CHAPTER II. FRONTIER ADVENTURES. FOR many years before the first white settlements of Ohio, the country northwest of the Beautiful River had been. explored by bold and adventurous men from Pennsylvania Virginia and Kentucky, while the Indians in their search for the scalp of the white man were constantly on the war path, or lurking in some tangled thicket awaiting for some lonely hunter, or the unprotected emigrant seeking a home in the wilderness. Hunting and trapping were the chief means of support to these, wild rangers of the west, and many an unmarked grave in the tangled wild wood is the only heritage of these fearless pioneers. Joshua Fleetwood, of Virginia, employed by the Ohio Company as scout and hunter, was an example of the class. This man knew no fear, and often when it was known that the Indians were highly incensed against the whites, he would take his gun and dog and range the woods in search of game, or set his traps almost within sight of his bitter foes. At one time, while engaged in hunting and trapping within about twenty miles of the Indian town of Chillicothe (in Ross county), the best hunting ground of the red man, yet regardless of the nearness of his relentless enemies, he hunted the bear in the Brush creek hills and set his traps for beaver in the small streams flowing into the Scioto. From late fall until about the middle of February he was thus engaged, when concluding it was time to leave he packed his fur and skins carefully in his canoe ready for an early start on the morrow. The day he had determined to start he was discovered by the Indians , he succeeded in killing one of them. Then began the race for his life. His ability as a runner did not belie his name, he succeeded in outrunning his enemies, and by a roundabout way through the forest at last reached his canoe, and with all his possessions floated safely into the Ohio. One of the early pioneers and explorers of Ohio was Capt. James Trimble, of Woodford county, Ky. The history of this brave and daring soldier would read like some improbable story of fiction if 26 - THE COUNTY OF HIGHLAND. written out in careful detail. When in his fourteenth year his home in Augusta county, Va., was suddenly attacked by a band of Indians, who killed and scalped his aged father before his eyes and carried himself and sister, Mrs. Mary Estell, and a colored boy away with them. George Moffit, a half brother to Capt. Trimble, collected some twelve or fifteen men and started in rapid pursuit of this cruel band, who with their prisoners and the spoils of ruined homes had gone to the headwaters of the Kanawha. Moffit surprised the Indians in their encampment, killed four or five of their number and secured all the prisoners. One of the rescue party, by the name of Russell, was shot by Dickinson, the half-breed leader of the Indians, who followed the party and picked him off while lagging behind. Russell succeeded in reaching the encampment of his friends, was carried home upon a litter, and finally recovered. Such frequent invasions of western Virginia by the Indians, and the cruel murder of many of the families along the border, called for vengeance upon this treacherous foe, and Governor Dunmore raised a large military force to march against the Indian tribes in Ohio. But this statement of the causes that led to the invasion of Ohio by Virginia troops has been criticized by recent writers, claiming that the true cause was outrages upon the Indians. It has been stated by a prominent writer that "from the time of the peace made with the Indians by Sir William Johnson, at the German Flats on the Mohawk river in 1764, until the spring of 1774, there was no Indian war on the Ohio river," and the aggressions of the red men are ascribed to the killing of Chief Logan's people by the party of Captain Greathouse, in April, 1774. James Trimble was with Gen. Andrew Lewis: detachment of Lord Dunmore's army, and while but seventeen years old, was fully determined to avenge the cruel death of his aged father four years before. He was a member of the company of Capt. George Matthews, who afterward was made a general, and with his comrades participated in the famous battle of Point Pleasant, Va., fought between General Lewis and Chief Cornstalk, on the 10th of October, 1774. A poem written by John A. Trimble, on of James Trimble, who, when he took part in this battle was a youth of seventeen years, is worthy a place in the history of the county. John A. Trimble was a highly respected citizen of Highland for many years. Some of his children still remain, highly honored by all. FRONTIER ADVENTURES - 27 THE BATTLE OF THE POINT. Come, listen to a soldier's tale of a battle fierce and sore, That was fought with Cornstalk and his braves on wild Kanawha's shore. It was near the point of meeting with Ohio's placid stream, This famous combat happened, the burden of my theme. It was a fearful battle, where Virginia blood did flow Among her gallant soldiers, with a savage Indian foe; Where Cornstalk, leagued with Girty, from forest and from fen, Lay close in ambush to surprise brave Lewis and his men, Who from Augusta county came, and men from Botetourt, With Rockbridge ready riflemen, in conflict sore and hot. Our leaders all were brave and true as lions in a fight, And each was noted far and near, and each a fearless knight. There stood the brothers Lewis, on fame's memorial roll, Whose courage and whose chivalry enshrine the patriot soul; The one was chief commander, the younger Ied the way Where deeds of valor were performed that famed October day. Our march led through the forest, midst perils everywhere, Of lurking foes in front and rear, whose cunnng was a snare, Awaiting us at every step, as our chief was well aware. Yet through the winding labyrinth of mountain pass and glen Brave Lewis led his rangers on, a full twelve hundred men. And yet with all his practiced skill the crafty Indian lay Close in ambush, to surprise our camp at opening day. Our bivouac was near the point where two great rivers met And all was safe within our lines when evening sun was set, It was on the tenth October, and the Indian summer haze Had tinged the forest leaves with Autumn's mellow rays, While peacefully each soldier slept, with picket guards around Our lone encampment, soon to be a fearful battle ground. Quick rallying at a signal gun, that echoed the alarm, And loud the call of Captains rang for every man to arm. Then each, surprised, the danger spurned, and grasped his rifle true And rallying where the danger pressed, resolved to die or do. First fell our noble colonel, Charles Lewis, none more brave, And by his side Hugh Allen lay, to fill a hero's grave; While Fleming, leading bravely on throughout the raging fight Was borne by comrades from the field when day was closed by night. Then Moffit, Christian, Matthews led, stern McClanahan, All captains of renown that day, as chiefs of Scottish clan; And loud the yell of savage rose as fierce each warrior came Face to face with gallant men of tried and dauntless fame. Their noted chieftain's clarion shouts: "Be brave and fight like men," Was echoed through the battle's din from foist and from glen. From early dawn to latest eve the conflict was full sore, And when the fearful work was done four hundred men or more Lay pale in death, to find a grave on that far distant shore. Oh, there were tears of sorrow, where friends and brothers bled, And many a heart with anguish thobbed while gazing on the dead. Here oft the father closed the eye of fondly cherished son, To feel the one consoling thought, "A patriot's duty done." For country, not for fame, they fought, and honored be the name Of each of those twelve hundred men who from the valley came. They rallied at their country's call to face a lurkng foe, While Dunmore's treachery had designed their secret overthrow. Stern vengeance then was braving to crush oppression's laws, As patriots fast were gathering to assert the people's cause, For this heroic battle was a prelude to the storm 28 - THE COUNTY OF HIGHLAND. That gave new light to freemen, and to freedom's laws a form, When the genius of our statesmen and their patriot worth was shown, That illum'd the page of history with a science there unknown, Of man's inherent freedom, and his manhood, to ignore The follies of past ages, and the light of truth restore. This mission came to Jefferson's colleagues to perform, And Patrick Henry to enthuse; and fearless of the storm Of coming Revolution, that held the world amazed, At which all. tyrants trembled, and their prison walls were razed, His eloquence of words and mien gave out impassioned power To move tht souls of patriots in that imperiled hour. And when the work was finished and the people's cause was won, The glory of their fame was crowned in the matchless Washington. After this severe battle the troops marched to the Pickaway Plains, and young Trimble, on this march, first saw Highland county, as he occupied the dangerous position of spy and scout to the advancing army. Not, however, until the Indians in Ohio were subdued, did Captain Trimble,. after the lapse of ten years, revisit Ohio. Then, in company with Colonel Dunlap, he examined and selected several tracts in the county, which he afterward located and surveyed. During the war of the Revolution, which soon followed the invasion by Lord Dunmore, the soil of Highland county was doubtless often pressed by the feet of warriors on their way to spread devastation in Kentucky. The region was traversed, also, by the daring scouts and frontiersmen who contributed to the war for independence by fighting the savage allies of Great Britain north of the Ohio river. Early in 1778 Daniel Boone was taken through Ohio as the prisoner of a company of Indians. His quick eye noted the rich soil and the many natural advantages and resources of the country. In after years his opinion in regard to Ohio gave it rank with Kentucky, his home and favorite hunting ground. Some months after this event in the life of Boone, Simon Kenton made a journey into the Indian country for the purpose of taking horses. Alexander Montgomery and George Clark were associated with him. They crossed the Ohio river and traveled with great caution until near the site of Frankfort, Ross county. Finding a fine drove of horses near the town and having salt and halters they captured some of them, and started for the Ohio river, striking that stream near the mouth of Eagle creek. High winds prevailed, and the waves so frightened the horses .that they refused to enter the river. For this reason Kenton and his companions were compelled to remain upon the Ohio side over night, and the Indians came upon them the next morning, killing Montgomery and capturing Kenton. Clark made his escape. The Indians stripped Kenton and tied him naked to a wild horse, which they then turned loose. After trying in vain to release itself from this unique burden, by plunging, bucking, kicking, and all the wild antics of an unbroken steed, the horse at last quieted down and followed the com- FRONTIER ADVENTURES - 29 pany. The Indians, journeying from the mouth of Eagle creek to the. north fork of Paint, must have followed a. line through the present site of Winchester, Adams county, and through Marshall and Rainsboro in Highland. Kenton had taken the same route with his stolen horses, which made him the hero of the most thrilling adventure of any name in American' history. Arriving at the Indian town Waughcotomoco, Kenton was tried in Indian fashion and condemned to suffer death by burning at the stake but Simon Girty, a celebrated white renegade, who had known Kenton when quite a young man, under the name of Butler, had hunted and trapped with him in their boyhood days and was his warm friend, made an appeal to the council for the life of his friend, and for a time Kenton was secure. But afterward he was eight times compelled to run the gauntlet, and three times tied to the stake, to be at last purchased by an Indian agent named Druyer and taken to Detroit. In June, 1778, he escaped from the British and returned to his old hunting grounds in Kentucky. Thomas Beals, in later days one of the earliest settlers in the northern part of Highland county, was a prominent leader in the Society of Friends, and had conceived the idea that like the good and great William Penn, he could settle among the Indians and by precept and example civilize and christianize them. He left North Carolina in the spring of 1778 in company with seven or eight others ta settle in Kentucky. After repeated failures in securing the co-operation of friends in his effort to christianize the red men, he finally, some three years after his first visit, made up a party of emigrants, Carolinians, and began a settlement at Bluestone. In the fall of the year the men started upon a hunt at some distance from their settlement. having succeeded in killing abundance of game, they returned home and sent a party with horses to bring in the bear and deer. The Indians discovered their camp and, hidden in ambush, awaited the return of the men. They shot five of the seven dead at the first fire, and carried captive the other two, James Horton, Beals' son-in-law, and John Bronson. Arriving at Old Chillicothe (Frankfort) these men were burned at the stake. James Horton was the father of Jacob Horton, who became a resident of Fairfield township, Highland county. Gen. George Rogers Clark, after his famous capture of Vincennes, penetrated Ohio in 1780 and destroyed the Indian towns on Mad river, burning the towns and securing some forty prisoners. Col. Benjamin Logan, commanding part of this expedition, started from Limestone and passed through Highland county, destroying two towns, killing quite a number of Indians and taking many prisoners. With such events in the forests of Ohio the years passed until 1783, when the independence of the United States was recognized, and the mother country yielded to the young republic her claim to the 30 - THE COUNTY OF HIGHLAND. vast region known as the territory northwest of the river Ohio. Before 1783, the settlement of this region had been discussed in the Continental congress, and the states that claimed dominion in it had been persuaded to give up their pretensions in behalf of the people of the whole country. When Virginia finally made a formal cession of her title in the Northwest, in 1784, a. large part of the region, including what is now Highland county, was reserved for Virginia veterans of the war of the Revolution. Consequently the eyes of Virginians were turned specially to this region, called the Virginia Military land, and arrangements were made for taking possession, even before it was certain that the Indians in possession would submit to the argument that they had lost their rights by reason of their alliance with Great Britain. Col. Richard C. Anderson was elected principal surveyor for the Continental line, and in the spring of 1784 he moved to Louisville and opened a. land office for military lands in Kentucky. Small parties of emigrants ventured down the Ohio river to Limestone (Maysville), but the Indians had not yet consented to give up Ohio, and the dangers were great. It was a long dreary journey from Virginia to Pennsylvania there was not a settlement nor stopping place, not even a military post on the northern side of the river below the Pennsylvania line. But distance did not deter, nor dangers appal, the hardy pioneers, and some ventured with their wives and little ones not only to make the perilous descent but attempted a settlement in the Indian county as early as 1785. In April of that year four families left Redstone, Pa., and drifted down the Ohio to the mouth of the Scioto, and there tied their boats to the shores where the city of Portsmouth now stands. They cleared some land and prepared to raise a Crop. The four men after some little time spent in labor, started up the Scioto on a prospecting tour, leaving the women and children behind. They ascended the river as far as the present site of Piketon and were greatly pleased with the rich bottom lands which greeted their vision upon every side. It is related that Peter Patrick, one of the party, cut his initials on a beech tree near the bank of a creek, which, being found in after, years, was the origin of the name Pee Pee. But this, like many other explanations of geograph, ical names, is subject to suspicion. Going into camp near Piketon these four men were surprised by a party of Indians and two of their number were killed. The other two made their escape to the Ohio just as a small boat was floating by. Securing this they reached the mouth of the Scioto, and took away their women and children never to return. Some months after this a detachment of United States troops under 'the command of Maj. John Doughty began the erection of Fort Harmer upon the right bank of the Muskingum where it empties its waters into the Ohio. But this afforded little protection against the hostile craft of the Indian.  FRONTIER ADVENTURES - 31 Rev. James B. Finley's description of the journey from his old home to Kentucky may give the reader some idea of the dangers and hardships endured by the pioneer settlers. He says : "I shall never forget the deep-thrilling and interesting scene which occurred at parting. This was in the autumn of 1788 ; minister and people were collected together and after an exhortation and the singing of a hymn they all fell upon their knees and engaged'in ardent supplication to God that the emigrants might be protected amid the perils of the wilderness. I felt as though we were taking leave of the world. After mingling together our tears and prayers the boats were loosed and we floated out into the waters of the beautiful Ohio. It was a hazardous undertaking; but such was the insatiable desire to inherit the rich lands and enjoy the advantages of the wide spreading cane-breaks, that many were the adventures ; and although many lost their lives and others all they possessed, yet it did not for a moment deter others from the undertaking. The Indian, jealous of the white man and fearful of losing their immense and profitable hunting grounds from the great tide of emigration which was constantly pouring in upon them, were wrought up to the highest pitch of fury, and determined to guard, as far as possible, both passes to it, namely, the Ohio river and the Old Crab Orchard road leading from the southern portion of Kentucky to North Carolina. They attacked all boats they had any probability of being able to take, using all the strategy of which they were masters, to decoy them to the shore. Many boats were taken and many lives lost through the deceit and treachery of the Indians and white spies employed by them. The day on which the emigrants started was mild and pleasant and all nature seemed to smile upon the pioneer band. They had made every preparation they deemed necessary to defend themselves from the attacks of their wily foe. The boat which led the way as pilot was well manned and armed, on which sentinels, relieved by turns, kept watch day and night. Then followed two other boats at a convenient distance. While floating down they frequently saw Indians on the banks watching for an opportunity to make an attack. Just below the mouth of the Great Scioto, a long and desperate effort was made to get some of the boats to land by a white man, who feigned to be in great distress, but the fate of Mr. Orr and his family was too fresh in the minds of the adventurers to be thus decoyed. A few months previous to this time this gentleman and his whole family were murdered, being lured to shore by a similar stratagem. But a week before we passed, the Indians attacked three boats, two of which were taken, and all the passengers killed. The other barely escaped, having lost all the men on board except Rev. Mr. Tuckey, a Methodist missionary, on his way to Kentucky. Rev. Tuckey was wounded in many places but fought manfully. The Indians got into a canoe and paddled for the boat, determined to board it ; but the women loaded the rifles of 32 - THE COUNTY OF HIGHLAND. their dead husbands and handed them to T'uckey, who took such deadly aim, every shot making the number in the canoe one less, that they abandoned all hope of reaching the boat and returned to the shore. After the conflict this noble man fell from sheer exhaustion and the women were obliged to take oars and manage the boat as best they could. They were enabled to effect a landing at Limestone, now Maysville ; and a few days after their protector died of his wounds, and they followed him weeping to the grave. Being too well posted in Indian strategy to be decoyed, we pursued our journey unmolested. Nothing remarkable occurred save the death of my much loved grandmother. Her remains were committed to the dust at Maysville and Rev. Cary Allen preached her funeral." Such were the experiences of those pioneers who came down the Ohio in 1783-88, seeking homes in the Virginia military lands, which, however, they were not permitted to possess for nearly a decade. In the year 1787 Maj. John O'Bannon and Arthur Fox crossed over into the Military district on the north side of the river, to learn something of the country so that they could make intelligent entries, when the land should be opened, and in August of that year Colonel Anderson opened an office for the entry of lands in the Virginia military district of Ohio. The bottom lands of the Ohio, Miami, and Scioto rivers were soon taken up. This hasty selection and entry of land seemed contrary to the design and purpose of Congress, which in July, 1788, invalidated all the entries made on the north side of the Ohio river. This act was repealed, however, two years later, restoring validity to all entries and also giving the mode of obtaining patents. By a provision of an act passed by the legislature of Virginia establishing a principal surveyor of Military lands, the holders of warrants were compelled to place them in the hands of the chief surveyor by a certain day specified by notice, and then the priority of warrants should be decided by lot. The warrants were given to satisfy various bounties promised by the legislature of Virginia to the soldiers of the Revolutionary war, and also prescribed the amount each person was entitled to, according to his rank in the army and the length of time he was in actual service. Col. John McDonald described the method of obtaining land by warrants as follows : "The first step taken toward the acquisition of land by warrant, is by means of an entry, which is the appropriation of a certain quantity of vacant land by the owner of the warrant. This is made in a book kept by the surveyor for the purpose, and contains the quantity of acres intended to be appropriated, the number of the warrant on which it is entered, and then calls for some notorious and permanent object, by which the locality of the land may be known, and concluding with a general description of the course to be followed in a survey of it." FRONTIER ADVENTURES - 33 Before 1790 the location of land in the District was made by stealth. Every creek or river or valley that was explored was at the risk of the life of the explorers, from the lurking Indian, whose determined hostility to every advance of the white man called for the exercise of the most cunning caution, in order to avoid contact with him amid the deep shadows of his forest home. It was a contest for dominion, and the courage, cunning and boldness displayed by the red men, in his plans for the extermination of their white foe, were only equaled by their ferocious onset in attack, and the silent, masterly retreat if defeated, gliding like shadows from tree to tree until lost from view and pursuit in the distance and darkness. The holders of warrants were permitted to locate them if they so desired, but they were unacquainted with the business and were doubtful about their ability to so locate land as to avoid conflict and litigation in the years to come when lines were to be run and metes and bounds decided. A great many warrants had been placed in the hands of Nathaniel Massie in 1790, who was not only competent as a surveyor, but an honest, careful business man, in every sense reliable and exact. In order to facilitate the business he had on hand, he determined to form a settlement in the District. During the winter of 1790-91 he laid out the town of Manchester and built a number of cabins for the inhabitants. By March, 1791, they had completed this work enclosing all the cabins with strong pickets securely fastened in the ground and erecting a strong blockhouse at each angle for refuge and defense. This settlement was an absolute necessity as a means of security, to the surveyors who ventured north of the Ohio river. This was the first settlement within the Virginia Military District, and the fourth within the present boundaries of Ohio. While this settlement was formed in the very midst of the hot conflict betwen the two races, it suffered less than many others of a like character. The whole region north of Manchester to the lakes, west to the Miami, and east to Gallipolis, was one vast unbroken Torest. Through this gloomy wild the dauntless surveyor, with compass, chain and gun traced out the most fertile spots, and blazed and marked and marked and blazed, fixing the metes and hounds of that civilization to be. The winter season was generally selected by the surveyors to do the work of running lines and locating warrants, as the Indians were not as active at that season of the year. Each surveyor controlled six men, making a party of seven men to the mess, and as five or six surveyors made up the company, quite a party would be engaged in the work at the same time. Each of the men composing the mess had his special work to do. The hunter was in advance of the party some two or three hundred yards not only to hunt but to guard the advance and appraise them of danger or the presence of an enemy. H-3 34 - THE COUNTY OF HIGHLAND. Following was the surveyor and the two chainmen, the marker and packhorse men with the baggage. These men always kept close together so they could be ready in case of an attack. Some two or three hundred yards in the rear marched the spy to guard against a surprise in that direction. Each man was armed with rifle, tomahawk and scalping knife, and in addition, the blanket and other articles needed in the woods. The pack horses were loaded with the cooking utensils, with such provision as it was possible for them to carry with them. Bread was not thought of on these journeys, a good supply of salt was taken and the rifle must be depended upon for provision. After having permanently established himself in his station, Massie commenced, his location and survey of lands upon a, large scale. Before the Massie 'settlement on the Ohio river, General Harmar had been defeated by the Indians at the head of the Maumee river, and though that battlefield was far remote from the lands sought by the Virginians, the Shawanees roamed through this region and, when they could, sought to cut off the white intruders upon their hunting grounds. Then, after the founding of Massie's town, occurred in November, 1791, the terrible defeat of St. Clair's army in western Ohio, which seemed to put all the settlements in Ohio at the mercy of the red men. The frontier conditions that delayed the settlement of Ohio may be illustrated by the adventures of Thomas Dick, whose later residence for forty years within Highland county made his name familiar in its history. To a special friend he imparted the story of his early experience, and to this friend the citizens of Highland county are indebted for the sketch as told in Scott's history. "Thomas Dick was born and educated at Belfast, Antrim county, Ireland. Immediately on the completion of his education he determined to seek his fortune in America, and having some friends in Philadelphia he sailed for that. place, where he arrived in safety after a long voyage. He remained there for some time," but being unable to find employment as a schoolmaster he journeyed on, intending to try his fortune in Pittsburg, then a frontier town. In 1789, in the month of June, he crossed the Laurel hill and came in sight of the secluded and beautiful district of country lying between that mountain and Chestnut ridge, known as Ligonier valley. Dick was so charmed with the scenery that he determined" to make his home in this sweet and quiet retreat. He was kindly received and in the course of a few weeks a small school was made up for him. In the course of the following year he married, and established himself in a home of his own, with the prospect of peace and happiness. About a month after this, March 18, 1791, having just returned from a business visit from Pittsburg, he was seated at his dinner table in company with his wife and a young man of the neighbor- FRONTIER ADEENTURES - 35 hood, when his house was suddenly surrounded by Indians. No danger had been anticipated in the valley, although the inhabitants were aware of the hostility of the savages. The first intimation Mr. Dick had of their presence was the discharge of rifles through the open door, by which the young man who sat with them at the table was killed, and the next consciousness he had afterwards was of standing in a remote corner of the room, faced by an Indian, painted and dressed in full costume, about to strike him with a tomahawk. But the Indian desisted at the critical moment and Dick was bound and led him out of the house. He discovered, much to his relief, that Mrs. Dick was not injured, but like himself a prisoner. The Indians, a party belonging to the Seneca tribe, hurried away with their prisoners, leaving the house open and all the property undisturbed, and taking a, direct route to the northwest traveled night and day through the most secluded and unfrequented parts of the country until they reached the Ohio river. At this p,int, a considerable distance above Wheeling, they met other predatory bands of the tribe with prisoners and plunder. They raised from the mouth of a small creek their canoes which they had sunk when they crossed before, and were all soon on the opposite side. here they called a halt and rested; but soon resumed their march to their towns on the Sandusky, where they arrived after a long and fatiguing journey to their prisoners. Mrs. Dick, by the time they reached the Seneca town, near where the city of Tiffin now stands, was seriously ill. Rest and the kind attention of her husband and some of the squaws, however, in time restored her to comparative health, but the exposure brought on a violent attack of rheumatism, which continued obstinately to resist all modes of treatment known to the Indians. On their way out the Indians made several efforts to load Mr. Dick with part of the plunder, but he always refused, and when a load was placed upon his back, would throw it off and balk on leaving it behind. He was a very strong man, but was determined not to disgrace himself by working for Indians. At the towns, also, he refused to work with the squaws in the corn field. The Indians knew Dick was stout and wished to test his manhood. 1ut whenever one of them took hold of him, he always threw him down quite roughly and walked off. His object was to show them that he was strong and could defend himself if assailed. His resentment of the practical jokes of one of them made this individual a deadly enemy. This the other Indians soon became aware of, and they thought best to sell Dick, as he would neither work nor hunt.. They sold him to a trader who carried him to Detroit, where the English commander of that fort purchased and released him. Being an excellent penman, he soon became the secretary of the commander, and was able to save some money. He was, however, very anxious about his captive wife. He .had not been permitted to see 36 - THE COUNTY OF HIGHLAND. her before he left the Seneca towns, but he knew that in her helpless condition she had no means of escape, and there was no probability of her rescue by her friends in Pennsylvania. He knew it would not do for him to go back to the towns with the view of carrying her off, and therefore, employed a Chippewa Indian to steal her and bring her to him at Detroit. The Indian would not undertake it unless he was paid twenty gallons of rum in advance. Dick purchased the rum and gave it to the Chippewa, who started down the river toward the Seneca towns, but never again appeared. Dick then consulted the commander of the fort, who directed him to a trustworthy Indian, with whom he was able to make a contract for the delivery of Mrs. Dick in Detroit on the payment of eighteen dollars. This envoy, with the aid of an Old negro woman in the Indian camp on the Maumee river, succeeded in reuniting the husband and wife, and after she had rested, and her husband had secured sufficient means for the journey, they bid adieu to the kind hearted English friends, got aboard a small vessel bound for Buffalo,. and were landed at Erie, Penn., about the first of December, 1791. To reach Westmoreland county, he engaged a man with a sleigh and horse to take them part of the way. After this, he took his almost helpless wife on his back and carried her several miles through the snow and woods to the next settlement. There he obtained a boy with an. ox sled for a couple of days. When the boy turned back he again carried his wife upon his journey. In this way the great part of the winter was spent. Finally on the 8th of March, 1792, they reached Pittsburg almost worn out with hardship and fatigue. From there they soon reached their home and friends in Ligonier valley." Yet more tragic was the story of the Jolly family, as related by John A. Trimble. David Jolly, Sr., was among the earliest settled in the neighborhood of Wheeling, Va. His dwelling was upon the hill about three miles from the mouth of Wheeling creek, and the site of his cabin is still pointed out as an interesting memory of the unwritten past. His family consisted, in 1790, when he lived at this place, of wife and six children, and one grandchild. On the 8th day of June, 1790, a small party of Indians, who had secreted themselves behind some gooseberry bushes in the garden, fired upon the house in open daylight. The senior Jolly had gone that day to the Monongahela to collect some money coming to him. His daughter Mary was absent on a visit to her uncle, Joseph McCune, some five miles away. David, Jr., had gone out in the range to hunt the cows and expected certainly to be home by dinner time, and would have been, without doubt, except for a very unusual occurrence. When only a short distance from home on his return he, being in perfect health, was suddenly seized with a fainting sensation which forced him to sit down at the root of a tree, where he FRONTIER ADVENTURES - 37 remained for nearly an hour before he was able to proceed homeward. While there he heard distinctly the report of the Indians' guns but did not reach home till their work was done and they had gone. James Jolly had gone to the spring some distance from the house for a bucket of water. John, the eldest son, had just returned from the field to dinner and was in the act of wiping the perspiration from his brow with the sleeve of his shirt, and Mrs. Jolly was standing in the door waiting for James to come with the water, when the Indians, not doubting but what all the family had arrived for dinner, fired from their well chosen ambush into the home. Mrs. Jolly fell dead instantly, John was shot in the mouth and fell very badly wounded, a daughter and grandson were wounded at the first fire. Immediately the Indians rushed in, tomahawking all the wounded and scalping them while they were in the death struggles. James had heard the alarm and hurriedly made his escape. The remaining members of the family at home, William, the youngest son, and his cousin Joseph McCune, were made prisoners by the Indians, who pillaged the house and fired it and made a rapid retreat. David Jolly, Jr., arrived at his desolate and burning home only in time to drag the remains of his murdered friends from the flames, which soon consumed the building. He ran to the nearest neighbors and gave the alarm. In a few hours Lewis Wetzel, with his company of veteran scouts, was on the trail, but the Indians, aware of the bold, daring and energetic character of the men in and about Wheeling, made a cautious retreat, and effectually eluded the vigilance of their pursuers. To hasten their retreat they killed young McCune soon after they set out, because Ile was weakly and could not travel very fast, and made a noise crying, which they feared might attract attention. His body was found some hours afterward, just where he had sunk under a single blow from the tomahawk. The Indians who committed this cruel deed were a war party of Shawanees, who carried their prisoner to Sandusky. William Jolly at that time was a lad of about ten years of age, a good constitution, and sprightly turn of mind. He soon adapted himself to the Indian mode of life and became a favorite with the younger portion of the tribe. His family made great effort to find and release him, but owing to the continued and fierce hostility which prevailed for the next five years, all their efforts were unavailing, as they could not even hear of him, and of course did not know whether he was alive or dead, or to what extremity of torture and suffering he had been subjected by his infuriated captors. After Wayne's treaty, his brother David went to Greenville in hope of finding him among the prisoners surrendered by the various northwestern tribes under the treaty stipulations, but after long waiting and much inquiry, he utterly failed, and returned fully impressed with the belief that his brother was dead. From that 38 - THE COUNTY OF HIGHLAND. time he was given up and all effort to rescue him was abandoned. During the winter of 1796-97, David Jolly, Sr., who had recently moved to Chillicothe, received a letter from Colonel Zane telling him that his son William was living with Cherokee Indians on the Coosa river in Alabama, and directing him to Colonel Whitley, of Lexington Ky., for further information. Near the middle of March, 1797, David, Jr., set out on horseback to Lexington, and had an interview with Colonel Whitley, who gave him all the necessary instructions, also a letter of introduction to the Governor of Tennessee. Setting forward again he arrived in Knoxville in April, delivered his letter to the governor, and was kindly received by him, and by Major Henley, of the War department, who promptly made out a pass and furnished an experienced and trusty interpreter and guide. Thus provided, David Jolly pursued his way south, and in due time reached the point in the Cherokee country, on the Coosa river, to which Col. Whitley had directed them, but to their great disappointment, found that a large part of the Indians had gone South and the boy with them. Mr. Jolly and his companion continued in the pursuit, and traveled on, until they arrived near Pensacola, before they found the Indians. When they made their business known, the Indians seemed disposed to give them but little satisfaction. The young of the party were out hunting, they said, but they were all Indians, none white. On the evening of the third day the young Indians all came into camp with the proceeds of their hunt, and Mr. Jolly soon recognized his brother, more from family resemblance than anything else, for he was dressed in full Indian costume, and looked and acted as much like an Indian as any of his companions. He endeavored to draw him into conversation in English, but the boy had either forgotten it or was not disposed to talk. When he communicated through the interpreter his intention of taking him back, he positively refused to go, and the Indians appeared inclined to interpose to prevent him. When, however, the authority of the agent of the War department was read to them by the interpreter, they made no further objections, but hastily prepared to return to their homes on the Coosa.. So the whole party accompanied them back that far. Then they discovered that the boy had been adopted by a woman who had her only son killed in battle. She regarded young Jolly as one sent by the Great Spirit as a substitute for him she had lost, and she loved him with all a mother's devotion, and he returned it with all the warmth and generosity of his nature. She was almost frantic when she heard that he must leave her by the authority of the United States government. But after a long and tender interview which continued through the greater part of the night, in which she made the boy promise that he would soon escape and return to her, they started the next morning. A large number of FRONTIER ADVENTURES - 39 the young Indians accompanied them the first day, and after that a few continued to follow until they arrived at the Tennessee river. During the journey through the wilderness Jolly was sullen and refused to talk, and sought to escape, but was too carefully guarded. But from Knoxville home his brother had no difficulty with him. As they passed the neighborhood of Lexington, Ky., the boy, being in Indian dress, attracted much attention, and many young ladies of course were anxious to see the "young .Indian." When some handsome girls were around him his brother asked him how he would like to have one of them for his wife. He shook his head and said "Too much white, too much white." After young Jolly returned to his father and became somewhat reconciled to civilized life, he gave a brief history of his seven years' captivity. When carried to Sandusky he was well treated, much to his surprise, as he had witnessed the murder of his little cousin, McCune, on the route, and had always heard of the cruel and blood-thirsty nature of the Indians. The next spring after he was taken Mr. and Mrs. Dick were brought into the same encampment On one occasion when she was there the Indians all got drunk and exhibited much of their savage nature and habits. Mrs. Dick was much alarmed for the safety of the boy, and the .better to protect him, covered him up in one corner of the wigwam in a pile of bear skins. Soon after this young Jolly was transferred to the Cherokees, a small party of whom were on a visit to their Shawanee brethren, and the Cherokees soon afterward set out for the South, taking him with them. They took the trail to Old Town on the North fork of Paint. From there they struck and kept the hill region to the Ohio river at the mouth of Cabin creek. After crossing the river they again took the hills on to the Cumberland mountains, avoided all white settlements and kept the mountains on to Tennessee. Young Jolly seemed to regret deeply his separation from his Indian friends in the south. He liked their mode of life, the delightful climate; and more than all their warm friendship and native magnanimity. In fact, he had become a thorough Indian in his habits and tastes. The life of the white man was irksome to him, and he longed for the sylvan shades and warm hearts on the banks of the Coosa. He had no taste or inclination for work, but was an adept in hunting and fishing, and spent most of his time, with his bow and arrows on the banks of the Scioto and Paint.. Generally, in summer time, when he would desert from the field work, he would climb a tree and weave himself a bed of limbs and grape vines where he lay all day dreaming doubtless of his happy home in the sunny south. The next summer after he returned to his family two Indians, his adopted brothers, came from Alabama to see him. They brought with them his pony, gun, tomahawk and hunting implements, also some pretty worked belts, and moccasins, sent by his Indian mother, 40 - THE COUNTY OF HIGHLAND. Young Jolly was overjoyed at the sight of his Indian brothers. They ate together in Indian style, slept together, hunted together, and during the two weeks of their stay were inseparable. But it was a sorrowful day when the Indians left. He made them presents of anything he could get his hands on that would be likely to please their fancy. He also fixed up some presents for others of his friends among the tribe, not forgetting his old Indian mother, and when the morning came for them to start he went with them one day's journey. After the defeat of St. Clair (1791) the Indians were inspired with the hope of driving out the white men and regaining the hunting grounds of their fathers. So bold and persistent were their incursions upon the border settlements, that the inhabitants were kept in perpetual alarm, and immigration was entirely suspended., Spies and scouts were employed by the government of Kentucky to roam the forest in all directions keeping sharp lookout for Indian advances, when they were to notify the settlers in time for their escape to the block house and forts. Duncan McArthur and Samuel Davis with two others were detailed as scouts and these four men were sent out to keep guard, upon whose faithful vigilance depended the safety and security of life and home. McArthur and Davis were brave and cunning woodmen, accustomed to this wild and dangerous life amid lurking foes and savage beasts. These two men were linked together by the strongest ties of friendship and were seldom separated when hunting Indians. At one time they ascended the Ohio river as far as the mouth of the Scioto. They crossed over the Ohio the next morning about daylight, for the purpose of visiting a deer lick of which they knew the locality. When near the lick McArthur stopped while Davis crept silently onward to within easy rifle range of the spot, when slowly andi silently rising to his full height to see if the lick was clear, he was greeted by the sharp crack of a rifle and the whiz of the ball near his person. The morning was moist and the air heavy, and the smoke of the Indian's gun so obscured his vision that he could not see the effect of his shot. Stepping outside the circle of smoke to get a better view, Davis shot him dead in his tracks. Just then McArthur rushed up, well knowing that the shots were too near together to come from the same rifle. Soon the noise of running feet caught their ears and quite a number of Indians appeared. The two daring scouts were well hidden in the bushes and high weeds, and while the Indians halted by their dead comrade, silently slipped away, regained their canoe and crossed over the river. Israel Donalson while with Massie near the waters of Brush creek surveying, was captured by the Indians and carried a prisoner toward their towns upon the Miami. In their journey they passed the locality of the present town of New Market and must have come within FRONTIER ADVENTURES - 41 two or three miles of Hillsboro. One night, having tied Donalson with a bark rope, the Indians camped for the night. To better secure their prisoner an Indian lay upon each side of him with the ends of the rope under them. Donalson had no notion of being roasted alive if he could prevent it and determined to escape. Upon this night, when satisfied his captors were asleep, he began to gnaw at his ropes, which he succeeded in eating off just about daylight. Crawling off to the edge of the open ground he sat down to put on his moccasins, when the Indians awoke and discovered that their prisoner was gone. With loud yells they started on the hunt for him. Donalson ran with one moccasin in his hand and after a desperate pursuit, succeeded in making his escape, and foot sore and weary reached Fort Washington. In the spring of 1791 a band of warriors from the Shawanee tribe Crossed the Ohio opposite the mouth of Eagle creek, stole a lot- of horses, burned houses and murdered some of the families of Mason county, Ky. Simon Kenton raised a party and went in pursuit of them. The Indians took a course almost due north. Kenton made a forced march and reached the Rocky Fork branch of Paint creek in the evening at a point now on the farm of John H. Jolly. Passing up the ridge where the town of Hillsboro now is, they followed the band of robbers until, a few miles away, the scouts reported the presence of Indians. Kenton halted his party and sent one Timothy Dauning ahead to locate the foe. Dauning had not gone far when he caught sight of an Indian loitering behind, doubtless for the same purpose that Dauning was advancing. By some means Dauning got the start of the Indian and killed him. The report of the rifle alarmed the main body of the Indians, who scattered through the woods leaving their horses and plunder behind them. Kenton failed to overtake them and returned with the goods and chattels of his dead friend. In 1792 the Indians again invaded Kentucky, stealing horses, burning houses and killing some of the inhabitants as they had done the spring before. Simon Kenton was called upon to head a party of thirty-seven men to follow the savages and avenge the death of those that had been slain. They crossed the Ohio river a short distance below Limestone and followed the trail in the direction of Little Miami river. When near the East fork of the river, they heard, the tinkling of a bell and the party halted to learn its meaning. Kenton in company with Cornelius Washburn, a young man of tried courage and deadly aim, advanced cautiously and saw an Indian on horseback slowly approaching. The bell upon the horse's neck was used to attract the attention of deer, for strange as it may appear, these animals will stand stock still, listening to the bell, until the horseman is almost upon them. Washburn took deliberate aim and shot the approaching horseman through the heart. Returning to the main body 42 - THE COUNTY OF HIGHLAND. Kenton consulted with his men in regard to their future course. Kenton felt certain that this Indian was not alone, and that the main body was not far away. Sending Washburn in advance the party moved silently forward. Washburn soon returned with the information that about a mile in advance he had heard the sound of many bells and concluded that the horses were feeding, and the Indians encamped not very far from them. Calling a halt and arranging his men in position to defend themselves if attacked, Kenton selected Washburn and started out to locate the camp. It was getting dusk when he came in view of the camp of the enemy. They were encamped on the bank of the East fork of the Little Miami just above the present residence of Michael Stroup, and within the present limit of Highland county. The Indians were well supplied with tents, which were doubtless. the spoils of St. Clair's defeat. While the 'exact number of the Indians could not be ascertained, Kenton was well assured that they numbered three or four times that of his own men. Nothing daunted by the superior number of the foe, it was decided to attack them, and midnight was selected as the time, as Kenton desired darkness to cover his retreat if defeated in his effort to whip them. Kenton brought his men near the encampment without attracting the attention of the band, and dividing his comapny into squads of four men each, gave them instructions that when the signal of attack was given they should fire into as many different tents as possible. The signal was given, and the men advanced by fours so silently that they were within two or three paces of the encampment without. being discovered. Then with loud yells they rushed upon their sleeping foe, firing into the tents against the bodies of the enemy. The Indians taken by surprise broke through the back of the tents and retreated. But not half the tents had been fired into, and the Indians seeing how few the number of their assailants were, returned, secured their arms and assumed the attack. On the other side of the creek there was another line of tents that had not been seen by the whites, and from them came reinforcements for the red men. Kenton's quick eye saw this and the effort of his foes to surround him, and ordered a retreat. The battle lasted but a few minutes. It was afterward learned from a white man by the name of Riddle, who lived with the Indians, that their number was about two hundred, and that they were led by the celebrated chieftain, Tecumseh. When the attack began this chief was lying upon the ground outside of his tent near the fire. Jumping to his feet he called to his warriors to repel the attack; then springing forward killed with his war club a man by the name of John Barr. The Indians lost thirty killed in the fight and the whites but two, John Barr and McIntire. McIntire was captured the next morning after the battle by Tecumseh and turned over to some Indians at camp, who in the absence of their chief killed and scalped FRONTIER ADVENTURES - 43 the prisoner, much to the regret of this truly great chieftain, who was never known to be cruel to a captured foe, and sought to impress more humane feelings in the breasts of his warriors. Barr's bones were left on the battlefield, and were gathered and buried by Joseph Van Meter, William Spickard, and Daniel Jones, the first settlers on the lands in the vicinity of the battle. A different account of this battle is to be found in McClung's Western Adventures, as follows : "The trail led them down on the Miami, and about noon on the second day they heard a bell in front, apparently from a horse grazing. Cautiously approaching it, they, beheld a solitary Indian mounted on horseback leisurely advancing toward them. A few of their best marksmen fired upon him and brought him to the ground. After a short consultation they determined to follow his back trail, and ascertain whether there were more in the neighborhood. A small active woodman named McIntire, accompanied by three others, were pushed in advance, in order to give them early notice of the enemy's appearance, while the main body followed at a more leisurely pace. Within an hour McIntire returned, and reported that they were then in a short distance of a large party of Indians, supposed to be greatly superior to their own ; that they were encamped in a bottom upon the border of a creek, and were amusing themselves, apparently awaiting the arrival of the Indian whom they had just killed, as they would occasionally halloo loudly, and then laugh immoderately, supposing probably that their comrade had lost his way. This intelligence fell like a shower bath upon the spirits of the party, who, thinking it more prudent to put a greater interval between themselves and the enemy, set spur to their horses and galloped back in the direction from which they had come. Such was the panic. that one of the footmen, a huge, hulking fellow six feet high, in his zeal for his own safety sprang up behind Captain Calvin, and nothing short of a threat to blow his brains out could induce him to dismount. In this disorderly fashion they scampered through the woods for several miles, when, in obedience to the orders of Kenton and Calvin, they halted, and prepared for resistance in ease the enemy had discovered them and were engaged in pursuit. Kenton and Calvin were engaged apart in earnest consultation. It was proposed that a number of saplings should be cut down and a temporary breast-work erected, and while the propriety of these measures was under discussion the men were left to themselves. . . . Finding themselves not pursued by the enemy, as they expected, it was determined to remain in their present position until night, when a rapid attack was to be made in two divisions upon the Indian camp, under the impression that the darkness of the night and the surprise of the enemy might give them an advantage they could not hope for in daylight. Accordingly, everything remaining quiet at dusk, they again mounted and advanced rapidly, but in profound silence, upon 44 - THE COUNTY OF HIGHLAND. the Indian camp. It was ascertained that the horses which the enemy had stolen were grazing in a rich bottom below the camp. As they were advancing to the attack, Calvin sent his son with several halters to regain their own horses, and he prepared to carry them off in case the enemy should overpower them. The attack was then made in two divisions. Calvin conducted the upper and Kenton the lower party. The wood was thick, but the moon shone out clearly, and enabled them to distinguish objects with sufficient precision. Calvin's party came first in contact with the Indians. They had advanced within thirty yards of a large fire in front of a number of tents without having seen a single Indian, when a dog which had been watching them, sprang forward to meet them, baying loudly. Presently an Indian appeared approaching cautiously toward them, speaking occasionally to the dog in the Indian tongue. This sight was too tempting to be borne, and Calvin heard the click of a dozen rifles, as his party cocked them in order to fire. The Indian was too close to permit Calvin to speak, but turning to his men he earnestly waved his hand as a warning to be quiet. Then cautiously raising his own rifle, he fired with a steady aim, just as the Indian reached the fire and stood fairly exposed to its light. The report of the rifle broke the stillness of the night and their ears were soon deafened by the yells of the enemy. The Indian at whom Calvin fired fell forward. into the burning pile of faggots, and by his struggling to extricate himself scattered the brands so much as to almost extinguish the light.. Dusky forms were seen flitting before them, which drew the fire from the whites, but with what effect could not be seen. A heavy fire now began from the Indian camp, which was returned with equal spirit by the soldiers, but without much effect upon either. side. Trees were barked, dogs bayed, the Indians yelled, the whites shouted, squaws screamed, a prodigious noise was maintained for about fifteens minutes, when it was reported to Calvin that Kenton's party had been overpowered, and was in full retreat. It was not necessary to give orders for a similar movement on the part of the upper division. Soon there was a wild scramble for the horses and the battle was ended with two killed on the part of the whites—Barr and McIntire." A remarkable thing occurred at this battle that is worthy of recognition and place among the strange happenings of human life. A brother of Captain Ward was in the Indian camp at the time of this night attack. He had been taken from his home by the Indians when he was but three years old, had been adopted into the Shawanee tribe, and married an Indian woman and raised a family of children. Captain Ward, while standing near the camp a few moments before the fighting began, an Indian girl apparently about fifteen years of age attracted his attention. She seemed alarmed about something, and stood looking, as he thought, directly toward him. He raised FRONTIER ADVENTURES - 45 his gun and was about to fire, when her open bosom made known her sex and her exceeding light color led him to believe that she was not an Indian. “He afterward ascertained that she was his brother's child." There has been some dispute about the exact location of this battle ground, but the proof seems to point with unerring certainty to the place within the present bounds of Highland county. Human bones were found upon this spot, by the first settlers in that locality. Trees were bullet-scarred; an Indian tomahawk was found, and every indication pointed to that place as the scene of this early struggle, in the unbroken forest of Highland. One of the early Indian spies and hunters of Kentucky was John McNary, of Shelby county. He had served under Shelby, Kenton, Clark, and others of the famous men of that "dark and bloody ground," who had been instruments in the protection of the frontier settlement from the blood-red tomahawk of the Indians. Soon after the defeat of St. Clair, he was sent out with about forty others, whose object was to collect and bury the dead of that unfortunate battle. The Indians were so determined and hostile, that it was impossible to accomplish their purpose, and they began their retreat to Kentucky. They had lost three or four men of their number, killed by the Indians, who skulked in every secret place and picked off with unerring certainty every straggler from the main body. Every possible effort was made to avoid a battle with their unseen foe, for McNary was sure that their numbers far exceeded his own. It was determined to make a forced march, which continued until the party was within a day's march of Manchester, on the Ohio river. Early that morning they resolved to march four or five miles farther south and stopped for some breakfast. Their camp was at the first fork of Brush creek (since named), just above the little village of Belfast, Highland county, and to the south of a mound which stands in the forks of the creek. While they were eating breakfast the Indians suddenly appeared, and from the surprise manifested by them, quite unexpectedly. The white men sprang to their guns and gave the Indians a volley and fled from the spot. Several of the Indians fell at this fire, but the party did not stay to count them. The Indians fired at the retreating party, but without effect, followed in hot pursuit but failed to overtake them, and after some hours' chase abandoned the effort.. The party of hunter-soldiers reached Manchester safely that evening. This was the second battle fought within the lines of Highland county. McNary some years after the event, and after the town of Belfast was built, visited and confirmed the statement of the locality, by pointing out the mound and the forks of the creek near the site of the fight. In spite of these hostilities, Massie, in the winter of 1791-2, surveyed the lands on Brush creek as far up that stream as the three 46 - THE COUNTY OF HIGHLAND. forks. Toward the spring of 1792 he shifted his locality to the waters of Little Miami, and traveled up that stream to the present site of the city of Xenia without meeting any opposition from the Indians. Early one morning as the party started out to perform the labor of the day, Massie in advance of his company, an. Indian was discovered pointing his gun at. him. William Lytle quickly fired upon the Indian and killed him. Moving cautiously forward the white men soon found themselvei‘close to an encampment of a large body of their red foes. They quickly began their retreat from the spot but were discovered and followed by the warriors. The pursuit was kept up by the Indians without pausing until the surveying party reached Manchester, not having lost a man. During the winter of 1792-93, General Massie continued his surveying expeditions, locating the best lands within a reasonable distance from Manchester. In company with Joseph Williams and one of the Wades, he explored the fertile valley of Paint creek, and part of the Scioto country, and finding the soil exceedingly rich, much beyond his expectations, made entries of all the best lands, returning in safety to his station on the Ohio river. In the winter of 1793-94, amid appalling dangers, Massie explored the various branches or streams to their sources, that empty into the Little Miami, and then going in a northerly direction reached the head of Paint and Clear creeks and followed carefully the branches that form those streams. By his extensive travel and explorations, he formed a correct knowledge of the geographical position of the country. In 1795, early in the winter, Massie with a large party, equipped for surveying or fighting Indians if it became necessary, made their starting point on Todd's fork of the Little Miami. Large bodies of land were surveyed by this party. As assistants in this dangerous business were Nathaniel Beasley, John Beasley and Peter Lee. During much of the ,time of this survey4 which continued for thirty days, the ground was covered with from eight to ten inches of snow. In all this time not a loaf of bread was in the camp. On starting out there were a few pounds of flour which was served a pint a day to each mess and was used by stirring into the soup in which the meat had been boiled. When the day's work was ended they camped upon the snow-covered ground, built four fires around which each mess gathered to feast upon whatever game the day had brought to their hand, and chatted and sung in happy contentment and were glad that the evening brought rest and repose. When bed time came Massie always gave the command ; the party would then leave the cheerful fire and taking their blankets, their guns and baggage, they would walk some two or three hundred yards from their fires, scrape away the snow, and lie down together for the night. Placing half of the blankets upon the ground thus cleared of the snow, they reserved the other half for covering, which they would fasten with skewers to keep them from slipping. Each mess occu- FRONTIER ADVENTURES - 47 pied one bed, and huddled together for greater Warmth, would spend the night in refreshing sleep. Their rifles and shot pouches shared the beds with their owners, who were ready at a moment's warning to use them upon prowling beast or skulking Indian. When morning came two of the most cautious and experienced would be sent to reconnoiter the spot of their evening fires and when satisfied that no deadly foe was awaiting their return to the slumbering embers of their early camp, they would return. This precaution was taken in all kinds of weather, for a careless neglect might end some precious life or endanger the whole party by a successful ambuscade. If immortality of name is born of courage and endurance upon the battle field, surely honor and fame is due the fearless men who braved the dangers of the unbroken forest, the relentless Indian, the fierce wild beasts, and the storm and cold, of the shelterless march. The party continued to survey up Caesar's creek near to where its waters mingle with that of Paint creek. While in this vicinity Indian tracks were discovered in the snow. Massie immediately called a halt and sent out runners to the various surveying parties, calling them in, and also sent an experienced scout on the trail of the Indians to discover their location and number. At sundown the forces were all collected, and soon the scout returned and reported the presence of a large body of Indians. They had seen some eight or ten tents and concluded from the noise about the camp that quite a force had assembled, preparing for war or hunting as the conditions favored. It was concluded by Massie that the forces were too large to be attacked, and that it would be prudent to retire while yet undiscovered. Collecting their stuff they began their march, not halting until midnight, when they halted until daylight and began their journey in a southern direction. About noon of this day they came to a fresh trail made by four horses and some dozen Indians. This trail they struck later in the day. It was concluded that the Indians knew nothing of the presence of the whites, and they determined to follow them so long as the trail led in the direction they were going. They followed on until dark without overtaking their foe, and Massie halted his men to consult about their future action. In a few moments the sound of the tomahawks was heard, as the Indians were cutting wood for their night fire, only a few hundred yards away. Two or three men were sent to spy the camp and bring away their horses, which was successfully done. Massie induced his men to make a night attack upon the camp, which was promptly done, the attacking party silently approaching within a few yards of the Indians without discovery, when they fired a volley and rushed with wild shouts upon the camp. The Indians fled in wild confusion, leaving guns and everything else behind them, a considerable booty, which was taken by the victors, who again started upon their homeward march and reached Manchester without further trouble. CHAPTER III. THE FIRST SETTLEMENTS. THE lands in the Virginia Military District, now known as, Highland county, were not entered and surveyed as early as some other parts of the district. Simon Kenton, however, made an entry as early as 1791, which was, no doubt, among the first in the district. This tract consisted of five hundred acres on the Rocky fork, about three miles southeast of Hillsboro. The land was taken up on four military warrants in the name of Samuel Gibson. It has been brought to prominent public notice by the long and earnest litigation of which it was the cause. In the office of the clerk of common pleas the original papers are on file, giving a quaint yet elaborate history of the contest over this land. Among the number is a deposition dated 1827, and signed by Simon Kenton in a clear, bold hand, quaint but legible. The merits of the Northwest Territory had become known, and incited immigration from the old states, the Northwest rivaling Kentucky in the minds of those contemplating removal from the east to the west. But the Indian war diverted southward the stream of emigration, and many who in after years came to Ohio settled first upon the south side of the river for better security. Seven years went by after the first settlement of the territory before it was entirely free from the dangers that had kept the rich lands out of the hands of the eager settlers from the east. What these dangers were have already been told. They are illustrated also by an event in the history of Manchester. Manchester, in 1793, began to clear off her outlots and prepare for the incoming tide of emigration. "Andrew Ellison," says McDonald, "cleared a lot immediately adjoining the fort. He had cut the logs and rolled them and set the heaps on fire. The next morning, just about daybreak, he, opened one of the gates of the fort and went out to throw his logs together. By the time he had completed this a number of the heaps blazed up brightly, and as he was passing from one to the other, he observed, by the light of the fires, three men walking briskly toward him. This, however, did not alarm him, although he perceived that they were dark skinned fel- THE FIRST SETTLEMENTS - 49 lows. It at once occurred to him that they were the Wades, whose complexion was very dark, going out for an early hunt. So he continued to right up his log-heaps, until one of the fellows seized him by the arms and called out in broken English, 'How do ? How do ?' when to his surprise and horror he became conscious he was in the clutches of three Indians. He therefore submitted to fate without resistance or attempt to escape." The Indians silently but quickly disappeared with their prisoner, going north in the direction of Paint creek. When it was discovered that Ellison was gone, a party was organized and started in pursuit. They followed as rapidly as possible but the Indians had such a start that it would be useless to attempt to overtake them, and on reaching Paint the party returned to Manchester. Ellison was carried by his captors to Upper Sandusky, where they compelled him to run the gauntlet and in other ways tortured and tormented him, finally carrying him to Detroit, where he was purchased by a Britsh officer for one hundred dollars, and was sent by this officer to Montreal, but was able to return home before the close of the summer. Another exciting and tragic story is told of the Edgingtons, who started upon a hunting trip toward Brush creek. They made their camp between where the towns of West Union and Fairfax now are and began their efforts to secure game and were very successful, having shot a number of deer and bears. Having dressed their game by skinning the deer down to the hams, and taking as much of the bear as would adhere to the hide, they cut off all the meat of the bear that would adhere to the hide without skinning and placing the meat thus prepared upon scaffolds out of the reach of wild animals they returned to Manchester for pack horses. It was late in December, and they felt no fear in regard to the return, as the winter time was generally a time of inaction and repose among the Indians. Returning with their horses and dismounting to make afire, they were fired upon by a party of Indians not more than twenty yards away. Asahe] Edgington fell dead, but his brother John was unhurt. When the Indians leaped from their hiding places, firing their guns and yelling at the top of their voices, the horses, frightened, turned and fled in the direction of home. As the Indians approached they threw down their guns and with wild yells and uplifted tomahawk, rushed upon the dumbfounded man. John Edgington was very fleet as a runner; and when he realized that his foes were upon him, turned and with the swiftness of the deer started on the trail of his flying horses, For more than a mile the race was so close that before the bending grass beneath the feet of Edgington had straightened, the moccasin foot of his savage foe pressed it down again. He could hear the labored breathing of his pursuers, and imagined the keen edge of the Indian hatchet was in his hair. But he succeeded in outrunning his H-4