(RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) 50 - GENERAL HISTORY OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY. Among the Indians who frequented the little group of cabins was a Seneca, called by the whites "Big Son," a brother of a chief named Stigwanish; the latter being a person of considerable influence, to whom was given the distinctive appellation of Seneca— he being considered the especial representative of that powerful Iroquois tribe, of whom only a few were settled in this section. Big Son's wife fell sick, and he employed as her physician a "medicine-man" belonging to the Chippewa tribe, whose name was Menompsy—generally abbreviated by the whites to "Nobsy." The squaw died and the disconsolate husband attributed her death to the medicine-man. Big Son made some threats, but he was generally considered a coward, even by his brother, Stigwanish, who had treated him with great coldness in consequence, and it was not supposed there would be any serious results. Late one afternoon Menompsy was in Carter's tavern, when the subject of Big Son's threats was introduced. " Me no fraid," said the medicine man; "me charmed—no ball, no knife can kill me. See!" he exclaimed, throwing open his blanket and displaying several ugly scars on various parts of his body, "see where Indian cut me; another Indian shoot me, and me no dead man yet—me no dead man yet.* Shortly afterwards he went down to one of the trading-houses at the foot of the hill. There he met Big Son, whose grief for his defunct spouse had been greatly stimulated by deep potations of Bryant's fiery whisky. A fierce altercation ensued, in which the Seneca renewed his threat and Menompsy again repeated: "Me no 'fraid-me no 'fraid." They went out of the store together, and ascended the path which wound up the bluff, where Union lane had been laid out and now runs. It was then becoming quite dark. When partly up the hill Big Son held out his hand, as if to shake hands in token of reconciliation. The same instant he drew his knife and plunged it into the side of the unguarded medicine-man. The latter fell to the ground, while the Seneca speedily made his way to the encampment of his brethren, below Carter's. An outcry was raised, and several white men came running to the scene-among them Mr. Carter. The wounded man looked up in his face, saying: " Me dead man now-yes, Nobsy broke now," and soon afterwards expired. In a short time some Chippewas took up the body and carried it across the river. There a grand powwow was held over it, and yells of revenge resounded through the forest hour after hour. The whites on the cast side were in extreme fear lest the savage Chippewas should attempt revenge on the small number of Senecas, in which case the settlers were liable to be assailed in the drunken rage of the two parties. The next morning the Chippewa warriors were seen * This part of the account is derived from Mrs. Miles, before mentioned, who heard it from her uncle, Major Carter, immediately after the murder. with their faces painted black in token of war, while it was not doubted that the Ottawas would stand by their friends against the arrogant Iroquois. Messrs. Carter and Spafford interposed, and after some negotiations the wrathful Chippewas were induced to forego their vengeance on very reasonable terms; to wit, in consideration of a gallon of whisky, which Bryant was to make for them that day. It was agreed, however, that the Indians should remove their fallen brother to Rocky river before going through with the funeral ceremonies; as it was rightly supposed that an Indian " wake " at Cleveland, under the existing circumstances, might be even more dangerous than a declaration of war. For awhile the warriors waited patiently for the expected whisky. But Mr. Bryant, who happened to be busy at something else, with singular recklessness neglected to manufacture the promised peace-offering, and toward night the savages became more wrathy than before. They departed for their camp across the river, muttering threats of vengeance, which this time distinctly included the faithless whites. They were again followed by the principal men of the settlement, who solemnly promised that in view of their disappointment the amount of the peace-offering should be doubled, and they should certainly receive two gallons of whisky the next day. This time Bryant did not fail to perform, and the Chippewas obtained their consolation in time to remove the body to Rocky river the second day after the murder, accompanied by their friends, the Ottawas. When the mournful but fantastic procession passed out of sight into the western woods, the whites breathed much more freely than they had during the previous forty-eight hours: Meanwhile the murderer and his brother Senecas do not appear to have troubled themselves much about the threats of the western Indians; apparently relying on the valor and warlike skill which pertained to them as a fraction of the all-conquering Iroquois. No one seems to have doubted that they would have defended Big Son against any attempt at vengeance on the part of the Chippewas. So far from being detested as a murderer by his countrymen, the lately despised coward had suddenly become a hero in their eyes. The treacherous method in which vengeance was taken did not affect the glory of the deed, and Stigwanish promptly received his brother into high consideration. Early in 1804 we find the first movement made to organize the militia of this seotion; an event at that time of considerable importance. The " trainings" were holidays attended by the whole population, and to be a captain or major of militia added in no slight degree to the consequence of the fortunate official. On the sixth of April Major-General Wadsworth issued an order dividing his district into two brigade-districts, the second of which consisted of Trumbull county. This again was subdivided into two regimental districts, the first of which embraced-all that part of the county north of the north line of township five in the several ranges; that is, north of North- THE PERIOD FROM 1801 TO 1806 - 51 field, Twinsburg, etc., and including all of the present Cuyahoga county east of the river, together with Lake, Ashtabula, Geauga, and part of Trumbull counties. It contained; eight company districts, the fourth of which comprised the civil township of Cleveland; the boundaries whereof at that time have already been described. By the same order the companies were directed to hold elections on the second of May following, at which the members of each were to choose their own company officers. Accordingly, on the appointed day the members of the fourth company, first regiment, second brigade, fourth division, Ohio State militia, assembled at the house of James Kingsbury for the purpose just mentioned. James Kingsbury, Nathaniel Doan and Benjamin. Gold were elected judges. There was a hot contest for the honors of the day, but the judges decided and certified that Lorenzo Carter was duly elected captain, Nathaniel Doan lieutenant, and Samuel Jones "ensign;" the latter officer corresponding to a second lieutenant at the present time. A protest was, however, put on record by eight voters, including several leading citizens, requesting the major-general to set aside the election. They alleged that persons under eighteen, and others not liable to military duty, had voted for the successful men, as well as some who did not reside in the township. They also declared Carter ineligible, firstly because he had given spirituous liquors to the voters, and secondly because he had frequently threatened to set the savages on the inhabitants. The first charge, considering the customs of the period, may be taken for granted without any evidence, but the latter is so preposterous, in regard to a man as popular as Carter evidently was, that it may safely be peremptorily rejected. Very likely, however, the loud-voiced captain, who, in modern phrase, " talked a good deal with his mouth," may have used somc jesting expression in his convivial moments, which could be distorted into such a threat. The prayer of the protest was not granted by the major-general, and in the following August Captain Carter was elected major of the regiment; thus receiving the title by which he was known the remainder of his life. In this year the sloop "Cuyahoga Packet," of twenty tons, was built at the mouth of Chagrin river; being the first sail vessel erected in this part of the country, though built just outside the present limits of the county. The other vessels of American build at this time running on the lake were the " Washington," of sixty tons, the " Harlequin," the "Good Intent," the "Adams," the "Tracy," the '' Wilkinson" and the " Contractor." There were also some vessels of Canadian build. The most important event of the year 1805 was the making of a treaty, extinguishing the Indian right of occupancy to that part of the Reserve west of the Cuyahoga river. The first council was agreed to be held at Cleveland, and was to be attended not only by the western Indians but by a deputation from the Six Nations, who still kept up a kind of shadowy claim to the lands, even west of the Cuyahoga, over which they had once marched as conquerors. Accordingly in June thirty Iroquois chiefs, accompanied by their interpreter, Jasper Parrish, came to Cleveland to attend the council. The commissioner for the United States, under whose auspices the whole business was conducted, was Colonel Charles Jewett, a large, powerful man, to whom the Indians looked up with the respect they seldom refuse to great physical strength. The representatives of the . Connecticut Land Company were General Henry Champion, the first president of the company, Oliver Phelps, and Gideon Granger, postmaster-general; while the proprietors of the Fire Lands were reprensented by Roger A. Sherman, a distinguished Connecticut lawyer, J. Mills and William Dean. For some unknown reason, but probably to enhance the price of their lands by appearing to hold back, the western Indians neglected to come to Cleveland according to their previous agreement. After waiting a few days, the commissioners sought out the chiefs of the Chippewas and Ottawas, who, with a show of reluctance, finally agreed to meet in oouncil with the whites, at what was called Ogontz' Place, now Sandusky City. The usual ceremonies and speech-making were there gone through with, resulting at length, on the 4th of July, 1805, in the cession by all the Indians of their right to that part of the Reserve west of the Cuyahoga, including the Fire Lands. It was said, at the time, that after the signing of the treaty many of the warriors wept at the thought that they must now yield up their ancient hunting-grounds. A barrel of whisky was however dealt out to them, which doubtless soon caused their tears to disappear. By the treaty, the proprietors of the Fire Lands and the Connecticut Land Company jointly agreed to pay the Indians seven thousand dollars in cash, and twelve thousand dollars more in six equal annual payments. The United States government also agreed to pay the interest on thirteen thousand seven hundred dollars forever, to the Wyandots, the Munsees, and to those Senccas actually occupying the land. The Chippewas and Ottawas appear to have had no share in the latter payment. William Dean, one of the commissioners, reported the expense of the treaty, aside from the payments, to be about five thousand dollars. This included rum, tobacco, bread, meat, presents, " expenses of seraglio," and commissions of agents and contractors. Meanwhile the seven thousand dollars in silver, provided by the proprietors to make the first payment on the land, came through from Pittsburg in a wagon, by way of Warren to Cleveland, under the escort of seven resolute men, among whom was Major Carter. At Cleveland it was shipped on boats, and taken to Sandusky. It arrived there the day the treaty was signed, and the next day, together with an ample 52 - GENERAL HISTORY OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY supply of inferior presents, was distributed among the Indians. During this year the first post-office in the county was established. at Cleveland, and on the 22nd of October Elisha Norton was appointed postmaster. The same year the collection-district of Erie was established; embracing the whole southern shore of Lake Erie, with headquarters at Erie, Pennsylvania. Previous to this time there has been no collection of revenues along the lake; the amount of trade being too small to justify the expense. The mouth of the Cuyahoga was made a port of entry at the same time, to be under the charge of an assistant collector. John Walworth, of Painesville, was appointed to that office, and soon after removed to Cleveland. Another event of the year, showing the gradual spread of the population into the wilderness, was the first settlement in survey township number eight, in range ten, now the civil township of Mayfield. On the 20th of May, 1805, another military election was held for the same company before mentioned, which, however, was now designated as the seventh company of the second battalion; the regiment, brigade and division remaining as before. Nathaniel Doan was elected captain in place of Carter,. promoted to major of the battallion. Samuel Jones was chosen "leuitenant" (as the record says) and Sylvanus Burk (of Euclid) ensign. The judges were Major Carter, W. W. Williams and William Erwin. The whole number of votes present was thirty, twenty-nine of whom voted for Doan and Jones; each of the worthy candidates declining to vote for himself. Sylvanus Burk, however, received but twenty-four votes; the other six going to Ezekiel Hawley, or Holley, as the name was sometimes spelled. As the list of voters at this election comprised nearly all the males between eighteen and forty-five then in the county, we transcribe it from Col. Whittlesey's work, although the orthography of some of the names is a little doubtful. It is as follows: Jack F. Mason, David Kellogg, Ebenezer Charter, Jacob Coleman, Benjamin Warder, Daniel Parker, Christofer Gun, William Coleman, John Doan, Thomas Thomas, Henry Norton, Harry Gun, Jonathan Hubbard, Mason Clerk, Nathan Chapman, Nehemiah Dille, Timothy Doan, Seth Doan, Steven Gilbert, Samuel Hurst, Richard Blin, Epetary Rogers, Samuel Jones, Nathaniel Doan, William- Erwin, Benjamin Wood, Sylvanus Burk, Samuel. Dille, Meage Deta, Charles Prard. On the 21st of December, of this year, the county of Geauga was formed from Trumbull by act of the legislature. It embraced all that part of the present Cuyahoga county east of the river, and all west as far as the west line of range fourteen; that is, the west line of Rockport, Middleburg and Strongsville. The present townships of Dover and Olmstead still remained nominally attached to Trumbull county. The act did not go into operation until March, 1806. , The seat of justice of the new county was fixed at Chardon, where it is still located. This was more convenient than Warren, but was still very unsatisfactory to the people near the mouth of the Cuyahoga, who were patiently expecting a great city to grow up at that point, and thought it inconsistent with the general fitness of things that they should journey nearly thirty miles, to an interior village, to settle their quarrels or record their deeds. So they made strenuous efforts to promote the organization of a county extending on both sides of the Cuyahoga, the natural focus of which should be near the mouth of that stream. Soon after the cession by the Indians of that part of the Reserve west of the Cuyahoga, Messrs. Abram Tappen and Aaron .Sessions obtained a contract for surveying it into townships. They and their twelve employees met at Cleveland on the 15th day of May, 1806, to commence their work. The United States government had directed Seth Pease, then assistant postmaster-general, to survey the south line of the Reserve. Tappen and Sessions waited several days for him to come to Cleveland, but as he did not do so they proceeded without him; running their meridians so far south, that Pease's line would be sure to cross them. Pease did not begin his work until the 24th of June, when the meridians were nearly finished. The same system was pursued on the west side as on the east; the townships being laid off five miles square, the best being taken as a standard, and some of the others being divided and added to the remainder to bring them up to that standard. An equalizing committee, on behalf of the proprietors, went with the surveyors. It was while this survey was going on that the celebrated total eclipse of June 16, 1806, occurred; the day becoming in the forest as dark as night itself, and giving the Indians cause to think they had offended the Great Spirit by selling the homes of their fathers to the intruding white men. Amos Spafford, of Cleveland, and Almon Ruggles, of Huron, were authorized by the Connecticut Land Company and the proprietors of the Fire Lands to run the line between their respective tracts. This being done, there remained, as near as could be ascertained, eight hundred and twenty-nine thousand acres west of the Cuyahoga for the Connecticut Land Company. Early in the spring of this year, 1806, an event occurred which, though affecting, but a few persons, is so typical of the hardships of the pioneer days, when those who met with misfortune often failed of rescue on account of the sparseness of the population, that we have thought best to repeat it in the general history of the county. A man named Hunter, his wife and child, a colored man named Ben, and a small colored boy, who were moving to Cleveland from the settlements in Michigan in a small boat, were surprised on the lake by a heavy gale. They were driven ashore a short distance east of Rocky river. Unable to ascend the high, perpendicular THE PERIOD FROM 1807 TO 1812 - 53 bluff, they all climbed up the rocks as far as they could, and there they waited with the cold waters of the lake beating continuously over them, hoping and praying that some chance traveler on the bluff above them might hear their cries, or some passing vessel might afford them relief. But no traveler came through the darksome forest, and, as the storm increased, all vessels remained within the protection of the harbors. They were wrecked on Friday. On Saturday the storm grew more violent, and the two children perished from the chilling effect of the waters which washed over them. On Sunday Mrs. Hunter succumbed to the same angry element and expired. On Monday her husband, exhausted by cold and hunger, also died, leaving the colored man, Ben, clinging alone to the wreck and breasting the storm, which, however, was now abating. Still another night he remained in his terrible position. On Tuesday some French traders, who bad started in a boat from Cleveland for Detroit, saw poor Ben on his dismal perch, took him on hoard, turned about and carried him back to Cleveland. They left him at the tavern of Major Carter, who treated him with the generosity he usually bestowed on outcasts of levery description. Ben's toes were frozen so that they came off, and the terrible sufferings he had undergone brought on the rheumatism, which twisted his limbs out of shape, so that he was hardly able to crawl around throughout the whole of the succeeding season. In the special history of Cleveland will be found an account of the after adventures of Major Carter, poor Ben and his Kentucky master. Another sad adventure of the year 1806 was the loss of the schooner " Washington," though only slightly connected with this county. It received one of the first clearances from the new port at the mouth of the Cuyahoga, sailed out upon the lake and was never heard of more. CHAPTER X. THE PERIOD FROM 1807 TO 1812. Formation of Cuyahoga County-Its Boundaries-Still attached to Geauga-Murder of Mohawk and Nicksaw-Excitement in this County-Demand of Stigwanish for Justice-" Snow cannot lie "-Description of Stigwanish-Scheme to open Rivers and make Portage Road-A Lottery authorized for that Purpose-Fine Promises-No Performance-Draft of Land west of Cuyahoga -Judge Huntington elected Governor-Another Disaster-Wrecked under a Bluff- A Son's Bravery-A Difficult Rescue-Numerous Deaths by Drowning-Cleveland made the Seat of Justice of Cuyahoga-A Primitive Bill for Services-A United States Senator from Cuyahoga County-An Early Mail Route -Carrying the Mail under Difficulties-Organization of the County-First Officers-Huron County attached to Cuyahoga-The First Court-Census of 1810-First Physician--First Practicing Attorney- Fears of 1ndian Hostilities-Extension of the Western Bounds of Cuyahoga-Increased Excitement regarding War-A Murder by Indians-Trial of Omic-His Bravado after Conviction-Mrs. Longls Fright -The Execution-Major Jones's Perplexity--Omic's Terror-A Bargain to be hung for Whisky-More Trouble-More Whisky-Hung at last-Removal of the Body--Declaration of War. WE begin this chapter with an actual Cuyahoga county, in place of "the territory of Cuyahoga county," which has hitherto been the scene of our story. On the 10th day of February, 1807, the legislature passed an act creating three new counties—Ashtabula, Portage and Cuyahoga. The latter included all that part of Geauga county west of the east line of range ten—that is, the east line of Solon, Orange, Mayfield and Willoughby, then called Chagrin. Both east and west of the river the southern boundary of the county was the same as now, but the western boundary ran along the western side of range fourteen (Strongsville, Middleburg and Rockport). In short the boundaries of the county were the same on its first formation as now, except that it included Willoughby, now in Lake county, and excluded Dover and Olmstead. It was left attached to Geauga county for judicial purposes until it should be organized by the due appointment of officers, which was not until three years later. About the time of the formation of the county the people became greatly excited over events which almost portended an Indian war. In the latter part of January an Indian called John Mohawk killed a white man named Daniel Diver near Hudson—now Summit county. Two of Diver's friends named Darrow and Williams determined to avenge the murder. Finding a Seneca Indian named Nicksaw in the woods, and either believing him to be the murderer, or not caring whether he was or not, they came upon him without a word of warning and shot him dead in his tracks. Major Carter and Mr. Campbell, the trader, went with the chief Stigwanish and buried the slain Indian; all agreeing that the snow showed no appearance of combat or resistance. It was soon ascertained beyond doubt that it was not Nicksaw but John Mohawk who had killed Diver. Then the whites were anxious that Mohawk should be demanded from the Indians and punished for his crime. At the same time it was suggested by some of the leading men that Darrow and Williams should be arrested and punished for their crime. But their neighbors bitterly opposed this, and threatened death to any officer who should attempt to arrest them. The excitement spread into this county, where somc of the whites were opposed to the arrest of Darrow and Williams, while others looked askance at the Indians still encamped across the river from Cleveland, and were anxious above all else for a course which would keep the peace with those few but dangerous enemies. On the tenth of February Judge Huntington wrote to General Wadsworth that he had seen Stigwanish, (or Seneca as he was commonly called) the same chief before mentioned as the brother of " Big Son," and who was usually regarded as the head of all the Senecas in this section. Seneca said he wanted justice for both sides. He was not content to see all the power of the whites used to inflict punishment of John Mohawk, while they were asleep regarding the murder of an innocent Indian. He offered to deliver up Mohawk when the slayers of Nicksaw were secured. Referring to the fact, to which Carter and Campbell certified, 54 - GENERAL HISTORY OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY that there was no evidence of resistance on the part of Nicksaw, Seneca said: "White man may lie—Indian may lie—snow cannot lie." He declared he did not want war, but did want justice. The result of the whole excitement was that neither party obtained justice; Mohawk was not given up by the Indians and the murderers of Nicksaw were not punished by the whites. The chief Stigwanish, or Seneca, was much respected by the whites. General Paine lauded him in extravagant terms as having the honesty of Aristides, the dignity of a Roman senator and the benevolence of William Penn. Unlike the average "noble red man," he never asked for a gift, and when one was voluntarily made to him he would always return it by another of equal value. The general also stated that he abjured all spirituous liquors, but was obliged to add that this abstinence was caused by his having, in a drunken fury, split open the head of his infant child with a tomahawk, while aiming a deadly blow at his squaw, on whose hack the child was strapped. It is difficult, after learning this, to look with very intense admiration upon the general's hero. Stigwanish was killed in Holmes county in 1816, by a white man who said that the chief had fired upon him; so we are left in doubt whether the benevolent and senatorial Seneca had not relapsed into his former habits. About this time a scheme was set on foot to clear the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas rivers of logs and other obstructions, so as to make them passable for large boats, and at the same time to construct a good wagon road over the portage between the two streams ; thus forming a continuous communication for heavy freight between Lake Erie and the Ohio river. As was customary in those days, the legislature was called on to authorize a lottery in order to raise the needed cash. It was rare indeed that any important public work was attempted in the forepart of the present century without a lottery being organized to provide the whole or a part of the funds. In this case the managers were authorized to issue twelve thousand tickets, at five dollars each; making a total of sixty-four thousand dollars. This was done, and in return they offered one prize of five thousand dollars; two of two thousand live hundred each; five of one thousand each; ten of five hundred each; fifty of a hundred each; a hundred of fifty each, and three thousand four hundred of ten dollars each. This made time total amount of the prizes sixty-four thousand dollars; just the value of all the tickets. A deduction of twelve and a half per cent., however, was to be made from the various prizes, which, supposing that all the tickets were sold, would furnish eight thousand dollars with which to pay the expenses of the lottery, clear out the rivers and build the portage road. This does not appear like a very liberal allowance, considering the amount likely to be swallowed up by the expenses of the lottery and the probability that many tickets would be left unsold; so that, aside from the moral qualities of the scheme, it does not impress one very favorably regarding the business shrewdness of our primeval financiers. Twelve commissioners were appointed by the legisature to conduct the enterprise, of whom six were from this county. These were Hon. Samuel Huntington, judge of the supreme court (who, however, removed to Painesville the same year), Major Amos Spafford, lIon. John Walworth, Major Lorenzo Carter, James Kingbury, Esq., and Timothy Doan, Esq. Hon. John Walworth, of Cleveland, was appointed general agent. Agents for the sale of tickets were also appointed in Zanesville, Steubenville, Albany, New York, Hartford and Boston, who were authorized to pay prizes in those places—when they should be drawn. But, despite the list of civil and military notables concerned in the scheme, that time never came. It was found impossible to sell more than a fourth of the tickets. The drawing was postponed from time to time in the hope of an increase of funds, and even as late as 1811 was still expected to take place. Finally; however, it was entirely given up and the money already paid in was returned, without interest, to the purchasers of tickets. Thus ended the first scheme of internal improvement connected with Cuyahoga county. On the second day of April in this year took place the "draft" of the Land Company's land west of the Cuyahoga; that is, the townships were distributed by lot among groups of owners, who thereupon received deeds from the trustees. The subdivision of the townships into lots by the owners was still to be made before the work of settlement could well commence. Although, as before stated, Judge Huntington removed to Painesville (now Lake county) this year, yet he was so thoroughly identified with the early history of Cuyahoga county as to make it eminently proper to notice the fact that in the autumn of 1807 he was elected governor of Ohio, in place of - Hon. Edward Tiffin, appointed United States senator. • Mr. Tiffin was the first executive of the State, having been elected for a second term, and so it happened that the second governor of Ohio was a gentleman whose home for six years had been among the forests, the wolves and the log-cabins of Cuyahoga county. It must be added that Judge H. probably left Cleveland because he despaired of its future. Ague, ague, ague, was the cry of all who came to the mouth of the Cuyahoga, and ten years after its settlement Cleveland had not probably over thirty inhabitants. This condition of time only port where there was a good harbor discouraged immigrants at the very threshold of the county, and naturally retarded settlement in the hack townships, though we cannot learn that these were any worse in regard to sickness than the rest of northern Ohio. Governor Huntington served one term as chief magistrate of the State. He afterwards resided on his farm near Painesville until his death. THE PERIOD FROM 1807 TO 1812 - 55 Early in the spring of 1808 occurred another of the sad events so frequent in the early annals of the county. Stephen Gilbert, one of the two first constables of the county Joseph Plumb, Adolphus Spa- ford, (son of Major Amos) and ___ Gillmore, started on a bateau. from Cleveland on a fishing expedition to the Maumee river. A colored woman called Mary was also on board the boat as a passenger, intending to stop at Black river, where Major Nathan. Perry was keeping a trading-house, and where some goods belonging to him were to be put on shore. A Mr. White, of Newburg, and two sons of Joseph Plumb, who had expected to go on the boat but were too late, took the Indian trail to Black river, expecting to get on board there. In the western part of the present town of Dover, hearing cries of distress, they looked down to the foot of the bluff, and saw sixty feet beneath them the boat in which their friends had set sail, bottom side up, while near it was the elder Mr. Plumb, the sole survivor of the crew. He told them that the boat had capsized a mile from shore. The woman was drowned at once. All the others except Plumb were good swimmers and had struck out for shore, but the water was so cold that one after another their strength failed them and they sank to rise no more. Plumb, being unable to swim, got astride the boat and was thus driven ashore. He was seriously hurt, however, and was scarcely able to move, on account of his immersion in the extremely cold water of the lake. His friends hardly knew what to do, as he could not climb up the almost perpendicular bluff and they could not get down to him. It was quickly decided, however, that Mr. White and one of the young men should hasten on to Black river, some twelve miles distant, to obtain aid and ropes, while the other son remained to comfort his father. The latter was so overcome with cold, and so discouraged by the circumstances in which he found himself, that the young man determined to reach him at all hazards. Climbing partly down the bluff he found an ironwood sapling which grew out partly over the beach. Young Plumb crawled upon this to the outermost bushes, and the tough ironwood bent far down beneath his weight. Suspending himself by his hands to the lowest-reaching branches, the brave young man finally let go, dropping over twenty feet to the sandy beach below, and fortunately escaping unhurt. He made his father as corn fortable as possible, and together they awaited the Coming of aid. Darkness came on and still no relief appeared, At length, when the night was well advanced, shouts were heard and lights were seen on the bluff above. White and young Plumb had returned, accompanied by Major Perry and Quintus F. Atkins, who probably comprised the whole male population at Black river at that time. They brought ropes and lanterns, but their task was still one of considerable difficulty. The elder Mr. Plumb weighed some two hundred and twenty pounds, and it was no easy task to raise him by sheer strength up that sixty-feet bluff. However, one end of the rope was made fast to a tree, the other was let down to the men below, and fastened by young Plumb under his father's arms. The four men above then began to " haul in," and by exerting their united strength finally landed the old gentleman at the top of the bluff ; he and they being alike almost exhausted by the operation.. The young man was then drawn up with comparative ease. Such were the dangers from the turbulent lake and the rock bound coast that out of the eighteen deaths of residents of Cleveland, occurring during the twelve first years of the settlement, no less than eleven were by drowning. It will be seen that, notwithstanding the evil reputation of the locality as to health, there was not a very large proportion of deaths by disease. In fact the ague seldom killed; it only made people wish they were dead. In the spring of 1809 a commission was appointed by the State to select a location for the seat of justice of Cuyahoga county. The only place besides Cleveland which had serious claims to this honor was Newburg, which had as large a population as the former village, or larger, and was a much more healthy and thriving locality. However, the position at the mouth of the Cuyahoga, with its possibilities of future greatness, carried the day in spite of the ague, and Cleveland was duly selected. The time employed by the commissioners and the salary paid them are both shown by the following extract from the bill presented by one of the honorable commissioners, from Columbiana county, which also gives a hint of the orthography often practiced among the officials of the day:. "A Leven Days, Two Dollars per day, Twenty-two dollars." In an accompanying letter to Abraham Tappers the commissioner requested that he present the bill to the " Nixt Cort," by which he would much oblige "your humble Sarven t." In the spring of 1809 another citizen of Cuyahoga county was elevated to distinguished honors. Hon. Stanley Griswold, who had been secretary of the Territory of Michigan under Governor Hall, had resigned that position and located himself at "Down's Corners," four miles east of Cleveland village. He was a man of marked ability and when, in the forepart of 1809, Mr. Tiffin resigned his seat as United States senator, Governor Huntington appointed Mr. Griswold to fill his place. In a letter written about this time the new senator expressed the opinion that this would be a good location for a physician; there being none in the county,. and none of any eminence within fifty miles. Still, he said, a doctor would have to keep school a part of the time in order to make a living, until there was a larger population. Senator Griswold only served (burin(' the remainder of one session, but it is somewhat remarkable that Cuyahoga county should have furnished a State governor and a United States senator before it possessed a doctor. 56 - GENERAL HISTORY OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY The contract for carrying the mail through a wide region was at this time held by Joseph Burke, of Euclid, whose two sons were the mail carriers ; one of them having been the late Gains Burke of Newburg. The route was from Cleveland to Hudson, Ravenna, Deerfield, Warren, Mesopotamia, Windsor, Jefferson, Austinburg, Harpersfield, Painesville, and thence back to Cleveland. This was the only route any part of which was in Cuyahoga county, except the main line to the west along the lake shore, and Cleveland still possessed the only post-office in the county. Mr. Gains Burke, in letter on file among the archives of the Historical Society, says that the road was underbrushed most of the way, but there were no bridges, and streams and swamps were numerous. In the summer the two youngsters by turns carried the mail on horseback, but when wet weather came in the spring and fall they had to trudge on foot; the roads being too bad to be traveled on horseback, much less with a wagon. On reaching streams the carrier sometimes crossed in a canoe or on a raft, kept there for the accommodation of travelers. Sometimes he got astride a convenient piece of flood-wood and paddled obliquely to the opposite shore. And sometimes, in default of any of these resources, be waded the stream, or, if it was too deep for that, plunged boldly in and swam across, keeping his little bag of letters above his head as best he might. The population was still extremely sparse; there being spaces five, ten or even fifteen miles in width without a single house. At length, in May, 1810, Cuyahoga county was duly organized by the appointment of the proper officers, and began its independent existence. The first officers were lIon. Benjamin Ruggles, presiding judge of the court of common pleas; Nathan Perry, Sr., A. Gilbert and Timothy Doan, associate judges; John Walworth, clerk; and Smith S. Baldwin, sheriff. At this time Huron county, which was still unorganized, was attached to Cuyahoga county for judicial and legislative purposes, as was also a tract between the two counties, which appears to have been left outside of any county boundaries. The first 'court was held at the newly erected store of Elias and Harvey Murray, in Cleveland. One indictment was presented for petit larceny, several for selling whisky to Indians, and others for selling foreign goods without license. By the United States census of this year the population of the county was found to be one thousand four hundred and ninety-five, a considerable portion of whom, however, resided in " Chagrin " or Willoughby, which has since been transferred to Lake county. The remainder of the settlers were in what is now Cleveland, East Cleveland, Euclid, Mayfield, Newburg, Independence and Brooklyn, with a very few in Middleburg. It was not until 1810 that a physician became a permanent resident of Cuyahoga county; this was Dr. David Long, a native of Washington county, New York, who then settled at Cleveland, where he practiced his profession throughout a long and useful life. Alfred Kelley, Esq., who was admitted to the bar and made prosecuting attorney of the district on the 7th of November, 1810, at the age of twenty-one, was the first practicing lawyer is the county, Mr. Huntington's time having been entirely occupied by other duties. During this year the people, became much excited by the rumors of Indian war from the West, where Tecumseh and his brother, "the Prophet," were endeavoring to unite all the widely scattered tribes from the Gulf of Mexico to the great lakes in a league against the ever-encroaching Americans. War, too, was anticipated between the United States and Great Britain, and a decided feeling of uneasiness spread over the whole frontier. Although there were scattered settlements from Cuyahoga county westward along the lake shore to the Maumee, yet back from the lake nearly the whole country was still an unbroken forest or an uninhabited prairie from the Cuyahoga river to the Pacific ocean, and there was nothing improbable in Tecumseh and his savage followers making a raid among the scattered inhabitants of Cuyahoga county. In 1811 the fears of the people were again aroused by an earthquake, which gave a perceptible shock, and which was thought by many to portend some dire disaster. But ere long came the news of the battle of Tippecanoe, in which the warriors of the great league were totally defeated by the American troops under General Harrison. Then, for a time, the people rested free from the fears of Indian invasion. By an act passed on the 25th day of January of this year, (1811,) the western boundary of the county, which as defined by the act creating it was the same as the western boundary of the present townships of Strongsville, Middleburg and Rockport, was carried from ten to fifteen miles farther west. Beginning at the southwest corner of the present township of Eaton, Lorain county, (township five, range sixteen,) the new line ran thence north to the northwest corner of that township; thence west to the middle of Black river, and thence down the center of that stream to the lake. The tract thus united to Cuyahoga county consisted of the present townships of Dover and Olmstead, which have ever since remained in it, and the townships of Avon, Ridgeville, Columbia and Eaton, and parts of Sheffield and Elyria, now in Lorain county. Despite of Indian troubles, emigration was still flowing south and west, and in this year township five, range twelve, now known as Brecksville, was subdivided into lots ready for settlement. During the forepart of 1812 the excitement on the frontier became intense; for it was known that the question of declaring war was being continuously debated in Congress, and no one knew at what moment its fury might be unchained. This locality was one of peculiar danger; for not only were the Indians threatening massacre a short distance to the westward but the whole broadside of the county lay open to THE PERIOD FROM 1807 TO 1812 - 57 Lake Eric, and on Lake Erie the British had several armed vessels while the Americans had none. The prevailing uneasiness was increased by the murder of two white men by three Indians in Huron county, although the crime was committed solely to obtain the furs of the victims, and had no connection with any general hostile movement. The people of the vicinity, discovering the bones of the victims beneath the ashes of their cabin, which the Indians had fired, turned out in pursuit and captured all three of the murderers, with the property of the murdered men in their possession. One of them, a mere boy, was allowed to escape. Another, named Semo, after he was arrested placed the muzzle of his gun under his chin, pulled the trigger with his toe and instantly killed himself. The third was a young Indian who had lived in the vicinity of Cleveland, and was commonly called Omic, and sometimes as John Omic, to distinguish him from his father who was known as Old Omic. He was only about twenty-one years old, very hardy and athletic, and already well known for his vicious disposition; having several times committed offenses, some of which are related in the history of Cleveland city, in this work. Huron county being attached to Cuyahoga for judicial purposes, Omic was brought hither for trial, and the subsequent proceedings in his case are perhaps more clearly remembered by the few survivors of that period, and are more fully detailed in history, than any other events occurring here during the first quarter of this century. There being neither court-house nor jail, the criminal was confined in Major Clarke's ball-room, in charge of the worthy major himself, who was duly deputized for the purpose. He had more influence with the Indians than any one else in the county, and it was doubtless thought there would be less danger of an outbreak on their part if the culprit were under his charge than otherwise. Strong irons were placed on Omic's ankles and fastened by a chain to a joist. Mrs. Miles, before mentioned, tells of going to see him there, and talking with Lim. She had been well acquainted with him before he committed his crime, as indeed had almost every one in the vicinity. On the trial Alfred Kelley, the prosecuting attorney and the only lawyer in this county, appeared for the people, and Peter Hitchcock was assigned as counsel for the prisoner. The evidence of his guilt was clear, the jury brought in a verdict of guilty, and the court sentenced Omic to be hung on the 26th day of June, 1812. After his conviction the culprit talked with great unconcern of the corning execution. He declared that he would show the pale faces how an Indian could die. They need not tie his hands. He would jump off the gallows when his time came without hesitation. Down to the last there was more or less fear of rescue by the Indians, many of whom were always around Cleveland. Old Omic, shortly before the execution, came into the house of Dr. Long on Water street, Cleveland, no one being there except Mrs. Long and her infant child (now Mrs. Severance) who was sleeping in the cradle. The Indian picked up a gun which was standing in the room. Mrs. Long instantly imagined that he was about to kill her or the child, in revenge for the expected execution of his son. Snatching the babe from the cradle, she ran at full speed up Water street, screaming with all her might, while Omic, having laid down the gun, followed more slowly, trying to explain himself in broken English to the panic-stricken woman. Mr. Samuel Williamson, who lived on Water street, took the child from Mrs. Long and went with her to Major Carter's, who was the great authority on all Indian questions. Omic came up and explained to the major, in Indian, that he only picked up the gun to show Mrs. Long how Semo, the accomplice of John Omic, had killed himself after he was arrested. This was translated by Carter to Mrs. Long and the white men who had gathered around, and then, as Mrs. Long said, they "all had a hearty laugh," though it is doubtful whether the young mother fully enjoyed the humor of the mistake. At length the day of execution arrived. People came from far and near to witness the scene. Fearing a rescue, many brought their arms with them,. besides which, a battalion of militia was ordered out under Major Samuel Jones. • The major was a fine-looking man, in full uniform, with large gold epaulets and well-plumed cocked hat, but the management of a few companies of militia severely tasked his military skill. He drew them up in front of Carter's hotel, and Omic was brought forth and seated on -his coffin, in a wagon painted black for the occasion: After religious services, conducted by the Rev. Mr. Darrow, of Trumbull county, Major Jones undertook to surround the wagon and the officials which accompanied it with his battalion, but was unable to accomplish his object. After waiting a reasonable time, while the major galloped back and forth, shouting forth all sorts of orders but the right ones, Sheriff Baldwin moved forward with the procession. Some one then suggested to the major that he march his men by the right flank to the gallows, and double his line around it, which he accordingly did. Omic kept up his bravado almost to the last, and rode to the gallows, as Mrs. Miles says, keeping time to the music by drumming on his coffin. When they arrived at the place of execution, which was near the northwest corner of the public squares Sheriff Baldwin, Major Carter and Omic mounted the gallows. The culprit's arms were loosely fastened together at the elbows, and a rope with a loop in it was put around his neck. From the top-piece above swung another rope, with an iron hook at the end, to which the first rope was fastened. Major Carter descended from the gallows and the sheriff drew the black cap down over Omic's face. Then, at length, all the culprit's bravado deserted him. He was, said Hon. Elisha Whittlesey in a statement published by his nephew, Col. Whit- 58 - GENERAL HISTORY OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY tlesey, the most frightened man, " rational or irrational," that he ever saw. He bent down his head, seized the rope with his loosely-pinioned right hand, stepped to the nearest post and threw his other arm around it. The sheriff approached, when Omic seized him and seemed likely to throw him from the gallows to the ground. Major Carter again went upon the gallows, and asked Omic in his native tongue to remember what he had said about showing the palefaces how an Indian could die, but without effect. At length, however, the culprit said that if he could have a big drink of whisky he would make no more trouble. Carter urged compliance and the sheriff assented. A large tumbler nearly full of "old Monongahela" was soon produced. Omic took the glass and swallowed the liquor, in an instant. He then declared he was ready for death. Carter came down, and the sheriff again drew the black cap over the face of the criminal. His former terrors immediately returned. Again he reached up his hand and seized the rope, at the same time throwing his other arm around the post and defying the efforts of the sheriff to detach him. He talked rapidly and inooherently in mingled Indian and broken English, declaring that he would return in two days and wreak vengeance on the palefaces. Once more the indefatigable Carter went up to act as interpreter and diplomatist. The sheriff does not seem to have had much nerve or he would have called assistance, wrapped the scoundrel with cords so tightly that he could not move, and if necessary thrown him from the gallows. Another disgraceful altercation ensued, and at length Omic gave Major Carter his "word of honor as an Indian" that if he could have one more glorious drink he would submit quietly to his doom. Even to this the sheriff was weak enough to assent. This time, however, the tumbler was not given to the culprit but held to his mouth, and while he was drinking Sheriff Baldwin tightened the rope on his" arms, and drew up the one above so that Omic could not go to the post. The platform was again cleared, but notwithstanding all the precautions Omic managed to slip the fingers of his right hand between the rope and his neck. The sheriff, however, did not wait for any farther parley but cut the rope which upheld the platform. The man fell the length of his rope, swung to and fro several times, and at length hung quiet. Meanwhile a storm was seen coming up rapidly from the northwest. It being doubted whether the criminal's neck was broken, the rope was drawn up and let suddenly down, when it broke and the body fell heavily to the ground. The dark clouds swept rapidly over the sky, and warning drops of rain began to fall. The body was hastily placed in the coffin, and as hastily deposited in the grave which had been dug near the gallows. Even while this was being done the rain began to pour down in torrents and the crowd swiftly separated to seek for shelter; the militiamen not waiting to perform any more evolutions, and the gilt-edged officers hurrying at the top of their speed to save their ornaments from untimely ruin. The flintlock muskets of the men were so wet that fifty Indians with tomahawks could probably have captured the place. The red men, however, never manifested, so far as known, any disposition for revenge. Nearly all the physicians of the Reserve were present, determined to obtain the body, if possible, for dissection. After dark several of them went to the square, the sheriff conveniently closing his eyes, and took the body from the unfilled grave. Omic was quite fat and heavy, but Dr. Allen, of Trumbull 'county, volunteered to carry him alone. The body was accordingly placed on the doctor's back, but before he got out of the square he stumbled against a stump and fell to the ground, with his ghastly burden on top of him. His companions smothered their laughter, for fear of discovery, (it might not have been very pleasant to be discovered by any lingering Indians,) and assisted to carry the corpse to the place of dissection. It was reported among the citizens, at the time, that some of the physicians said they could easily have restored life after the body was on the dissection table, but this is extremely doubtful, considering the hours that had elapsed since the hanging. The body was duly dissected, and the skeleton long remained in the possession of Dr. Long. Two days later a swift riding expressman galloped into Cleveland, bearing the President's proclamation that on the 18th of June, 1812, war had been declared by the Congress of the United States against the king of Great Britain. CHAPTER XI. THE WAR OF 1812. A Quiet but Anxious Beginning—News of Hull's Surrender—Great Excitement—Reported Approach of Indians—General Alarm—Preparations for Fight—The Watch at Night—An Approaching Vessel" Who are you"—Prisoners of Hull's Army—A Militia Company— Copy of its Roll—Captain Gaylord's Riftemen—General Rally of the Militia—Colonel Cass—Obtaining Provisions and Forage—Generals Perkins and Beall—A Succession of Fugitives—Elisha Dibble—His Detachment of Scouts--The Battle of the Peninsula—Building a Court-House —Winter—Preparations in the Spring—Major Jessup— Governor Meigs—Captain Sholes's Regulars—Fort Huntington—Approach of the British Fleet—A Calm—A Storm—A Foraging Party in Euclid—General Harrison—Attack on Fort Meigs—Appearance of Perry's Fleet--The Commander on Shore—Mrs. Stedman's Recollections--Guns and Men of the Fleet—At work on the Court-Hozise Distant Sound—" 1t's Perry's Guns "—Off to the Lake Shore— Listening—" Hurrah for Perry"--News of Victory—General Exultation—Harrison's Victory—Harrison and Perry at Cleveland—Disturbing News—Quiet through 1814—Incorporation of Cleveland— Peace. FOR the first two months after the declaration of war there was not much more excitement than during the previous two months, when the people were only expecting it. The militia were frequently called out for drill, arms and munitions were issued, and many anxious eyes were often turned toward the lake; for none could be sure but that at any moment a British armed vessel might approach off the coast, and land a force of invaders or a party of marauders. Many THE WARD OF 1812 - 59 ears listened nervously, too, to every blast that swept through the western forest, uncertain whether some ferocious band of Indians might not make their way past the American outposts, and enter on a crusade of cruelty among the people of the frontier. It was generally believed, however, that the forces gathering under General Van Rensselaer on the Niagara ,and under General Hull at Detroit, would soon take possession of the upper peninsula of Canada, opposite this county, and thus relieve the people here of all farther anxiety in regard to danger from that quarter. Expressman almost daily galloped back and forth along the lake shore; those from the west bearing news successively of the increase of Hull's army, of its advance into Canada, and then of its retreat to the American shore, where, however, it was believed to be amply able to defeat any force which could be brought against it. But shortly after the 16th of August a messenger came dashing into Cleveland from the west, bearing the terrible news that on that day General Hull had surrendered his whole force to the British and their Indian allies, who might be expected at any moment to attack the defenceless inhabitants on the south shore of Lake Erie. Instantly all was excitement and anxiety. Expresses were sent out in various directions to notify the people, and also to Major General Wadsworth at Canfield, (now Mahoning county,) to beg for the aid of the militia. Within twenty-four hours another messenger brought the news that the British and Indians were actually approaching ; their vessels had been seen near Huron ; nay, as near as he could learn, they had landed in that locality, and the massacre of the people had actually commenced. Then indeed there was dismay on every side. Many doubted the correctness of the information, but few desired to run the risk of proving its falsity. A large proportion of the people of Cleveland set forth, in all haste, along the forest roads which led through Euolid and Newburg to safer regions. The bolder men sent off their families, and themselves seized their arms, ready to do battle with the invading foe. Mrs. Walworth, Mrs. Dr. Long and one or two other ladies, however, peremptorily refused to leave. If they could do nothing else they could nurse the wounded in case of battle, and at all hazards they would stay by their husbands. As the alarm spread through the county, it grew more intense with every mile of advance. The roads were soon crowded with ox-wagons and horse-wagons, with travelers on horseback and travelers on foot. Here could be seen a clumsy cart in which had been thrown a feather-bed, two or three iron pots, all the crockery of the family, a side of bacon and a bag of corn meal; on top of which were a frightened matron and half a dozen tow-headed children, while the father of the family applied his long " gad " with unflinching energy to the backs of the lumbering cattle, which were moving altogether too slowly to suit so desperate an emergency. Swiftly passing there would be seen a woman on horseback, with one child before, and another behind, while scores of men, women and children, blessed with neither horses nor oxen, were trudging wearily on foot, trembling every moment lest the dread war-whoops of the savages should be heard in their rear. In the midst of all these, however, were to be seen some brave men, with muskets and rifles on their shoulders, hastening rapidily to Cleveland to aid in repelling the foe. These, united with the little squad of Clevelanders, made up in the course of the day a company of thirty or forty men. As night came on, they posted sentinels along the water's edge, and then lay down with their clothes on in the nearest deserted dwellings, to await the result. Hour after hour passed, and naught occurred to renew the alarm of the day. But soon after midnight the sentinels quietly gave warning to their comrades. The latter sprang up, adjusted their powder-horns and bullet-pouches, examined the locks of their weapons, and hastened silently to the mouth of the river. Sure enough; through the darkness of the night the white sails and black hull of a vessel could be seen approaching from the west, and shaping her course toward the usual landing-place. There were few vessels on the lake then and these had mostly been taken for hostile purposes, so the approach of a ship from the west at that hour of the night looked sufficiently suspicions, and the sceptics began to think there might be something serious ahead. A line of determined men was formed a short distance from the landing place, and thirty old fire- locks were cocked as the vessel came steadily onward. " Hello," cried a sentinel, in unmilitary but convenient formula, " who are you?" "An American vessel," was the reply, " with paroled prisoners of Hull's army." The little company gave vent to their intense relief by a general shout, then " broke ranks" without waiting for orders, and were soon fraternizing with the newcomers, and joining them in cursing General Hull with the utmost good will. Many of the paroled men were wounded, and Murray's store was turned into a hospital. A company of mihtia was speedily called out from what now constitutes the city of Cleveland, and the towns of East Cleveland, Euclid, Newburg and perhaps some others. A copy of the company-roll, obtained from Washington, is on file among the records of the Western Reserve Historical Society, and we transcribe it here. Captain, Harvey Murray; lieutenant, Lewis Dille; ensign, Alfred Kelley; sergeants, Ebenezer Green, Simeon Moss, Thomas Hamilton, Seth Doan; corporals, James Root, John Lauterman, Asa Dille, Martin G. Shelhouse; drummer, David S. Tyler; fifer, Rodolphus Carlton; privates, Aretus Burk, Allen Burk, Charles Brandon, John Bishop, Moses Bradley, Silas Burk, Sylvester Beadier, James S. Bills, John Carlton, Mason Clark, Anthony Doyle, Luther Dille, Samuel Dille, Samuel Dodge, Moses Eldred, Samuel 60 - GENERAL HISTORY OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY. Evarts, Ebenezer Fish, Zebulon R. S. Freeman, Robert Harberson, Daniel S. Judd, Jackson James, John James, Stephen King, Guy Lee, Jacob Mingus, Thomas McIlrath, William McConkey, Samuel Noyes, David Reed, John Sweeney, Parker Shadrick, Luther Sterns, Bazaleel Thorp, John Taylor, Thomas Thomas, Hartman Van Duzen, Joseph Williams, Matthew Williamson, John Wrightman, William White, Joseph Burk, Robert Prentice, Benjamin Ogden. These went into service on the 22d of August, 1812, and remained in service until the 14th of December of the same year. They do not, however, appear to have been very closely confined to their military ditties; for at the time the roll in question was made out not less than twenty-two out of the fifty- six officers and men were marked " absent on furlough," besides eight absent sick. Another company, raised principally at Newburg and vicinity, and composed of riflemen, was commanded by Captain Allen Gaylord of that town, but the roll has not been preserved. Although the first great alarm had proved unfounded, yet there was no knowing when an invasion Might occur either by lake or land, and the efforts to Put the country in readiness for ,such an event were strenuously continued. General Wadsworth, after Ordering all the militia of his division into the field, started from Canfield on the 23d day of August, with a company of horsemen as escort. Passing through Hudson, Bedford and Newburg, and endeavoring to allay the apprehensions of the hundreds of frightened people whom he met, he rode into Cleveland with his horsemen about four o'clock in the afternoon of the 24th; to the great joy of the few men assembled there. Other militia soon followed, and so far as numbers were concerned there Were enough to confront the whole British army on the frontier. Benjamin Tappen and Elisha Whittlesey, both subsequently very distinguished men in the councils of the nation, were General Wadsworth's aids. The same evening that the detachment just mentioned arrived at Cleveland, Colonel Lewis Cass, afterwards 'General Cass, the celebrated statesman, came to the same point from Detroit. Having been in command of a regiment under Hull, he was bitterly indignant at the surrender, and never failed to denounce the cowardly general in the most virulent terms. He was on his way to Washington on military business, and was accompanied from Cleveland by ex-Governor Huntington, of Painesville, who had hastened to his former home at the first note of danger. The last named gentleman bore a letter from General Wadsworth to the war department, in which he stated that he had called out three thousand men, but that they were largely destitute of arms, ammunition and equipments, and that it would even be diflicut to feed them. He urged the department to give him aid, but did not wait for it to come. He appointed three commissioners of supplies, to purchase provisions and forage from the people, who, trusting in the good faith of the government, sold as cheaply as for coin. The commissioners gave certificates stating the quantity and value of the article furnished, and promising to pay for it when the government should remit the necessary funds. Many of the frightened people had gone east, abandoning their crops on the ground or in barns. These were taken by time commissioners, appraised, and time owners credited with the value. Fatigue parties of soldiers harvested the crops and hauled them to camp, and the owners were afterwards remunerated for them. On the 26th of August Brigadier General Simon Perkins arrived at Cleveland with a large body of militia. General Wadsworth sent him forward to Huron with a thousand men, to build block-houses and protect the inhabitants. General Reazin Beall was soon after sent westward with another body of troops on a similar errand. General Wadsworth soon received dispatches from Washington, endorsing his course, urging vigorous action and promising support. The major general himself soon went westward with nearly all the rest of his men; being first under command of General Winchester, and afterwards of the hero of Tippecanoe, General William II. Harrison. The same circumstance was noticeable here as at other points on the frontier, and at other times as well as at this one; nearly all the inhabitants for a long distance back from the scene of trouble thought they must move, but were apparently satisfied by the act of moving. Thus, while some of the people of Cuyahoga county fled twenty, thirty or forty miles eastward, they found there homes abandoned by those who had gone still farther on. These they could, and often did, occupy; feeling themselves safe in the same places from which others had fled in terror. In like manner, people coming from Huron and beyond thought they had fled far enough when they reached the mouth of the Cuyahoga, and made themselves at home in localities only a few days before abandoned by the previous residents. Among those who thus came from the west was Elisha Dibble, father of Captain Lewis Dibble, of Cleveland, who brought this wife and eight children; together with another family, in a boat, to Cleveland, shortly after Hull's surrender. His former location had indeed been one of great danger, being on the River Raisin, near the present city of Monroe, Michigan, and not far from the scene of the celebrated "massacre of the River Raisin," which took place the same autumn. On reaching Cleveland he concluded he had gone far enough, and located himself in the house of Rudolphus Edwards, near the present corner of Woodland avenue and Woodland Hills avenue. Being a stirring, energetic man, he determined to raise a detachment of mounted rangers, or scouts, for service against the enemy, and soon accomplished his• object; the men being from all parts of the county, and some of them being doubtless, like himself, fugitives from western homes. Captain Dibble marched with THE WAR OF 1812 - 61 his company to Huron and other endangered localities. He received the thanks of his commander in writing for his efficient service, but contracted a sickness which compelled his return home, where he died the next year. After General Harrison took command in the Northwest, General Perkins was placed in command of live hundred men and stationed near the mouth of the Huron, remaining there nearly two months. While there a conflict took place between a detachment of General Perkins' men and a force of British and Indians, who had made their way that far east, either on scouting duty or in search of plunder. This is known in local annals as " the battle of the Pepinsula." A portion of the Cuyahoga county men were engaged in it, anti the roll of Captain Murray's company shows that one of his men, James S. Hills, was killed in the conflict, and that two others, John Carlton and Moses Eldred, were wounded there. During the season Mr. Samuel Dodge was engaged in building vessels for the government, both in the Cuyahoga and at Erie, Pennsylvania. Notwithstanding all the din of war, the affairs of peace were not entirely neglected. In the fall or late in the summer of 1812 the county commissioners, Messrs. Wright, Ruggles and Miles, made a contract with Mr. Levi Johnson, a young carpenter of Cleveland, to build a court-house on the northwest corner of the public square. It was to be of wood, two stories high, and to consist of A jail and jailer's residence in the lower story, and a court-room in the upper one. Mr. Johnson immediately began obtaining the timber, but the building was not raised till the next year. As winter approached, the war excitement subsided. Both armies went into winter-quarters, most of the militia was dismissed in December, and only a small guard was maintained at Cleveland. In the spring of 1813 active preparations for hostilities were again made on both sides of the frontier, and Cleveland again became a depot of supplies, and to some extent a rendezvous for troops. Major Thomas S. Jessup, of the regular army, afterwards highly distinguished as General Jessup, was placed in command, though at first he had only a few companies of militia under his charge. Later Hon. Return J. Meigs, governor of Ohio, came to inspect the preparations making for war. On the 10th of May, while the latter was still there, a company of regular soldiers marched into town under the command of Captain Stanton Sholes. These were the first and about the only regular troops stationed in Cuyahoga county during the war. They were met by Governor Meigs, and warmly welcomed by him as well as by the citizens of the place. There were a number of sick and wounded soldiers there, with very poor accommodations, some of whom had been there since the time of Hull's surrender. Captain Sholes immediately set some carpenters belonging to his company at work, and in a short time they erected a neat, framed hospital, about twenty feet by thirty, though without the use of a nail, a screw, or any iron article whatever; the whole being held together by wooden pins. It was covered with a water-tight roof and floored with chestnut bark. To this the invalids were speedily removed, to the very great improvement of their comfort. Then all the men of the company were set at work building a small stockade, about fifty yards from the bank of the lake, near the present Seneca street. Cutting down a large number of trees twelve to fifteen inches in diameter, they cut off logs some twelve feet long each. These were sunk in the ground three or four feet, leaving the remaining distance above the surface. The sides of the logs adjoining each other were hewed down for a few inches, so as to fit solidly together. This made a wall impervious to small arms, and the dirt was heaped up against the outside so as somewhat to deaden the effect of cannon balls. Next a large number of trees and brush were cut down, and the logs and brush piled together near the brink of the lake; forming a long abatis, very difficult to climb over, and which would have exposed any assailing party who attempted to surmount it to a very destructive fire from the fort while doing so. The post was named Fort Huntington, in honor of the ex-governor. Meanwhile vessels were building in the Cuyahoga, and a large amount of public stores accumulating on the banks. Scarcely had Captain Sholes got his little fortress in good condition when, on the 19th of June, the British fleet, consisting of the "Queen Charlotte " and " Lady Provost," with some smaller vessels, appeared off the coast and approached the mouth of the river with the apparent intention of landing. Major Jessup had left, but expresses were sent out to rally the militia, and as soon as possible every man in the vicinity was hastening with musket on his shoulder toward the endangered locality. When the fleet had arrived within a mile and a half of the harbor the wind sank to a perfect calm, and the vessels were compelled to lie there until afternoon. Meanwhile the little band of regulars made every preparation they could to defend their post, and a considerable body of militia was arrayed near by. There was a small pieoe of artillery in the village, but it was entirely unprovided with a carriage: Judge James Kingsbury, at that time a paymaster in the army, as we are informed by his daughter, Mrs. Stedman, then eight years old, took the hind wheels of a heavy wagon, mounted the little cannon on them, after a fashion, and placed it in position to pour its volleys into the enemy's ranks if he should attempt to laud. The vessels in the Cuyahoga and the public stores were all, as far. as possible, moved to " Walworth point," some two miles up the river. At length the calm ceased, but the succeeding weather was no more propitious to the would-be invaders. A terrific thunder-storm sprang up in the west and swept furiously down the lake, and the little fleet was soon driven before it far to the east- 62 - GENERAL HISTORY OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY. ward; relieving the Clevelanders of all fear of an attack, at least for that day. When the storm abated, the fleet lay to, opposite Euclid creek, in the town of that name, where a boat's crew went ashore. They killed an ox there, cut it up hide and all, and took it off to their comrades on shipboard. With inure courtesy than could have been expected, however, they left a golden guinea in a cleft stick at the place of slaughter, with a note apologizing because in their haste they had to spoil the hide, and adding that if it had not been for the thunder shower they would have eaten their beef in Cleveland. Either the commander thought that during the delay too large a force for them to meet had assembled, or else their presence was required elsewhere; at Jill events they sailed off down the lake, and their vessels never again appeared on the shore of Cuyahoga county except as the captured spoils of the gallant Perry and his comrades. About the middle of July, General W. IL Harrison, commander-in-chief of the Northwestern army, and the only general who had gained any fame as a soldier on this frontier, came to Cleveland on a tour of inspection, accompanied by his staff officers, Governor Huntington, Major George Tod {father of the late David Tod), Major T. S. Jessup, and the gallant Colonel Wood, afterwards killed at Fort Erie. The general was cordially welcomed, and many came from the townships in the vicinity to see and to show their respect to the hero of Tippecanoe, who it was hoped would redeem the tarnished fame of the American arms in the Northwest. After a three-days' stay, spent in careful examination of the public stores and means of defense, the general returned to his army, at the mouth of the Maumee. Immediately afterwards there was another alarm spread along the lake shore, when a force of British and Indians attacked Fort Meigs, on the site of the city of Fremont. Some again packed up their household goods for flight, but as a rule the people bad by this time become pretty well seasoned to rumors of war, and they generally waited for further advices. Two entire divisions of militia, residing southward and southeastward from Fort Meigs, were ordered out by the governor, but those on the lake shore were rightly considered as having enough to do to defend their own localities, and were not required to take the field at that time. The gallant Major Croghan with his little band successfully defended the fort, and compelled the withdrawal of the enemy before any of Governor Meigs' levies arrived; and again, for a while, there was a period of comparative quiet. But the British fleet was still mistress of the lake; no movement against Canada was likely to be successful until that fleet could be overcome, and no one knew at what moment an invading force might be landed at any point on our long and feebly defended frontier. All eyes were anxiously directed toward the harbor of Erie, where a young lieutenant of twenty- six, called commodore by courtesy, was straining every nerve to equip his little fleet, get out to sea, and settle by actual combat the question whether the stars and stripes or the red cross of St. George should float victorious over Lake Erie. At length, on the 5th day of August, Perry took his fleet out of the harbor and immediately sailed in search of the foe. In a few days he passed up the lake, feeling sure that he would soon bring the enemy to battle. The fleet lay to off the mouth of the Cuyahoga to get supplies, and the youthful commodore came ashore. Little Diana Kingsbury was in the village at the time with her father, and the venerable Mrs. Stedman still retains a vivid recollection of the tall, slender, erect young man, in the glittering uniform of the United States navy, with noble bearing and handsome, radiant face, on whom more than on any other man, at that moment, rested the fortunes and honor of America in the Northwest. The object of the brief delay having been accomplished, the commander returned to his flag-ship, the fleet spread its sails to the favoring breeze and stood away to the westward in gallant array. There were the "Lawrence," the commodore's flag-ship, with twenty guns; the "Niagara," with twenty guns, under Lieutenant Elliott; the " Caledonia," with three guns, under Lieutenant Turner; the "Ariel," with four guns, under Lieutenant Pickett; the " Scorpion," with two guns, under Lieutenant Champlin; the "Somers," with four guns, under Sailing-master Henry; the "Porcupine," with one gun, under Midshipman Senat; the " Tigress," with one gun, under Midshipman Conklin; the " Trippe," with one gun, under Midshipman Holdup. In long procession they swept past the shores of Brooklyn, Rockport and Dover, and sailed away in search of the foe, followed by the hopes and prayers of all the people for the ardent commander and his gallant crew. Inter arma leges silent, says the old Roman proverb; that is, amid the clang of arms the laws are powerless. But for all that the Cuyahoga people did not stop building a court-house because war was going on around them. On the 10th of September, 1813, Levi Johnson and some of his hired men were busy putting the finishing work on the rude temple of justice which he had contracted to build a year before. Some of them heard a noise in the distant west, which was at first supposed to he thunder. Looking up, however, they were surprised to see no clouds as far as the eye could reach in every direction. The sounds continued. Suddenly Johnson exclaimed: "It's Perry's guns; he's fighting with the British." In a moment all the workmen by common consent threw down their hammers and nails, scrambled to the ground and hurried to the lake shore with their employer at their head. In a short time all the men of the village, with many of the women and children, were gathered on the beach, listening to the sounds of battle. The scene of conflict was seventy miles distant, but the wind was favorable and the listeners could not only plainly hear the roll of the broadsides, FROM THE WAR TO THE CANAL - 63 but, when the fire slackened from time to time, could distinguish between the heavier and the lighter guns. At length there was only a dropping fire; one fleet had evidently succumbed to the other. Finally heavy shots were beard, and then all was silent. "Perry has the heaviest guns," exclaimed Johnson; " those are Perry's shots-he has won the day— three cheers for Perry!" "Hip, hip, hurrah!" promptly responded the crowd, willing to believe the assertion, but yet separating with anxious hearts, uncertain what might be, the result. In fact, the English had some as heavy guns as the Americans, but not so many of that class. Not only in Cleveland but all along the lake shore, among the scattered inhabitants of Dover, Rockport, Brooklyn and Euclid, the sounds of battle were heard; the people soon divined that it was not thunder, and listened with mingled dread and hope to the death notes from the west. Nay, even as far east as Erie, Pennsylvania, a hundred and sixty miles from the scene, the sounds of the conflict were heard, but merely as a low rumbling, which was supposed to be distant thunder. Soon the welcome news of victory was borne along the shore, and the people could freely give way to their exultation. It was not merely joy over the great national triumph which gladdened their hearts, though this was deeply felt, but; also the knowledge that, with Lake Erie in the possession of the Americans, their homes, their, wives and their children were safe from British invasion and Indian foray. The victory of Harrison over Proctor on the Thames, accompanied by the death of Tecumseh, followed on the 5th of October, 1813; making the assurance of safety, doubly sure on the part of the inhabitants of this frontier. The army of Harrison, or such part of it as was not discharged, soon after went down to the shores of Lake Ontario, and the tide of war drifted away from all this region. General Harrison and Commodore Perry went down the south shore of Lake Erie to Buffalo, stopping at Cleveland, where they were entertained with a banquet, while Judge Kingsbury brought about the assemblage of a special meeting of Masons in their honor, at his farm on the ridge. The lake was open to a late period that year, and on the 21st of December the people along the shore saw the gallant Lawrence sailing down on its way to Erie, where it became a hospital-ship; being followed slowly by the captured British vessels, Detroit and Queen Charlotte. On New Year's Day, 1814, the residents of Cuyahoga county were shocked and startled to learn that, two days before, the British and Indians had captured and burned the village of Buffalo, having previously captured Fort Niagara and devastated the whole Niagara frontier. For a short time some of the inhabitants were alarmed lest the foes they had so long looked for from the west should come up the shore of the lake from the northeast. But the invasion was only temporary, and during the succeeding campaign the tide of war ebbed and flowed between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, entirely on Canadian soil, while northern Ohio and the Territory of Michigan were alike blessed with profound peace. The only event worthy of mention, occurring in the county during the year, was of a civil nature; the incorporation of the village of Cleveland on the 23d of December, 1814. But though the immediate pressure of war was lifted from this region, yet its existence checked progress and stopped immigration, and it was with great delight that in the latter part of January, 1815, the people heard that peace had been made between the United States and Great Britain by means of the treaty of Ghent. CHAPTER XII. FROM THE WAR TO THE CANAL. Rapid Development-Previous Unfavorable Circumstances-Settlement of Various Townships- Slow Growth of Cleveland- First Bank-Planning the Canal-A Cuyahoga Man's Idea-The First Newspaper--A Surprising Phenomenon The " Walk-in-the-Water "-Improvement under Difficulties-Articles of Lake Commerce-Names of Lake Vessels-Pennsylvania Wagons-A Fast Han of Yore-The Cleveland Heraid-General Trainings-Wolves and Bears -The Hinkley Hunt-The Gathering -The Officers-The Skirmish Line -The Advance --The First Bear-Slaughter of the Deer-Closing up-Furious Fun-The Last Square Mile-" A Wolf ! A Wolf !"-Slaying the Marauders--The Grand Finale-Number of the Victims-A Line of Stage Coaches- Stage Coaching Experience-" Going on Foot and Carrying a Rail "Increasing Commerce-Legislative Action on the Canal-Alfred Kelley a Commissioner-Prices of Farm Produce-Fondness for WhiskyTne Militia again-Capital Scarce-Various Small Industries-Formation of Lorain County-Its Organization-The Southwestern Turnpike -The Medical Society-The Election of 1824-The Kinsman Road--A Mild Winter---Law authorizing the Canal. THE period of fifteen years succeeding the war of 1812 was, one of rapid development of the agricultural portion of the county. Previous to 1815 settlement had been very slow. At first, people were deterred by the unfavorable reputation of the region in regard to sickness. Rumors of Indian war also checked immigration, and the war of 1812 completely stopped it. But with the close of that war, the certainty that the Indians were completely subdued and the improving condition of the county in regard to health, the people poured in, in numbers increased by the previous restraint. Hitherto the settlements had nearly all been along the lake shore, but now the hardy pioneers hastened into all the townships of the county in rapid succession, even to its southernmost border. Nearly or quite half of the present civil townships of Cuyahoga county were both settled and organized between the beginning of 1815 and the end of 1825. In nearly every township, not previously occupied, settlements were begun within five years after the close of the war. The present township of Chagrin Falls was settled, though only by a single resident, in 1815. Olmstead and Rockport were both settled in the same year. Rockport was organized in 1819. 64 - GENERAL HISTORY OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY Strongsville was settled in 1816 and organized in 1818. The first pioneers located in Orange in 1815 or '16, and an organization was effected in 1820. Solon was settled in the latter year. Bedford was settled in 1813, and Warrensville in 1810. Brecksville had first been occupied in 1810 and Independence about the same time. Middleburg was also settled before the war. The pioneers of all these townships, as well as those previously settled in the county, wereprincipally from New England or New York, though occasionally a sturdy Pennsylvania German made his way from that State, and entered into competition with the keen- eyed Yankees. Huron county was organized in 1815; leaving Cuyahoga unencumbered with outside temporary territory, but still extending to Black river. Everywhcre the axe was heard resounding amid the grand old forest-trees, the smoke from numerous log cabins was seen rising above their tops, and the deer, the bears and the wolves were rapidly driven back before the rifles of the advancing pioneers. The stories of the various localities are told in the township histories, but the general result was that Cuyahoga county speedily emerged from the wilderness condition which had previously characterized the principal part of its area, and entered on a career of prosperity which has only seldom been checked from that time to this. The village of Cleveland, however, showed but a slight expansion for ten years after the war. The first bank in the county, the Commercial Bank of Lake Erie, was organized there in 1816, but it did a very modest business indeed, and ere long became defunct. In 1817, N. H. Merwin built the schooner "Minerva," the first vessel. registered at Washington from the district of Cuyahoga, under the United States revenue laws; this being one of the first operations in the great business of vessel building, which has since grown to such large proportions. Meanwhile far-sighted men were looking forward to the establishment of a great city at the mouth of the Cuyahoga, and planning the opening of a great highway of commerce between Lake Erie and the Ohio river, with one of its termini at the point just mentioned. New York had already begun to build the Erie canal, and public opinion in Ohio was turning toward a similar work. The first resolution looking to the construction of a canal from Lake Erie to the Ohio was introduced into the legislature in 1817, though the work in question was not begun until 1825. We may note in passing, as indicative of the thorough identification of Cuyahoga county with the most liberal ideas of modern progress, that in 1818 Hon. Alfred Kelley, then a representative from that county, introduced into the lower house of the legislature a bill to abolish imprisonment for debt, which is said to have been the first movement of that kind made in any legislative body in either this country or Europe. The bill did not at that time become a law, but it exerted a great influence in calling public attention to that subject, and ere many years had passed imprisonment for debt was wiped from the statute-books of all the States of the Union. On the 31st of July, 1818, the first newspaper was issued in the county; being called the Cleveland Gazette and Commercial Register. It was intended to be a weekly sheet, but sometimes ten, twelve or fourteen days elapsed between its issues. But a newspaper, although rightly considered an important institution, was something which everybody had seen before; on the first day of September of the same year an entire novelty — the like of which not one in five hundred of the inhabitants had ever before seen —presented itself before the people of Cuyahoga county. On the day named the residents along the lake shore of Euclid saw upon the lake a curious kind of a vessel, making what was then considered very rapid progress westward, without the aid of sails, while from a pipe near its middle rolled forth a dark cloud of smoke, which trailed its gloomy length far into the rear of the swift-gliding, mysterious traveler over the deep. They watched its westward course until it turned its prow toward the harbor of Cleveland, and then returned to their labors. Many of them doubtless knew what it was, but some shook their heads in sad surmise as to whether some evil powers were not at work in producing such a strange phenomenon as that, on the bosom of their beloved Lake Erie. Meanwhile the citizens of Cleveland perceived the approaching monster, and hastened to the lake shore to examine it. " What is it ?" " What is it ?" Where did it come from ? What makes it go ? queried one and another of the excited throng. " It's the steamboat, that's what it is ;" cried others in reply. " Yes, yes, it's the steamboat; it's the stoamboat," was the general shout, and with ringing cheers the people welcomed the first vessel propelled by steam which had ever traversed the waters of Lake Erie. The keel had been laid at Black Rock, near Buffalo, in November, 1817, and the vessel had been built during the spring and summer of 1818. It had received the name of " Walk-in-the-Water," from a Wyandot chieftain who was formerly known by that appellation ; which was also extremely appropriate as applied to a vessel which did indeed walk in the water like a thing of life. This harbinger of the numerous steam-leviathans of the upper lakes, and of the immense commerce carried on by them, was of three hundred tons burden, and could carry a hundred cabin passengers and a still larger number in the steerage. Its best speed was from eight to ten miles per hour, and even this was considered something wonderful. All Cleveland swarmed on board to examine the new craft, and many of the leading citizens took passage in it to Detroit, for which place it soon set forth. The work of improvement, as we have said, was all the while going on at a rapid rate although under FROM THE WAR TO THE CANAL - 65 great difficulties. Hardship was the expected lot of the pioneers, but even in the older sections of the county, where good farms had been cleared up, the agriculturist found his vocation an unprofitable one on account of the difficulty of finding a market for his products. In fact, for grain there was almost no market; the only purchasers in this vicinity being the few hundred traders and mechanics who were concentrated at Cleveland and Newburg. Hardly a bushel of wheat or a barrel of flour was shipped down the lake until after the opening of the Erie Banal in 1825; the expense of transportation being so great As to "eat up" the whole price of the article. Some cattle were driven overland to Philadelphia or New York, and hides in considerable quantities, besides the furs- of„ wild animals, were sent down the lake. From an old marine record we find that the articles going down the lake at this period (1815 to 1820) taking one vessel after another, comprised furs, fish, cider, furs, paint, dry goods, furniture, scythes, furs, grindstones, skins, furs, cider, paint, furs, fish, household-goods, grindstones, skins, scythes, coffee, fish, building-stone, crockery, hardware, pork, scythes and clothing. It is difficult to imagine where the coffee and some other articles came from, but probably they had been sent up the lake from the East and were returned for lack of a market. It will be observed that neither potash, pearlash nor " black salts," figure in the list of exports, though these are mentioned by most of the early settlers I have met as being the principal cash articles they could produce. It is probable that it was not till after 1816, (the date of the foregoing list) that black salts, etc., became articles of export from northern Ohio. The upward bound freight at the same time consisted of whisky, dry goods, household goods, naval stores, dry goods, groceries, hardware, salt, fish, spirits, household goods, mill-irons, salt, tea, whisky, butter, whisky; coffee, soap, medicines, groceries, household goods and farm utensils. It will be seen that a good many classes of articles went both ways, but no furs nor skins went up the lake. The lake vessels of the period in question were almost all schooners, the following being a nearly complete list: The schooners "Dolphin," "Diligence," "Erie," " Pomfret," " Weasel," " Widow's Son," " Merry Calvin," " Firefly," " Paulina," " Mink," "Merchant," "Pilot," "Rachel," "Michigan," "Neptune," "Hercules," "Crogham," "Tiger," "Aurora," "Experiment," "Black Snake," "Ranger," "Fiddler" and "Champion;" also the sloops ''Venus," "American Eagle," " Perseverance," " Nightingale " and " Black River Packet." The solitary steamer has already been mentioned. Whatever freight was brought to Cleveland at this period from the adjoining counties was carried (except when there was sleighing) on big vehicles, called Pennsylvania " or " Conestoga" wagons, drawn by four or six horses. A solid vehicle and a strong team were absolutely necessary, especially in spring and autumn, to make any headway at all along the fearful roads, covered knee-deep or more with mud, which traversed northern Ohio. Even in summer these rude highways were by no Means easy to travel. It is narrated that in 1819 resident of Hudson, Summit county, who had a fine team of which he was especially proud, drove up to the door of Noble H. Merwin's hotel in Cleveland, just as the guests of the latter were sitting down to supper. "Ah!" said the landlord, "are you just from Hudson?" "Yes," replied the traveler. "How long have you been on the road?" queried Merwin. " Oh, I came through to-day," responded the other with manifest pride. "What!" exclaimed mine host, " came through from Hudson in one day—you don't say so?" " Fact, upon honor," responded the owner of the team. "Come out here; come out here," cried the excited landlord to the occupants of the supper table; " here is a man who has come through from Hudson today;" and forthwith all rushed out to gaze on this extraordinary phenomena. As the distance from Cleveland to Hudson was only twenty-four miles, it may be presumed that the roads mast have been something terrible to make such a day's journey seem remarkable. The second newspaper in the county, and the oldest one now surviving, was the Cleveland Herald, which was first published in 1819. In the early files we have found many incidents bearing upon the history of the county at that period. The militia was then an institution of much more consequence than at present, and the number of divisions, brigades and regiments, with their corresponding major-generals, brigadier-generals and colonels was something almost tremendous. Among numerous other eases we notice that in June, 1820, Colonel Daniel Miles was elected brigadier-general in place of General Lewis R. Dille, of Euclid, resigned. The "general training" of those days was next to the 4th of July the great holiday of the summer season. When a regiment of four hundred or five hundred men, dressed in sheep's gray and blue jeans, and many of them in their shirt sleeves, armed with rifles, muskets and fowling-pieces of every pattern, stood in irregular line in some convenient meadow, while the colonel, glorious in brass buttons, with epaulets as large as tea-plates, and a cocked hat of tremendous circumference, dashed up and down the lines on the best farm horse to be obtained for love or money—ah, then indeed the assembled boyhood of all the country round felt that the acme of glory had been reached, and that with such defenders Columbia was safe from all her foes. But the most dangerous foes of the people of Cuyahoga at this time were not the embattled legions of 66 - GENERAL HISTORY OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY Europe, but the wolves which devoured their sheep and the bears which ate up their hogs. To reduce the number of these enemies, to obtain their skins and to supply themselves with venison, as well as for the sport afforded, hundreds of young and middle-aged men mace a specialty of hunting during the winter months. But there were in some localities large tracts which, usually on account of their swampy nature; were the especial resort of wild animals. Occasionally, after the farmers' sheep had suffered severely from wolves which harbored in such a tract, the people would turn out from far and near to surround and clear out the haunt of the marauders. The most celebrated of all these grand battucs in this part of the State was the " Hinckley 'hunt," which took place in December, 1818. The township of Hinckley, which was the scene of the great raid, was just outside of Cuyahoga county; lying immediately south of Royalton, and being now the northeasternmost township of Medina county-yet as huntsmen participated in it from all parts of Cuyahoga, even from as far as Euclid, we have chosen it as a specimen of the onslaughts occasionally made on the denizens of the forest by the pioneers of northern Ohio. Notice having been given throughout Cuyahoga and Medina counties, including the present county of Summit, nearly five hundred hunters, all eager for the fray, assembled one cold morning in December on the borders of the wolf-haunted township. A commander in chief was chosen by universal suffrage, as well as four captains, one for each side of the area to be enclosed. 'Squire Ferris, of Royalton, was the captain on the northern side. Then the commander sent his companies to the right and left, and in due time the whole township was enclosed by what in military phrase would be called a skirmish line, with the men fifteen or twenty rods apart. There was at that time only one family living in Hinckley ; so that the assailants had a clear field. Next, the word was started from the northeast corner of the township, "All ready." "All ready," repeated the men, one after another, and the word quickly went around the township and came back to the northeast corner. " Forward march !" shouted the chief. " Forward march !" repeated the men in succession, and the four lines moved forward toward the center of the township. At intervals along the line good woodsmen were placed, with special instructions to take a straight direction to the center of Hinckley, to whose movement the others were directed to conform, gradually closing up as they progressed. The venerable Abial Haynes, of Strongsville, though then but a youth, was one of the linesmen, or "guides," and has given us a description of the prinoipal events of this exciting day. Ere the lines had marched a mile toward the center a few deer were seen, a part of which were killed while others sped away in the opposite direction from the crackling rifles. After the first mile bears began to be observed. Mr. Haynes and John Hilliard met one and both fired at once, at a distance of a few rods. Both balls struck him and lie fell, but immediately scrambled up and "loped " back into the forest. He was soon killed, however, and was found to weigh six hundred pounds ; being almost as heavy as a small ox. The lines marched on and deer became extremely numerous, while bear were quite frequent. There was a continuous fusilade along the line as bucks, and does, and fawns fell in rapid succession before the rifles of the hunters. Those that did not fall generally ran back from the line of death-dealing riflemen, but occasionally some brave old buck would fling his antlered head aloft, burst through the line of his foes, perchance escape their bullets, and dash away to seek a more healthy residence. Turkies, too, flew up in enormous numbers; so that it was said in somewhat exaggerated phrase that every bullet fired that day killed a turkey. Turkies and deer were so numerous that their deaths caused no excitement, but when a bear curled up to die a triumphant shout R as raised by his conquerors, which was echoed far along the line. All this while not a wolf was to be seen ; the wary rascals snuffed danger from afar and retreated as fast as possible from the sound of the deadly rifles. As wolves were the very animals it was most desirable to kill, some disappointment was felt at their non-appearance, but the old hunters were certain they had retreated toward the center and encouraged the others to press on. When within about two miles of the middle of the township the fun became fast and furious The men were now but four or five rods apart and it was very difficult for anything to escape between them. Nevertheless, at one time fifty or sixty deer, in one frightened herd, made a dash at the line ; the antlered leaders bounding five or six feet from the ground, and all snorting with frantic terror. Most of them escaped, in spite of the rattling fusilade with which they were assailed-on either side. Scarce a moment passed in which a deer was not seen bounding with all the speed of terror through the forest, or a bear- lumbering along at his best pace, but far too slowly to escape the vengeance of his unsparing foes. Crack ! crack ! went the rifles with soarcely a moment's intermission; corpses strewed the ground on every side and the excited hunters, with all the enthusiasm of victorious soldiers, pressed forward with flying feet. Still no wolves. When the last square mile in the oenter of the township was reached the deer had entirely disappeared ; all were slain or had broken through the lines and escaped. The bears, too, had become scarce; only three or four being killed on the last square mile: The men were now within a few paces of each other, and eager as so many bloodhounds. At length a gaunt gray form was seen gliding among the trees. FROM THE WAR TO THE CANAL - 67 "A wolf ! a wolf !" cried those who saw it. Half a dozen rifles were fired at once, and the enemy of the sheep-fold was numbered with the slain. Another and another mere soon seen and dispatched. As the deadly lines, now closing into a circle, pressed forward to the center, the grisly prowlers were seen running hither and thither, as terrified as the lambs they had formerly pursued. Caution was now necessary lest the bullets of the hunters should wound their friends on the other side of the circle, but caution was a diffioult virtue among such an excited and jubilant crowd. However, it must have been exercised to some extent ; for none of the hunters were killed or wounded. At last the triumphant riflemen closed swiftly in together, the last wolf went down beneath their bullets, the circle, became a baud, and a succession of ringing cheers gave vent to their excited feelings. On counting up their victims, eight wolves were found (all killed on the last square mile); a number which, though not large in comparison with that of the other animals, was sufficient to carry destruction into hundreds of flocks of sheep. Twenty bears were also found " weltering in their gore" on the field of battle, eighteen of which were drawn together and flung into a shaggy heap. Of deer, no less than two hundred and sixty were drawn together in the same manner. The hunters certainly could not complain that this was " not a good day for deer." As we have before mentioned, many of these fleet-footed foresters escaped, but Mr. Haines stated that he believed that all of the bears and wolves in' the township were killed. At all events the hunt completely broke up the haunt of wolves which had previously existed there, and for a time, at least, there was peace for the neighboring sheep. There were other grand baitues of the same description in and near the county, but the Hinckley hunt was the most celebrated and most successful of them all, and its description will suffice for either of the others. In 1820 a step farther in advance was made when a line of coaches was put on the route from: Cleveland to Columbus, passing through the townships of Brooklyn, Parma, the corner of Royalton, Strongsville, and so on through Medina county. Those were direful times for travelers. In summer the big coaches bowled along with comparative ease, save when one of the wheels jolted over the root of an overshadowing oak, or collided with the stump of a lately felled beech. Even these disturbances did not prevent the closely packed passengers from beguiling their way with many a pleasant tale, until " stage-coach stories " have become renowned for their wit and jollity. In winter, too, by curling up in the bottom of the sleigh, surrounded with plenty of buffalo and bear skins, the travelers could generally manage to perform their journey with considerable rapidity, and without more discomfort than an occasional "frosted" ear or nose. But alas for the unfortunate man doomed to a stage-coach journey in the spring or fall. He was sure to be called on to go on foot a large portion of the time, and was often expected to shoulder a rail and carry it from mudhole to mudhole, to pry out the vehicle in which he was in theory supposed to be riding. " To go on foot and carry a rail," and to pay a stage company for the privilege, was a mode of traveling very widely celebrated but extremely unpleasant. Not only were roads poor. but bridges were scarce. There was not one across the Cuyahoga river in the county. A notice was published in April, 1820, by which "all having an interest in or wishes concerning the building of a bridge across the river at or near Cleveland are requested to meet at the court-house, to consult in relation thereto." As a marked example of what must seem to our readers the extreme slowness with which the news was carried in those days, we may mention that while King George the Third, of England, died on the 29th day of January, 1820, the announoement of his death was not made in the Cleveland Herald until the 28th of March, (two months lacking a day after the event took place). The commerce of the lake slowly but steadily increased. The Herald of April 25, 1820, reported the following clearances at the "port of Cuyahoga" in a single week: Cleared; schooner "Fairplay," Johnson master, loaded with pork, flour, whisky and passengers; schooner " Commodore Perry," Tayler master, for Detroit, loaded with flour, beef, cattle, etc.; schooner "American Eagle," Gaylord master, loaded with produce; schooner "Friendship," Kelly master, also loaded with produce. The arrival of some of the same vessels from Detroit was noted, but the nature of their cargoes was not mentioned. It will be observed that flour is spoken of as going both up and down the lake. In the latter case it was doubtless used by the garrisons of the posts on the upper lakes, or by the settlers of Michigan who had not yet raised crops. This was about the beginning of the great trade in grain and breadstuffs along the upper lakes, which has already grown to such enormous proportions. In this year (1820) the first legislative action was taken in regard to the construction of a canal from Lake Erie to the Ohio river. An act was passed by the legislature providing for the appointment of three canal commissioners, who were authorized to employ a competent engineer and assistants, for the purpose of making preliminary surveys of some of the routes considered most available for the proposed work. In 1822 Hon. Alfred Kelly, of Cleveland, was appointed one of the canal commissioners, and for many years thereafter was busily and zealously engaged in forwarding the construction of the canal, and in other public services. Hon. James Geddes, of New York, one of the principal engineers of the Erie canal, was employed to make a survey of the routes of the Ohio canal. 68 - GENERAL HISTORY OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY Prices of all kinds of farm produce were exceedingly low; the following being a list of the prices paid in Cleveland in January, 1822: Flour, two dollars and a half per barrel; wheat, thirty-seven cents to fifty cents per bushel; rye, thirty-one cents; corn, twenty-five cents; oats, nineteen cents; beans, fifty cents; flax seed, fifty cents; peas, forty-four to fifty cents; rye, thirty-one cents; butter, eight to ten cents per pound; cheese, four to six cents; lard, four to five cents; pork, two to three and a half cents; beef, three to four cents; tallow, eight to ten cents; whisky, twenty to twenty-six cents per gallon; wood, thirty to fifty cents per cord; hay, six to seven dollars per ton. It was pretty hard to raise wheat and sell it for thirty-seven. cents a bushel, but on the other hand with whisky only twenty cents a gallon the people were doubtless reasonably happy. For there is no use in evading the unquestionable fact —the sturdy pioneers who destroyed the wild beasts, leveled the forests and subdued the virgin soil of Cuyahoga county, were as a general rule decidedly fond of whisky. Every township had one or more distilleries, where the article was manufactured in the cheapest possible manner, and each had plenty of customers in its own vicinity. Whisky was an important item at every "raising" or "logging-bee," or other assemblage of the people, and was in frequent use in the houses of the most reputable classes. It should be remembered, however, that men who spent twelve hours a day chopping, logging, plowing, 'splitting rails, etc., could more easily "work off" the effect of frequent drams of liquor than could their degenerate descendants, who think eight hours constitutes a hard day's work, and many of whom do no hard work at all. General training was one of the occasions at which a liberal use of whisky was considered to be the proper thing, notwithstanding the requirements of discipline. The officers couldn't keep whisky out of camp, although there was an abundant supply of those dignitaries. This was a part of the ninth division, Ohio militia. Among the numerous notices and orders which appeared within a few months, in 1822, we observe one directing the members of the first company of cavalry, second brigade, ninth division, Ohio militia, to hold an election for company officers at the court-house; signed by the brigadier-general, per John W. Wiley, aide. Also one requiring the first artillery company of the first regiment, fourth brigade, etc., to meet to elect officers; signed by P. M. Weddell, captain. Another ordering the company officers of the first regiment, etc., to meet to elect a major; signed by P. Baldwin, colonel. A short time afterwards the following staff and non-commissioned-staff officers of the first regiment were announced by II. Wellman, colonel: Donald McIntosh, surgeon; S. A. Henderson, surgeon's mate; Runey R. Baldwin, adjutant; John H. Camp, quartermaster; Horace Perry, paymaster; William S. Chapman, sergeant-major; John O. Millard, fife-major; Barzilla B. Burk, drum-major. Capital of all kinds was scarce, and this fact of course retarded the general progress of the county. Yet the absence of large amounts of capital encouraged men with a little money to embark in various small industries, in different parts of the county, which have now passed away. If a man wanted to start a little business of any kind, and had barely enough to begin with, he could go ahead in comparative safety; there was no danger of any "bloated capitalist" crushing out his enterprise by driving him into a hopeless competition. Thus Leonard Marsilliott, of Euclid, for a long time maintained a stoneware factory in that township, which had a wide reputation for the excellence of its productions. A little later there was a ship and boat- building establishment in the same township, more fully described in the special history of Euclid. Another industry of the period (1822, etc.)—a somewhat curious one—was a castor-oil factory, situated in the township of Brooklyn, a mile from Cleveland. That fragrant business, we imagine, has entirely passed away from the county. We now come to a material change in the western boundaries of Cuyahoga county. By a law passed on the 26th day of December, 1822, the county of Lorain was established. It embraced a large part of Huron county, and took from Cuyahoga the townships of Troy (now Avon), Ridgeville, Eaton, Columbia, and the west part of Lenox (now Olmstead). It will be observed that Troy (Avon) and Ridgeville then extended to Black river, which was the western boundary of Cuyahoga county. The new county was not organized at that time, and the townships named in the last paragraph remained temporarily attached to Cuyahoga county. A list of the civil townships of the latter county, which appeared in October, 1823, was as follows: Cleveland, Chagrin (now Willoughby), Brooklyn, Brecksville, Bedford, Columbia, Dover, Euclid, Eaton, Independence, Mayfield, Newburg, Orange, Ridgeville, Royalton, Rockport, Strongsville, Troy (Avon), and Warrensville. Nineteen in all; the same number as there are at present (aside from Cleveland)-the number of those which have been detached having been made good by new formations. . On the first day of April, 1824, Lorain county was duly organized, and the territory above described was permanently detached from Cuyahoga county. The west half of Lenox (Olmstead) was then made a part of Ridgeville, Lorain county, while the east half was attached to Middleburg, Cuyahoga county. We said the territory in question was "permanently" detached from Cuyahoga county. That is to say, the detachment was intended to be permanent, but in regard to the west half of Lenox it was not so. The residents of Lenox were much dissatisfied with the decree which had cut their thriving young township in twain, and had placed the severed halves in FROM THE WAR TO THE CANAL - 69 cured the passage of an act, dated January 29,1827, by which the west half of the township in question was set back into Cuyahoga, where the two portions, once more united, became the township of Olmstead, . as narrated in sits special history. The facts mentioned in this paragraph are a little in advance of the period allotted to the present chapter, but we want to close the account in regard to the western boundary of the county. No changes have been made in it from the reannexation of the west half of Lenox to the present time. From a casual record we learn that the white males, over twenty-one years of age, resident in Cuyahoga county in 1823, numbered sixteen hundred and fifty- five; an average of eighty-seven to each of the nineteen townships.' Another record of the same year mentions that the State had directed the laying out of a "free road" from Cleveland through Newburg, Bedford and Solon, and so on southeast, striking the Ohio river in Columbiana county. Samuel Cowles, Esq., of Cleveland, was one of the commissioners to lay it out. The first movement was also made this year to turnpike the stage road running from Cleveland southwest through Brooklyn, Parma and Strongsville; and thence through Medina to Wooster, the county seat of Wayne county. A company was formed, called the Wayne, Medina and Cuyahoga Turnpike Company, and in April, 1823, the books were opened to receive subscriptions to the stock. The movement was a success, and the turnpike in question became one of the great highways of the State. By this time, thirteen years after the advent of Dr. David Long, the first physician in the county, the doctors of this and Medina counties (which, by a law of the State, constituted the nineteenth medical district of Ohio) had become sufficiently numerous to organize a medical society, and did so in May, 1823. Dr. Long was the first president. In the autumn of 1824 took place the great quadrangular contest for the presidency between Henry Clay; John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson and John C. Calhoun. The last named gentleman received no votes in this county. Of the others, strange as it may seem, Jackson received very few votes; the strength of the county being divided between Clay and Adams, with the former as a decided favorite. The following table shows the vote by townships. The. township of Chagrin (now Willoughby) was included in the list, casting ninety-eight votes, but we have omitted it in order to show the number cast in the territory- now constituitng Cuyahoga county, except tho west half of Olmstead, then attached to Lorain county, and containing but very few voters. It will, perhaps, surprise some of our readers to learn that as late as 1824 the township of Euclid cast seventeen votes (about fifteen per cent.) more than Cleveland, but such was the fact. While the agricultural townships made steady progress after the war of 1812, the growth of Cleveland was extremely slow down to the year 1825. It should be remembered, however, that Euclid at that time included the greater part of the present township of East Cleveland. In this year (1824) an act was passed directing the laying out of another State road; running from Cleveland through Warrensville . and Orange, and thence nearly due east to Kinsman, on the eastern line of the State. It was called the Kinsman road, and the westernmost part of it is now known as Kinsman street, in the city of Cleveland. The winter of 1824-5 was celebrated for its mildness, and the Cleveland Herald of December 8th records that violets, pinks and marigolds were then in bloom, that pea vines had pods half-grown upon them, and most remarkable of all that ripe strawberries, grown in the open air, had lately been brought into the office. During the previous five years engineers had been at work, more or less, making preliminary surveys for the great Ohio canal. Public opinion, too, had been steadily growing more favorable to the proposed enterprise, and at length, on the 4th of February, 1825, a law was passed authorizing the canal commissioners to build a canal along the Scioto and Muskingum valleys, and thence north to Lake Erie. The commissioners were left free to choose, as to the northern part, between the route by the Cuyahoga valley to Cleveland, and that through Wooster, and down the valley of Black river to its mouth. The seven commissioners (of whom Alfred Kelley, of Cleveland, was one of the most influential), reported in favor of the superior cheapness and convenience of the Cuyahoga route, and it was formally adopted. This opens a new era in the history of the county, and we will, therefore, at this point begin a new chapter. 70 - GENERAL HISTORY OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY CHAPTER XIII. PROGRESS, INFLATION AND "HARD TIMES." Work begun on the Canal—Growth of Cleveland—Completion of Erie Canal— First Appropriation for Harbor--The "Superior "—Increasing Business—" Black Salts "—Cleveland and Newburg--Contest over Court-House— Cleveland Successful—Erecting New Court House" The Blue Jug "—Cuyahoga County Colonization Society—The Canal opened to Akron— Celebration under Difficulties—Trade with the Northwest —A County Wolf-Bounty— Horse Thieves and Counterfeiters—Discount on Bank Bills—Hard Times for Creditors—Rails at Ten Cents Each—Sale of Western Reserve School Lands—Land begins to rise—Laying out of Ohio City—Modest Railroads—Others not so Modest—The Ohio Railroad—The Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus Road—The Cleveland, Warren and Pittsburg Road—The "Flush Times "—Immense Increase of Paper Money—Inflation of Values— Special Speculation on the Cuyahoga—The Climax in 1830—The Great Crash in 1837— Failure of Banks and Individuals —Stoppage of Public Works—" Hard Times "—The Patriot War—Deer feeding with the Cows. WORK was speedily commenced at various points along the route of the canal; ground being broken at Cleveland on the 4th of July, 1825. At that time begins the rapid growth of Cleveland. Though laid out nearly thirty years before, it was in 1825 a mere village of five or six hundred inhabitants; but from the beginning of the Ohio canal to the present time its growth has been one of the marvels even of the marvelous West. In the autumn of the same year The Erie canal was completed, and boats were set running between Albany and Buffalo. This opened a market for those agricultural productions of northern Ohio which could reach the lake, and a decided improvement in prices was the result. In this year, also, the first appropriation was made by the general government for a harbor at Cleveland. The circumstances connected with its construction are given in detail in the history of the city. The "Walk-in-the-Water" had been wrecked, but a new steamer, the "Superior," had taken its place. In 1826 the " Henry Clay " came out, and from that time there was a very rapid growth of the steam marine on Lake Erie. All these things greatly increased the travel over the roads of Cuyahoga county. Not only were the farmers of the county eager to reach a port where they could exchange their productions' for imported articles, but the slow ̊Pennsylvania Germans of northeastern Ohio, in large numbers, drove their big wagons, with enormously-wide tires, over the muddy roads through Orange, Solon, Warrensville, Bedford, Newburg, etc., to the mouth of the Cuyahoga.; inquiring there for "de John Blair vat kips de vite fishes," a favorite dealer of the olden time. There they unloaded their flour and wheat, and loaded up with fish, salt, etc. Sometimes three barrels of flour were given for one barrel of salt. By this time the manufacture of "black salts," potash and pearlash had become an important industry. The clearing of the land of timber furnished an immense quantity of ashes on nearly every farm; for even those who had quite old locations were constantly clearing off new lots. The ashes being leached, the ley was boiled down into a dark solid, known as "black salts." This was usually sold to the owner of a local ashery, frequently the village merchant, who made it into potash or pearlash and sent it east for sale. It could be transported at slight expense, and would always bring cash at some price: consequently many a farmer who could only trade his wheat or oats for " store-pay" of some kind, was obliged to depend on his " black salts" for the money to pay his taxes, and for a few other necessary expenses which must be met with cash. By 1826 the people had become satisfied that a new court-house was indispensable for the rising business of the county. As on the erection of the first one in 1812, so again, there was a sharp dispute whether the new one should be located at Cleveland or Newburg. For a long time the latter had been superior to the former in population, business and prosperity. Cleveland was now increasing much the more rapidly, and bade fair to be an important place, yet Newburg was more centrally located, and a large proportion of the inhabitants favored the removal of the county-seat to that point. The power to make the location was vested in the county commissioners. One of these died, and of the two others, one favored Cleveland and one Newburg as the county seat. An election to fill the vacancy came of in 1826. It turned entirely on the county-seat question, one candidate being a friend of Cleveland and one of Newburg, and a very hot contest was the result. The Cleveland man was elected by a small majority. The next year, 1827, a new, brick court-house was begun, situated in the southwest part of the public square at Cleveland, across the street from the front of the present Forest City House. It was completed in 1828, and the first court was held in it on the 28th of October in that year. This was the scene of the administration of justice for Cuyahoga county for thirty years. It was a two-story brick building, with a wooden cupola, standing with its face toward the lake, and was considered a very elegant structure. The lower story was divided into rooms for the accommodation of the various county officers, while the upper story served as a court room. Four years later a substantial stone jail was erected on the ground south of the southwest corner of the square; being in rear of the court-house and across the street from it. This was a gloomy-looking structure, and was commonly called " The Blue Jug." Among the events of fifty years ago, one which now seems separated by an immense gulf from the ideas of the present day was the organization, in 1827, of the Cuyahoga County Colonization Society; a branch of the national institution of that name, designed to promote the removal of the colored people to Africa. It was generally considered to be favorable to their freedom, as it was supposed that many Southerners would be willing to emancipate their slaves if assured that they would not remain in the PROGRESS, INFLATION AND “HARD TIMES” - 71 country; yet the strong abolitionists were decidedly opposed to it. At the meeting' for the purpose of organization, in this county, an address was delivered by the Rev. William Stone, and a prayer by the Rev. S. J. Bradstreet. Samuel Cowles, Esq., was ohosen president; Rev. Randolph Stone, Hon. Nemiah Allen, Datus Kelley, Josiah Barber and Gen. Lewis R. Dille, vice presidents; A. W. Walworth, treasurer; James S. Clarke, secretary, and Mordecai Bartley, delegate to the national society. On the Fourth of July in this year, (1827,) just two years after ground was broken on the Ohio canal at Cleveland, it was technically "opened for navigation" from Cleveland to Akron with a grand celebration. It was opened under difficulties, however; for the two northernmost locks, which connected the canal with the Cuyahoga river at Cleveland, were not yet completed. But Noble H. Merwin, of the last named place, was determined that there should be a big celebration, not only over the canal but on the canal, on the Fourth of July of that year. So he had the canal-packet " Pioneer" brought from Buffalo, took it up the river above the locks, and hauled it with teams over the embankment into the canal. Thence a large party of the principal people of Cleveland went up the canal on the " Pioneer," till they met the boat " Allen Trimble," from Akron, having on board the person for whom it was named, who was then governor of Ohio, together with the canal commissioners and many others from the central parts of the S tate. Flags fluttered gayly in the breeze, cannon thundered their boisterous welcome, speeches full of roseate prophesy were made, and all were intensely enthusiastic over the great event of the day. Such enthusiasm over such a cause may seem over strained in these fast times, when railroads have absorbed nearly all the commerce of this region, and the canals are looked on as extremely old fogyish institutions. Nevertheless the Fourth day of July, 1827, was a great day for northern Ohio. An immense tract, previously almost entirely isolated, was provided with the means of transporting its produce to the markets of the East, and every kind of business showed an immediate and very marked improvement in consequence. It is doubtful if railroads would have been built as soon as they were, had not the wealth of the country first been largely increased by the construction of canals. The Ohio canal was completed through the State in five years afterward, and its increased business nearly all poured through Cuyahoga county to seek Lake Erie. Besides the trade with the East, which was so rapidly being developed at this period, there was also a strong demand for breadstuffs and other articles to send to the distant regions eft the Northwest, which the farmers farther up the lakes were unable to supply. In 1827 the Hudson Bay Company advertised for a thousand bushels of white, flint corn, two hundred bushels of other corn, and two hundred barrels of flour, besides considerable quantities of salt, pork, tallow, tobacco, highwines, etc. Large quantities of produce were also sent to emigrants in Michigan and other Territories, who had not yet raised crops large enough for their own support. Notwithstanding all this commercial activity, and notwithstanding the zeal of the pioneers with their rifles, wolves still glided through the forest in many townships, and made rapid slaughter upon any unguarded sheep they could discover. In 1827 the county commissioners offered a bounty of fifteen dollars for the scalp of every wolf slain in the county. Many of the townships also gave from five to ten dollars per scalp, so that wolf-hunting was sometimes quite a profitable business. Crimes, too, were not unknown in those "good old times," to which so many look back with fond regret as to an Elysian age. Perhaps there were not as many high-toned criminals—official defaulters and gentlemanly murderers-as there are now, but good, plain thieves were as plentiful as any reasonable person could desire. The more daring class devoted themselves largely to horse-stealing, and throughout the West the professors of that art were united in a great fraternity, members of which, of apparently respectable character, were to be found in nearly every township. Many a horse, which suddenly left its owner's pasture in the dark and was followed with hue and ory by himself and his neighbors, went no farther than the next township, where it was quietly kept till the storm had blown over, in the stable of some respectable justice of the peace or venerable deacon of the church. The less courageous or more skillful rascals usually devoted themselves to the manufacture of counterfeit money. The " dollar of our fathers" was very apt to be a bogus article. There were reported to be places where bad money was coined in Brecksville, in Royalton, in Middleburg, and doubtless in other secluded localities. The machinery of the Middleburg institution was found, long after it had been abandoned, on a small island in the midst of a large swamp in that township. Counterfeit half-dollars were the favorite productions of these unlawful mints, though other silver coins were frequently imitated. It was said that large orders for bad silver came from Pennsylvania, where no bank-bills of less than five dollars were allowed to circulate. Prosecutions were extremely difficult, as the criminals were frequently men of some local and political influence, and " straw bail" was readily accepted by the officials. We do not learn so much about counterfeiting bank- bills in those days; partly, doubtless, because that business required more expense and skill than was available in this region, and partly because Ohio bank bills were so poor that it was not very profitable to counterfeit them. The ordinary discount on them in 72 - GENERAL HISTORY OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY. 1830 was from twenty-five to thirty per cent., and in some cases it was much larger. A respectable rascal would naturally be ashamed to counterfeit such money as that. Debts against individuals were frequently even less valuable than these heavily discounted bank-bills. We have noticed in a previous chapter that a representative from Cuyahoga county made the first movement ever made-so far as known—looking to the abolition of imprisonment for debt. By 1830 Ohio had gone to the extreme of liberality toward debtors, and by means of stay-laws and provisions for appraisals had made it almost impossible to collect an account under any circumstances. A Cleveland merchant had a claim of seventy- five dollars against a resident of Middleburg. Being unable to collect it, he sued it, obtained a judgment and directed a Middleburg constable to sell the personal property of the defendant. At the time fixed for the sale the Clevelander went out on horseback to attend it. By law the constable was authorized to appraise the property at what he might consider a reasonable price, and below which it could not be sold. When the creditor arrived, he found that the complaisant official had appraised an old watch, worth about five dollars, at twenty dollars; a dog, probably worth live cents, at ten dollars; a lot of rails at ten cents each, and other things in proportion. Of course a sale was impossible, as no one would bid half of the appraised value, and the unlucky creditor returned home in disgust; the only result of the trip being that his horse had torn off, on the corduroy which formed a large portion of the road, three of the four new shoes which guarded his feet on starting. Among the various cessions of land occurring in connection with the final settlement of the title to the Northwestern Territory, congress assigned fifty- six thousand acres in what was known as the Virginia Military District, for the benefit of the schools of the Western Reserve. In 1831, Harvey Rice, Esq., of Cleveland, was appointed an agent by the State to convert them into money. He opened an office at Millersburg, Holmes county, in the district in question, and in three years sold all the lands and paid into the treasury of the State abont a hundred and fifty thousand dollars, to be devoted to the exclusive purpose of educating the children of the Western Reserve. By 1831, land began to rise throughout the country, in consequence of the stimulus supplied by internal improvements, especially canals, which were being constructed in numerous localities. The rise was especially noticeable wherever it was supposed that a city might he constructed, and the point at the mouth of the Cuyahoga was not neglected. An association of Bit ffalonians, known as the Buffalo Company, bought a tract on the west side of the river, and soon afterwards "Ohio City" was laid out at that point. Farmers, too, began to think that they were to be come wealthy by the rise of their land, and at every little village, especially along the canals and rivers, people began to discuss the probability of the construction of a large town there. In 1832, the Ohio canal was finished from Lake -Erie to the Ohio river, and its commerce rapidly increased to large proportions. In two years after its completion the freight carried upon it amounted to half a million bushels of wheat, a hundred thousand barrels of flour, a million pounds of butter and near seventy thousand pounds of cheese, with other things in proportion. Even this would not be considered very remarkable now, but at that time it made the people stare with wonder and filled their minds with hopes of unlimited riches. In 1834 a proposition was made to incorporate a city which should include both Cleveland and Ohio City, but the leading men on the two sides of the river were unable to agree on the terms of union or the boundaries, and the whole project fell through. In 1835 the first railroad, the Cleveland and Newburg, was incorporated in the county. It was built soon afterwards, and was operated for several years, though only by horse power ; being used for hauling stone and lumber, and occasionally for the carriage of passengers. The Cleveland and Bedford railroad was also incorporated the same year, but was never built. It will be seen that the first beginnings of railroading in this region were very modest, and such were generally its characteristics throughout the country. People planned canals hundreds of miles in length, and constructed them according to the plans, but railroads were awe-inspiring undertakings, and men usually built them from one village to the next one ; if that operation worked well they extended the work to another village, and so on. But in this wide-awake region they soon grew more enterprising ; as will speedily be seen. Another cautious attempt at railroading was made about the same time by constructing a tramway, with wooden rails and operated by horse-power, running from the public square at Cleveland up Euclid street, (avenues were then unknown,) and out on the Euclid road, four miles, to the " Doan's Corners" of the early settlers, which " high-toned " people then began to call " East Cleveland." But the tide of enterprise and even of reckless speculation was rapidly rising, and a much more ambitious project, rather an exception to the usual railroad enterprises of the day, was soon set on foot. This was the " Ohio Railroad," designed to run from the Pennsylvania line to Toledo, close along the lake shore ; a large part of it being intended to be on piles. Considerable work was done on it, but no iron was laid, and it was abandoned at the time of the great crash which will be mentioned a little farther on. Its oorporate rights were transferred to the Junction Railroad Company, and through it to the Cleveland and Toledo, and finally to the Lake Shore and Southern Michigan Company. PROGRESS, INFLATION AND “HARD TIMES” - 73 At the same prolific period a project was started for a railroad from Cleveland to Cincinnati. The late Hon. John Barr visited Cincinnati, getting up petitions in favor of the road, and also spent considerable time at Columbus. The legislature of 1836. readily granted a charter for the proposed road, and also one for the Cleveland, Warren and Pittsburg road, and Mr. Barr brought the first copies of both charters to Cleveland. The last mentioned road was to run from Cleveland through Warren to the State line, connecting there with a road to Pittsburg, or to any other point on the Ohio river. Its charter was extremely liberal, and is a good specimen of the kind of legislation prevalent in those halcyon days. It allowed the president and directors to create and sell stock as in their judgment the occasion might require,: without limit as to amount, except that it must not exceed the needs of the company. They had also full power to select a route, condemn land, occupy the road, and transport persons or property by steam, animal or other power. The projectors were as modest in the estimate of cost, however, as could well be desired. They calculated the expense at seven thousand, dollars per mile, though in fact it was more likely to have been twenty thousand. These were the celebrated "flush times; " the period when speculation raged more fiercely— when every one got richer on paper—than was ever the case in the United States either before or since. John Law's Mississippi scheme and South Sea bubble, as exploited among the excitable French, could alone outdo the great land-speculation and business-speculation of 1835, '36 and '37. The closing of the United States Bank had been followed by the chartering of an immense number of State banks, some of which had a small amount of capital, more of which had a still smaller amount, and most of which had substantially no capital at all. In the West and South this was peculiarly the case, though the East was by no means free from it. The poorer a region was the more banks it had. Their paper was accepted everywhere with the most sublime confidence; private credit was almost unlimited, business was going ahead at a tremendous rate, and everybody was getting rich—in imagination--- with unparalleled speed. Eras of inflation, somewhat similar in general character to that one, have been known since then, but none that approached it in the degree of expansion. Of course any place marked out by nature for the site of a great city was, with its vicinity, the scene of an especial energy of speculation. The location at the month of the Cuyahoga was not only thus designated by nature, but, by the construction of the canal, had been made in the eyes of the public the future great city of northern Ohio. This was enough. It made no difference to the speculators that northern Ohio could not then sustain a large city; that there was neither agriculture, manufactures nor even commerce to produce such a result. Their own roseate hopes colored everything on which they looked, and they saw the few thou.: sand people already there expanding to a hundred thousand with unspeakable rapidity; while stately churches, palatial residences and six-story business blocks should overshadow the turbid waters and adorn the rolling uplands of the Cuyahoga. Those of them who lived long did see all this, but not then. The climax of the speculation was in 1836. Not only in Cleveland, but to a less degree in every little village throughout the county, people expected to make their fortune by buying land, holding it a year or two, and selling it at ten or twenty times the purchase price; even the farmers were not free from the infection. Produce of every kind emulated the balloon-like tendency of real estate. The whole country, (and especially the tract on the main line of communication between the East and the West, which then as now ran along the southern shore of Lake Erie), was in a ferment of unlimited money-making on paper, and debt-making in fact. In 1837 the crash came. The inflation by means of plentiful but baseless paper money had been carried as far as it could, and the bubble burst. Nearly all the banks in the country speedily went down under the storm. Private credit was found equally valueless. The whole country staggered under the blow, but of course it was felt with the greatest severity in the West, where there was but little accumulated capital to withstand such a shock, and where the enthusiastic nature of the people had caused them to plunge most deeply into the tide of speculation. Nearly every business man in Cuyahoga county failed. All the great railroad enterprises of which we have spoken—the Ohio railroad, the Cleveland, Warren and Pittsburg road, and the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati road—stopped as if smitten with paralysis, and not a stroke of work was done upon them for years afterward. Numerous buildings in town and country, in various stages of progress, stayed their upward course when the financial collapse palsied their owners' hands, and long remained, abandoned and unfinished, " the mournful monuments of: their intended greatness." The period was long afterward designated as par excellence "The Hard Times," and no one ever disputed the propriety of the appellation. Other times have been "hard," but no others have approached in adamantine solidity the dreadful period from 1837 to 1840. During the winter of 1837-8 there was great excitement along the whole northern frontier in relation to what was known as the Patriot war—the effort of a small portion of the Canadians to sever the Canadas from the mother country. The few " patriots " depended principally on the assistance they received from sympathizers on. this side. On both the Niagara and the Detroit frontiers there was a good deal of mustering and marching, and a very little fighting, and even in this vicinity, notwithstanding the inter- 74 - GENERAL HISTORY OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY vention of the lake, there were a good many efforts to afford aid to those whom a majority of our people looked upon as battling in the cause of freedom. Henry H. Dodge, of Cleveland, was elected by the legislature major general of the ninth division of the Ohio militia, and especially charged with the maintenance of order along the frontier. His delicate, if not arduous, duties were discharged in a manner entirely satisfactory to both the governor of Ohio and the authorities of Canada. There being a sad lack of rebels in Canada, the rebellion was easily extinguished in 1838, and amid more exciting events soon almost passed from the memory of the busy people on this side. Although, as before stated, the period from 1825, and in fact from 1815, down to 1837, was one of rapid development throughout the country, yet evidences were frequently seen that the wilderness was not yet quite numbered among the things of the past. Capt. Lewis Dibble, of Cleveland, mentions seeing a (leer near where Willson avenue now is, in 1837, or later. Discovering the presence of man, he bounded away, sailed gracefully over the fences and dashed away into the woods. Still later, Capt. Dibble mentions seeing deer feeding among Hie cows in Euclid. In the more retired townships, such as Middleburg, Olmstead, Solon, etc., not only deer but bears and wolves were still occasionally slain by adroit hunters. CHAPTER XIV. THE PERIOD FROM 1840 TO 1861, Beginning to recover—Anger at the Party in Power—Formatiou of Lake County—Its Area—The Water Part of Cuyahoga County— Population in 1840 — The Log-Cabin Campaign— A Fugitive Slave Case—Changes of Boundary on the Line of Orange—Alfred Kelley— Railroad Talk revived— A Vote of Aid—The C. C. & C. Road reorganized—The Junction Railroad—The Toledo, Norwalk and Cleveland Road—Dark Prospects—The Cleveland, Painesville and Ashtabula Road—Great Days for Steamboats—List of the Principal Steamers in 1850—Later Steamers—Propellers — Stage Coaches—End of the Hunting and Log-House Period— Population in 1850 —Opening the First Railroad—Other Enterprises go forward — Direct Trade with Europe—A Fleet from Cnyahoga County—American Skill—The Panic of 1857—The Census of 1860—Origin of the Celebration of Per. y's Victory—The Contract—The Sculptor—Invitations—Governors Sprague and Dennison—Immense Crowds—The Military Companies—The Orators of the Day—Distinguished Persons Present—The Monument and Statue—Masonic Ceremonies—The Mock Battle—The Military Review —The last great Peaceful Gathering—The Political Campaign—The Events of the Winter. BY the spring of the year 1840 the people began to recover, though only slowly, from the disastrous financial reverse of 1837. They were still sore and angry over the sudden collapse of the wind-inflated mountain of supposed wealth on which they had perched themselves, and were prepared to visit with condign punishment the Democratic party, under whose rule it had occurred; partly because that party was held responsible for the destruction of the old United States Bank and the chartering of so many worthless State banks, and partly because the party in power is always condemned, on general principles, for whatever disasters may occur while it holds the reigns of government. On the 20th day of March, 1840, the county of Lake was formed, principally from Geauga county, but including the township of Chagrin, (now Willoughby,) in this county. This was an extraordinary example of the eagerness of at least a portion of the people for new counties and new offices. The constitution of the State required that every county should have an area of at least four hundred square miles. To give the proposed county of Lake such an extent, it was necessary not only to take Willoughby from Cuyahoga, but to estimate as a part of the constitutional area that part of the surface of Lake Erie lying between the water-front of Geauga county and the boundary between the United States and Canada. This was decided to be technically a part of Geauga county, and by that method the area of the county was inflated to the desired amount. So it will be remembered that Cuyahoga embraces, not only the tract of about four hundred and fifty square miles of land usually included within its limits, but another tract of not less than a thousand square miles of water, with all that lies above it and below it, as far as man can ascend or descend. By the census of 1840 the population of Cuyahoga was twenty-five thousand, five hundred and forty-two, divided among the various townships as follows: Cleveland, 7037; Mayfield, 852; Orange, 1114; Solon, 774; Euclid, 1774; Warrensville, 1085; Bedford, 2021; Newburg, 1342; Independence, 754; Brecksville, 1124; Brooklyn, 1409; Parma, 965; Royalton, 1051; Rockport, 1151; Middleburg, 339; Strongsville, 1151; Dover, 960; Olmstead, 659. The summer and autumn of 1840 were long remembered as the time of the celebrated "log-cabin" campaign in favor of General Harrison. The Western Reserve was one of the strongholds of Whiggery, and a very large majority of the voters of Cuyahoga county were enthusiastic supporters of Harrison. They joined with immense zest in the numerous jubilant demonstrations characteristic of that campaign, and when the great celebration was held on the battle field of Tippecanoe nearly half the men in the county turned out to attend it. So strong was the popular feeling, and so eager was the desire to see the celebration, that even the Democrats made the pilgrimage in organized bodies, sharing in the marches and maneuvers of their Whig brethren, but drawing aside and resuming their party fealty as they reapproached their homes. Cuyahoga gave a large majority of her votes for General Harrison, who, as is well known, was triumphantly elected. The situation of Cleveland, as the principal port on the south shore of Lake Eric, made Cuyahoga county a natural resort for slaves seeking to escape from both Kentucky and Virginia. Down to 1841 slave owners were in the habit of sending their agents to Cleveland, who caused those they accused of being runaways to