PREFACE. THE HISTORY of Ohio, not only necessarily includes the early history of the Northwestern Territory, but of the whole of that valley, of the beautiful river, whose extended realm is now divided into the States of West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana. In this wild and wondrous story Michigan also occupies a conspicuous position The State of Ohio extends two hundred and ten miles from north to south, and two hundred miles from east to west. It contains forty thousand square miles, which is equivalent to twenty-five million six hundred thousand acres. On the south it has a navigable frontier, through the windings of the majestic river, of four hundred and thirty miles. On the north it has a lake shore, two hundred miles in length, opening water communication with almost illimitable realms of the interior, through vast inland seas, and inviting commerce, through the St. Lawrence, with all the ports of the habitable globe. Nearly three millions, of an intelligent, industrious, and moral community, people this fair domain. A more favored realm cannot be found on earth. Three-fourths of a century ago it was a howling wilderness. Now, in population, wealth and power, it is the third State of the American Union. It is the object of the author, in this volume, to record the wonderful adventures by which this great achievement has been effected. It would be difficult to find a narrative more full of all the elements of thrilling interest. We follow the early explorers through the trails of the wilderness, which the moccasined foot of the Indian has trodden for uncounted centuries. We drift, with the missionary, in his birch canoe, paddled by his Indian guide, through hundreds of leagues of unknown rivers. We sit with the hardy adventurer, at midnight, by his camp-fire, as, far away in the wilderness, he listens to the wailings of the storm, the xii - PREFACE. howl of the wolf, and perhaps to the war whoop of the savage. We accompany the bold emigrant, in his long, long journey, over Alleghany ridges, and through forest Blooms, to his. lonely hut, where solitude and silence, in all their awfulness, reign. We are introduced to the plumed and painted savage, and, at one time, in his lodge, partake of his hospitality. as a friend ; and again we meet him and his fellow warriors, as they brandish tomahawk and scalping knife, in the horrid battle, making the forest resound with their demoniac yells. It is through such scenes of tumult and suffering that Ohio has attained its present exalted position and power. And these are -the scenes of heroic achievement and wondrous adventures which the writer of this volume would attempt to rescue from the oblivion in which the fast revolving years threaten to engulf them. JOHN S. C. ABBOTT. Fair Haven, Connecticut. INDEX TO ENGRAVINGS MISCELLANEOUS

FRONTISPIECE—New State Capitol Father Marquette's Expedition The Council Fire Death of Marquette La Salle on Lake Erie Assassination of La Salle Indian Marriage Ceremony Braddock's Expedition and Defeat Old Fort Michilimackinac Old Fort Detroit Unveiling of the Conspiracy of Pontiac Defeat of the Canoes Death of Logan Heroism of Elizabeth Zane Escape of General McCulloch Escape of Daniel Boone Simon Kenton's Lodge in the Wilderness " Our Cabin " in the Wilderness Mound at Marietta Emigrants Floating Down the Ohio New Hospital for Lunatics at Columbus The Warrior at Bay Gallipolis in 1791 Night Scene Capture of Major Goodale Conneaut in 1796 Escape in the Flat Boat First Hotel at Zanesville Evening in the Woods Escape of Johnston First Court House in Green County Birth Place of Tecumseh The Encampment	18 21 24 27 27 39 63 117 124 126 134 163 184 187 203 219 248 299 306 331 346 390 393 422 447 485 520 476 512 525 594 624
xiv - INDEX TO ENGRAVINGS.
Desolation Fort Seneca Hospital for Idiotic and Imbecile Youths, at Columbus Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, at Columbus	639 654 671 849
PORTRAITS
Hon. Arthur St. Clair " William Henry Harrison " Edward Tiffin " Thomas Kirker " Samuel Huntington " Return J. Meigs " Othniel Looker " Thomas Worthington " Ethan Allen Brown " Allen Trimble " Jeremiah Morrow " Duncan McArthur " Robert Lucas " Joseph Vance " Wilson Shannon " Thomas Corwin " Thomas W. Bartley " Mordecai Bartley " William Bebb " Seabury Ford " Reuben Wood " William Medill " Salmon P. Chase " William Dennison " David Tod " John Brough " Charles Anderson " Jacob D. Cox " Rutherford B. Hayes " Edward F. Noyes " William Allen " John Sherman " Morrison R. Waite " Allen G. Thurman Gen. William T. Sherman	153 171 211 231 255 273 291 343 363 399 437 459 489 503 513 535 545 551 565 571 577 583 589 607 633 643 663 679 689 703 713 721 735 809 829