INTRODUCTORY AND EXPLANATORY.
The author of Ecce Deus says : " History can never be written. It can only be hinted at, and most
dimly outlined from the particular stand-point which the historian has chosen to occupy. It is only
by courtesy 'that any man can be called a historian. Seldom do men so flatly contradict each other
as upon points of fact. Incompleteness marks all narrations. No man can fully write his own life.
On reviewing the sheets which were to have told everything, the autobiographer is struck with
their reticence and poverty."
It may be said that in this work appear many historians. Its compiler, in a large degree, has acted
only the part of a faithful amanuensis, and transcribed the recollections of others, as they have
been given him. Statements are made regarding the same facts by persons of. high character,
which other persons equally entitled to credit, and having knowledge of the same
cotemporaneous events, may criticise and contradict. These discrepancies result from the
infirmities of human memory, and the author could not undertake to adjust or reconcile them ;
and the remark above quoted he has found so obviously true as to justify repetition : " Seldom do
men so flatly contradict each other as upon points of fact." This observation will apply even to
matter emanating from the highest official sources, including Messages of Presidents, and reports
from heads of civil and military departments. For a wise purpose, doubtless, it was ordered that
the words of only ONE should outlive and defy all criticism.
A primary object of this work has been to embody the names and recollections of as many of the
pioneers of the Maumee Valley as it was practicable to obtain, within a. reasonable space of time,
and bring the survivors, so far as the art of printing could execute the
- v -
design, into a Common Council. It is sad to review the decimation, made by the hand of death,
during the last two years and more, since the commencement of this volume, among the early
settlers. If the years immediately succeeding make similar inroads upon their ranks, the time is
close at hand when the last of the old race we call " pioneer," will have been, conveyed to his
final rest.
The names of many worthy 'old settlers' of theValley are necessarily omitted ; but this work, now
largely exceeding the limits originally designed, and extending several months beyond the time
fixed for its appearance, should reach the " finis" before its author reaches his tomb. Even if the
task has been imperfectly accomplished, the months of drudging, though pleasant, toil, devoted
to it, will not be regarded as spent in vain. The author only regrets that he had not lease of longer
life than will probably be alloted him, and ample pecuniary resources, to make the work more
acceptable. But, commencing on a prescribed limit of 350 pages, it was again fixed at Soo, and
now, as the reader discovers, considerably exceeds 600, exclusive of engravings and maps.
Acknowledgments are due such a multitude of good people for kindnesses that discrimination is
hardly proper. It would, however, be scarcely pardonable to omit expression of general obligation
to my old cotemporaries of the newspaper press throughout the Valley and country, and to name
especially the late A. 'I'. Goodman, Secretary of the Western Reserve and Northern Ohio
Historical Association, and the late Secretary of State, W. H. Smith, Clark Waggoner, Alfred P.
Edgerton, Jesup W. Scott, and to the works of my old friend and editorial associate, Mr. Charles
Cist, of Cincinnati.
Typographical errors will be discovered. The responsibility for these, in a court of equity, would
be about equally distributed, probably, among printers, proof reader and author. In most instances
they are so manifest, that the intelligent reader will pass them by without complaining of the
absence of a hackneyed and hateful " errata." H. S. K.
TOLEDO, May, 1873.
INDEX
Allen county, Indiana—its area—first officers—list of Justices in 1872—pro. gress in population
and wealth—officers of the county in 1872 - 378-381
Allen county, Ohio—its formation, 1820 - 451
Altitudes—Table of; [see Appendix "B" pioneers, notes of - 452-459
officers in 1872—jail building, population, &c - 459-461
Arrowsmith Miller, personal sketch of - 593-594
Armstrong, Captain John—his operations and escape near Fort Wayne, in 1790 - 67, 68
Auglaize river—a night bivouac on - 142
military posts on - 154
navigation of - 470
Auglaize county—its organization - 465
first term of Court - 472
taxable basis—Federal census - 474, 475
Barclay, (Captain of the British fleet on Lake Erie) - 183
Bayless, Samuel—" Book of General Orders " - 179-182
Bouquet and Bradstreet, campaigns of - 40, 41
Bowling Green in 1872 - 434
Bucyrus—plotted in 1822 - 477
Bucyrus in 1872 - 480
Canal systems of Ohio and Indiana - 329-347
Cass, General Lewis—letter from to the Governor of Ohio - 134, 135
Clay, General Green - 160
Cofflnberry, Andrew—reminiscences of - 306-310
Coffinberry, James M—personal sketch of - 317, 318
Conant, Dr. Horatio—letter of, in 1822 - 427, 428
personal sketch of - 571, 572
Combs, General Leslie—letter from - 205, 206
speech of - 213-217
Couch, Joseph N—letter from - 135, 136
Crawford county—organization and origin of its name—early history—first Court—first and
present officers—proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of 1831 - 475-480
Crawford county—population, wealth, &c., in 1872-73 - 480, 481
Crawford's Expedition - 51-58
Croghan, Major, at Fort Stephenson - 183
his answer to General Harrison - 184
his heroic defence at Fort Stephenson - 185, 186, 187, 188, 189
promoted for his gallantry, and complimented by General Harrison - 190
receives the plaudits of his countrymen - 191
at the battle of the Thames - 201
Croghan, George—his visit to the Maumee Valley in 1765 - 46-49
in command at Fort Meigs - 174
receives instructions from General Harrison - 176
his desperate resolve - 177
letter to General Harrison - 206-208
Daniels, Willard J—personal sketch of - 559-561
- 3 -
De Coleron's expedition in 1749 - 21
Defiance county - 585
Defiance (fort) erected August, 1794 - 87
troops to be collected at - 140
General Harrison at - 141 142
revolt in a Kentucky regiment - 142-145
Winchester at - 148
Defiance threatened - 176
Logan's death and burial - 215- 466
fort improved by General Wayne in 1794 - 355
his march to Fort Wayne - 365
Col. Johnson at Defiance in 1813 - 377
early white history of - 582-593
Defiance, (town)—early history, when laid out, its rapid growth, population, resources, &c., -
599-602
Delphos—population-1850, 1860, 1870 - 461
historical Sketch of, and present business - 462-465
Detroit - 10-37
Dickinson, Rodolphus—commissioner to establish Crawford county seat - 478
personal sketch of - 525, 526
Dudley, Colonel, at Fort Meigs - 161-170
Edgerton, Alfred P—personal sketch of - 22-424
Edsall, Wm. S— reminiscences of - 395-402
Elliott, (British Colonel) - 172
Evans, Dr. John, and S. Cary— personal sketches of - 402-407
Ewing, Colonel. Geo. W— personal sketch of - 409-412
Findlay, (fort)—erection of - 611 612
Fort Adams erected in 1794 - 86
besieged in April, 1813 - 159
pioneers of Findlay, population, &c., - 612-615
Fort Industry, (Toledo) - 93
" Dearborn, (at Chicago) - 183
" Jennings, (Putman County) erected in 1812 - 141
Fort Stephenson—letters relating to military situation of - 177, 178
Harrison at - 183
heroic defence of - 185
Fort Meigs—military defences and operations at in the spring and summer of 1813 - 115
the post besieged - 589
Fort Miami at Fort Wayne - 14
rebuilt in 1748 by the French, under Lieut. Dubuisson - 18-30
Fort Wayne—in 1680 - 10
Indian towns at - 65-68
the town in 1812 - 133
the post relieved - 140
opening of canal navigation at - 346, 347
early history of - 348
La Balm's unfortunate expedition to 351-353
its military importance in the view of Generals Washington, St. Clair, Wayne and Knox in 1790
'91-'94 - 353-355
Little Turtle and Gen. Wayne - 355-358
" buried at - 361
Indian treaty at Fort Wayne in 1803 - 359-361
John B. Richardville his birth and death at Fort Wayne - 362-364
General Wayne reaches the town Sept., 1794, and determines the location of the new garrison -
365
fort completed and named - 366
Fort Wayne from 1794 to 1811- 367, 368
- 4 -
the old Council House - 369
Major William Oliver and Logan at - 369-372
the fort besieged—Harrison marches to its relief—his arrival and flight of the enemy - 375
situation of the fort - 370
Colonel Johnson again at the fort - 376
commandants of the fort - 377
land office established at in 1822 - 378.
municipal officers-1840-1872 - 380
churches, newspapers, schools, benevolent institutions - 382, 383
the town in 1834 - 384 -387
business of the city in 1872 - 387-395
pioneers of the Valley, non-residents of - 378, 395, 424
being threatened by the Indians, prompts the expedition against Missinsinewa Proctor demands
its surrender—Harrison's reply - 160
narrowly escapes destruction - 167
second siege of - 174
saved from a great peril - 177
camp life at - 179-182
the second siege abandoned - 184
importance of the post - 191
the fort again threatened - 377
Foot of the Rapids—capture of Captain John A. Clark, a British officer - 146, 147
Winchester at - 148
Harrison at - 152-159
British erect batteries on left bank - 166
Foster, Charles W., personal sketch of - 503, 504
Fostoria - 503-505
Fulton county - 578
French posts—surrender of in 1761, by the French - 33
Frontenac, (Count) - 10
Gano, General John S.—letter of - 210, 211
Girty, Simon, his family - 58, 59, 60
a poet's view of his character - 579-580
Gladwyn, commandant at Detroit - 36, 37
Godfrey, Dr..Charles M. - 609
Hancock County—Early history of, pioneers, present resources, &c., - 611-616
Hardin, Colonel—operations near Fort Wayne - 67-70
Harmar's campaign - 62-72
Harrison, General William Henry—appointment of as commander-in-chief of the north-western
army, September 17, 1812—instructions from the war department - 139, 140
his defence of Fort Meigs - 158-161
invades Canada - 198
his official report of the battle of the Thames - 198-203
Henry county - 578-582
Hoagland, Pliny, personal sketch of - 413-415
Holgate, Wm. C., personal sketch of - 597-599
Holmes, ensign, his death at Fort Wayne - 35
Hull, General—appointed to command of north-western army—his incapacity and
misfortunes—terms of his surrender at Detroit, and his trial for treason - 126-132
letter from General Jessup in relation to - 134
Hunt, John E., reminiscences and personal sketch of - 563-568
Indian naval engagement - 44
Indians—moral and religious condition of in 1802 - 103-121
- 5 -
Indian treaties at Fort McIntosh, 21st of January, 1785 - 218, 219
at Fort Harmar, January 9, 1789 - 219, 220
at Fort Greenville, August 3, 1795 - 220-226
at Fort Industry, (Toledo,) July 4, 1805 - 227
at Detroit, 17th November, 1807 - 227, 228
at Brownstown, November 25, 1808 - 228, 229
at the foot of the 'Maumee Rapids, September 29, 1817 - 229-234
at St. Mary's, September 17, 1818 - 234-238
at Saginaw, September 24, 1819 - 238
at Fort Wayne, in 1803 - 359-361
last treaty with the Ohio Indians - 239
Johnson, Colonel Richard M—at the battle of the Thames - 199
he kills Tecumseh - 201-203
Joncaire on the Maumee in 1753 - 26
Knaggs, Captain James—his testimony regarding the death of Tecumseh - 201-203
Lawyers in practice in 1872 & 1873 ; [see Appendix "A"
Lima, Allen county—notes regarding its early and later history - 453-461
Little Turtle and General Wayne - 355-358
Little Turtle a diplomatist as well as warrior - 359-361
Logan, (the Indian chief,) and Major Wm. Oliver - 215
Logan's family and death - 465-466
Loramie, Peter, his station and his death, &c., - 25, 26
Loskiel, Moravian missionary - 33
Lower Sandusky—suggestion of name for the town, in 1816 - 427
Lower Sandusky - 140
General Harrison at - 151
military situation at - 153
" operations at in 1813 - 158
"general orders," May 14 and 22, 1813 - 177, 178
Proctor at - 183
a bad military position - 192
petition for relief to Gov. Meigs, from citizens of - 209, 210
letter from Gen. Gano - 210, 211
Lucas county—its early history, pioneers, &c. - 532-536
its history resumed - 616
Mackinac, surrender of - 35
Maumee Valley--first white settlement in 1680 - 9-14
Maumee river in 1748 known as " River a la Roche" - 20
as a military route in 1759 - 30
military importance of, and of Lake Erie, as viewed by the French in 1761 - 33
Maumee river—its importance to the army in the war of 1812, as a channel of transportation -
212
McArthur, Gen. Duncan letter to Governor Worthington - 212
Mercer county—when formed—origin of its name—St. Clair's battle—Wayne's trace—Simon
Girty—the fort at St. Mary's—letter from Gen. Wayne—earliest white settlement at Fort
Recovery—the slain of St. Clair's army - 438-441
first session of the commissioners - 441
first Court term - 442
pioneers - 442, 443
reservoir troubles - 443-445
pioneer notes - 445-450
county administration—county officers for 1871-72—valuation of property and
population—Celina, &c., - 450, 451
Metcalf, Judge Ben—anecdote by - 321.
Miller, Colonel John, at the siege of Fort Meigs - 161
- 6 -
Miami, (Fort Wayne,) passes under control of English in 1761 - 32
captured under Pontiac in 1764 - 35
Miami villages at and near Fort Wayne-their military importance in the view of General
Washington - 72
Miner, Byrum D-a public spirited citizen of Fort Wayne, who represented Allen county in the
legislature of Indiana, and also held other responsible official and fiduciary (not, as printed,
"judiciary ") positions - 412
" Mohickon," John's Town - 32
Moravian Missions in Ohio - 49, 50, 51
Morris, his reception and maltreatmemt at Fort Wayne - 42-44
Morrison, John H-reminiscences of - 326, 327
Mott, Richard, recollections of, regarding Toledo - 544-559
Nichols, Francis L., personal sketch of - 577, 578
Nicholas-his conspiracy in 1745 - 14-19
Ohio, United States and Michigan territory-boundary controversy-origin of the constitutional
provision in 1802-letters from Amos Spafford and Dr. H. Conant-the agitation renewed in
1835-legislative hostilities between Ohio and Michigan-efforts at compromise-Gov. Mason, of
Michigan, rejects the peace offers-the surveying expedition-explanation of a Michigan
prisoner-Major Stickney and N. Goodsell, prisoners ; their letters-letter from Andrew
Palmer-meeting at Toledo--Gov. Lucas calls an extra session ; his message-attempt -to arrest
Two Stickney-Noah H, Swayne, Wm. Allen and David T. Disney, Ohio commissioners to
Washington-close of the controversy-peace jubilee at Toledo - 240-264
Oliver, Major William-letter refering to siege of Fort Findlay - 159,160
reaches Fort Meigs with message to Harrison - 160
at Upper Sandusky - 209
at Waupaukonnetta and Fort Wayne - 215
again at Fort Wayne - 369--372
Onatanon, (fort near Lafayette, Indiana) - 35
Ottawa county - 531, 532
Paulding County-when organized, population, &c., - 602-604
notes by Gen. Curtis - 603
Paully, ensign, commandant at Fort Sandusky-his capture, romantic narrative, divorce and escape
- 35-37
Perkins, General Ohio Militia, assigned to command of the right wing of the army, by General
Harrison - 145
Perry, Commodore-his naval victory upon Lake Erie - 193-198 at the battle of the Thames- 201
Perrysburg (see Fort Meigs)-post office established at in 1810, and in 1816 the ONLY (not, as
printed, " old ") post office between the river Raisin and Lower Sandusky, and between the
Maumee bay and Chicago - 425 suggestion that originated the name - 427
the town in 1833 - 432
" " " 1838 - 433, 434
“ ” “ 1872 - 434, 435
Pickawillany-its destruction - 22-26
Pioneers--others in the Maumee Valley; [see Appendix marked " D."]
Political campaign of 1840-monster meeting at Fort Meigs - 265-269
humors of later conflicts - 269-272
Pontiac-his speech to Alexander Henry - 32, 38
besieges Detroit - 38
his craft fails - 39
his financial scheme - 40
his character and death - 44
Posts-French, surrender of - 33
Potter, Emery D. personal sketch of - 285-288
Proctor, (British General) - 158, 165, 183
- 7 -
Prentice, Frederick-personal sketch of - 561-563
Presbyterian Mission on the Maumee ; [Appendix "C"
Putman County-Early history, pioneers, first lawyers first physicians, - 606-609
Population - 611
Rhea, Captain J. - 93, 138, 184
Rice, Clark H., personal sketch of - 609-610
Rice, Gen. A. V., military record of - 610-611
Richardville, John V - his character and death - 362
ardville, John B-his character and death - 364
Rogers, Major Robert, expedition of, in 1760-his trip from Detroit via Maumee river to Pittsburg
- 31, 32
Rudisill, Henry - 407, 408
Sandusky county-early history, present resources, &c - 505-531
Sandusky (fort,) surrender of under Pontiac, in 1764 - 35, 36
Scott, Jesup W., personal sketch of - 572-577
Seneca county-organization-early history, present resources, &c., - 489-505
Seneca (fort) -Pleasant township, Seneca county - 183
Sessions Horace, personal sketch of - 594-597
Spink, John C-reminiscences of - 314-816
St. Clair, General Arthur-succeeds Harmar - 71
instructions to - 72, 73, 74, 75
his army in motion-his defeat, and explanations - 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82
personal sketch of - 572
St. Mary's-its military importance during the war of 1812 - 140-141
war transports for army - 212
first settlements at - 468
early settlers-old block house, &c. - 470, 471
the town and its prospects in 1872 - 471, 472
formerly known as Girty's town-its situation in 1814 - 468
as a depot for army supplies - 469
the town in 1824 and 1872 - 474
Suttenfield, Mrs. Laura - 408, 409
Tecumseh at the siege of Fort Meigs - 161
his magnanimity - 163-172
in peril - 165
at Fort Stephenson - 183, 192, 193
killed by Colonel Johnson at the battle of the Thames - 199, 202, 203
his character and generous qualities - 204, 205, 206
The old Bench and Bar-first Court north-west of the river Ohio - the territorial judiciary-
attorneys admitted in 1802 -Supreme Bench, 1802-1872- reminiscences of Judge David Higgins ;
his views regarding the boundary controversy-Indian murder trial at Fremont - judicial circuits
in North-Western Ohio under the first Constitution- Common Pleas Judge under the Constitution
of 1802-the old Bar members, Judge Emery D. Potter, Judge John Fitch, and others-
reminiscences of Hon. Thos. W. Powell ; his recollections of Perrysburg and Maumee city in
1820; of the old lawyers; murder trial; trip to Defiance notes regarding Maj. Stickney, John
C. Spink, etc., etc., - 274-303
Toledo (Fort Industry) - 93
prisoners and exhibition of scalps at,. in 1813 - 172
General Combs' experience at - 206
Indian treaty, July 4, 1805 held at - 227
something of its past and present-Progress in taxable wealth and population-imports and
exports-railways, &c., - 620-637
recollections of Sanford L. Collins - 616-637
“ of J. W. Scott - 537-544
“ of Richard Mott 544-.559
“ of Major Stickney - 536
(see "boundary controversy ")--public meeting at in 1835 - 256
- 8 -
Toledo in 1836 and in 1816 - 263, 264
other notes relating to history of - 536-562
Treaties—(see Indian treaties.)
Upper Sandusky—(Crawford's expedition) - 50-58
(war of 1812) - 140
right wing of the army at - 148
General Harrison at - 151
military situation at - 153
Harrison's principal stores at - 183
military importance of the place - 191
letter from J. C. Bartlett, Q. M. G., to Gen. Lewis Cass - 209
exodus of the Indians from Upper Sandusky, July, 1843 - 239
the town in 1872 - 488
Urbana - 140
Van Wert--when formed and organized,—population, early history, pioneers, first and present
county officers—notes on the existing resources of the town, &c., - 604-606
Waite, Morrison R., personal sketch of - 586-571
War of 1812, declared June 12th—the imperilled north-western frontier- causes that led to the
war —letter from General Solomon Sibley - 122-126
Washington, George, President—his Indian policy - 60, 61
Way, Willard V—his reminiscences of the old bench and bar - 313-318
personal sketch of,. .&c. - 437
Wayne, Anthony—commenced his north-western campaign hi 1792 - 83
erects Fort Greenville and Recovery in 1793 - 85
his march and victory - 86-93
his death - 94
General Hull in command—on the Maumee in June, 1812—incapableness of Hull and the
administration—complaint of army contractors—difficulty in transporting supplies—his
surrender at Detroit - 128-132
Waupaukonnetta—" the town of Tecumseh and of Logan " - 214-215
Tecumseh, Logan, Bright Horn, and Capt. John - 465-467
Col. Richard M. Johnson, Anthony Shane, D. M. Workman, David Robb, and Robert J. Skinner -
467, 468
early history, of and original proprietors - 468-473
Wells, Captain William - 88-100
Winchester, General J—letter from - 137, 138, 139
assigned, at Defiance, by General Harrison, to the command of the left wing of the army - 145
at Defiance, at the close of 1812 - 148
at the foot of the Rapids, January, 1813 - 148
at Frenchtown, (river Raisin)—his mistake, defeat, and massacre of his troops - 149, 150, 151
public opinion regarding his defeat - 156
Williams county - 582-585
Williams, Jesse L—personal sketch of - 415-422
Wood county—in 1790, 1810 and 1816 - 425
in 1812-15 - 426
session of the commissioners in -1820-23 - 428-430
progress in population and wealth - 430-432
pioneer notes—Capt. David Wilkinson, Willard V. Way, William Ewing, and Aaron S. Dresser
- 435-437
Worthington, Gov. Thomas—letter to Gen. McArthur and confidential communication to the
lower branch of the legislature - 213
Wyandotte County—formation—Kenton, Girty, Logan, &c., - 483-484
Methodist Mission, early settlers, taxable wealth, population, &c., 484-488
Wyandot -Indians - 33, 34, 35
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