(RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, TOGETHER WITH HISTORIC NOTES ON THE NORTHWEST, AND THE STATE OF OHIO. GLEANED FROM EARLY AUTHORS, OLD MAPS AND MANUSCRIPTS, PRIVATE AND OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE, AND ALL OTHER AUTHENTIC SOURCES. By R. S. DILLS. ILLUSTRATED. 1881. ODELL & MAYER, PUBLISHERS, DAYTON, OHIO. FAYETTE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, WASHINGTON COURT, OHIO SEARCH ENGINE NUMBER ONE When you reach the page you have been referred to by the search engine, search this page by going to the top of your browser, click Edit and then click find on this page. Type in the desired search word and click. This will take you to the places on the page where this word is found. It will take you through all of the places that this word is found on this page. (RETURN TO THE HOME PAGE) PREFACE. Of all studies which engage the leisure moments of our minds, that of history is certainly entitled to preeminence in the direction of intellectual recreation and practical utility. To the curious it affords satisfaction, and in the domestic circle it wields a beneficial influence not attainable from any other source. If time were chronicled by events, centuries might pass in a single age. It has been the aim of the author of this work to compress the records and oral traditions of those events into a reasonable compass, to narrate them in a connected and lucid order, and to furnish a memorial, instructive, interesting, and useful to co-temporaries, and to future generations. To every class of readers a work of this nature commends itself ; to those especially who have witnessed and participated in the rise, progress, and consummation of the incidents and scenes herein reviewed, will it be a souvenir of inestimable value. In the prosecution of its compilation, he desires to acknowledge his obligations to Mrs. M. V. Unstick, the gifted secretary of the Crusade, for her excellent article on the same. Also, Mi. M. Herbert, for his exhaustive history of the Press and Banks of Fayette. To Judge Daniel McLean, he feels deeply indebted for invaluable contributions of pioneer history from the abundant store of his memory, and the uniform courtesy and genial welcome, with which his investigations have ever been encouraged. To scores of others also, from whom he has drawn valuable information, he returns thanks. In arranging the materials which lie scattered through immense masses of public records, old documents, and periodical publications, the author has aspired to correctness of detail, and minute discrimination between valuable historical facts, and highly colored fancies of the imagination. Few persons have a proper conception of the labor, research, and perplexities attendant upon the resurrection of moldy facts and ethereal traditions, which have so long slept in the matrix of obscurity, and collating the heterogenous mass into a systematic history; therefore, should trifling errors appear, it is to be hoped that they will not be attributed to carelessness; for in many cases there is greatly conflicting testimony bearing upon the same point. But the historian receives no credit if he spend months upon a single date, and is censured if he makes a single error. In so far as possible these errors have been corrected in errata ; (see page 1040). iv - PREFACE. Much valuable matter having been contributed too late for its proper place, has been put in addenda, on page 1029. It must be taken into consideration, also, that this work differs very materially from a book which has taken years of patient labor to produce, whose author has written, rewritten, revised, and corrected, until it comes out in perfect form. In this book, the facts for its composition were gathered by different persons, and the collocation has been necessarily hurried, because of the limited time allowed for its completion. Had years of study been devoted to its composition, the language used would, in many cases, have been greatly improved. We hope, therefore, that the public will take a charitable view of these extenuating circumstances. R. S. DILLS. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

HISTORY OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY
CHAPTER I.
Topography—The Great Lakes, and the Country of the Northwest Territory	11
CHAPTER II.
Joliet and Marquette's Voyage—They leave Mackinaw May 17, 1673—They proceed, by way of Green Bay and the Wisconsin, as far as the mouth of the Arkansas—Return by way of the Illinois and Chicago Creek—Father Marquette's journal, descriptive of the journey and the country through which they traveled—Biographical sketches of Marquette and Joliet	16
CHAPTER III
La Salle's voyage—Biographical sketch of La Salle—His concessions and titles of nobility—Preparations for his explorations—Sketch of Father Hennepin and the merit of his writings—La Salle reaches the Niagara River in December, 1678, builds the ship Griffin, and proceeds up Lake Erie, and reaches Mackinaw in August, 1679	26
CHAPTER IV.
La Salle's voyage continued—Mackinaw the headquarters of the Indian trade—The Griffin starts back to Niagara River with a cargo of furs, and is lost upon the lake—La Salle resumes his voyage in birch canoes, south along the west shore of Lake Michigan, and around its southern extremity to the mouth of the St. Joseph, where he erects Fort Miamis	33
CHAPTER V
The several rivers called the Miamis—La Salle's route down the Illinois—The Kankakee Marshes—The French and Indian names of the Kankakee and Des Plaines—The Illinois—" Fort Crevecoeur"—La Salle goes back to Canada— Destruction of his forts by deserters—His return to Fort Miamis, and the successful prosecution of his exploration to the mouth of the Mississippi—The whole valley of the great river taken possession of in the name of the .king of France	42
CHAPTER VI.
The Miamis—The Miami, Piankeshaw, and Wea bands—They are kindred to the Illinois, originally from the west of the Mississippi—Their superiority and their military disposition—Their subdivisions and various names—Their trade and difficulties with the French and the English—Their migrations—They are upon the Maumee and Wabash—Their villages—From their position between the French and English they suffer at the hands of both—They defeat the Iroquois—They trade with the English, and incur the anger of the . French—Their bravery—Their decline—Destructive effects of intemperance —Cession of their lands in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio—Their removal westward, and present condition	57
CHAPTER VII
The Shawnees and Delawares—Originally east of the Alleghany Mountains—Are subdued and driven out by the Iroquois—Marquette finds the Shawnees on the Tennessee in 1673—At one time in Florida—In 1744 they are in Ohio —They war on the American settlements—Their villages on the Big and Little Miamis, the St. Marys, the Auglaize, Maumee, and Wabash—The Delawares—Made women of by the Iroquois—Their country on White River, Indiana, and eastward, defined—Become friendly to the United States after Wayne's victory at Maumee Rapids, in 1794—They, with the Shawnees, sent west of the Mississippi—They furnish soldiers in the war for the Union—Adopting ways of the-white people	72
CHAPTER VIII
The Indians—Their implements, utensils, fortifications, mounds, manners, and customs	81
CHAPTER IX.
The war for the fur trade—Former abundance of wild animals and water fowl in the Northwest—The buffalo; their range, their numbers, and final disappearance—Value of the fur trade; its importance to Canada—The coureurs de bois; their food and peculiarities—Goods for Indian trade—The distant parts to which the fur trade was carried, and the manner in which it was conducted — Competition between French and English for control of the fur trade. It results in broils—French traders killed on the Vermillion—The French and Indians attack Fort Pickawillany—War	95
CHAPTER X
The war for the empire—English claims to the Northwest—Deeds from the Iroquois to a large part of the country—Military expeditions of Major Grant, Mons. Aubry, and M. de Ligneris—Aubry attempts to retake Fort Du Quesne—His expedition up the Wabash Goes to the relief of Fort Niagara—Is defeated by Sir William Johnson—The fall of Quebec and Montreal—Surrender of the Northwest to Great Britain—The territory west of the Mississippi ceded to Spain	110
CHAPTER XI.
General Clark's conquest of the Illinois—The Revolutionary War—Indian depredations upon the settlements of Kentucky—The savages are supplied with arms and ammunition from the English posts at Detroit, Vincennes, and Kaskaskia—General Clark applies to Governor Henry, of Virginia, for aid in an enterprise to capture Kaskaskia and Vincennes—Sketch of General Clark—His manuscript memoir of his march to the Illinois—He captures Kaskaskia—The surrender of Vincennes—He treats with the Indians, who agree to quit their warfare on the Big Knife—Governor Hamilton, of Detroit, recaptures Vincennes—Clark's march to Vincennes—He retakes Vincennes, and makes the English forces prisoners of war—Captain Helm surprises a convoy of English boats at the mouth of the Vermillion River—Organization of the Northwest Territory into Illinois County of Virginia—Clark holds the Northwest until the conclusion of the Revolutionary War For this reason only it became a part of the United States	116
CHAPTER XII
The title of Virginia, and her deed of cession—Probable number and characteristics of the population in 1787—Organization of the Ohio Land Company—The first settlement under the ordinance of 1787—Survey and grants of the public lands—Treaties made with the Indians—First officers of the Territory —The second grade of Territorial government—Early laws of the Territory Local courts and court officers—Organization of counties—Early Territorial villages and towns—Territorial officers--The Indian tribes of the Upper Ohio—Titles to Ohio—By whom held—When and how acquired and relinquished—Early time white men in Ohio—The earliest English military expeditions on Lake Erie—Moravian missionary stations—Subsequent military movements upon Ohio soil—Colonel Bradstreet's expedition—Colonel Bouquet's expedition—An act of the British Parliament—Colonel McDonald's expedition—Lord Dunmore's war—Organization of Illinois County—Expedition of General McIntosh— Erection of Fort Laurens, in 1778—General Daniel Broadhead's expedition—Colonel Archibald Lochry's expedition—Colonel Williamson's expedition—Colonel Crawford's Sandusky campaign—General George Rogers Clark's expedition—Colonel Logan's expedition—First treaties establishing boundaries—The first white child born in Ohio— Organization of the second grade of Territorial government—Members of the Territorial Legislature of 1799—1800—First Council and House of Representatives	130
CHAPTER XIII
Admission of Ohio into the Union—Political History—Early laws of Ohio	183

viii - CONTENTS

HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.

INTRODUCTION.

POLITICAL AND MILITARY HISTORY
Virginia—Virginia military survey—Early settlements of the Ohio Valley—Early surveying, and surveyors—First survey in Fayette County—Numbering of surveys—First settlement upon the Virginia reservation—Capture of Andrew Ellison—Life in the woods	191
INDIAN WARS
From their origin to the Treaty of Greenville with incidents	219
MISCELLANEOUS
Organization and Boundary	238
The Pioneer	240
Early Settlers	242
Old settlers	255
Prominent Physicians	258
HABITS AND CUSTOMS OF THE PIONEERS
Defenses—Health—Weddings—Settling a young couple—Putting up the house—House warming—Military debts—Thefts—Characteristics—Disputes— Morality— Tattling	260
ORIGINAL TOWNSHIPS
Original Townships	271
PRESENT TOWNSHIPS
Date of organization and boundary	273
MILLS AND MILLING
Block and Pestle—Corn Cracker	279
MISCELLANEOUS
Taverns	283
Race of John Edgington	285
War of 1812	286
Batteal Harrison at Fort Meigs	292
Josiah Hunt	294
Effects of the war of 1812	297
The Old Muster	299
Sharp Shins or Cut Money	303
Pioneer Girls	305
Corn Husking	307
CONTENTS. - ix
Game and Hunters	308
The Old School House	312
Early Mails	314
Pigeon Roosts	315
Judiciary—Courts and Court Houses—First Court House—New Court House Jails	316
County Infirmary—Carder Infirmary	325
Peter Carder	330
Counterfeiting	331
The Funk Fight	334
The first man sent to the penitentiary	338
Execution of William G. W. Smith, with a sketch of his life	341
Sanitary—Milk Sickness—Symptoms—Treatment	350
Drainage	353
Stock Sales—Horsetrading	356
The first Railroad	359
Geology of Fayette County—Paving-stones of Washington	361
Fayette County in the Rebellion	383
Fayette County in the Legislature	447
Fayette County officials	451
Union Township
Early Settlers—Washington—Early Business—Tanneries—Blacksmiths—General features—Old times—The pioneer house—Council proceedings—Fire Engine— Township reminiscences—Churches—Schools—Secret organizations The crusade—The press—Woolen machines Biographical	458 583
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP
Early settlement—Official—Churches—Secret societies—Industrial and Commercial- -Railroads—Roads—Miscellaneous—Schools—Jeffersonville Biographical	638 669
JASPER TOWNSHIP
Early settlers—Schools—Churches—Towns—Post offices, etc Biographical	708 725
CONCORD TOWNSHIP
Early settlement—Churches—Schools—Incidents—Mills—Staunton Biographical	737 669
GREEN TOWNSHIP
Early settlement—Schools—Churches—Buena Vista—Officers—Distilleries Thievis—Incidents, etc Biographical	763 773
PERRY TOWNSHIP
Early—settlements—Churches—Blacksmiths—Mills— Stores— Sunday-schools Martinsburg—Secret Societies—Nursery—Officers Biographical	776 794
WAYNE TOWNSHIP
Early settlement—Taverns—Indian reminiscences—Good Hope—Churches Rock Mills Biographical	826 842
MARION TOWNSHIP
Early settlement —Churches—Sabbath-schools—Schools—Mills—Official, et Biographical	877 894
MADISON TOWNSHIP
Early settlement—Churches--Schools—Secret organizations—Stores—Mills, etc Biographical	916 934
PAINT TOWNSHIP
Early settlement—Incidents—Educational—Churches—Secret organizations In—the war with Garfield—Bloomingbury—Slavery—The liquor question Towns Biographical	971 993
Summary ALL PAGES FROM 1025-1039 ARE INCLUDED IN THE SUMMARY FILE	1024
ADDENDA
Union Township	1027
Jefferson Township	1034
Jasper Township	1035
Concord Township	1036
Errata	1039