!«% «r« • %»f .A»«»H
i—ni M« •^•,|iiM»|f#«« •!«# 4«^ Mite w«^ •« t«fl «0i1 *>•<*#
oinlf* iiti«# fi«# •# •§«« tfiitv •#»/'#i^ mil gill int 9^0mm #«tlv i»
"r/At^
Tf the t'-.eft was serious they assenbled a jury, arti MPHtoft-gd took
testimony , condenmed the wrcHagd^«-r to what they called
poses' punishment" that is, the vmia was beaten with forty stripes j
sometimes to thi;- was added sentence of. banishment from the set-
tlement. A milder fromj o^ the same piun^^ishraent was called the
"United States Flag" because the victim only received 13 stripes,
well laid on with a whip. They '?ere not with out the great Amer-
ican sense of humor, »
To call •=. man a liar was equivilent to a challen<?e|i and if ^fbr ja-
any reason, the acgressor was unable to fight, he must find a
friend to represent him. "Kacy occasionally, in very extreme cases '
resorted to lynch law among themselves.
At the close of the wa r of 1812 when life on the frontier became
m%t%r because the Fnrtish ceased to employ the savage to ravage tla
frontier, with rewards for every scalp of man woman or child
brotwht In, friendlier relations were adop-^ed-by the Indians
who hv this tlii.e beran to sell their lands to the govermrjent there —
by giving an iirmiense impetus to emiTii<rration^ |4r^ f»*irtMaHy be _
jCa»^-e*jT"^wxtiiatt_jnd cituparatively uninteresting, i»loneer*«»-
r
r^ h-i^^.j/
aeqit^B vcrio-^ r^Jir nete^rf b*w ^. e.-^J ,^^ ^'^--
,,,!., ^-w 9i.jj.-9C "s*I- 39^^^?- beStnV'
<,^ flr^-^»' p '^Jiw no i>ipl L^^v
.lOiiJJf' to eanea neoi
., ,,, .., no -H ner-w SI81 to 1 « erf. lo ...I. O-"' »*
I / Tim VtTin^ Cnttlnwi-^ t^i^.:?rhlte -Water ^' alley.
The little river known as the White-water, which risea in
Randolph founty -f^owis-i'euth entirely throi.i,p:h "Vavne, "p'^ivette and
■c'ranklin and traverbes the north-east corner of Dearborn, where
it enters 'laiuilton County, Ohio, artd empties into the ijiaint, gives
n<3nie to.tne of the uiost beautiful valleyo m the^West. Tts pic-
turesqiae scenes are ihe delirht of Richrtiond's school of artists,
and a thaiie for her poets, and the experiences which lead to its
pioneer settleiijent are draiiiatic enough **or the pen of the novel-
ist, .^r-^^-^- c.--^^.c^tr,.-.--^. •'- --^ -^M^rYi'
When H'jrrodsburg was the "most considerable town of Northern
Kentucky , -and Lo\iisville was onlu a handful of log cabins cluster,
ed around a block -house,_on f the storiay morning of p'ebruary 11,
1781 Trvin 'linton, a married man with a family, left the,settle-
ment, 'vith a four_horse-teair. anl wagon to obtain supplies^ for the C
little eoiTi:iunity ^_ja-^i«ri'udi;ftui'g> Richard Rue, aged twenty, and
Georee 'loliiian, aged sixteen, aeeompanied hira as guards. A thick
snow was falling, the lads were walking carelessly, one before and
one behind f-e wason, when onei^su.Trested that they should empty
their ffun» leat the powder beewriing danip would clog *^t r'lr and ^t
give trouble in case they should need t'eir weapons. This however^
they air. not sniicipate^for Indians never- went or the war-path tn- -^
winter. , . had proceeded barely ei^ht mile* «iid^ h«d reached a
c^nt-hr-i^dS^ 'A^n v- ey f di*.charp»ei their gun*. l4^s«»:ied to act
as a signal, ft> '" instantly the"© spring froii a sinkhole in the swafUb
a hand of savtpco vhi'?h 3u^'^.unded them, lead by the infan.ous Si-
mon ^arty^a white renerAde. Rue ^'aisel his weapon tu fire, remem-
bered it was anptyani lot it f-.ll.
y './ .e-uor'-JlooI'* r fcntroii? ire
riv afi.'i ij?lti*,Ti f .nplnlr filv^T XPVI
i ijiif 9mm ■•;*J noX* i:Xi/ot 4|fliift ^filiaMtd •la^of 9f# #ctf •mm •^ttt's
ifi?v9fi Off alr^r .anoqfav *ilo.-'f Amm Aluw'a t*^^ •«#• nl tftfvOTif avln
nl r^j#<j*n«v »/«! no #ntw lavaii afwIAA? 4«l1(*#»9|»l#fi# lua tli^ T^r'i
4a«« ax!^ nl alortlnla « oiirft v^^fa a^e/i vl/nataai 'mA ^»m^k^ t •»
2
Girty corrunanded them to su'-render or die; there was no ^choic e,re '^
sistance folly, ^rvl they submitted. Soon they vere bound -.vith
straps fro>K the harness, rjjiuiii iir fin i.ii iMi iii I'm i , and were hurried
across the Ohio into that part of the North-west TSi^^itory now
known as Indiana, The horses were appropriated by Girty and three
t^^Lsi warriors. Rue was lead by a Shawnee, Holman by -g shBwnftffi
a Delaware buck, while a^nother Shawnee lead :iinton. Siraon Gin-
ty rode the remaining aniiaal , and lead the march, wjhich was not at
_-*-vaik: they trotted as rapidly as thoy eould through the heavy
snow, the TiEt^tohied prisoners^eeping up as best they could. They i**^
made no halt till they had accomplished twenty miles throufth the
snowbound wlldemeB*, wher^ the forest was so thick "hiat to
leave the traee one wa» lo«t. It was lajfe at niphtwehen they
halted and fearing plir»ult/v>W!iF- did not dare to liprht a fire,
ftrmy «nd his ra^rlors held ^ parley ao to whether they should
• trlke for the Piank-^shaw villa/»e on the Wabash, opposite ^^incennes,
or push on at once to Wa-puc-ca-nat-ta on thaAuglaize( now the^site
of Wapakoneta,0. ). They finaally decided,- to throw off ptrsu^ers,
to make % pretense of ^MlUlMlf toward ^'ineennes, and then to c^»
thanre thti^* ti»»»t l^i» <ie Whlte-^water country. The ^Jte^nA
nifrht thev •«»• f a halt %#4re^ <w w««»)f Aay for the wret»h«d
bomifTi,:d -ri tP^-JoK, ytt »hei>« <4^«a HO fli^^/fcuHt .tMs second nie:ht.
There was no,po=.ttlble hope of estape for , when they lay down on
the gro'ond to sleep^each of the whites was placed between two
savarea, and fastened to them in such a .anner that that any
lU
r.Fi J ,;■ .■■■: '.nver ' ^ : -s
. vi. 99nwjsr'r; Mxrivr r
"iiiqge;!, a'fsnoai'jq i j«iI>i>dwi er^J^ ,rona
: 37'j l39f'ai f qiMOooe i)fi-' v?i-'j IfjtJ Sie:' on sIjp
).* tor' jIox;^; oa afv ^aeiol er*^ t9t*v tmu^trt^bltv bnsi^dron*
.. .■ .'i./'.o j. -an JB eBl ft«w Jl .isol •«« tfio tM^^ 9t*f •VfftX
.e-ri'i 9 ^r'nif uj snel) ion tit} Ye/*^ ilatn9q aftlnMl !«• tell««f
ac^nnsonr^ 9Xi«oic;o ifMdtW •ifi IM •nf IflV M(^«r4ll»|f t/'/ 1«^ •tfMla
elicisr'j won )tSi«XluA»(ff Ao •l-l«A-#f MTf-iV •! tMM #• IM l*«tff ^«
.aneljj«n*q l'*o von/«# m .toblHft tllAMitt TMfT •! ••••ftiMiftfiV lo
flcf9 oi n*/<« tei« ^mmifiiiy t^»wi ^nlift^Mi !• tcflMiWf • tiP« •#
tei<wn« •I'f 1^ lai f«*V # ^•ttB #|«r > • -^r^ #l^l«
btiM , M^att #•# ■f'l at iliMfi>9 Ml* **ffBl*»1 »«A «n«r igi
Wi«J^Afi An Mil Aliff #fiAi t^fl «A •#• •M<# ftt fMi^ '''^
Ao Ar«A tAt rtft «•<«• •^^ •f^«** ^« •f^ aHIa^a^ • iPt ^tv/?
o»/ rW9i»<t A»»»lf stw AAlll^ •!• V» i*M» IPAl* •# 4«J«n •?'
Xn« ##<*# lt/*J ^n-#a • fum At wt/*^ ©^ k^Mt-'l ire ,m^^09
** f' r -
!HW movement 'vould be felt,/fand whe had orders in case of sur-
prise X to dispa^e^i the asm- por'isoners,
A
Girt?/, who had been captured in early childhood, and was more k '/ <^<^\^
6
savage than a white man, seldom uttered a word and that only in
the Delaware ~^ngue, kept steady watch upon the prisoners, and on«x
observing a flash of wndorota comprehension f 1 a i 1% gtcross Rue's
face at one of his speeches, questioned him whe^ther he and his
companions had even^fou.p'ht a,«rainst the Indians. Rue hesitated to
reply but on being threatened 'vi th Girty's tomahawk he acknowledg-
ed that he had been in three or four forays against them. 'le
had overheard and understood enough to know that their lives were
in danger, *«€HcTiuirirrg that the Savages admired boldness and had
no mercy on f- e timid, 'le was just returning from a spring with
a kettle of water he had been^'^rdered to get , when this consulta-
tion betfe«i reriy and his bind took place. 4e set down the wateri
*nd boldly «t%ted hiuiself on the log beside SiMoifr. Girty^, became
enrired »t his iud»elty ^nd cried, while brandishihg his hatrhrt •
•You pltyed hell there didnt youT — I've a .uinl to eplit your skull
witk this hatchet! • itow^ever , he reversed the weapon arxl
Struck «Me aMfclow on the head with the H%ndl«.
TVT the three fl)llowlng day^* ^hc-'e march wm a i^^pid. »i*a Af iA^ -
\nf 'hey were not perau-.^, . -ty on' ■ i the speed relaxed. Then tij
/c
three whitee afctwitiaii l|»|»e. t'-c • reallaed \\9f '»ere doomed to %
' , .'-1 h
*Tt^lCn« captivity »fion^ brutal say^tft^. they '<ad now -e.ch( d the
White- 'ive- country, ar.i 4^9IMred their eourse fiHin east to norths
east, cutting ^cro^** t-e \^ltt-.ater valley, th^n unkno.fn to
the r.M^ pioneer^,, virgin fo -est, with a tangie of etreaiM
miff ijQnol^asiit ,il9r
■ • :;x?'^ no .n-d Ylqsi
■■■■. .vv. . .'-;■..:-'.'••. L'r-vt ■.'f-'l.!ijj fcric tit'pr'ic -/o t'Sr^
' tev; ?;'J nrob re<i ei .eo«Xq iool iirvrf •!<! Jdiw Vl^tn e»*vl*d noil
Oiii^oed v^iiO .noutiS di)i«ed lof •r'l no lXf««ul/' 1>*1«*« vlftfotf l:n« .
Iiuj(« iuo\ #lXqt ol ^fll« • «v*r**fir«it MiMft t^«<*# CtoH Att^ff u%/f
• •* am«u* not fti** >»Uiiw Tor»i .tfi^ mtii^t^ mit^ onitf
♦/I i4^*«* 9m k*-* ^'^ ♦••••♦#• tf iu*# «0«i# fflfllilt •'•••M
,9m*is9 1« •tin'' • ^**^ ♦t«i*ii^^^r'
wooded hills and^vales.
Their objective point, Wa-p^"ko ■ no- tcf, seems to hive been one
of the most important Indian towns, a place where many chiefs
' gathered*. When they were /!J»wi thin a day's march of i-r Girty sent a '
., . '.liL :. -V \ ■).- - .- . - ■ ■ t/h
runner to annoionce their coming, -.-wiiYthey were met by a deputa-
tion of <».aii-8H*e& wha*^ ..ti«a-.x>r.>:4^a:gig^ftajid-lea,::::i!a?c)m^^^^ , who
escorted them into the ^\iS^',A^^-^ *
Girty iiiimediately entered into a parley with the chief and his
braves-, -and they decided to have the whites ^ furnish them \W
rare sport 4yy- running the gauntlelr. When told of their fate the
men despaired of ever accoraplishinp it ■-'educed in strength ^s th^
by their privations. The object of this brutal pastime w<ts not
to kill the prisoner but to enjoy his torture. Within a few
hours ifter their arrival at the vi^ lage ^theVpriaonoya benjield
the savmgea drawn up in a long line for two hundred yards down
t/te />ath frci^ the »ouneil house, which was to b e the goal for the
'•unner*. The 8av««»eu flo'ir|lished elubb %nd knaves, with which
to be«t and alash the prisoner, mi gmgJHHrynyrgt^lfejBanB if
any savt^e misso.i hl^ aim^iThe only grace Allowed the victim wa«
tH«t|\ht « aid tm\ l»t «tr«ft«A \T Sm #t>^ till on hi« feet again.
'P\
f Hint'..", "vas^ttlceieci f>i at ^ and uttny were the blowa ani.i gashes he
r— ... .a,whith ▼•#• fP«eted %y •#9««m watx yell* of delirht. ^ut *r
ht r> a(*hci vhc r««| ^«Hii»«i wA ^%%A\Wth
lt*« roll«««4, aA.l beinflr b«|||f fMllt •Od »iFMI9,'ff«» not tto ^m
m i^\9m m that h» lunanei %• ImIk* ■••t u " iht %19««, ani an—
itr»|y outran f.e Indian w«w pei%«i« hi* bt%<fMn. the llne»t-«8-»«?-
■ail ivj »>>..fft'&1
er'J 9.f 3rT ,;fel»p.. ft^ '?i'^ r\nlnnu'i xd S'soqa siei
.'dailqaioooc •-:■ 'C* 1o baixeqesJ: ne:ii
-Lir. ; \ riiiiJ-aFq IfJirrrf :> j-0;!{. -fo tjr'T .i^noi^evliq "jisr^l yd
ro**. £> nxi'tiv .e-fuj^oJ- -ir' Yo{,ng oj ^ud rtsno^ltq et*S llti ot
Jjlarff:-- ' ■oat'iq o.'J onal Iv er'l J« IsvltiB *it9t^i nmt^f tttvo:*
nv/oij <,ir^B\ t^e'tbtwri ors io1 •flIX iinoX « nl ^ fnr#4ft ttliav** e^l
&r'j 'fo'> X£03 dr'.r 9d OJ ««v r'ti/'v .••tf«f IlMMio« •/'i oim^ ('l* t /
u^w iiiiioiir Of*/ tovvff* ••#n9 fX«o ti^ •«!• «Ait ImmIs #«•«§• fiM
•ais9« /Mt •if' n0 If II •|X«t •<• ^1 a8M#« M !«• fcti » 9t» /»i*#
# ^jj? .it^iUk ^9 •! I«t iRM laiiMt t4 lf»#M^ •«»« /Mi^ fttvl«*t«
mm M IM Mv iMWi* fen* i«MMt tfUM i^H^ ««§ •^Mr^lfi^ t«4l
IM IB« ••••Itf tit **• 1MB liii •* ^ly if IIMit •• Mial<« (M
iMnll A^t «MV#04 flM MMMtq t^ ftilM •/# HI^H • *l«*l#
5
brandish! nfT a tomahawk, to urpe him on in the racej,, a»— h^e-^^^d- -the
■^ut When the 9txteen-year-old 1 striplings 44rffw» cane, Holman %•&
boldly told Ginty th^^t it was unfaif to subject hiiii to such a tri^kJl/
when he wa^ so reduced from hunger and the long march; well he
knew he had no strength left to meet such an ordeal.
A powwow followed and to make the ordeal as contenip table as possi"
blsyiboys and squaws with knaves and clmbs took the j-lace of the
warriors, and -^^ wao followed by a savage with a long whip instead
o_f a toirihi\vk. When he was fairly started on the race it w-,s such
an exquisite farce that even the Sachem smiled faintly. The poor ^
boy managed to reach the council house alive. ' * "T/ if
A great feast *ft44«r»«<H the prisoners 'vgwe' g«d«^Bii..Jtoaa at jfj^ ^m^^*^-^H^
»«♦ M«r€y,by th«l!» (nmrds that a #•■■* council would follow wpMO.
4»^in which ^f-.eir f%te would be deteniiined.
V. ,
f«^ ja^ evxrsfh the council ifn ii8ai»Heel"'-'-*ffRly speech after speech
wab made until the euunHl dnded in an angry quarrel, in which no
•"unelvMlon fa** re-ch€i_.d, and the prlsone-^s were informed that
their oentcnee cu'ii i not be dote inlned till the chiefs and war-
riorb who lived on the Mioto and the ??lg Ml^oil could an'ive,
!UntoA,t^9 •UHMH tM •&•••% «f the pi*isone><b^ forfooiieA ^h«
'■^t.uiPMt Ifl *-aft t*tl» jNMtpoiiaiuent . . Is the i-ht of hi« wife %nd #4*1:
ch Id '3n anC ^%flfll4aAtion t. ■ ta.K pos*e*ion of him. ie con-
trived te fHiipe'!* his InTtntion -tc the %«» !•#■, telling t'-ie-,
t'-:at the h©pe of re.loinir.r hi^ h4|f|(»«« f«ilU wm the only rea-
son fo- de»e>'tinr the.: in rKei,. p^ff;||, i^ .,,11 unew he would suffe*
death in a te^-vible fom. if re*W4i but he stronalv auat>ected
'ocf ©Id
c^osjn <s?r Si. eozi \iiie': 't?;-V ,3ivAilr.\os p 1 o
on r'oir'w nl Iv^^tvf miw iw nl b9lmti lltitffot •f'^ ll#mr •Umi •»*
t#/i iwafiatnl fitv «««no«^f •<*/ Jan* ,^ tf^-*^ •*» noi«»;fonu9
— lar tnf •l«li«« t<«i lfl# *Mil«ir>t#«* ttf i«ai iCtf«»« t#«tfi»« «il«i«t
• irl«pui ^CiiM Ai#lM %i9 9ft feMf Ctsltt e/*^ «• tm^U 9^ a^^H
!/<• i»t« tllv •!!( !• if'^«M«t •I' •;i«Maii «tMi •4/9 «r^ lit ti—»t
-An YfM •«»# Mir fllWt •»#I#M' •!*• ^Illlf f #^1^ »»M »#t^
6
his fate 'vould be de^th in any case. Hoping that something in
their favor mif^ht come to pass in the i^rand council the boys hegpiA
ged hiui to give up his design, but they could not prevail on him
though he spoke of it no more, -fe«^ a few nights later "Red -head"
as th-- savages called him, was misasing. ^ lie was followed at once 36-
by an infuriated band &^- bwatew who retook him on the Chillicothe
trail. He implored then to end his life at once. -t^ But this was
far from their intention. He was doomed to t'-e stake, =ind was
b««red throufih a whole night, with a slow fire^the Indians meantime
dancinft the scalp dance about him. Rue and Holman were so jJlaoud-
that thev could see all that %ijio\i place, and when his body at
last sank to the gro\ind)his scalp was quickly cut ^rom his head,
dangled in thtlr faces, and they were brutally taunted,' —
•Can Sou amell fire on the scalp of your friend?J'they were aaked^
•We eooked him f-r the wolves to breakfast oni This is the way we
serve '*unaw«r pFisoii«P»2* ,
^'ery »oon %fter thi«^#t«u-cuioe -s deputatior. of Detroit braves
eame Into the viHasre, who Infonued theiu thnt there vas a call for
the P'ene-'al jratherlnp of the trlbea at Detroit; ti*«4r obJe«t was
to plan for % tHMt^tA attack on the frontier; and thev Irnue-
4tat«ly itarte^ mi the a»%r«h, taking tua ana H»liuan with iham.
At a pi.t-^t on t'-:c \kmmnm Wm\ fir fi*n* »»lt,alte of the olty of To
ledo, thev -ve-e .fuin?,! hv t*".- ^hlll'. - 3iiA MM plvtr fndlaruti i.
and to furnish amuseii.ent '>>r the ao^ealilsd bands ^tfe^ deteriilnea
that Rite \T\^ HoLuan shu ad ^in the /rauntlet, iw I iifta»iw%laj •antfczr
after»»a»*« -^^fconalude t^:e postponed t r.-t >i«i.c>, ^'--y rtnh^"^^. ^ -
fix :!^nlf*J9i)io^
' eono -St i)8V/oXIol «*w »i; v.^n/ttoiir
'. j-ooifX/r'O ^r'j no fliir' jloo^af or> ^ji^ud itu^ns
dBv air'^ jw <• enno ♦* 9III air^ Lm lolqaii el' .lit- •
aer bnf ,eii^ . . lor.rr'.sJni' tier* J uv-
X r , • --"i-; a ■"! 1- ri-<.' '•• '* -••« r'"*- v'tf.-. . • ' >■ r / f.-''-,fr< -.fii-'v' .« -'vc .'
: ' - f<Xq AO'i JB{*i lie 396 Lli-J^'O V-j.-'J JPi-fj
,].. 0 vixorti a/»v qfj&oii air' fcrnrotsi i^.-^^ os 3Lntc jap I
.iiejnwf J YXIfJ^tr-'-d csv/ ySi-'j ijn* ,ae9tl nit/** nt tetnnMt
IteAbi: . ." yjiri'i'irf'i tisoy. '♦o qXe»i» er** no •nit tttat* c/of fuD»
Vfv e;-'^ crx fcir'T !no i8tlJ(s*itf ot uttrlov •/** "ii*^ «!/* b»4oo* tW*
ae'/«nd ^io*!^«a lo .-toi/«Jtfq«t r vn ^•'vvt* aliff 5M1^ Roo* Vf^
10I IX«9 e «#r •ner'i ^^f*! •»/» ft««fl^lAl M^ «tt«ffiv tr*! of at o^Pt
bfv iMOtcfo •rl9<^^ ;tl^lo« 10 ooHHi •<•# no miiH*.''««9 fr^OfW« •/*#
'•ami X9t't teM ;%»l#li«rt •#*« M MOfif **l«i*t««t • «ofY Silf •#
«T 10 Tilt 9fi no tilo Of*t ^tt^l vt tm ttflMU ti% •• '<^l«»^ • »%
lmnUn0fb \t^!'9tm4 ftoMtaMoo 0^ nm immmmm f^ttm^ 9$ iM
ftno ,oi^t%iiV ii»« •»tf#iiM»« »<M m^Ht00^'mt§mtl^ 9^ 9f9
**;, tof«oooii voi« M4|liMt iioM»Hf •*•# MrtWii •♦ 9&mtmtf%9
^ 7
As usual scouts 've>^e sent forw<3rd to ^nnoujice their coming, and|t=.
^a* the grat pleasure in store ''or them, so that vrhent they reached
the town two long lines of savages vere ready for the victiiiis. ?^-^ ^f*-^
Rue '•an first receiving many a cruel blow, jwas^/inal ly—tti^-pttrsiA-^^— ~
- ,,....v. r :■.:-•,■ /:,. .:...■ ' .
er 'Yi!*th the tomahawk overtook him/ and gave him spch a treinendous
b^ow that he staf?frered and almost fell, but m%*iaged to regain foot
^-^ / irtg^and spe^d on'vard. Near at h^ni was part tjf the brush f^e that
/ enclosed the village, he darted from the line and leaped it /
fol5<owed by his piarsuer. !ie pretended to fall fait upon his
A\ hack and the buck stocd over him coiuaanding^to r^>^ enforcing
/ his order by flourishing a^^nife over his head, ie ordsed hira by
signs to run again, and retired" a few paces. Rue motioned him to
leap the fence firat, which, strangely enough, the savage did. Th9
rule w«»8 If the p(Mnw8<^ eo;i^uld reach the council house he w(Wj ^;;}>i4it-vM.^
\1
•*^«
'^ -^
the race wi* t^« ot^ieal va» ended, ^ Lying apparently in utter
exhaustion, fue %yX(4\%r\\y leaped to his feet^ l^apg d ^e }apxahjC^*yt^^
vith a houndl^rt ached %flt%/Miiintil houf« before hi.Ji perimer recov --
ered fro^:. hib •uryi'tii*^ flliiK%ft«k'''»c pleaded the ■>»»§«<. that
they eAi^ltlitA vltll 4fli"ht , %n^y«lle4 in derision at his persuer.
7 I 7
^Ihmi mm »t»»<1» »f M« ^"•ui*ir ••ni cnfee:led eunAition waw let off
t^tly. The vw'Jial fea«t, the •ealy ««••«, 'W>«l %l|« MieiMil in th«
tiMWtl HtiiM WMmrnrntt^^l thr lUe^fciMft th«t tfvir fete hung^^^ ^ ^'^'^^'-^ j
la fSm M|«HI» VM flMt iher ail«ht aMifft «W fia4^ of iintgn, yet ^
they4iMU M airn of ffft^ %•% i»r« Ji^«ii#llf «it tr«^ely,4-<ftrr
li\.ny mt'C »;jLRHWi'u P! Uiii ana M«»i«iiei" er^'
The aa'!he»u oat in the ;'..id»t of -•-' circle o*" hr«ve», m.i he '?a« *t^
the ''iret to ^ri*e %nd «Uree«i t •. . ■ ..otber foUcved
5-
<5>. ' ' ■
■ ■ ' . i^'rf . no boi-r
aif* no';i-; :■:'* r fcefcnej-giq ei; .•!Ouat-:>q sir' "-d bev^ilfol
T^.'-reiolne ©ait oj '"nibrpiuiioo mi .- Aosjd ?.'..' rtr ;iorr?
• ,.'.o =»! ,ij.-5.^ cir '> :-. 'o vlirx - v..^ir'cii'{(jol1 vd •■jei:;'Yo -ir*
•■T .biL !j-«^i-v; fc sf*^ ,i^?»j'<jn9 ylonn^^^a .rfoir'v ,j«*iil eanel ©r** q«el
nov sr* scsuor' lionuoo sr'J .'fopen l)I«v«9 Aecfcneq •/'/ ^i tfv •fun
19JJU nr Yljn3ni>qq« i^nitvl . .bebnt ^#7 f#«lAo »f't bn9 ••#<i tifi
r'isiJid 91-^J b eqpcl itvl feM of toqtel tffWi V« VU^ ,ai>#l(iti«r'S0
vooei tajjMitq *li* noDtd vMioif fitnvot vi*! lMl%ff^ inrotf t f'#ir
nsuanvq itlif l« MitH** «l ^f ftf lifi# • #|N||ift tf#|v *»fl9H^ vtiff
llo ivl ««v aolflAiMt *»lMtiit «av i'ty •if ^« f— <ti» m« fMwf#'
•if« nl lltMi«9 tlt# ia» ••«#* #!«•• •/# .t^^t^ U^m M^ •! ll«0«
iniii* tf •! ni90i ffi •NUl •*•! v^t ffit .ivr^ffiM •wt^ riWM«
•••mk iitM« ti» ^ ^tmi mm mm mammtm
and the disaussion grew so warm that the S«©h«!:i could hardly
keep order, ^.fhen a vote xas taken the prisoners saw only too
plainly from the pleased countenances of the savage .th«4, 4rt was
against them I , Gtftrty lost no time in confirining their suspicion, it
•^^ told thein that they would be b^urned at the stake tht/\night.
Preparations were set on foot at once, the inferior braves were
<prrt to pra the rjefig' twigs and ^branches and biwuB'h, of which they
made *J%e- sinister rings, placinrr a green stake ih the middle of e«-
each, &o test their fortitude to the utmost tiw^'4««U» were compe(^-
led to look on, and they knew that 'vhen twilifrht fell would com-
mence their torture. At set of sun their hands and faces were
blackened, aceoMinp to the savare custom, amd as they watched the
afterglow fadt frai* the sky they prayed Sect-ralghtily for deliver
anee, otf- that ^^ Fran i them the power to meet their aw^^l fate
•1th fimnes* ^nd eourage-^j'-for-the greater the display of their
arony the rfliirs ••tjuisite the pleasure uf the savage,
^ • of the hl;rher chiefs still lingered about the council-*
htttMf ani MMMlf iufPy VPMt ma great excitement arose aii.ong
•**•■• ** l%»t Ml* ttfett~MMMikUJM»^' , of hlrh ^md noble countenance.
^Wt»fe4 «^ yo'JtiM ead a^ke ut their giMMv In tht Utongo tongHX^u^-
f 9i t%m %«#% HtMII ir tHt h«lli« t«( the barfc wpe» that bound
«lltt %m mm, *»%*-th9 Mack washed fWo hie f%%% Mi hAnde, t=iifia, a^<^^
l«Hng his h«li «p»fi his head, s«l4|-
•t Wta^ fi^ as my son to fill the pl'^'^e of #at f h«V« lately
burled^ you ^*.e no v ^ ,. w^,.^n o*" tofM« '«rfe» «m««^«|*« fMmd.M
he h3s b^en called, but rho h%s lately pfli^tR htu-elf to be a
u:oo i[e..'V li liwj nsrfr ^Br'j' v/9nx yar'j J.nfl ,no jlool Ov* b9l
'rsvilei) *ro't yXxjr'Tilm i>ox) Iwy*^? X^i^* XJl* »<** iaai\ ttel voXfne^a
»;b1 iiL.^.v/fi iier'j ^eem oj ntveq tf^f tmf$ larfii •!« iti'i !• ,*tn«
tisr'^ lo Y«Iq«ii) •xfl n9$t9i% 91*9 tiA {•tTMtU* IN* MiHiWlt <*/!«
••8cv«« er*/ lu tn«tt#«lq t/l •#l«l«|»at •V€B^ •!*# VMM
inujif •«on« imta^iltM f—H% him aMov fvww flMifcii tm tMM|f
,eon«n«/(wot •l#oft Arc i^lff !• • «»/! «M«0 m0^ 9tm #•»! fA •fl»i'#
teufotf lAf'^ M^vi tm4 fftf Jvt fiat/ t^ f# AMiiT (N^f m^i §0 .
tifi^t t9$ti»^ IM tM(l sift tm\ iH09 *tii 9^ ai •«i9 •• fli#
ttotti tw<^ t «M ^* #•#!< «^ Ktt •Aim .%B1» iPtt #«ii»!f»<
« td •# lltMili' mvviq tlMff afir ^ff^^taf .fctfff» «•#<* •#<• •<*
9
terrible avenger of the wronp:^ inflicted wpon him byt the bloody
Cresap ^nd his men,
Gertv acted as his interpreter, and his disappointment was ^
pe 'h^ps greater than any of the aavafres.
Holnian's joy ■'vas turned to prief 'vhen he sa^v that like clemency
was not to be extended to his companion, and he felt that fi'ee
4o». .escape was worth nothing if he were compelled to witness the
'rr't- hJ
torture of his friend. Twilight had comejift^ he beheld two savages
itiiliyTntdh^lnirrlnhrtnouBniianitrr rniiiali hir^^fj^wintf f -|1 r rojnirfiii ''iromt
a/fi-f-nr-v-^Lc^ Rue, Who rejoiced heartily in his friends good-^fortune, even thouhK^
himself stared ft htdooiafc d^ath in the face. Hope died hard in
his young soul, and even when he was being lesid to the circle of
brushwood and boiind to the stake he did not give up the hope of
deliversno*. Il«antlme a disturbance among the^ bands *'>r!rT''i -"' • ' • "
T<i I tri a TT"?-"! f*r'i1 seemed about to tennlnate into a general
fitrht, tomahawks and knives were flourished miliolngly , amid a
babel of -inffrv tifninri» voices. The fagfrot was J^aligh^ and
i^*4y to apply to the bi^7s'-!-haap,^rf the hand of Rua'ti guard, )when
• yowif thOTII*« brave apran/i? into tha eirala of by.ioh and with h4/
y owm Jiivife eut th*^ bnnds that Itotmd lao to the a take, ■auld the
fiVf%* ^VM\ one f-ction an.i -'iP exultant shouts of the otll-
fha fhtef ^..1 a- dsi. r.id that a^t^rbe bi^u^ht and that the
MMft %• ««»haA f!*"*! Km^ faee and h^ndt, wtd he W f*«««to%hiA*
f% ••• liii, <^nd the >mU »' — 1| iiiWlHH tai. tHa aavairas. in
l«e, a« foliowa:^
\\
\booL6 r^T ; vcf mii^ ''tni .^nnoT. r. ... .
jMi^.'i ti ifi hij iiT " rr"- -rn virf -tr.f *L»itu *i9bma^mmw \M9 r\^viiitf94m"^1fi
fil i)i«f{ belli eqoii .90f^ er't .i rfj-e^i) us'oeLtr' b bsiBSa lledinirf
lo ^lo-^jro 3i^j oj f)B&I sr.ied bfw sr' nsHv nove bn« Luoa ^nuov alrf
• ' -v'j qt 9^rxT5 ,^on i^ri; 9rf Qjiesa Sf*! o* Imirocf iUW boowt'mutd
Ifi9n9?} J? oinl di^nioT'el o^ iciodf b9aif frfnil |afitn>^ > ni, tp
£> l>iin0 ,YX9nl9«n«ai l>0f<«inuon tntv ••vIajI Aim 9Jftw9^fm>* ,tt*%t^
btiM sf.^lla IX Mv /•BM^ M^ •••tl«ir «ft«H# KIWI lo rt«i*tf
ner'w .imitu^ ««*»irll lo l«i#f t<ff nl f»«i< <«M^tf m*/ of tl^* •# fi»«^
er' ffilr fcn# riaxmtf lo tloni* 9(*f •int ^'Jmn^ ovo^ •OAMi^ ^BVOf t
•««/ bluv ,tJlo#o 9ft «M OMi int/wrf loi*/ o^or^ m«# !■• oil M flv«
tf;o ftcf^ lo ftitftff^it iimtivm M^ !«• aol#»*^ •«»• ^v afoot #if oovoll
oiir ##f«» ino #<«Mr*»# •<# ••#•» ##<•# fctifi»» Tl*lo# toil^ o<^
•iiM<#oC»»o« •# fir MO •aR««* *■» tti^ «i* m^ *m%»v •• aitW
•««uIflA «o ,
"T take this youth to be my brother in the place of one T late-
ly lost. T loved that brother well, I will love this one too. My
old mo the'' vill be glad when T iell her that T have brought her a
son in place o *" the one departed. "Ve ^vant no uiori^ictims. The
burning of Red-head' ou/rht to batiSfy us. These ji»en do not merit
such a cruel fate. T 'vould rather die myself than see this adopt-
ed brother burnt at thr stake.'"
This act of/^^'vas not kindly received ys on the part of many^ who ^
clamored loudly a??ainst it, but they badr a rude regard for the
.of the r:iajority, and they |had to abide by it. But It intro-
duced i-tD imij/'-Vi of discoird arrjong the different tribes/ that instead
of continuing on to Detroit %l«er, some, returned to Wa-puc-can--n=i%-
ta, the Mi»»isi»ln^wa, and the Wabash towns. In tJ*«- dispersal of-
*^ffi" ^°"^"-°"* and Ilolinan were separated. Rue was taken east-
ward and sp^nt two years in this y^gion; the third and last
y«ar of his captivity w-i* paiMd at Detroit. So well acquainted
' the ^■^<i,.i^6'i.-'*'wC"'«
did he be«oib9 with W\% ■ingit<M^ woy •••tern Indiana and western
V
Ohio, tr^versinir It over =3nd over ^.rlan with war-parties suid hun^t?^-
Inr partle* that afte" the lapj*e of half a eentury he eould desopV
^^-••rlbe It p«#*fa«tly, le vaa never left alone, nor ^Iven a chance
c> It \% «t9 %r«ted as well as any o** the younger bravoa
who h«i ^Am %nMyi» •!•• There was •v b4f( tradinir hout>e at
Detroit whePe t!*«fif «-th«a met to barter UMlr W&tm barks , and
^•••^••t Ifc^ %••*•, tiftunlt ion ••^c« and fy»e4, iwrst of all
•key. At such ti.uea these bands iJlinisvil 4« PPr«it Md eaiH>ue-
als;, fEf ^ a ..^tter of course dlffl9«i«|#« «li»% •» Ane •eeaslMi
an Indian lost -^ purse ';or.t'=i.lnlng uionev to the valv* mt ninety
iollars In bllver. nM.^ cause* great excitcmenti accusations.
M
' C) eiov
eodJrnj jn . .jj-'j i^noiiie irroocixfi ':o noun; oa ij^oyb
- : — neo-t)! ^^iiioa ,'W»i# jjco'^jea oj no ^niuni^ftoo **©
-^ci£9 ne}ii>j orv gjrF .|}9j^CT«q9a e*i9V nfOiXol; tJU •Ufl iJbnrrf •■•/'I
be3r\ieuit>e I few 08 •SliinfQ i§ l»m»q %rw fflvl«f9t iilif lo ^9%%
xrceJ39w l3n« tfnt^imT nn9/««t von Ji^lit^ tli^t ft#l% •«B*9tf •!! ^A
>;nu/< Itftf tt9l^f«q n«V I'll* MlV *»tv« tel» %999 ll lllliin««««# ••li'^
edn«H» « mvli nan ,•«•!• ntf i«i^ii «#v •!! >fKw>l%f^ tl t^t^M
••vfitf <i«viifoT 9^ ^m W# ■• titv M ft>fr*t ••• Alt «•# •fvtM ^«
/r
I but ^the thief co'ild not be discovered. Finally a prophet, who
happened to be there was cnlled in to declare the thief. ;ie
solemnly spread a deer-bkin on the ground , hairy side down, then
he drew from his belt ^ bag of pure„sand which he emptied on the
skin, iigio he spread out evenly over the surface with a
s lender^ wand '^ the crowd Hieantiine watchininc breathlessly. Then
the Sooth-say er looked fixedly at the sand fo • some moiutnts,
with no results, rie muttered the 'vordt> o •' - spell, <^'*ta3^ .-. aid ^lo ;--
ly: "T see the thief and the stolen treasure. "
Immediately there weee^ loud demands for -tb« n-jiTie o£-."J±i,a_tfei-ef
•y and that "k^ tcl-3:/',' where he was. But the prophet was wise and
shrewdly laid the blame on th a meiuber of a tribe not, repre-
sented there, and declared that he had run off with it.
Ru«| and two other white prisoners, witnessed this, and determ-
Ineed if possible to laar/ifrom the wizard the condition of their
own friends and kindred in the far-off settlement across the OhiOj
•t the firgt prlv%te opportunity. This came in a few days, and the
• airte perfo nuance with the sand and deer-skin was gnnt »Tii i.iii;i.lr"ii1'fi/L
After stftrinip steadily ^x the sand the wizard detlared that ht
••» AiBbtrs of Hue' a f%riily walking ab^out a doc-^ard, he gave
••itl* ••••^t the!- oex, their aifree, and described their looks so
••••^^•If thet ^s convinced of the truth of the vision.
the »»^»h9t 1- .; ^t than and ••Idt "You •» intend
%• •«•% m^m ••tf^^^r 1 do 4t soon.'" Ilii eyes fell to the
•enl -ff^* mH H- »«44 <Mk If reading }r\)m It.-* nbti will meet
•tit' ^-iv t-i lo ,\ \ -d-Ups in pa«aln^ through the l^nde of
hostile tribes, 'o , vlii ^L.cst starve, and when ready to glwe v ;^
sr*} no beiJqi!
e .': iv;
.9*( n^fOJa Jf!j 99ct I" ;
ij. f .t0^ .BfiV dr' rp-'t r'^p
-sicjov ^'Jn scii'ij r '*o iediK9in B •r'S no ej-iflcf sr'j fcicX yXivsir'a
.„'x -'rrv '>'^.i ntr-' L K 9 1-< jjfr'.T t9tBL9eb bne ^©•for'J iw^nos
ltj-jt:. ; ' ui-cs^j-^nj XV ,cs*?3noal*iq ettt^v narf^o oirl l}flc tidl
'txer'j I0 noijibc:oo ec's inesiw or*^ «iyi1 ift ot fXtfl««oq ^4 tevnl
f^oii'o x).~\i oaoio« ir-9ii»I^i9« I'Jo-nrt 9t*s nl Jb**italA tn# •tovHl lira
Of' J an^ ,8Y»i> wel * tit 9a»9 •4r*T •fimif^o^ft 9$§9in% ianiJ 9t'9 #•
isiv t'y^uunt's •nan •'•' n|jl»-n##fc t/i* bnf »i** /•#lv •••#i*l*Ha<j •ai«
•rfa ocf ,An#f«>«i> ' iwi^ «iU«(Jv fll«v^ •*«•* 1« mf4mm «••
•Aol«lv ffi*! 1« ^#M# •#*' ^* i»»«lfiiM tm f«i ft/* flilfiPlli
•<«< <M iit^ ••tt •II' •Im^m H •» III* ••r •«• •«»#« %»#» #•*# •#
#••« III* »^r» •».#! aiPti m^^»^ ^* *» »*•• •^ ••» •''^
12
all hope of ♦'indinj?; panie^help will come vhen le^ast expected. I &««-
(Jt -:>. It'.---
cl°Brly a wild ^^nimaly, taken 3^ gsme, which T cant clearly see, as
it is sinall.^After that -ac you will find plenty of ganie and safe-
ly reach your homes r
The prisoners strongly denied any intention of escaping, yet
they did not fail to impress upon the prophet that, as they had
paid him? for hia 'reading* he was bound in honor not to divulge
it to others. And strangely enough, the i*iz«rd did not reveal
it, possibly through some superstitious fear of meddling with
the decision s of the Fates, The prisoners drew such encourage--
luent from this prophecy that -^M^* they at once began to make defi-
nite plans for escape, a hope long held and many times thwarted,
Tt is possslble that after so long an association with the
priaoners, they fero not »o esrefully guarded at this time, for
one n*-p*Tt ^^tgfiJihMr ifte? they contrived to slip off into the
wllde?^tfi»8 , v;:l the perilous journey -ras begun. They travelled the
^ »*»l«-nl|rht »nd hid In % swtmp tH€ tVf\ day. Their food was
■oon tii^«ust«4. Mid they *i«d to depen^^ upon such «iiall pame, a»
^ thev could tii«H^ f»r they dared not use their gtins; then the
t\T%X part of the vKaaMi*» preAletion began to come true, they
ISP* yf\\ n4f*i f«ai«lNiti Sut they pr«»eaa ^n »outhwa>^ without
the d<*ea4 •f batfif loat, thank* t« Im's ft«»«|a«fe of the region*
The third «iV IMMA \Sm 99 ••tfe tV9m hinffe' **^»t thry ^ould
not travel, MKi liM ill AamM** AotM^ft^ to «• f<_ri . ith his
gun --nd find food , fo- vltS u it t-.ey muot lio in thf wilder -
. 4e syient most o ** •-- day without finding anything that
tv'f jBc'i voer'qoiq dlr'J' .fio'r'> Jneiu
,i..&."yfiv. If*:: tnp hLer' :^noX eqorf fi ,eqe?fi9 lo*^ anclq 9.tln
or'J .'Jiv .'ioxjf xooaaf nf ^nol oa fsi^f tBi*t •XdlMMuq Hi IT
rrol ,oi!di cir't jf^ £>9£ii«iJ8 Yfrirte*?*© o% Son •ntr T»/** ,»n»no4ii«iq
erf J ojHjt r*o qlla oj fvtitno9 x^t'i ^•t^f *ft»f #o« it^iii tno
UBV bodt TttrT ttfi) l«nl^ fr«# fMV« • lit tt^ tnt #/^lA •C«nr
^fi 9m^ llBm t'tum iMfjp "ii*q«ik •# Am* !•<•# iM ,it# •«#«%# imo«
•f<i n*// ;«I0B ^l*«*f •an #Mi to^«* Ttf*^ n^ *tfM#« ilifot ?#f'l
Y«<fl ,9tnf «•• •# IWt*< Mlttli**!^ •*iF»#Uv M«# %• f^f #«tlt
tuot*itf »H9n»tv9m tm •••••^f tf r*! »»tf M^lwt^ ^H |Ct« •«••
-•*Jlv •!% Ill •!* imm n^i #1 #»««#^ . *<>^ t«ii M"* «MI
Oi^i ^tfi^m glfit*iin i»<3r»#lv %•«»
13
would satisfy hunger, not even a blue-jay or a wood-pecker. He ^
had discovered streams , which he kne^Y must flow into the Wabash,
but he culd not catch fish without the means to do W. He returned
empty:^anded ^nd despairing? to the camp. Que .a ^ his companion^ f/,'
said- "Let me try my luck, or, rather, want of luck!"
He.set out and after an hour returned with a ^three -pronged
buck, and when he thfew it upon the ground the words of the p^.roph -
et instantly came to,mind-nt is a male". (2^ ,f^.^/ d^. t>u
Although savages thickly inhabited this region \i»0V were
not recognized as whites, for they were so comlpletely dis^ised
by dress, mannne ^ am even the pe,.,cuilar Indian gatt which they
.had perfectly *e<iuired during long captivity. Nor did they have
further trouble to find food. It took them twenty days, after
they left Detroit to i»t»eh ft point on the Ohio river, about fif-
ty milee above the fall*. Here thinking they were at the end of
their trouble*, they built a sn.all raft on which to cross over
to ventueky. but in nald-8tre*ii the current was so fierce that it
tore the frail vessel arart, threw then* into the water, and they
■v«i» ftthore .destitute of everythinff but one gun and a sjnall amoulc^
•f •MnitioR* Thev ^et oT th'oufrh the furest for Harrodsburg, -a*:
■liVfWIt MWthe" bhort period of privation* before they at last
sftfelT mtgHtt it.
tM ^M now %^m*9*m¥9m Wmf^ •!§• •KA Had neither seen nor
heard anything of -k»lman bijiee they oepftrft%«i In tM fnilan c*i*p
where they h'^d barely escaped death. A little late he married
a relajtive of lolnan's, but-^f w^at (tefrre^ -•imld no4^i>^ tea«%«<lt^
I V.:. '.•• ;i;i£*
t^n.Tji
.JlOUCf
' Mrr^rtf ':f>!Df'',t uQ-^evBH c'-^uo:^SLA.
r-rltlrfn vf •*'•-' ■ - r r 'v >•. f< -i-i S injIOO? *l .♦On
.-•t^ .-ijrii.rtl '•i-ixi.'> •^-f e - rev? ni-- •: 9'Tnn^ai 88e*rX> yd
s/tri ^ei j i.xi) no;! .yj-ivJtjqeo ^^nol -^nitui) tonltrrotf tI*o»^'«««I bBc*.
"^eile ,<i\et vjr9v.r msi-'j- ^iooj- ST .f>0(A imH oi •Irfuo'fl ^t/*/niil
-'til j^L'ocfe .levlrr oir^O er^^ no lfllv>q a *f©#»«f o| #l<;frl»CI /1»I T»<'#
to i;.-.t' ?r'r ji> 9T9V yecfj %alAnl:*s 9n^V, ••Ifilt •r'f •TO(f# Mlla tl
levo doono os ^olr'w no rin ICaffs • tttv4 X9fi ^mU^^f Hi»^f
ji SBC'S •e<i«n o« Mv ttnn^09 •t't m9m99»k$m ni i»4 .tilMit^^ •^
ver^i in* .iti«v •:*$ oifil «§;</ v*^/ tt^^* t—mw Ut^ %e9 «^«#
liuomf liMtm B boB flirt ciM tm4 ^ifiVfW %• •#»#!#••# •^•^a* 4i#««
As ,riutf«b<yii#f' «i^ tMf%dl •t'i fw^f9 t^« tt« ?«i9 •••iflMM t«
ion m— ^<Y|ta iM* Im« .if* ^••f ••««« i ««ai«t ^m •&• 9t0
A»M<it« •.'* •••/•I tiff If A •##•» mm^— Xi^f^^ ^^ tt^-^ •>«*#«•
14
Tmmedi.tely on their separation Holman had been taken to Wa-puc^v
cawnat-ta ^vhere he vas a,«*^ subjected to a trial for life by the
council, but a^ain fortune favored him, for the majority of the
vote. >vere against burning him at the stake. During the three
year, of his captivity he witnessed many such atrocities, though ^../^
he seemes/^to have ,.^r suffered any specially harth treatment,
considering he ..s the captive of savages. About the last half of
» i.e_ ivai <m entire cessation of hostilities against
the frontiersmen, for the reason th.t .he savages ,ere physical-
'' ZIL^- ■''' "°'^ "^ "^ ^^'"^ ^"fP"-. -° that in order
to recoup b^. ;,ey „ere obU^ed to gather bar.s and roots and
^to Obtain peltries for exchange at the trading houses^^.. „...„,
^*1»«,. ,ho .,s no, , little .ore than nineteen years old.'seems
t. h«e entirely „n the good gr.ees of the savages; for .hen
h. su..,.^ted that i. thetr;-^nUu, together ,1th an Indian co™ -
P.nion,to ,.. f.„. .,^,, OHUJ..^..^,, ,„ „, ,^ „^^^^,
•WU.. for the „«„,, thev .u.pect«. no ulterior design, and
Mtualiy let hi:. ,o .cco..p,„l,« k, a voung brav..
When -.h=, .t™.» the Ohio , fe.,„lie. .bove loui.vlUe they
••neral <ieor,e ci.rk »tatiar. ad • ._ ..
";-"" ■»?••»♦•, •■* nm the river
^■XMk^ "' »«^rtTOs. am he at one. •uthortz.d
—"••^*»* f.«il«u. f,^ thei. .tor.« What th.y „4«ht 4. -
•••^n*^. The Offer was »M iHM •»! con-
|^"i ■•w*Tt» •m other such
trinket, as the Indians coveted. ^'
■ . -'J , oi'i ' i ?0" ff ■ ''tr
'■ J- :-.-'t LIB qjJ LStitf fcfr' i.nf ,fi'insj yl
J,, ,- .j.-.^.-i cA'ji... •j-.-;.jr ■ / ■ -'o ■^--- "-■;-': /r'JOcf qjjoaei ol
c;ii99«,i.ro offsv nojjsnin npr'J erfom elxill # won *#v Of^w .rwinfoif
nSi-'r Tol ;a9^BV*fa er'j 1 o beo««>f /ji>vJ5f| tr*l no* tl»^*"'-9 9VH* Of
o'.oo rslLnl ns i*flr fer'je^^ol adt' kn%* rsc*} ^1 it*** *•/• ^-^^^irii •!♦
Xulbeen erij !!• «t9 i>X«rot tff olrfo •/«# !• ollJl tr't •# «»»«•<
i>{u .n^iMet lokfstu on to#tofMM tt/«i flllilM •(** *(«^ ntlfqfM
ttr*i •fXlvchrol tvodl» —tim Wff% • •IM o/^ mmin yft
levIn •<«# i»v« tti§ t#l«#4f« to n»l#«to tfWJB ti^iti !•'•■■
te«Ho/Ufl» MM #• tl« A4M ,«iMlDn| •/«# 1* •*•• iM*!^ ttf*^ !• •<!•'
)*•#••*«•
15
THe next d,y Hol..,n,«*,. his cc.ranion, re.a.ed his Journey, and
due U:.,e reached the ta.e of M.ard -ioL^a. where he .a» .reatly
overjoyed ,nd surprised to ^''t^t .u, had reached there only
three days before. Tt .« indeed iJitrange that after almost
,Hree year, and , half or captivity in different part, of the Nort/u
^v,^- r^■p rii-rfpr«nt th-y should have escapea
west Territory, prisoners of dif fer.nt^ ti-y
at almost the saiue time.
Their captivity ended .hout 1784, and. depite the great risk
they ran, they joined Clark in war against some ;^of the very triba
^r^j:^|;a;..4^ .ILU uu l.^g^rlcapture in their case could
mean nothing but instant and merciless torture.
After peace settled upon the frontier the two young men married ^
•ftd lived quietly in in>rf^odfor'i .nd HeBry Counties in Kentucky
for almost a quarter of »- century, Then th^s^ were again s^^zed
with the d#.iw for wande-lng. and « new home In a less crowded
dl»t"let. A.fordinj^Xy they set out on a journey "West- as it was
• Th'^y wande-'-^d about In. Illlnols^^nd Indian. terrltory^.>tc-^^^
«hen Rue recalling the beiutiful Tnltewater ^•"•y» l**^ ^"^'^ ^"^
it and V«r he -.a^V^it^-^^n^^rritwt, ^teLuan, J^aCoy >wri B1>»nt made
• ••lotion of iHMt M«l «^f th**3f f«i%W«* >»w.e» In the »«•
••«tUm/iMMi Itft iu t«i f»i«« •«•»♦ ^"^*" ^-'^^ Joseph^ m
returned to Jlintuek^for their faiuille.. This wa- late In th'. autuav^
of 180 4, and In the winter, early An ^)5,tHey and their house-
holds, together with two other families, t^-.ose of Thomas IvIcCoy
M
^fqvKi
ecfxij-
-^u. „t^,ii.B. .,«K- ni xtBlo honiol xdC.s ^ns-r yec^J
»• .^j 1,1 „^ ^,^ .^^, ,^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^ ••imi*. •
16 /
J and % man naitjed Bliintye^4 out for therrnew home in the .forest,
follpwing buffalo traces where they could ^ and cutting a w ^y where
no road existed, they endured stomas and cold but finally reached
their now horaetr to find the Holman boys, enjoying pioneer life.
Mc roy and Plunt located near them. This tiny settlanent was abot
two miles south of Richniond, Tndina, and it was the first auth —
^ entic settlaiient in the White Vater )/alley, -■•■ — -'^--' /j , /, I/^^c^
Rue and Holman reiiiained on this a saane section of land the re-
raainder of their lives, and they became a factor in the gotti «> _ y
-«£iit^ and advancenie^nt o " thia beautiful region. T'-;ey helped to es-
tablish the first Baptist church in the valley, which was perhaps
the oldest ehureh in eastern Indiana.^ Rue reared =5 large family,
mostly girls; and, strangely, his companion was the f=ather of a
rreat fviiily of boys. Rues health was so impaired by the hardships
of eaptlvity that for the laet twenty-five years of his life he
was a ''^eat eufferer f>x>m rheumetiem. Put ^oliuan, whose treatjuent
was more tende' %i the hand;* of the ravages, seems to have
ii^ti -C I'd- C^i^ c'^
onf fefod no bad result* froni hl» captivity , fo« he lived to the
Freat are of 99 ye«M« Sjfkfonihs, and 19 days, dying the the 24th
V 99^ ift%ny years oftcr %h^ •••tM 1« t^e 'Whitewater valley, and
peace was fully restored, the Indians whom they ealled their *kin"
made thai, ye^^'ly visits, ^ni they tould sit talking over ola times
by the hour in a patois of Indian and Injrliah.
'lolmant sorrti i?r*w to proiTiineate In -^hei^' respective callings, #•#
^•^Ytoseph was a mybbe" o^- '>. '^ir*t Constttutlcnal Convention which
'■■ r
llerAt .IP Siff!- 1 l)*orr on
cr, . • ^9n /)■,*.- 501 JfiJ.'f^ irif "
' . ji. i ii i ?.
-91 ';-fj ijncX to noiJoac: an^^a a ijefiietrei nPi'^IoF I.hf sr/H
.nol«9i IjjIxju. -.reor.Fvij? i:np in^c
^qx^fabtp.-^ 9:-'j Yd tsiifquii o« »«w ftf%t' 9mtH ••tod ^o fll«r^ i—*t^
er* ^1i£ at.-^ ?o aie^x 9ft^»xtimvf frt •fit "urt 99^9 ttlirl#fit ^«
jnauiv^eenJ 9«Jor*ir .tUtoToi: /uW •«»ll««v«i^ «u^^ ^^^^^^P* 99%'^ 9 •#»
erf^ oi .^vIX ti* ■*«! X9k^l9^^% •l|f «r(^ sIUmm W^ 9m te^»^^««
i.|l# .t^fX^ fi9W9i^ 9^9 III *•!### • t*/*' *tt#t* •<#•? t«Ni ^t^
•alii* ^iMfl «*XI«0 t9i»i m^ •MlABt t/t .liM^ftrt firi^ •'« ttrtf
•#aI/ ^t» H9f ^UU9 9U *|9«t tVl'i MM tMUIV ft*!*«t '^'.f***
•^«iivit Mv Miftut n* ki«#«f ff III «Mir .t/«r Ttf
1
17 . V
yhi oh waa held in 1816, snd reprei^ented his county in the"Xe^is-
l^ture. Jesse D.'lolinan was the first Judge of the first Circuit *
court in "Vayne County, -Yhich w^s insti^^tuted in February 1811, and
held in the house of Richard Rue. Another* son, William, one of
the lads who haJl been left 4n charge o'^ the "abin, seeias to have
beco:'.ie s Methodist, foi' he was fo^- m^ny ye=5rs a preoiling elder,
, ^ni became a settled minister in Louisv ille Kentucky, 9^44,l'/an(b
ther son, Washington, represented Miami County in the ,^tate Jtegis^
lature.
In 1806 the Friends from Pennsylvania and North Carolina
penetr'^.ted into the valley and it was not many years before thft
whole v-*k#H;7 was thickly populated. But to Rue ^nd :iolnman ^Vf-i
must be riven (the ? erdit of the first permanent ^ettlment of this
the lovely valley cf the White'Wter^ (W-mA^I >2 a / C^
'\
• In f no
dnexiT sr'J- 80?X riT
ir'
Transcript of original
IN AN EARLY DAY
(A Story of life in the Old Northwest Territory, the
Indian Captivity of Rue, Holman and Hinton, etc.)
by
CAROUNE BROWN r-.e"
(Caroline V. Krout)
ca. 1890-95
(.^uotH .V pnifote;))
ee-owii.Bo
PRELUDE
The Pioneer
Where are the sturdy woodsmen
Who battled for this land.
And trod these hoar old forests,
A brave and gallant band?
They knew no dread of danger
When rose the Indian's yell;
Right gallantly they struggled.
Right gallantly they fell.
From Allegheny's summits
To the farthest western shore.
These brave men's bones are lying
Where they perished in their gore.
Their bones were left to whiten
The spot where they were slain.
And were ye now to seek them
They would be sought in vain,
(C.BoK.)
995998
/vHfil 2 ill* -fol b?.
'fcnrci JnciliPy tns ovstci A
:; "f 5 >"f'ii ?, 2 ' « f! a « '^/f* i I A mm '(
f<i''fi^ m'-J??*; ii" ',A-i-::'i '..si: ol
;ni/i ir; 1 i-fiftfJ r,'f<r»ri yvr;'!^ ?ie*f!"
J. 5.!, Tov; yn«<:< vr^irtvi jrrtjt; urt'*
IN AN EARLY DAY
•
In 1769, according to an old document the white population of Indiana
gives the names of nine heads of families at Fort Miami- -afterwards Fort
Wayne; 12 at Ouiotenon, and 66 at Vincennes, women and children added to
this list would swell it to some hundreds. Besides these permanent residents
there was a floating population of traders, couriers coming and going, and
soldiers, English and French, shifting from post to post. After the Revolution
land grants to soldiers stimulated the settlement of Indiana in the counties
adjacent to the Ohio River, but when the population became too great the
natural pioneers pushed northward into the unfamiliar parts of the state to
make new homes, undeterred by the fact that the Indians were implacably
hostile. The beautiful White Water valley was the first valley settled after
this fringe on the Ohio River border, and it came about from a romantic
tragic circumstance, the long captivity of two boys among the Indians.
Notwithstanding the lives of the pioneer were hard and laborious beyond
our power of comprehension, that they were even perilous from Indians, they
managed to have recreation of a sort suited to the spirit of the day. The
tremendous task of clearing a virgin forest was turned into merrymaking.
Neighbors for 40 miles around would take part in the logrolling and tree
burning; their wives and children joined together in preparation of the feast,
which as far as fish and wild game went, was fit for a royal banquet. The
bread was the inevitable corn bread, wild fruits of the forest were used,
either natural or dried, sugar was supplied from the forest tree, which it
is said the white man learned to make maple sugar from the Indians; for tea
sassafras was in demand.
Hunting, of course, was the amusement highest in esteem of all, and
regularly, when the deer had passed through the velvet, hvmting -parties went
forth in late autumn and early winter to obtain the winter's supply of venison,
which when dried, formed the staple of their winter's diet. They hunted the
fur bearing animals for their pelts in the winter months, and while scarcely
any were eaten their skins were the medium of barter and exchange when the
fur traders made their rounds. Powder and shot were vital necessities of
their lives and only thus could they be obtained.
Then too dancing was in high favor at a very early day. The woman
who could shoot an Indian through a peep hole in a cabin door would dance all
night, with a partner who perhaps only a few days before had brained and
scalped a warrior. The fiddler was the most popular man in the settlenaent.
A wedding was greeted with boisterous joy, the occasion of a frolic for
old and young. An ancient chronicle gives the following amusing details of a
pioneer bridal:
"The men were dressed in leather breeches, hunting shirts of linsey,
and moccasins. Their guns, like the poor were always with them. The women
wore linsey petticoats, linsey or linen short gowns (the ancestor of the present
tea jacket), coarse shoes and stockings, handkerchiefs and buckskin "half-
handers. " If they possessed any little piece of jewelry, it was an heirloom
•'L-. >il
;; r_j. .'.o '..C.ij j.a . t^i >.^ -j.':..v -
: c .'.... 3 L /
Di-i I - u'i .'.. ;. I.
. . I ' ■ ,. 1j C. C ' I
- .' » o , .' :
carried with infinite solicitude fronn the faroff home in Virginia, Pennsylvania
or North Carolina into the wilds. The way to the home of the bride was by
"horse paths"; and, as now, every Jack had his Jill, with whom he was par-
ticularly noisy and demonstrative. They proceeded in double file where there
were no obstructions, and were continually joined by neighbors resilient from
ten miles to twenty miles distant, until there was quite an imposing cavalcade.
Even among this primitive company was fovind the "cut up," who as now diversi-
fied, the tedium of the journey to the nearest squire's, where these earliest
marriages needs must be performed, by rough jokes and funny tricks; one of
the favorite jokes was to form an ambuscade, fire off the precious powder,
make a big smoke and much confusion, to terrify the nnore timid who imagined
they were beset by Indians. If the squire happened to dwell in the immediate
vicinity of the bride, a great dinner followed imnnediately upon the ceremony,
and if table knives were scarce the male guests obligingly used their scalping
knives, for then the fork was considered a dangerous implement. Feasting over,
dancing began and lasted all night, with no intervals between dances. If a couple
became tired out, "cutting out" was resorted to, they intimated as nauch to a
waiting couple who at once took their places without stopping the quadrille,
which was, par excellence, the dance of the pioneer. Reel and jigs were solo
performances of Scotch and Irish but few there were who could dance them.
Often, if not in times of stress, the feasting and dancing was kept up several
days. It was followed by the "settling" of the young couple, in their own cabin,
which at the time of the ceremony was in the form of standing trees. The men
would quit dancing to cut down the trees for the walls, and clapboards for the
roof, and puncheons for the floors. It generally took three days to complete the
structure, mud-chimney and all. The fourth day came the house-warming,
equally as vigorously jolly an occasion as the nuptial-day, and yet these pioneer
women seem to have felt little or no ill effect from this strenuous gaiety.
Our pioneer youths were athletes from necessity. As a matter of course
they learned to use with incredible skill fire arms, and even the savage's
weapons, bow and arrow and scalping -knife, before they had reached their first
decade. It was no fiction that "they could kill a squirrel by shotting it in the
eye." They could also "bark a squirrel," not so skilful a feat as the former
perhaps, but rather a curious one. The hunter after sighting his game high on
the branch of a tree, would shoot, not at the squirrel, but at the bark directly
beneath his body, and hit so unerringly that the animal, by concussion, would
be thrown up in the air several feet, then fall to the ground dead with not a
wound upon it. A favorite accomplishment of the pioneer youth was to learn
the call and cry of every beast and bird in the forest by imitation. It was, too,
very practical knowledge; for the Indians used these wild calls to warn each
other when on forays against the whites, who turned it to their own advantage,
by responding, and thus bringing the savage in range of his deadly flintlock.
Then too this faculty was of use in obtaining food by imitating the call of the
wild turkey and other game birds which never learned the deadly deceit of the
white man, to their destruction. The youths could swim like ducks, and from
the Indians they learned the art of swimming under water without rxiffling the
surface, so that many an escape was made in this way from the savages.
(- .- • i'-^; C .
Running, jumping, wrestling were of course as common to them as to boys
now, but instead of racing on cinder paths amid the plaudit of crowds, this
agility was used in rionning the gaiantlet, leaping the brush fence to escape
burning at the stake, wrestling for life with a greased naked savage.
In spite of the wild, almost savage life of the pioneers, they had a
sturdy sense of what was due them, and vigorous ideas of morality. Curiously
enough, they hated the contemptible sins of scandal-mongering and tattling,
which were met with utter disbelief and contempt. Courage was taken as a
matter of course, and if a man lost his life, it was no more than anyone of
them risked. If a man failed to go, in his turn, to scout, which scouting took
him from five to forty miles from the settlement, he was treated with con-
tempt, and virile epithets were used to tell his fellows' opinion of him. Petty
thievery was repaid ^ilthl f i'^i-id with rather too overfull a measure of punish-
ment. If one man stole a companion's cake from the ashes of the campfire
they named the culprit "Bread-rounds, " or they would bawl to each other
"Who stole the cake from the ashes" with annoying persistency. The answer
would be "John Smith, that's true and no lie!" till very likely it became a
weariness to John. If the theft was serious they assembled a jury, and took
testimony, condemned the transgressor to what they called "Moses' punish-
ment" that is, the accused was beaten with forty stripes, sometimes to this
was added sentence of perpetual banishment from the settlement. A milder
form of the same punishment was called the "United States Flag" because the
victim only received 13 stripes, well laid on with a whip. They were not with
out the great American sense of humor.
To call a man a liar was equivalent to a challenge to a fight and if for
any reason, the aggressor was unable to fight, he must find a friend to repre-
sent him. Occasionally, in very extreme cases, they resorted to Lynch law
among themselves.
At the close of the War of 18 12 when life on the frontier became safer
because the English ceased to ennploy the savage to ravage the frontier, with
rewards for every scalp of man, woman or child brought in, friendlier relations
were established with the Indians who by this time began to sell their lands to
the government thereby giving an immense impetus to innmigration. So great
was the tide of immigration that in two years after the close of this war Indiana
was admitted as a state, although in this region where we now live there was
not one cabin wherein dwelt a white settler!
3 ' :■!:.
Transcript of original
EAHLY PATHFINDEfiS IH INDIANA
by
CAROLINE BHOWN
(Caroline V. Krout)
ca. 1890-95
X.
EARLY PATHFINDERS IN INDIANA
The little river known as the White-water, which rises in Randolph Coiinty,
Indiana gives name to this one of the most beautiful valleys in the Middle West,
when Indiana was without white settlements, save those at Vincennes and Fort
Wayne.
When Harrodsburg was the most considerable town of Northern Kentucky,
and Louisville was only a handful of log cabins clustered around a block-house,
on the stormy morning of February II, 1781 Irvin Hinton, a married man with
a family, left the Louisville settlement with a four-horse-team and wagon to obtain
supplies at Harrodsburg for the little community. Richard Rue, aged twenty, and
George Holman, aged sixteen, acconnpanied him as guards. A thick snow was
falling, the lads were walking carelessly, one before and one behind the wagon,
when one of thenn suggested that they should empty their guns lest the powder
becoming damp would clog thenn and give trouble in case they should need their
weapons. This however they did not anticipate, for Indians never went on the
war-path during the winter. They had proceeded barely eight miles and had reached
a cane-brake where they discharged their guns. This seemed to act as a signal,
for instantly there sprang fronn a sinkhole in the swamp a band of savages which
surroiinded them, lead by the infamous Simon Girty, a white renegade.
Rue raised his weapon to fire, remembered it was empty and let it fall.
Girty commanded them to surrender or die; there was no other choice, resistance
was folly, and they submitted. Soon they were bovuid with straps from the harness,
and were hurried across the Ohio into that part of the Northwest Territory now
known as Indiana. The horses were appropriated by Girty and three warriors.
Rue was led by a Shawnee, Holman by a Delaware buck, while another Sha"wnee
led Hinton. Simon Girty rode the remaining animal, and headed the march; they
trotted as rapidly as possible through the heavy snow, the prisoners on foot keeping
up as best they could. They made no halt till they had accomplished twenty miles
through the snowbound wilderness, where the forest was so thick that to leave the
trace one was lost. It was late at night when they halted, and fearing pursuit
Girty did not dare to light a fire. He and his warriors held a parley as to whether
they should strike for the Piankashow village on the Wabash, opposite Vincennes,
or push on at once to Wa-puc-ca-nat-ta on the Auglaize (now the site of Wapakoneta,
Ohio). They finally decided, to throw off pursuers, to make a pretense of march-
ing toward Vincennes, and then to change their course for the White -water country.
The next night they came to a halt but no fire was built even this second night.
There was no possible hope of escape for when they lay down on the ground to
sleep, each of the whites was placed between two savages, and fastened to them
in such a manner that any movement would be felt, moreover the guards had
orders in case of surprise to brain the prisoners.
Girty, who had been captured in early childhood, and was more of a savage
than a white man, seldom uttered a word and that only in the Delaware tongue,
kept steady watch upon the prisoners, and once observing a flash of comprehension
cross Rue's face at one of his speeches, questioned him whether he and his com-
panions had ever fought against the Indians. Rue hesitated to reply but on being
threatened with Girty' s tomahawk he acknowledged that he had been in three or
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four forays against them. He had overheard and understood enough to know
that their lives were in danger, he also knew that the savages admired boldness
and had no mercy on the timid. He was just returning from a spring with a
kettle of water he had been ordered to get, when this consultation between Girty
and his band took place. He set down the water, and boldly seated himself on
the log beside Girty who became enraged at his audacity and cried, while
brandishing his tomahawk: "You played hell there, didn't you? I've a mind
to split your skull with this hatchet!" However, he reversed the weapon and
struck Rue a crushing blow on the head with the handle.
For the three following days their march was a rapid flight, when, finding
they were not pursued, Girty ordered the speed relaxed. Then the three whites
abandoned hope, they realized they were doomed to a captivity among brutal
savages if nothing worse. They had now reached the White-river country, and
changed their course from east to northeast, cutting across the White-water
valley, then unknown to the pioneers, a virgin forest, with a tangle of streams,
wooded hills and grassy vales.
Their objective point, Wa-puc-ca-nat-ta, seenns to have been one of the
most important Indian towns, a place where many chiefs gathered to hold
councils. When they were within a day's march of this place Girty sent a
runner to announce their coming, when within two or three miles from it they
were met by a deputation of braves, who escorted them into the village.
Girty immediately entered into a parley with the chief and his warriors,
and they decided to have the whites furnish them the rare sport of running the
gavmtlet. When told of their fate the men despaired of ever accomplishing it,
reduced in strength as they were by their privations. The object of this brutal
pastime was not to kill the prisoner but to enjoy his torture. Within a few hours
after their arrival at the village, they beheld the savages drawn up in a long
line for two hundred yards down the path from the Council house, which was to
be the goal for the runners. The Indians flourished clubs and knives, with which
to beat and slash the prisoner, if any savage missed his aim he was mercilessly
ridiculed. The only grace allowed the victim was, that if he fell he could not be
struck till on his feet again.
Hinton was first selected, and many were the blows and gashes he received,
which were greeted by screams and yells of delight. But he reached the goal
bruised and bleeding. Rue followed, and being yo\ing and strong, was not so
travel worn as Hinton so that he managed to dodge most of the blows, and en-
tirely outran the Indian who pursued him between the lines brandishing a toma-
hawk, to urge him on in the race. But when the sixteen-year-old stripling's
turn came, Holnnan boldly told Girty that it was unfair to subject him to such a
trial when he was so reduced from hunger and the long march; well he knew he
had no strength left to meet such an ordeal! A powwow followed, and to make
the ordeal as contemptible as possible for Holman boys and squaws with knives
and clubs took the place of the warriors, and he was followed by a savage with
a long whip instead of a tomahawk. When he was fairly started on the race it
was such an exquisite farce that even the Sachem smiled faintly. The poor boy
managed to reach the covincil house alive. A great feast succeeded this amuse-
ment in which the prisoners shared, then were informed at the conclusion by
their guards that a council would follow in which their fate would be determined.
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In the council speech after speech was nnade until the meeting ended in an
angry quarrel, in which no conclusion was reached, and the prisoners were
informed that their sentence could not be determined till the chiefs and war-
riors who lived on the Scioto and the Big Miami could arrive.
Hinton, the oldest and wisest of the prisoners, forboded ill from this
postponement. He thought of his wife and children and determination to escape
took possession of hinn. He contrived to whisper his intention to the two lads,
telling them that the hope of rejoining his helpless family was the only reason
for deserting them in their peril. He well knew he would suffer death in a
terrible form if recaptured but he strongly suspected his fate would be death
in any case. Hoping that something in their favor might come to pass in the
grand council, the boys begged him to give up his design, but they could not
prevail on him, though he spoke of it no more, and a few nights later "Red-
head, " as the savages called him, was missing. He was followed at once by
an infuriated band who retook him on the Chillicothe trail. He implored them
to end his life at once. But this was far from their intention. He was doomed
to the stake, and was tortured through a whole night, with a slow fire, the
Indians meantime dancing the scalp dance about him. Rue and Holman were
so placed that they could see all that transpired, and when his body at last
sank to the ground, his scalp was quickly cut from his head, dangled in their
faces, and they were brutally taunted: "Can you smell fire on the scalp of
your friend?" they were asked, "We cooked him for the wolves to breakfast
on! This is the way we serve runaway prisoners!"
Very soon after this tragic occurrence a deputation of Detroit braves
came into the village, who informed them that there was a call for the general
gathering of the tribes at Detroit; the object was to plan for a concerted attack
on the frontier; and they immediately started on the march, taking Rue and
Holman with them. At a point on the Maumee not far from the present site of
the city of Toledo, they were joined by the Chillocothe and Mad River Indians;
and to furnish amusement for the assembled bands they determined that Rue
and Holnnan should run the gavmtlet, after which they would conclude the post-
poned trial.
As usual scouts were sent forward to announce their coming, and the
great pleasure in store for them, so that when they reached the town two long
lines of savages were ready for the victims. Each was again compelled to run
the gauntlet. Rue ran first receiving many a cruel blow. The usual feast, the
scalp dance and the council in the council house followed. Well Rue and Holman,
who were seated in one corner of the coiuicil house, knew that their fate h\ing
in the balance and that they might share that of Hinton, yet they gave no sign of
fear but bore themselves coolly and bravely. The sachem sat in the midst of
the circle of braves, and he was the first to rise and address them; one after
another followed and the discussion grew so warm that the Great Chief could
hardly keep order. When a vote was taken the prisoners read only too plainly,
from the pleased countenances of the savage, that the decision was against
them! Girty lost no time in confirming their suspicion. He told thenn that they
would be burned at the stake that night.
Preparations were set on foot at once, the inferior bucks were ordered
to gather twigs and branches and bark, of which they made two sinister rings,
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placing a green stake in the middle of each.
To test their fortitude to the utmost Rue and Holman were compelled to
look on, and they knew that when twilight fell would commence their torture.
At set of sun their hands and faces were blackened, according to the savage
custom, and as they watched the afterglow fade from the sky they prayed
mightily for deliverance, or that He grant them the power to meet their fate
with firmness and courage. A number of the higher chiefs still lingered about
the council house and suddenly angry words and great excitement arose among
them. At last one of the number, of high and noble countenance, approached
the youths and spoke to their guards in the Mingo tongue. He then took Holman
by the hand, cut the bark ropes that bound him to Rue, ordered the black washed
from his face and hands, and laying his hand upon his head, said:
"I adopt you as my son to fill the place of one I have lately buried, you
are now a kinsman of Logan, 'the white-man's friend," as he has been called,
but who has lately proven himself to be a terrible avenger of the wrongs inflicted
upon him by the bloody Cresap and his men. "
Girty acted as his interpreter, and his disappointment was perhaps greater
than any of the savages.
Holman' s joy was turned to grief when he saw that like clemency was not
to be extended to his companion, and he felt that his own escape was worth nothing
if he were connpelled to witness the torture of his friend. Twilight had conne; he
saw two savages approach Rue, who rejoiced heartily in his friend's good fortune,
even though himself stared death in the face. Hope died hard in his young soul,
and even when he was being led to the circle of brushwood and boiind to the stake
he did not give up the hope of deliverance.
Meantime a disturbance among the different bands seemed about to terminate
into a general fight, tomahawks and knives were flourished amid a babel of angry
voices. The faggot was a light in the hand of Rue's guard, and ready to apply to
the brush-heap, when a young Shawnee brave sprang into the circle and with his
own knife cut the bands that bound him to the stake, amid the fierce protests of
one faction and the exultant shouts of the other.
The chief boldly demanded that water be brought and that the black be
washed from Rue's face and hands, and he be re-clothed. It was done, and the
bold Shawnee addressed the savages, in substance, as follows:
"I take this youth to be my brother in the place of one I lately lost. I loved
that brother well, I will love this one too. My old mother will be glad when I tell
her that I have brought her a son in place of the one departed. We want no nnore
victims. The burning of 'Red-head' ought to satisfy us. These boys do not merit
such a cruel fate. I would rather die myself than see this adopted brother burnt
at the stake ! "
This act of mercy was not kindly received on the part of many of the savages
who clamored loudly against it, but they held a rude regard for the verdict of the
majority, and they had to abide by it. But it introduced such discord among the
different tribes there that instead of continuing on to Detroit together some of the
bands returned to Wa-puc-can-nat-ta, the Mississinnewa, and the Wabash towns.
In this dispersal Rue and Holnnan were separated. Rue was taken eastward and
spent two years in this section; the third and last year of his captivity was passed
at Detroit. So well acquainted did he become with the wilderness, now eastern
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Indiana and western Ohio, traversing it over and over again with war parties
and hunting parties that after the lapse of half a century he could describe it
perfectly. He was never left alone, nor given a chance of escape; but he was
treated as well as any of the younger braves who had their honors yet to win.
There was an important trading house at Detroit where many tribes met to
barter their root barks, and peltries, for beads, ammunition arms and food,
worst of all for themselves--whisky. At such tinnes these bands indulged in
revels and carousals. As a matter of course difficulties arose. On one
occasion an Indian lost a purse containing money to the value of ninety dollars
in silver. This caused great excitement, and bitter accusations, but the thief
could not be discovered. Finally a prophet, who happened to be there, was
called in to declare the thief. He solemnly spread a deer -skin on the ground,
hairy side down, then he drew from his belt a bag of pure white sand which he
emptied on the skin, which he spread out evenly over the surface with a slender
"naagic wand," the crowd meantime watching breathlessly. Then the sooth-
sayer looked fixedly at the sand for some moments, with no results. He mut-
tered the words of a spell, and said slowly: "I see the thief and the stolen
treasure!" Immediately there were loud dennands for his name and the prompt
disclose of where he was. But the prophet was wise and shrewdly laid the
blame on a member of a tribe not greatly represented there, and declared that
he had run off with it.
Rue, and two other white prisoners, witnessed this, and determined if
possible to learn from the wizard the condition of their own friends and kindred
in the far-off settlement across the Ohio, at the first private opport\inity. This
came in a few days, and the sanne performance with the sand and deer -skin was
repeated. After staring steadily at the sand the wizard declared that he saw
members of Rue's family walking about a door-yard, he gave their number,
their sex, their ages, and described their looks so accurately that Rue was
convinced of the truth of the vision.
Then the prophet looked up at them and said: "You intend to naake your
escape, and you will do it soon!" His eyes fell to the sand again and he continued
as if reading from it, "You will meet with nnany trials and hardships in passing
through the lands of hostile tribes. You will almost starve, and when ready to
give up all hope of finding game, help will come when least expected. I behold
a wild animal, a m^le, taken as game, which I can't clearly see, as it is small.
After that you will find plenty of game and safely reach your homes. "
The prisoners strongly denied any intention of escaping, yet they did not
fail to impress upon the prophet that, as they had paid him for his 'reading' he
was bound in honor not to divulge it to others. And strangely enough, the savage
did not reveal it, possibly through some superstitious fear of naeddling with the
decisions of the Fates. The prisoners drew such encouragement from this prophecy
that they at once began to make definite plans for escape, a hope long held and
many times thwarted. It is possible that after so long an association with the
prisoners, they were not so carefully gioarded at this time, for one evening
shortly after this sand-reading, they contrived to slip off into the wilderness,
and the perilous journey was begun.
They traveled the whole of the first night and hid in a swamp by day. Their
food was soon exhausted, and they had to depend upon such small game as they
could catch or with a club for they dared not use their guns; then the first
part of the wizard's prediction began to come true, they were well nigh
famished! But they pressed on southward without the dread of being lost,
thanks to Rue's knowledge of the region. The third day found them so weak
from hunger that they could not travel, and Rue in despair determined to go
forth with his gun and find food, for without it they must die in the wilderness.
He spent most of the day without finding anything that would satisfy hunger,
not even a blue -jay or a woodpecker. He had discovered streams, which he
knew must flow into the Wabash, but he could not catch fish without the means
to do so. He returned empty-handed and despairing to the camp. His com-
panion Holman said: "Let me try my luck, or rather, want of luck!"
He too set out and after an hour returned with s small three -pronged
buck, and when he threw it upon the ground the words of the prophet instantly
came to Rue's mind--"lt is a male. "
Although savages thickly inhabited this region Rue and Holman were not
recognized as whites, for they were so completely disguised by dress, manner
and even the peculiar Indian gait which they had perfectly acquired during long
captivity. Nor did they have further trouble to find food. It took them twenty
days, after they left Detroit, to reach a point on the Ohio River, about fifty
miles above the falls. (Louisville ) Here thinking they were at the
end of their troubles, they built a small raft on which to cross over to Ken-
tucky, but in midstream the current was so fierce that it tore the frail vessel
apart, threw them into the water, and they swam ashore, destitute of every-
thing but one gun and a small amount of ammunition. They set off through the
forest for Harrodsburg, and underwent another short period of privation before
they at last safely reached it.
Rue was now twenty-three years old, and had neither seen nor heard any-
thing of Holman since they separated in the Indian camp where they had barely
escaped death three years before. A little later he married a relative of
Holman' s.
Immediately on their separation Holman had been taken to Wa-puc-ca-
nat-ta where he was subjected to a trial for life by the council, but again fortune
favored him, for the majority of the votes were against burning him at the stake.
During the three years of his captivity he witnessed many such atrocities,
though thereafter he seemed never to have suffered any specially harsh treat-
ment, considering he was the captive of savages. About the last half of his
captivity there was an entire cessation of hostilities against the frontiersmen,
for the reason that the savages were physically unfit, and had used up all their
supplies, so that in order to recoup themselves, they were obliged to gather
barks and roots and to obtain peltries to exchange at the trading houses for
powder, shot and other necessities. Holman, who was now a little more than
nineteen years old, seems to have entirely won the good graces of the savages;
for when he suggested that if they would send him, together with an Indian com-
panion, to the falls of the Ohio he could get all the needful supplies for the asking
from a rjftch \incle they suspected no ulterior design, and actually let him go
accompanied by a yoving brave.
When they struck the Ohio a few miles above Louisville they found General
George Clark stationed opposite, and swam the river and remained all night with
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him. Holman told the General the needs of the savages, and he at once authorized
him to offer the Indians from their stores what they might demand as his (Holman' s)
ransom. The offer was accepted and consisted of powder, salt, bright handker-
chiefs and other such trinkets as the Indians coveted. The next day Holman to-
gether with his companion, resumed his journey, and in due time reached the
home of Edward Holman where he was greatly overjoyed and surprised to find
that Rue had reached there only three days before. It was indeed strange that
after almost three years and a half of captivity in different parts of the Northwest
Territory, prisoners of different tribes, they should have escaped at almost the
same time. Their captivity ended about 1784, and, despite the great risk they
ran, they joined Clark in war against some of the very tribe whose captives they
had been. Recapture in their case could mean nothing but instant and merciless
torture.
After peace settled upon the frontier the two young men married and lived
quietly in Woodford and Henry counties in Kentucky for almost a quarter of a
century, when they were again seized with the desire for wandering, and a new
home in a less crowded district. Accordingly they set out on a journey "West"
as it was called. They wandered about in the Illinois country and Indiana terri-
tory aimlessly, when Rue recalling the beautiful Whitewater valley, le^d the way
to it and Holman and he made a selection of forest land for their future homes in
the same section. After erecting cabins Holman left his two yovmg sons, William
and Joseph, who had accompanied them, in charge while he and Rue returned to
Kentucky for their families. This was late in the autumn of 1804, and in the
winter, early in 1805, they and their households, together with two other families,
those of Thomas McCoy and a man named Blunt set out for their new home in
the Indiana forest, following buffalo traces where they could, and cutting a way
where no road existed, they endured storms and cold but finally reached their
cabins to find the Holman boys greatly enjoying pioneer life. McCoy and Blunt
located near them. This tiny settlement was about two miles south of Richmond,
Indiana, and it was the first authentic settlement in the Whitewater Valley, and
also west of Virginia. Rue and Holman remained on this same section of land
the remainder of their lives, and they became a factor in the development and
advancement of this beautiful region and of the State. They helped to establish
the first Baptist church in the valley, which was perhaps the oldest Protestant
church in eastern Indiana. Rue reared a large family, mostly girls; and,
strangely, his companion Holman was the father of a great family of boys. Rue's
health was so impaired by the hardships of captivity that for the last twenty-five
years of his life he was a great sufferer from rheumatism. But Holman, whose
treatment was more tender at the hands of the savages, seems to have sustained
no bad results from his captivity, for he lived to the great age of 99 years, 3
months, and 13 days, dying the 24th of May, 1859, on the old farm where he had
dwelt 54 years .
For many years after Rue and Holman settled in the Whitewater valley,
and peace was fully restored, the Indians whom they called their "kin" made
them yearly visits, and they would sit talking over old times by the hour in a
patois of Indian and English.
Holman' s sons grew to prominence in their respective callings. Joseph
was a member of the first Constitutional Convention which was held in 1816, and
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represented his county in the first Legislature. Jesse D. Holman was the first
judge of the first Circuit Court in Wayne County, which was instituted in Feb-
ruary, 1811, and held in the house of Richard Rue. Another son, William, one
of the lads who had been left in charge of the cabin, seems to have become a
Methodist, for he was for many years a presiding elder, and becanne s settled
minister in Louisville, Kentucky. Another son, Washington, represented Miami
Coiinty in the State Legislature.
In 1806 the Friends from Pennsylvania and North Carolina penetrated into
the valley and it was not many years before the whole region was thickly populated.
i
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