700 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY Hopocan, Killbuck managed to escape death in the attack by Williamson's men, and later joined the Moravians on the Sandusky. "Before bidding farewell to the Moravians, it is fitting to inquire as to their later career. Zeisberger and his assistants were left in this account at the beginning of their second journey to Detroit, where they went in answer to a summons from De Peyster. At the close of their hearing, the Moravians were barred from returning to their settlement at Captives' Town on the Sandusky. Under De Peyster's orders, either of two things was left them; to return to their original settlements in Pennsylvania, or to remain in the Michigan country under the protection of the British. They chose the latter and established a settlement known as New Gnadenhutten among the friendly Chippewas on the Huron River. "But the Moravians had left their hearts in the Ohio country, and in 1782, peace having been declared between England and the United States, they found their way to the Cuyahoga River, where they sojourned for about one year, and then took up their abode on the Huron River near the present town of Milan. Here for four years they prospered, and made many converts, among them the noted Captain Killbuck, who, always inclined to be friendly, now became a lasting and valued member of the church. But hostilities between the Ohio Indians and the American government disturbed their security and in 1789 they returned to Canada. In the meantime, in passing the Ordinance of 1787 and in conducting the surveys of the lands thereunder, Congress granted the Moravian Indians a tract of 12,000 acres of land on the Tuscarawas River, adjoining and partly including their former settlements. To this land the pilgrims returned in 1789 and picking up the raveled ends of their pathetic career set themselves to restore the old order of peace and prosperity. For a time all went well and their dream seemed destined to become reality; but their leaders, Zeisberger and Heckewelder, had already left behind them their best years and strength in the fitful and checkered existence of their beloved mission. Zeisberger founded the little town of Goshen, about seven miles distant from Gnadenhutten, where he lived and labored until his death in 1808. Heckewelder re-established Gnadenhutten on the site of the infamous massacre, where he resided until 1810, when he returned to Pennsylvania. Their leaders gone, and none among the converts being of a caliber to fill their places, the Moravian TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 701 Brethren rapidly declined, and, as with others of their race, returned to the ways of their fathers." The attention of the Society of Friends (Quakers) was, about 1791, turned toward the Indians of the Maumee and Sandusky. At a meeting of that sect for sufferers, held in Philadelphia, the above year, a memorial was addressed to the United States Congress urging pacific measures for the settlement of the difficulties then existing with the western. Indians, and in 1792 at the yearly meeting of Friends, an important committee was appointed to confer with the Meeting for Sufferers on this problem. The result was the appointment of three U. S. commissioners to attend the large Indian council held on the lower Maumee in the summer of 1793. The Friends, with the consent of the President "deputed" six of their society to accompany the commissioners to this council in the interest of peace. These six Friends joined Colonel Timothy Pickering and Beverly Randolph at Niagara. The failure of the commissioners to join in the Maumee council, by reason of the interference of the British agents McKee and Elliott, has already been told. However, the Friends reached Detroit by a sloop from Fort Erie, June 9, 1793. They found Detroit "a small garrison town with a variety of inhabitants, with much of the sound of drums and trumpets, but not much religion." There were English, Scotch, Irish, Dutch, Germans and French; also Americans from different states, with some blacks, and Indians of many tribes. There was only one church-house, Roman Catholic. They called upon the priest in charge, were kindly received, and later dined with Colonel England, British Commandant of Fort Lernoult, who later called upon them at their lodgings. They preached to the Indians and people above and below Detroit and even visited and fraternized with the Moravians at their settlement on the Canadian Thames. After a six weeks' stay, the Friends were joined at Detroit by the U. S. Commissioners, July 25th. On account of being frustrated in their expectations to attend the Maumee council as stated, both the U. S. Commissioners and the delegation of Friends started home by way of Fort Erie in the sloop Dunmore, August 1, 1793. At the yearly meeting of the Friends at Baltimore in 1795, another committee to consider the affairs of the Indians was appointed, and for some years thereafter annual visits were made to look into the conditions of various tribes. At the Friends' meeting at Baltimore in 1798, a speech was presented on a large belt 702 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY and ten strings of white wampum, inviting the Quakers to make a visit to the Wyandots and Delawares about Upper Sandusky. The invitation speech was signed by Tarhe the Crane, Adam Brown, Walk-in-the-Water and one or two others. In consequence, a delegation of Friends left Baltimore for the West, May 7, 1799. After a most laborious journey over swollen streams, they arrived at Upper Sandusky June 3, where by reason of much drunkenness, they were subject to many indignities. Although regarded as an able chief, Tarhe on account of his intoxicated condition, was unable to meet the Friends until the following day. He then informed them that the council would not meet until some two weeks later, when the subject of their mission, as to instruction in religion, books for their teaching, domestic matters, agriculture, etc., would be taken up. As soon as the council came to a decision he would send them a speech. After Tarhe had presented the delegates with four strings of white wampum to be taken to their great men in the East, they gave presents to the chiefs and the meeting closed. Much difficulty was experienced in procuring food while at Cranetown, and after their return home by a southern route, nothing was heard from the Upper Sandusky meeting. In the account of their journey westward through Pennsylvania, an incident concerning the rapidity with which canoes could be made from bark by the Indians, is described as follows: " * * * We found this stream (Killbuck Creek in northeastern Ohio) forty-five yards wide and twelve feet deep. On ascertaining this our guide (a Delaware Indian of the Moravian band) turned his horse loose to feed and all the rest of us did the same, expecting to remain there until the next day. He however went off, as he informed us, to build a canoe. Being desirous to acquaint myself with their manner of constructing these boats, I accompanied him. After searching some time he found a tree which he supposed would answer his purpose, and having first cut the bark round near the ground, he then prepared two wooden forks with lateral prongs from the bottom to the top of them, which served as steps upon which he could rest his feet. These he placed against the tree and then walked up them, and cut the bark round the tree about eighteen feet higher. He then, after splitting the bark from the top to the bottom, peeled it off. He next shaved off the rough outside of the bark at both ends and, after making the proper holes at suitable places, he drew up the ends into a bow and stern with hickory bark ropes, which TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 703 completed his work so that we returned down the river with a boat that was capable of carrying three persons. We immediately embarked, transporting ourselves and baggage over the stream, and swam our horses through it—having been detained here only about :three hours." On two or three other occasions the Indians of the Upper Sandusky region through Tarhe, appealed for aid when their provisions were low, and the Quakers responded with material assistance. The fame of the Friends having spread among the tribes, in September, 1803, Little Turtle of the Miamis and Five Medals of the Pottawatomies, signed a letter, probably written by Captain William Wells, asking that the Society send among the Indians of the Upper Maumee and Indiana section, representatives to teach agriculture and civilized methods, raise the standard of living and prevent the traders from bringing in liquor. Accordingly, Friends George Ellicott and Gerard T. Hopkins, taking Philip Dennis as an agriculturist, as a commission, in February, 1804, started west from Baltimore on horseback. Crossing the Potomac and Shenandoah and the Alleghanies, they reached the upper Ohio March 10. Their route in Ohio was through Zanesville, Lancaster and to Chillicothe, then the state capital, where they were met by Governor Tiffin, who "supped with them and favorably impressed them with his friendly affability." Arriving at Dayton, they made their way along the Miami River to Piqua and up Loramies Creek to Loramie's Store. From here they took the usual portage route to the St. Marys, and coming in sight of Fort Wayne March 30th, were halted by the fort sentinels. Stating their business and giving their names to a sergeant, the latter after obtaining proper orders, conducted them before Captain Whipple the commandant. The Friends presented their letter of introduction from the Secretary of War, Henry Dearborn, addressed—"To the Commanding Officer at Fort Wayne, Mr. John Johnston, Indian Factor and Mr. William Wells, Indian Agent." As soon as Johnston and Wells, Indian Agents, met the delegates at Fort Wayne, they dispatched runners for Little Turtle on the Eel River and Five Medals on the River St. Joseph of Michigan. The report of the Friends says that they dined with Captain Whipple of the fort "who behaved with a freedom and gentility becoming a well bred man." The fort, a large and substantial structure, "commands a beautiful view of the rivers and also an extent of about four square miles of cleared land, 704 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY much of which clearing has been done by the United States Army, * * * The garrison kept here at present consists of about forty officers and soldiers." At another conference and dinner, at which all were present including the two chiefs, at the head of the table sat the wife of the interpreter and agent Captain Wells, "who is a modest, well looking Indian woman, the daughter of a distinguished chief. * * * She had prepared for us a large, well roasted wild turkey, and also a wild turkey boiled. And for these she had provided a large supply of cranberry sauce. The Little Turtle (brother of the hostess) sat at the table with us, and with much sociability we all partook of an excellent dinner." At a later conference, the Friends proposed that a meeting of all the Indians old and young and of both sexes be arranged, for the betterment of the savage conditions. Such a meeting to the Indians was most unusual, as the head men only, always attended their councils. Besides, as the young men were absent on distant hunts and the squaws were busy making maple sugar, the chiefs asked that the general gathering be deferred. In the meantime the Friends under the guidance of Captain Wells, were shown the historic places about the headwaters of the Maumee and listened to his accounts of the many important contiguous events. They were shown the sites of the old Indian villages, the battle ground of General Harmar's defeat, and the situation where Little Turtle assembled his fourteen hundred warriors (site of Fort Recovery) when he overwhelmed St. Clair. This sightseeing took in a wide range of territory, including visits to the sugar camps, the ridgelands and prairies, and was most entertaining. It may be stated here that the United States Agency for the Indians at Fort Wayne was managed from 1800 to 1811 by Col. John Johnston. In the latter year he was transferred to Old Piqua, where he remained as agent until the removal of the Indians westward thirty years later. At Fort Wayne, Johnston was succeeded by Benjamin F. Stickney, who had been agent a short time at Upper Sandusky. The agency at Fort Wayne was closed during the War of 1812, after which Stickney resumed his post until about 1818, when he was succeeded in turn by Doctor William Turner and then John Hays. During the later years James Montgomery was subagent of the Senecas on the Sandusky below now Tiffin ; James McPherson for the Senecas and Shawnees at Lewiston; B. F. Stickney Subagent for the Ottawas along TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 705 the lower Maumee, with quarters at Fort Miami (Maumee City) and John Shaw Subagent for the Wyandots at Upper Sandusky. The interpreters for this territory at that period were : William Walker for the Wyandots, Upper Sandusky; Thomas Duchoquet for the Shawnees at Wapakoneta and an interpreter at Fort Wayne. John Lewis was blacksmith on the Sandusky. Stickney in the closing Indian days was also Subagent for the Ottawas on the Blanchard River. He figured prominently in the early history of Toledo. At Fort Wayne, resuming the visit of the Friends there, Indians were constantly circulating about the region, the women bearing the burdens of transportation, carrying packs of skins, boxes of maple sugar and other articles. A council-house, size 25 by 50 feet, of hewn logs, was in the course of construction by the government carpenter and a blacksmith was busy repairing the Indian guns. An important matter discussed, was a canal through the portage ridge, to make continuous water transportation during high water from the St. Marys to Little River. On April 10th occurred the general assemblage of the Friends, military officers, chiefs and Indian men and women ; and at a clearing, some two days later, Philip Dennis gave the Indians some instructions in agriculture and the methods of civilized living. A good sized tract of cleared land was selected for tillage and a site chosen on the Wabash River for a dam for water power and a mill. The delegation in their tour of inspection slept in the open by a blazing fire, wrapped in their blankets. Otters in their play along the river at night were noisy; deer approached the camp-fire closely and made a whistling noise as they bounded away; wolves howled in the offing, and at morning's dawn, wild turkeys made the wilderness resound with their assembling call. At one point they saw a "flock of wild parrots" the size of doves, Kith long tails, heads of red, and red tipped wings. They resembled the green parrots of South America. There were also woodcocks with black heads and ivory-colored bills. (An authority says the parrots were probably the Carolina paroquet.) On the Wabash, a site was staked out for a dwelling for Philip Dennis, the agriculturist. While Indians and French traders were frequently passing by the situation in both directions, his closest actual neighbors were at the town of Little Turtle eighteen miles northeast and the Mississinewa village some thirty miles southwest. On April 13th the expedition returned to Fort Wayne. Leav- 706 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY ing their comrade, Dennis, to work out his task of establishing an agricultural and Christian mission, and bidding farewell to the officers of Fort Wayne and the Indian chiefs, Hopkins and Ellicott in a pirogue obtained from Commandant Whipple and manned by a Corporal King and a Fort Wayne soldier, April 15, 1804, floated down the Maumee River towards Detroit. Their journey down the Maumee was pleasant and uneventful. Along the banks they saw many Indians, mostly Ottawas. They passed numerous hunting and maple sugar camps, where large and small children were playing about bedecked in their savage ornaments. The Indian huts were made of two upright forked sticks with a crossbar in the forks and barks of trees leaning against it. Sometimes the covering was of rushes sewn together in mats. Occasionally was seen a round pointed tepee. Game was plentiful, wolves howled and owls hooted. A muskalonge was speared over four feet long. They stopped to look over the remains of old Fort Defiance and observed the beautiful situation where there resided a Canadian trader. Opposite Girty's Island above now Napoleon, they noted the former trading station of James Girty on the left bank of the river and passed from the head of the Rapids (Grand Rapids) to the foot of the Rapids (Maumee —Perrysburg) fourteen miles in half an hour. Noting Roche de Boeuf or Standing Rock, they described it as "thirty feet high above the surface of the water, circular, with diameter the same, and the top with the regular appearance of the roof of a house, Its appearance is additionally handsome from the circumstance of the roof, as it is called, being covered with cedar trees." Strong head winds retarded their progress below the Rapids and "prudence seemed to dictate that we should put into a harbor which we did at the mouth of Swan Creek where is a small fort and garrison lately established by the United States. Introductory letters were given us at Fort Wayne to Lieutenant Rhea, the Commandant, which we delivered. He treated us with r spect, and with him we spent the remainder of the day and lodged On our way we stopped to view an old fort called Fort Miam which was garrisoned by the British at the time Wayne defeate the Indians. Many Indian villages and wigwams were seen o both sides of the lower Maumee and many French dwelt there, having married into the tribe and adopted their customs. Som of these houses were of a better class, built of small round lo and roofed with bark." The commissioners arrived at Detroit April 25, and soon sailed over Lake Erie homeward. TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 707 Dennis, near Fort Wayne planted corn and vegetables, but with only one or two exceptions could he induce the Indians to aid him. Others were willing to share in the products but not in the industry. He stored the crops in a house he built for the purpose and after giving instructions to the chiefs to distribute the stores to the needy the following winter,. returned to his family in Maryland. Thus the first agricultural school in the West was a failure. A, delegation of chiefs including Little Turtle, who made a trip to Washington in the winter of 1807-1808, on their way home, visited the Friends at Baltimore. Other chiefs before this had visited the Friends in Philadelphia. More definite results were obtained by the Friends among the Shawnees of the Wapakoneta section after the War of 1812. Those of the Society who came West to establish new homes, contributed their work and influence for the stabilization of Indian communities and turning them from their wandering hunting expeditions to the cultivation of the soil and the rearing of domestic animals. A dam was constructed across the Auglaize and a flouring and sawmill built for the benefit of the tribe. Iron plows were brought and wood-mounted for use, other implements furnished, and even cattle and horses. A school for manual raining, the first in Ohio, was projected, and in the fall of 1819, Isaac Harvey a zealous Friend moved his family from Southern Ohio to Wapakoneta and took charge of the mills in the interests of the Indians. It was at this time that the Shawnees were divided, one-sixth of the number taking up their abode on Hog Creek, Allen County, now the Ottawa River. There was always superstition among the Indians, and soon after the arrival of Harvey this savage proclivity was greatly augmented by Elskawatawa, the reputed brother of Tecumseh, who at the time was mingling with the Shawnees of that section and posing as a sorcerer or medicine man. One day Harvey in his ministrations carried some food to a sick Shawnee, where he came upon Elskawatawa in the act of slashing the skin of the sick man's back with a knife, causing the blood to run profusely. The would be sorcerer told Harvey he was making the cuts to let out the burning of firey matter that a witch Polly Butler had put there. Harvey drove Elskawatawa away and dressed the patient's wounds. That night the Quaker was aroused by the alarmed appearance at his house of Polly Butler with her child, begging protection from the Shawnees who were seeking to put her to death as a witch. The woman was spirited away, and it 708 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY took all the finesse and diplomacy Harvey could command, who even offered his own life, to stem the tide of superstition; but the curse was finally raised and the woman was allowed to return to her family in peace. Harvey was assured by the Indian agent, John Johnston, that his success in saving the life of Polly Butler and breaking up the practice of putting victims to death for alleged witchcraft, was sufficient reward for all the time and efforts the Friends had expended on behalf of the Indians. Harvey continued his work among the Shawnees, in 1830 took charge of the Indian school south of Wapakoneta, and when the tribe was removed to Kansas, he followed them there in his zeal. All in all the efforts of the Friends for the betterment of the Indian, evidently produced as favorable results in this section as the work of any other sect. Next in point of date to appear among the Indians of the Maumee and Sandusky region were the Presbyterians. With funds collected by the Synod of Virginia, representatives were sent to these sections and to Brownstown, Michigan, and the River Raisin, with the idea to establish a mission school, if the situation proved favorable. At this time the Wyandots and Senecas were along the Sandusky and the Ottawas and Mohawks on the lower Maumee and in Michigan. The first representative was Rev. Thomas E. Hughes who arrived in these regions in the fall of 1800, accompanied by James Satterfield, a licentiate of the Ohio Presbytery. On his return to his home in Virginia the same year, Hughes was accompanied by George Bluejacket, a son of the noted Shawnee chief, Bluejacket, whose family seat was about three miles from Brownstown below Detroit. The young Indian had espoused the cause of religion and encouraged the missionary, as he did others later, to believe the boy would be able to wield much influence in their behalf. The most prominent among the early Presbyterian missionaries to this section was the Rev. Joseph Badger, of Connecticut, a graduate in theology at Yale and a Revolutionary soldier, born at Wilbraham, Massachusetts, February 28, 1757. He arrived on the Sandusky in September, 1801, with Missionary Hughes, when the latter made his second western trip, young Bluejacket returning with them. Badger first came in 1800 to the Western Reserve and at once became active in church work there, preaching at all available points. He kept a diary -of his daily operations, later published in his book of "Memoirs," a most valuable TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 709 historical contribution. In this book under the date of August 17, 1801, he says : "Having agreed to go with George Bluejacket, a Shawnese Indian to see his father, Monday, September 2, rode to Warren (Ohio) and from thence passed through Nelson to Mantua. When we came to the place of fording the Cuyahoga, it was dark and the water high. We, however, ventured in and found the water almost to the top of our saddles; got through safely, but very wet; went on about a mile and came to a small cabin. Lay down on the floor in our wet clothes and slept some ; rode to Esquire Sheldon's in Aurora, dried our clothes, got refreshments, and next day went on to Cleveland and lodged at Benoni Carter's." (Moses Cleaveland had arrived there only five years earlier.) The details of their journey are most interesting. On September 6th, they swam their horses across the Cuyahoga at another point, "and took the path up the lake." Rocky and Black rivers are mentioned. On the Huron River at an Indian cabin in the midst of a large cornfield, they dined on corn bread and string beans seasoned with bear's oil, and near by at an Indian village Badger preached to the Indians. On Monday, September 9, "Arrived at Whitaker's a little before dark on the Sandusky." This was the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Whitaker on their 710 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY reservation already told about and which will be dealt with later in this narrative. On the 10th they encamped on the Portage River. "11th—Rode through the swamp to the Shawnee village on the Maumee. George, our Indian boy, took us on to the island just below the Rapids to see his aunt. Soon as we were seated we were presented with a bowl of boiled corn, buttered with bear's grease. As the corn was presented, the old woman said, `Friends, eat; it is good; it is such as God gives Indians.' This opened the door to preach Christ to her and her two daughters, the only persons present. They listened to what I said. Returned to the west side of the river and lodged with a brother of George; had a good bed, and blankets all clean and wholesome." The island mentioned, next to Station Island, one of the largest in the Maumee, is situated between present Maumee and Perrysburg and is known as Pilliod Island. On the following day the party rode on to "Frenchtown, River Raisin and lodged. Next day reached Captain Bluejacket's seat about three miles from Brownstown and were received by the old man and his wife with great cordiality. They lived in a comfortable cabin, well furnished with mattress, bedding and blankets; with furniture for the table, crockery, and silver spoons. Their crockery was equal to that of white people. Sabbath, went over to Malden, preached, and returned to Walker's at Brownstown. Monday rode to Detroit. Visited Rev. David Bacon and several other families. There was not one Christian to be found in all this region, except a black man. Returned to Bluejacket's and tarried with them; had much talk with several Indian people about having schools, that they might learn to read, write and number with figures." On September 22nd, Badger and Hughes accompanied by Chief Bluejacket, his wife and his son George, returned to the Indian village on the Maumee, where the missionaries encamped in their tent, and from there went to Lower Sandusky. Here they had a "talk with the chiefs on the subject of having a minister live with them and teach their children to read &c.; was fully persuaded that this was the only way in which they could be led to any valuable improvement.' At the close of our talk they expressed a wish to hear from us again." From Lower Sandusky they took their course through the woods to Hudson, and then Austinburg in Ashtabula County. For two days they went without anything to eat except a few chestnuts. TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 711 Returning East, Badger in 1802 exchanged his land in Bland-ford, Massachusetts, for land in the Reserve; moved his family of six children and his wife, with household goods, to Austin-burg, a distance of six hundred miles. They started February 22nd in a wagon drawn by four horses, but at Schodac, New York, the snow was two and a half feet deep, in consequence of which Badger placed his wagon box on an iron-shod sled. Reaching Troy, they crossed the Hudson River on thawing ice at great peril. Reaching Paris, he had to resort again to wheels through deep mud and water. Breaking an axeltree of his wagon and no wagonmaker at hand, he repaired the break sufficiently to reach Bloomfield. The first Monday in April, "we stored all the loading we could spare and commenced crossing Buffalo Creek in a little totling boat only wide enough to admit the wheels (of the wagon) and not as long as the wagon and tongue. We ran the wagon in (the boat) by hand and landed it safely on the opposite shore; then returned and took in one span of horses, and with much care got them over. The next span by stepping too much on one side, careened the boat so that they had to jump out, but got out of the water safely. This was the first team ever known to cross from Buffalo onto the long sandbar on the west side." Three footmen here joined Badger. Getting across the sandbar safely at Cattaraugus, he bought several bushels of corn of the Indians at one dollar per bushel and also procured of them some coarse hay. Cutting a road through the wilderness, they reached "the first cabin in Ohio on that route," and on the last Tuesday of April, 1802, reached "the first settlement on this miserable road in the Connecticut Western Reserve. We had passed in this journey more than two hundred miles through a wilderness with but here and there a log cabin where we could spread our beds upon the rough hewn floor; and from Buffalo to the Pennsylvania line, seventy miles, there being no cabin on the route, we cut our path by day and pitched our tent by night." After establishing his family at Austinburg, Badger set about building a crude log cabin of his own and returned to Buffalo in a small open boat to bring back the remainder of his goods left there. "Having a favorable wind we ran down to Buffalo (from Ashtabula River) got our loading and returned to Elk Creek by the 3rd of July. On July 4 (1802), a heavy wind ahead. Here we had to keep Independence until the 6th." After a narrow escape from being wrecked on the lake in their little boat they 712 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY reached Conneaut Creek and then Ashtabula. He preached for three years now throughout the Western Reserve, and at the Cross Creek section in Ashtabula County upon one occasion, delivered an address to a gathering of three thousand people. In June, 1805, Missionary Badger agreed to come to this section again and spend two months among the Indians of the River Raisin and among the Wyandots of the Sandusky. On the second of that month he rode to Painesville and then Cleveland. Here he met up with Captain Parish of Canandaigua and Mr. Knaggs of Detroit, interpreters, on their way to attend the Indian Treaty at Swan Creek (Fort Industry). They lodged at night on the sand beach of Lake Erie, near the mouth of Black River. In the morning they saw across the Lake the smoke of the great conflagration when Detroit was burned (June 11, 1805). Crossing the Vermilion and Huron rivers, the party reached the Sandusky passing over that river in a canoe swimming their horses. Here Badger met again the missionary, Rev. James Hughes. "Walked up to the Indian village three miles. Found the chiefs had arrived from the upper town (Upper Sandusky) on their way to the (Fort Industry) treaty about selling their lands. We spoke to (Chiefs) Crane and Walk-in-the-Water about a time for preaching. They appointed to attend on the morrow in the council-house. We went to Barnet's or Eunonqua's house and took dinner and then returned to Mrs. Whitaker's." "14th (June) Saturday morning, we went up to the council-house; found the chiefs gathered, and others coming in, to the number of about sixty or seventy. Others stayed away, making a noise, sometimes coming in and going out again. One came in, looking very ugly, with his gun, and went through the house twice, singing the war whoop, while Mr. Hughes was preaching. Being engaged after Brother Hughes in another discourse, the same Indian came in again with the war club, and sang and whooped as before. The chiefs were much displeased with the conduct, and early Sabbath morning had them together and gave them sharp reproof. We both preached on the Sabbath without having any intermission or interruption. They appeared to listen with solemnity. Barnet appears with the meekness of a Christian, and is really an amiable man. After preaching, Tarhe or Crane, after consulting the other chiefs, thanked us for what we had said : he believed what we said was true ; that it was God's word ; and he hoped they would remember and mind it. "16th,—Monday, found my horse was gone ; got another and TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 713 rode to Honey Creek, twenty-six miles; found my horse at Spicer's, at the Mohawk village. At Honey Creek, the chief's name is Beauty; he was at the lower town (Fremont site), and heard us on the Sabbath with apparent solemnity. He requested us to call and speak to his people. Mr. Hughes preached in the morning to about twenty. "Tuesday, we rode to the upper town (Upper Sandusky), fourteen miles. Being directed by Crane, we put up at his house and requested the people to come in ; they were soon collected to the number of one hundred or upwards; Mr. Hughes preached. About the same number gathered again in the morning, directly after breakfast, to whom I preached. They heard very attentively, and after I had done, two or three spoke to the rest, and said that what I told them was true, and hoped they would mind what they had heard. They then came and took me by the hand, men, women, and children. After dinner I rode to Honey Creek. The head man proposed to go out and work among their corn, and after eating they would hear me. He appears to be a candid, sensible man. Rode to the lower town, twenty-six miles. "21st,—Friday, went to the village and preached in Barnet's house. After sermon I talked with the Indians on the subject of civil improvements, both in learning to read, write, and number by figures, and cultivating their lands more extensively, raising cattle, and making of cloth; this was the only way in which they could increase their population and live happy." Honey Creek, a delightful tributary of the Sandusky River, has been famous for its many springs, but few of which are still flowing. William Spicer was taken prisoner by the Indians, always' lived with them thereafter, and married a Seneca woman. He was granted a reservation of a section of land on the east bank of the Sandusky, by the treaty of 1817. Going to attend the treaty at Fort Industry,' Badger rode through the swamps from Lower Sandusky to the Maumee, which he forded at the lower Rapids (Perrysburg site) and breakfasted at a French house on the left bank of the river. "Rode down to the outlet of Swan Creek to Fort Industry, where the Indian Agent, Mr. Jewett, with the commissioners of the Connecticut Fire Lands Company and the chiefs of eight different tribes of Indians, were in council about selling and buying lands. I said to Crane, head chief of the Wyandot tribe, I had a talk I wished to make to all the chiefs and warriors present of his tribe, when it was convenient for them to hear. He replied, tomorrow, if 714 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY the agent did not call on them to attend on the business of the treaty, they would hear me. "28th,—Friday, about eleven o'clock, Crane sent Walker, the interpreter, to inform me they were ready to hear my talk. I told them the subject of my talk would be to describe to them the injurious effects ardent spirits had on them as a people. In the first place, after drinking a little, you get drunk and lose your reason, and then you quarrel and abuse one another; sometimes one friend kills another, and you often abuse your women. This is one reason why you are wasting away, and have few children that grow to be men; but when you are sober, there are no people more friendly. Secondly, when you get drunk, you often lie out in wet and cold, and contract wasting disease, which renders you unable to hunt or hoe corn, or do anything for your support. Look at that man, a son of the head chief ; he is shaking all over, and can scarcely walk with a staff; this he has contracted by drinking to excess; he must soon die, although a young man. They all cried out, `Entooh, Entooh,' true, true. Thirdly, by reason of your drinking, the traders impose upon you and cheat you, and get away your property for almost nothing. When you have been out, and made a good hunt or a good quantity of sugar, the traders will often visit you on your hunting ground with kegs of whiskey and a few goods, and get you to drinking, and get away from you all your winter's hunt for a mere trifle, and you come home and have nothing to make your families comfortable. Thus I went on, particularizing all the evils I could think of that resulted from their use of ardent spirits. The last thing I mentioned was, it would be of no use to them to have a missionary live with them, or that the government. should help them; they would not listen to instruction, or make any good improvement of anything done for them. They listened with close attention to every topic proposed, and at the close of each cried out, `Entooh, Entooh', true, true. I then proposed to them, as they were seated in a circle around me, to decide on the subject, whether they would quit the use of strong drink entirely. The head chief made a short speech to them, and told them to make up their minds what they would do. In about half an hour the old chief replied, `Father, you have told us the truth; we thank you, Father; we have all agreed to use no more ardent spirits.' I lived with them after this about four years, and saw or knew of but one man drunk in that time. It broke up the traders so that they left them." TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 715 Badger again visited Brownstown and other Michigan points and called on Chief Walk-in-the-Water. At Detroit he had an interview with Governor Hull who "expressed a high degree of approbation that the missionary business had been attempted among the Indians, * * * would use his influence to encourage their attendance and to prevent spirituous liquors from being carried among them." From here the missionary returned to the lower Maumee Rapids, Lower Sandusky and to Upper Sandusky again where "the head Chief Crane sent for me and laid before me several papers and maps put into his hands by Isaac Williams, a man who had resided among the Indians for many years, and now set up a claim to twenty-three miles square in the fire lands, which the Indians had sold but a few days before (Fort Industry) to the Commissioners of the Land Company. Williams wanted to do something to break the treaty and secure his claim; but Crane was determined to abide by the treaty. He sent for the other chiefs, and was in council with them until near night. He then sent for me again, and wanted me to write for him. After we had taken supper, one of the women made a candle of beeswax, and I seated myself on the floor beside a bench, and wrote as dictated by the interpreter, who was directed by the old chief. His address was to the Governor at Detroit. He gave an account of the proceedings of Williams, and requested that Williams, and Hugh Patterson, a British trader, and a man by the name of Marshall, should be removed from among them without delay; as they were constantly contriving mischief, and troubling the Indians. This speech was sent off next morning by a woman to the Governor at Detroit." At the request of the chiefs, after writing "several sheets of speeches" to the President and to the Quakers, Badger returned home by way of Cleveland and remarks that "In this tour I was gone from home eighty days; rode six hundred and twelve miles, and preached thirty sermons, besides making several lengthy speeches to the Indians on the subject of temperance; on introducing schools among them, improving their lands, and on establishing a mission among them." By invitation from Gen. Rufus Putnam and others of Marietta, the missionary attended the ordination of Rev. Samuel Price Robbins, who had been called to the pastorate of the Congregational Church Society at the historical settlement on the Ohio. Badger set out from Austinburg for Marietta, December 22, 716 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY 1806, rode to Steubenville, crossed the Ohio River at Wheeling; recrossed to the Ohio side again at Marietta and "put up at Gen, Rufus Putnam's." At the ordination services he gave the charge to the pastor. On January 13, 1807, he started for home by a more direct route, "much of the way being difficult and dangerous," and reached his destination within a week. In 1806 Badger severed his connection with the Connecticut Missionary Society and arranged with the Western Missionary Society, Pittsburg, to take charge of the missionary work upon the Sandusky. In February of that year he collected tools, four cows, eight barrels of flour, besides their ox teams and other material for the mission; built a boat of three tons burden on the Grand River, and early in May with his family, started for the Sandusky. With such of the material as taken on board, the occupants with great difficulty succeeded in getting the boat down the river to the lake. The first day's sail westward along the south shore of Erie brought them "into the Cuyahoga River before night." The next day being Sunday, Badger preached in Cleveland. Monday the two young men of the party drove on the cows and oxen, and with the aid of the oars, the sailing party gained the Rocky River "in company with five Indian canoes loaded with peltry and sugar." Touching Huron River harbor and other points, they ran into Sandusky Bay and up the Sandusky, and after meeting the young men driving the cattle, "arrived at the widow Whitaker's about four o'clock in the afternoon of May 14, 1806." Whitaker, the trader, had died since Badger's last visit. At Lower Sandusky the missionary found the Prophet, the alleged brother of Tecumseh, active in his work among the Indians as a sorcerer, "who was pointing out several of their women to be killed for witches." Through the help of Chief Crane the operations of Elskawatawa were frustrated. Quoting Badger's journal here again he says: "At the Upper Sandusky there was a small settlement of black people, to whom I preached frequently. There were seven adults and several children, and one white man, a silversmith, whose name was Wright, married to one of the colored women, Wright afterwards left his wife. She was a sensible, industrious woman. The three women and two of the men became hopefully pious, and the two men learned to read. They raised plenty of corn, had several horses, cows and other cattle; they lived comfortably and decently; they ground their corn upon a handmill. TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 717 My labors with the Wyandot people in their villages, from Upper Sandusky to Maguago, eight miles below Detroit, were very fatiguing, [I being] often exposed to rains and heavy dews, and camping in the woods. At Lower Sandusky we often helped them with our teams to plow their ground. draw rails for fence and logs for building. I spent much time in conversation and preaching; but there was a constant and powerful opposition, both from the Indian traders and several officers of Government. But the influence I obtained over the Indians, in persuading them not to use strong drink of any kind, broke up the traders, and they went off. About this time the United States Government sent on a store of goods, under the management of Samuel Waterman; but he was soon found inadequate for the business, and Mr. Samuel Tupper was appointed in his room." Thus it will be seen that Badger was the first Protestant missionary to hold religious services among the Wyandots of Upper Sandusky. He traveled from Detroit as far south as Franklinton (Columbus). He was favorably known among all the leading chiefs and their advisors in times of emergency. He preached at Worthington and at least twice in Franklinton, and mentions the Whetstone River now the Olentangy. After a visit to his old home with his wife in the East, Badger returned again to the Sandusky in 1808. The probability of war between America and England was agitating the Indians and the missionary by appointment gave them a talk at the council-house at Lower Sandusky before a large gathering as follows: "I observed to them, that there was much said about war. I hoped it would not take place; it would be a great calamity both to the red and white people to have war. But I had some advice to give them in regard to the course they should take in case of a war. Now, my children, listen. You are now living very happily on the lands occupied many years by your fathers, who now lie in their graves near you; this is a good land well situated for your support, both by hunting, and raising plenty of corn. You are under no obligations to sell it; and while you keep at peace with the government they will not drive you from it. But if war should break out between the British and the United States, and you should join in the war against the States Government, you will doubtless, many of you, be killed in the contest, and lose all your land. The Americans laid your great (British) Father on his back, when they were not half so strong s they now are; and they will do it again if they make war with 718 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY them. And if you engage in the contest with them, the Congress will not only lay your red-coated Father on his back, but they will take all your lands from you. Your land is good; there are many people who want it; and they will have it, if you meddle in the war. Now, my children, my advice is, that you have nothing to do with the war, on the one side or the other. The Americans do not want your help. If the war reaches you here, go back towards the Ohio to some white settlement, where you can be safe until you can return to your own homes again. Thus you, your women and your children will be safe, and your return to your cornfields will make you happy." Concerning his return, in another account he says : "Arrived about sunset at the mission house, Lower Sandusky. My return was welcomed by the Indian people. One man of some distinction among them came in from the woods and appeared highly elated at my return, took me by the hand, and after saying many things, kissed first one cheek and then the other. Having no interpreter, I could only preach to the mission family and a few white persons in the neighborhood through the winter. In February, I went to Franklin, Delaware County, one hundred and thirty miles; preached one Sabbath at Worthington and two lectures in Franklin. Encamped out two nights going, and two returning; made a raft on which I crossed the Scioto, with my baggage, and swam my horse. In March I repaired our boat, and with my son and hired man set out for Cuyahoga after our household furniture, salt, &c.; were out seven days, three of them very stormy. We were six days returning; for several hours the first evening out from Cuyahoga in the most imminent danger of being swallowed up by the waves; but God was pleased to save us from the stormy wind and raging waters. This spring we added another room to our house, improved several acres on the mission farm (Lower Sandusky), and ploughed about forty for the Indians. About the twentieth of May several Indians, with the Crane (from Upper Sandusky) came to my house to tell me a number of things which the traders had told them I was to do for them, namely, that I was to dig a canal across a bottom and build a mill, and that I was to plow and sow to wheat sixty or eighty acres of their bottom land. This has been one of the strategems of the traders to persuade them that we were to do their work and they do nothing. They were told that I had seven hundred dollars at one time, and more at others, sent me to hire help to do all their work. At other times they have alarmed them TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 719 with the idea that their land would all go to pay me for what I was doing, if they permitted me to stay. I. have for some time felt that we were in danger of failing in our design for the want of a faithful, competent interpreter; and in April engaged the services of Mr. Walker of Brownstown. We commenced the school about this time, which was continued about two years. During the summer had better facilities for instructing the Indians. The last Saturday in August we went' to the upper town and met with Rev. Mr. Marcus and Anderson. The latter preached on the Sabbath. "Monday, had a long talk with the Indians. They said what they had heard against the mission was from Patterson and Williams, two English traders. They appeared to be satisfied, and said they were glad to have missionary aid. We rode ten miles and encamped ; reached home on Tuesday." Badger's influence in a way was a great aid to the Americans. He was in the Sandusky in 1810, when there was great confusion among the Indians by reason of the Prophet "who was pointing out their witches and urging their destruction," and which culminated in the murder of the renowned Chief Leather-lips and two women. It was the time too when Tecumseh was exciting the Indians towards the Americans, bringing on the battle of Tippecanoe. Badger did much to alleviate the situation south of Lake Erie. (His successor at the Sandusky mission was Rev. Elisha Macurdy.) When the contest of 1812 came on, while Badger was against war, he was a true American ready to help defend his country. He was at his home in the Reserve when the conflict opened and relates the following: "About the first of October (1812) the brigade under the command of General Perkins, was called out to guard the frontier, and were marched to Huron. A scout (party) passed over the outlet of Sandusky to the peninsula; had a brush with the Indians; a number were severely wounded; others were soon taken sick. Several officers wrote very urgently that I would make them a visit. I concluded to go, calculating to be gone only two or three weeks. Found both the sick and wounded badly situated ; got help, and made the block-house comfortable, and provided bunks and regular attendants. In a few days General Harrison came. Without being consulted on the subject, I was appointed chaplain to the brigade, and postmaster for the army. There soon came on a chaplain commission from the Government. I could not get away honorably, and concluded to stay. Some time in November (1812) we 720 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY were ordered to march for Sandusky. There was no one in the camp had ever been through but myself. I observed to the General that to pass through to Sandusky on the Indian path with teams would be impracticable on account of the deep mire and deep swampy ground. He replied, 'Can you find a better route?' I told him I could, mostly on dry ground. He proposed I should take a guard of about twenty men and several axemen, and mark through where I supposed the army could pass with their heavy teams. I went through in five days, marked out the road and returned; on the last day was a heavy snowstorm. I then piloted the army through in three days. The Indians were then scouting through that section of country. They killed a man about a mile below the fort (Stephenson) the day I arrived there, after marking the road. "February 1st, 1813.—We were ordered to march to the Maumee. Soon after the building of Fort Meigs was commenced, the men began to be sick. Here Maj. E. Whittlesey was taken very sick. The General's tent was crowded ; I took him into my tent and took care of him night and day. He was given up to die by all except Doctor Stonard of the Virginia line, and myself. The Doctor understood the case; I carefully administered his prescriptions, which were blessed for his recovery. Here the hand of God was manifested in saving Whittlesey, while others fell victims to disease. About the seventh of March I disposed of the post office business to other hands and returned home. The latter part of May, having some unfinished business and trunk at Fort Meigs, I started to return ; but before I reached Sandusky the siege commenced, under the command of Colonel Proctor, with British and Indian forces. I tarried at Sandusky until Harrison came in, after the siege. The next day I took the mail and went through to Fort Meigs. I returned home the fore part of July, having spent more time in the murderous war than I had intended. I had said many things against the war, as being an unwise and wicked step in our Government, so that I had gained the epithet of Old Tory. "At the time Buffalo was burned, there came intelligence that the British were on their march toward Erie, with designs to burn our shipping then building there (Perry's fleet). Before daylight on Sabbath morning, guns were fired and drums beat an alarm. After breakfast I went out to see and hear what the alarm was for. A letter was read, that came from Colonel somebody, towards Buffalo, informing that the enemy were on their TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 721 march this way. While people were gathering, a number of the great warriors collected into a ring by themselves to consult what they should do with their families. Some had loaded up, almost ready to start. They called me into the circle to ask my advice. I observed to them, 'my neighbors, where will you go? I shall not move my family. If we have got to fight on this ground, we shall want them to aid us, cook for us, bind up our wounds, and perhaps bury the dead. No, my friends, there is no going away; there ought not to be given a word of encouragement to such a movement.' By this time the Captain had his company paraded, and began to inquire, 'Who will turn out?' Not a man willing to go. After considerable effort to get volunteers, I observed to the Captain that I wanted to say a few words. 'Here we have pretty correct intelligence that the enemy is on their march for Erie; and not one of you is willing to turn out to meet them. Now, I am the Old Tory, but in one hour I will be equipped, on my horse, and on the march.' Some few turned out : we went as far as Walnut Creek, and met counter orders." Thus it will be seen that Badger was with Perkins' Brigade when Harrison ordered General Perkins' march to the Maumee Rapids. It is therefore probable that he was with Harrison's forces when the General, after Winchester's defeat, retired from Winchester's camp on the Maumee above Wayne's battle ground to the Portage River (Pemberville site), and camped there for several days. He was at Fort Meigs in the early days of its construction, but left before the British siege beginning May 1, 1813, making a call there later with mail. The war scare he last describes, evidently took place near his home in Ashtabula County. Missionary Badger lost the wife of his youth in 1818, and previously one son. He later married again and in the fall of 1835, at the age of seventy-eight, removed to the Maumee section permanently, locating at Maumee City. In failing health, he sought outdoor life as a panacea to his declining years. With his wife he located on a farm at the edge of Liberty Prairie in Milton Township, Wood County, and established a church in that township. His last sermon was preached at Plain Church, west of now Bowling Green, Ohio, "on the day of the fast proclaimed by President Tyler." He manifested much interest in the growing West. He donated more than one hundred valuable books from his own extensive library to establish a circulating library in Plain Township, Wood County, which was later incorporated under the name of "The Badger Library." Abandoning his farm 722 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY life, in the winter of 1844 he removed to Perrysburg, the sam county, where he died April 5, 1846, in his ninetieth year, the day being the Sabbath. If at three o'clock on an August afternoon, the shadow of Fort Meigs Monument, standing on the site once trodden by this missionary patriot, could extend to the length of half a mile, its point would rest upon the grave where repose his mortal remains 'neath the cedars of Fort Meigs Cemetery, Perrysburg. A weatherbeaten marble slab placed there by the Northwest Synod of Ohio marks the spot, and bears the inscription— Rev. Joseph Badger First Missionary to the Western Reserve. Born in Massachusetts in 1757. Died in Perrysburg, Ohio, 1846. Letters written at his Milton farm and at Plain, to his children, in 1838 and later, are full of human interest. In a letter addressed to Lucius Badger, his son, he speaks of going to Perrysburg for his "pension money" (probably Revolutionary war), Spread out before him was thousands of acres of land (prairie) with free pasturage for cattle and hay for the mowing. "I could cut on my own lot as it now is, a hundred tons of good stock hay. I cut on the great opening before my house, because it is at present more convenient than to go onto my own." His industry was making butter and cheese. "Fifty were added to the Presbyterian Congregational Church in Maumee on the last Sabbath in February (1838). I was last week at Perrysburg attending an evening meeting in the courthouse [on Front Street—Editor] with a crowded audience, some anxious and others rejoicing in hope." His doctrine was of course of the old school. In a letter to a grandson, in closing he says : "Offers of mercy ' * * * if neglected a little longer will be sealed forever; to go to hell with a multitude will increase your misery." From "Plain" he wrote : "Some days I walk up to Mr. Van Tassel's [his son-in-law] but most of the time am unable to go but a few rods from the door." This is his last known letter. Rev. David Bacon, agent for the Connecticut Missionary Society, was in the Lower Maumee section in 1802, and hired as his interpreter William Drago. Near the mouth of the Maume he saw a number of drunken. Indians, Little Otter being the prin- TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 723 cipal chief. May 5, accompanied by Drago he proceeded from Fort Miami to Fort Industry, met the intoxicated chief and obtained his promise to assemble the tribe there. Bacon then returned to the Indian dancing ground and Little Otter and his followers met him at Swan Creek, May 14. The talk of the missionary, however, made little impression. The Indians objected that his religion was not good for them; that it would bring upon them the same tribulations suffered by the Indians who had embraced the Moravianism of Heckewelder, and that it was useless to their nomadic life. Bacon furnished them as much tobacco on the occasion as they could smoke, with the object of winning their attention:, but while they listened, they seemingly did not agree with what he said. On the next day Little Otter replied to the missionary as follows : "Our white brothers when they make speeches are very lengthy; but it is not so with your red brothers. When you were talking you kept looking up, and said a great deal to us about the Great Spirit. We understand that you want us to raise plenty of corn and wheat, horses and cattle and all other things and creatures that you raise, and that you want us to live like the people that wear hats. Now brother, if you and your friends wish to make us happy, why don't you stop your people from settling so near us. If you do this we might have game enough and do very well. We know what you say about the whisky white people make is very true. Indians don't know how to make it and have nothing to make it of. If your people did not make it and bring it to us, we would not have it. Brother, since it is so, why do you not stop your people from bringing it among us? We understand that you were sent out to visit the Indians in order to find out their minds about the Great Spirit. You have seen but few Indians yet. If you were to go and see them all, it would take you two or three years. We think you had better go and talk with them all and see what they think of it, and if they will agree to have such as you among them, we will also agree. This is all the red brothers have to say to you." Certainly, Little Otter was sober enough to tell the white man some plain truths. Mr. Bacon left the Maumee section June 2, 1802, and proceeded to Mackinaw. His nephew, who came West with him, rather as an adventure, hired a canoe and accompanied by an Indian, set out for Massachusetts by way of the lakes and the St. Lawrence. Following the missionary work of the Catholics, the Society of the Friends and that of the Protestant missionaries, Hughes, 724 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY Badger, and Bacon in the Maumee and Sandusky region, there was established in 1822, the Presbyterian Indian Mission on the Maumee River in now Wood County. While the Rev. Joseph Badger was not connected with this project, it undoubtedly came about, as it will be seen, through his early work in this territory; and there is entwined with its establishment a pioneer love romance. Isaac Van Tassel was of the Catskills and of the regions made famous by Washington Irving in his "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" involving Katrina Van Tassel and Ichabod Crane ; and also old Dutch Baltus Van Tassel who possessed "the fat meadowlands, the rich fields of wheat, of rye, of buckwheat and Indian corn and the orchards burthened with ruddy fruit," which surrounded his "warm tenement" ; and whose "vast barn might have served for a church ; every window and crevice of which seemed bursting forth with the treasures of the farm." Isaac the First as a young man braved the hardships of the then West and "pitched his tent" at Ashtabula, Ohio. He apparently had the ministry in mind and came in contact with the missionary Joseph Badger. In the religious work in which they were both engaged, young Van Tassel visited the home of Badger where he met the daughter of the household, Lucia. In a new country it was natural that an educated, comely maiden, and a fine, literary minded young man of the East, would be attracted to each other. Mutual love came soon and then marriage. Badger had evidently been impressed with Van Tassel's availability to take charge of the projected Indian mission on the Maumee and the way was now cleared for action. While the appointment to the Maumee mission had been tendered to Van Tassel by the Western Missionary Society of Pittsburg in the summer of 1822, he deferred taking up his duties until after his marriage, when the newly wedded couple immediately went to Pittsburg, where the "Mission Family" was organized. The force consisted of Isaac Van Tassel who came as a teacher, and his wife; the Rev. Samuel Tate, temporary superintendent, and his wife and son; the Rev. Alvin Coe, teacher, and wife; Leander Sackett, as a farmer, and his wife; John McPherrin, carpenter; Mr. Straight, blacksmith; and Miss Hannah Riggs housekeeper. Others joined them later. Their journey westward was difficult of travel. Arriving at Painesville, Ohio, October 5, 1822, they embarked on a little schooner, Captain Skinner, skipper, and reached Sandusky at noon October 26. TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 725 Up the Sandusky the Rev. Mr. Badger twelve years before had charge of a mission which had been discontinued at the out- break of the War of 1812. The party lingered here to look after any of the old mission Indians needing help. Within a day or two at sunset the little schooner sailed out of Sandusky Bay. That night on Lake Erie was a wild one and the pilgrims, while near shipwreck on one or two occasions, arrived in the upper Maumee Bay near the next noon. At two o'clock the schooner landed at Judge Hubbell's warehouse, Perrysburg, a considerable distance below Fort Meigs, and the party passed the first night in the Judge's home. The following day Dr. Horatio Conant of Maumee took most of the family to his residence across the river. Mr. Van Tassel and the Rev. Mr. Barnes, who had joined the party, immediately went to the site of the mission and were the first on the grounds. On their return to Maumee, McPherrin, the carpenter; the Rev. "Father" Tate and the Rev. Leander Sackett, with their wives evidently as cooks, were delegated to clear the ground and erect the first building of the mission, which was a hewn log structure 16 x 60 feet. When the building was about completed Mr. Van Tassel again went to the place to make things ready for the reception of the force. His bed was a plank and his covering his overcoat. November 6th the entire family 25-VOL. 1 726 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY arrived, consisting of thirteen members and some hired help. The men all turned in to build additional structures, partly of logs and partly of frame. Much of the lumber was brought from the River Raisin in Michigan, probably Frenchtown (now Monroe). The actual opening of the mission was November 26, 1822. The main mission building was 30 x 80 feet, two stories, with a one-story annex 20 x 100 feet. A large cellar was dug and a stone wall laid under the main building and through the porch floor a trap door opened into a well. The well and cellar caused echoing, sepulchral sounds, which, after abandonment of the mission, caused many strange tales to be told of the place. The buildings were near the mouth of Tontogany Creek, where that stream enters the Maumee River in Wood County, about midway between Grand Rapids and Perrysburg. One frame, two-story structure on the brow of the second or higher river embankment was intact until a few years ago. The land owned consisted of the east half section and the southwest quarter section, lying on the river at the mouth of the creek, also "Station Island," in the river opposite, a mile and a half long. A fine apple orchard was set out on the hill south of the buildings on the bluff, scions for grafting being received from the East. A number of these old apple trees are alive and bear fruit. Educating and Christianizing the Indians of this territory was the object of the mission, as well as to teach the Red Men agriculture and to support themselves. There were at times fifty Indian children at the school and a separate room was set apart for the education of the white children of the valley. One industry which was quite a successful factor of the mission was silk worm culture, mulberry trees being indigenous on the island. The missionary society records show as follows: "Commenced in 1822 by the Presbyterian synod of Pittsburgh, Pa. Transferred to the United Foreign Missionary society, October 25, 1825. Consolidated with the American board of commissioners for foreign missions in June, 1826." The mission closed in 1834, when, by a treaty, the aborigine bargained away his birthright in this beautiful valley, was transported from his happy hunting grounds and the scenes that he so loved to a new land and a new country beyond the Mississippi; thus removing the object of the mission. The plant remained the property of the society until 1852. The Rev. Isaac Van Tassel was the only ordained missionary TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 727 He and his helpmeet, Lucia, were the dominant forces at the mission and after its close they remained and conducted a boarding school for children of the new settlers. In this work they were assisted by Isaac Van Tassel (II), a nephew and college trained, and Miss Abigail Wright. April, 1839, the missionary and his wife left the station and retired to a homestead near Bowling Green, in Plain township, Wood County. The Rev. Mr. Van Tassel died March 2, 1849, from a fall from his horse while he was riding on the road from "Gilead" (Grand Rapids) to his home. His body was found by a traveler. Isaac Van Tassel II, married Louisa Martindale, a white pupil at the Mission School. They were among the prominent pioneers of the Maumee Valley. Lucia Badger Van Tassel, who was born at Blandford, Mass., Jan. 19, 1794, survived her husband until February 5, 1874, when she died at Perrysburg and her remains rest beside her father, the Rev. Joseph Badger, in Fort Meigs Cemetery. She was one of the great characters among pioneer women of the valley. Before her marriage she was a teacher in the Western Reserve schools and compiled and published a grammar. Let here be recorded a descriptive article on the mission, written by a pioneer woman who attended the mission school, as a white pupil of Reverend and Mrs. Van Tassel. "The founders of the mission had an eye to the beautiful in selecting this place, as a more picturesque spot can not be found in the valley. "The river here is about a mile wide between the high banks. It has a moderate current and an average depth of about eight feet in low water. What is known as the Station pond is about two and a half miles long between rapids. Within the pond are four islands. The missionary or large island, containing about 230 acres, extends about half way up the pond. Then comes the Aborigine island, containing about 90 acres, which extends to the rapids above, with an intervening channel about 20 rods wide. To the west of this channel lies the Martson island. To the east Graw island. About midway of the pond Tontogany Creek enters from the south, forming a deep narrow valley. "It was here the mission buildings were located on an eminence overlooking the pond, the land descending toward the river on the west and toward the creek on the south. "Let us now try to think the thoughts of Lucia Van Tassel when this scene burst on her view the evening of November 25, 1822, as herself and husband, with Mr. and Mrs. Elisha Martin- 728 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY dale of Perrysburg, emerged from the steep ravine that puts into the river at the foot of the pond. The oak and hickory have put on their garments of silver and gold. The pioneer leaflets, like herself, have left the place of their nativity and are hurrying and scurrying in obedience to the winds. To the right glimpses of the wooded islands may be caught through the copse between river and 'road'. Occasionally a canoe may be seen moored to the bank, while here and there others dart with dusky paddlers, hurrying to their lodges, the smoke of which may be seen curling above the tree tops on the island. To the left lies a heavy forest of oak, hickory and walnut, with nuts still adhering to the boughs, like fond children who dread to face the world alone. The tree gnomons cast their shadows far to the eastward. From just above the tree tops the sun is sending a thousand shimmering shafts that come dancing across the peaceful waters of the pond, gilding the shores with a roseate hue, known only to Indian Summer. A lone raven, like an evil harbinger high overhead, occasionally sends forth his melancholy croak as if to depress the otherwise buoyant spirits. A bevy of blackbirds, with crimson butted wings, have just hovered on a spreading oak and begun a chorus to welcome strangers before they speed southward on their annual journey. "Such were the scenes that greeted the eye of this bride of two months, the great active field of life before her, that life fully consecrated to the service of the Master. A heart filled with kindly compassion for the aborigines and a mind with knowledge which would make her useful in any walk of life." The young wife-teacher says in her diary : "At sunset we reached the station. The first object that engaged our attention was a poor Indian boy standing at the door and my heart thrilled with pity when I reflected on his forlorn situation. I rejoiced at the prospect of being instrumental in raising some of these poor wanderers to a state of happiness and respectability." The mission was established more especially for the benefit of the Ottawa tribe. Volumes have been written about the dawn of civilization in the Maumee Valley, but the subject never grows old. Monuments of granite and tablets imperishable line the highways from the source of this historic stream to where it joins Lake Erie, each marking and commemorating some scene of America's great struggle in the cause of justice and independence. And still there TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 729 are many famous places in these memorable early conflicts worthy of designation. The hardships, sickness and even at times hunger that this intrepid band endured for humanity's sake will not be dwelt upon. They gave up the joys and comforts of happy home surroundings in an advanced and prosperous region to cast their lot in an almost unbroken wilderness, in the hope of injecting a leavening force among the aborigines of the valley, that would grow and develop, broaden and deepen and result in permanent and everlasting good. Insofar as their aid, at least to the white pioneers and their families, is concerned, the influence they exerted, the teachings they inculcated, will expand and widen and gain momentum as long as the world stands. They gave their all. They have done what they could. So while we are honoring the heroes of the early wars and marking the sites of historic battlefields of this valley let us not forget the champions of peace, enlightenment and love, the forerunners of Christianity and good will to all mankind. A few remaining trees of the century old apple orchard, foundation stones of the old buildings, and a granite base bearing a properly inscribed tablet, are all that tell the story of this humanitarian wilderness enterprise. In Oak Grove Cemetery, Bowling Green, Ohio, appropriate monuments mark the resting place of Isaac Van Tassel, the mission superintendent, and Isaac Van Tassel (II), his nephew and mission teacher. The Baptist Church Society made some effort on behalf of the Indians of the Upper Maumee. The Board of Managers of the Baptist Missionary Convention of the United States, October 17, 1817, appointed Rev. Isaac McCoy as missionary to the above territory and he arrived in his new field the following November. But by reason of the Catholic influence, McCoy turned his attention more to the white settlers. In 1818 he wrote that "we set out for the mission premises a distance from our former residence [not given] of ninety miles. My commission from the Board had ere this expired. With my wife and seven small children I went into the wilderness to seek an opportunity of preaching Christ to the Indians without a promise of patronage from any one, looking to Heaven for help and trusting that God would dispose the hearts of some, we know not whom, to give my family bread, while I should give myself wholly to the service of the 730 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY heathen." One Colby Martin was installed as a teacher, but without success. As soon as the parents of the Indian children learned that supplies and liquor were not a part of the program, their children were withdrawn. Closing the school and leaving his family, McCoy with Martin entered eastern Indiana for new fields among the Shawnees and Delawares. They called upon John Johnston at the United States Agency at Piqua, on their way to Fort Wayne and Vincennes. They suffered much from cold and exposure and finally by the advice of Doctor William Turner, the Indian Agent at Fort Wayne, the Baptist Mission in the spring of 1820 was moved to that point. In the removal from the Wabash, McCoy with his wife and children traveled on horseback, while some of the mission helpers drove through a small herd of cattle and a drove of hogs. A boat loaded with household goods, food and supplies, and five Indian children was poled up the river from Fort Harrison by four Americans. Much danger attended the journey, but on arriving at Fort Wayne, the missionaries were allowed the use of the fort buildings abandoned by the military the year previous, together with some two acres of cultivated land for agriculture. Fort Wayne was pictured by McCoy as a "little village of traders and of persons in the employ of the Government as interpreters, smiths, etc., some of whom were French of Canadian and Indian descent. The nearest settlements of white people were in the state of Ohio and nearly one hundred miles distant. By our neighbors we were treated with great kindness and respect, which created affectionate recollections which years of separation have not obliterated. I preached to them in my own house every Sabbath." At the opening of the Fort Wayne Mission, May 29, 1820, McCoy taught ten English speaking American pupils, six French children, eight Indians and one negro. A teacher was engaged also from Ohio. An Indian woman engaged for domestic work "afforded little help." McCoy's wife undertook to care for some twenty persons in her home and besides teach the neighboring In. dian women the art of knitting and domestic science. "We had to work hard with our own hands," further says McCoy. "The Indian children were clothed, fed and lodged at the expense of the Missions they fed at the same table with my own family. This course was necessary in order to silence the jealousies of the Indians generally, and this course we ever afterwards pursued." Being converted by the preaching of Missionary McCoy, the wife of Doctor Turner, Indian Agent, and her sister, a Mrs. TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 731 Hackley, were both baptized by immersion in the brink of the Maumee River and near the fort gate. Visits were made into the Ohio settlements and into Kentucky, to raise funds to assist in aiding the work. Horatio G. Phillips of Dayton is especially mentioned as a contributor of funds. The first year's report, showed, "forty-two pupils in the school---Miamis, Pottawatomies, Shawanees and Indians from New York." As was the case with other religious societies for such work, the Baptist authorities were slow in providing funds for the project. William A. Trimble, then Senator from Ohio, while on his way to Chicago in August, 1821, on Indian affairs, visited the mission and a favorable report brought funds from the United States Indian budget. In the winter of 1822 and 1823, the mission was removed to a tract of land in Michigan donated by the Pottawatomies, near the St. Joseph River of Lake Michigan, about one hundred miles northwest of Fort Wayne. The stations was named Carey, in honor of the noted Baptist Missionary to China. It has already been told from the journal of the Rev. Joseph Badger, of his missionary work before 1810, among the Wyandots of the Upper Sandusky section. The later successful efforts to place the Wyandots on a more civilized basis came through the missionary work of the Methodist Episcopal Society, which for a number of years maintained a mission at Upper Sandusky. The germ of the mission developed through the activity of John Stewart, an illiterate mulatto, who had also in his veins a strain of Indian blood. But before following this narrative it is proper ere to give the contents of a letter written August 25, 1845, by Rev. Mr. Badger to John Frazier, Esq., of Cincinnati, while Badger lived at Plain, Wood County, concerning the history of the Wyandot or Huron tribe. In this, Badger says: "Having been a resident missionary with the Wyandot Indians before the late war (1812), and obtained the confidence of their chiefs in a familiar conversation with them, and having a good interpreter, I requested them to give me a history of their ancestors as far back as they could. They began by giving a particular account of the country formerly owned by their ancestors. It was the north side of the river St. Lawrence, down to Coon Lake, and thence up the Utiwas. Their name for it was Cu-nonetot-tia. This name I heard applied to them, but knew not what it meant. The Senecas owned the opposite side of the river and the island on which Montreal now stands. They were both large 732 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY tribes, consisting of many thousands. They were blood relations, and I found at this time they claimed each other as cousins. "A war originated between the two tribes in this way. A man of the Wyandots wanted a certain woman for his wife; but she objected, and said he was no warrior; he had never taken any scalps. To accomplish his object, he raised a small war party, and in their scout they fell upon a party of Seneca hunters, and killed and scalped a number of them. This procedure started a war between the nations, that lasted more than a century, which was fully a hundred winters before the French came to Quebec. They owned they were the first instigators in the war, and were generally beaten in the contest. Both tribes were greatly wasted in the war. They often made peace ; but the first opportunity that the Senecas could get an advantage against them, they would destroy all they could, men, women and children. The Wyandots, finding they were in danger of being exterminated, concluded to leave their country, and go far to the West. With their canoes the whole nation made their escape to the upper lakes, and settled in the vicinity of Green Bay, in several villages, but, after a few years, the Senecas made up a war party and followed them to their new settlements, fell on one of their villages, killed a number and returned. Through this long period they had no instruments of war but bows, arrows, and the war club. "Soon after this the French came to Quebec, and began trading with Indians, and supplied them with fire-arms and utensils of various kinds. The Senecas having got supplied with guns, and learned the use of them, made out a second war party against the Wyandots—came upon them in the night, fired into their huts and scared them exceedingly; they thought at first it was thunder and lightning. They did not succeed so well as they intended. After a few years they made out a third party, and fell upon one of the Wyandot villages and took them nearly all ; but it so happened at this time that nearly all the young men had gone to war with the Fox tribe, living on the Mississippi. "Those few that escaped the massacre by the Senecas, agreed to give up and go back with them and become one people, but requested of the Senecas to have two days to collect what they had and rake ready their canoes, and join them on the morning of the third day at a certain point, where they had gone to wait for them and hold a great dance through the night. The Wyandots sent directly to the other two, villages which the Senecas had not disturbed, and got all their old men and women, and such as could TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 733 fight, to consult on what measures to take. They came to the resolution to equip themselves in the best manner they could, and go down in perfect stillness so near the enemy as to hear them. They found them engaged in a dance, and feasting on two Wyandot men they had killed and roasted, as they said, for their beef; and as they danced they shouted their victory and told how good their Wyandot beef was. They continued their dance until the latter part of the night, and being pretty tired they all laid down and soon fell into a sound sleep. "A little before day the Wyandot party fell on them and cut them all off; not one was left to carry back the tidings. This ended the war for a great number of years. Soon after this the Wyandots got guns from the French traders and began to grow formidable. The Indians, who owned the country where they had resided for a long time, proposed to them to go back to their own country. They agreed to return, and having prepared themselves as a war party, they returned, came down to where Detroit now stands, and agreed to settle in two villages, one at the place above mentioned, and the other where the British fort, Malden, now stands. "But previously to making any settlement, they sent out in canoes the best war party they could make, to go down the lake some distance to see if there was an enemy on that side of the water. They went down to Long Point, landed, and sent three men across to see if they could make any discovery. They found a party of Senecas bending their course around the Point, and returned with the intelligence to their party. The head chief ordered his men in each canoe to strike fire, and offer some of their tobacco to the Great Spirit, and prepare for action. The chief had his son, a small boy, with him; he covered the boy in the bottom of his canoe. He determined to fight his enemy on the water. They put out into the open lake; the Senecas came on. Both parties took the best advantage they could, and fought with a determination to conquer or sink in the lake. At length the Wyandots saw the last man fall in the Seneca party; but they had lost a great proportion of their own men, and were so wounded and cut to pieces that they could take no advantage of the victory but only to gain the shore as soon as possible, and leave the enemy's canoes to float or sink among the waves. Thus ended the long war between the two tribes from that day to this." Returning to the work of Stewart the mulatto, it is stated that he was born free in Virginia and his parents "who claimed In- 734 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY dian blood coursed their veins," moved to Tennessee, where the son John soon followed them. Then, on the boy's way north he was robbed of his belongings, and in his wanderings became addicted to strong drink. One evening while passing along the street at Marietta he heard singing. Entering the building, he found that a prayer meeting was being held, and became deeply impressed. Later he was persuaded to attend a camp-meeting in progress near Marietta, and under the influence of Rev. Marcus Lindsay was converted. "Led by an unseen force" he traveled to the Moravian settlement on the Tuscarawas, where he was told of the Indians on the Upper Sandusky reservation. Finally reaching the Sandusky in 1816, he at once called upon the Indian Subagent William Walker, who at first suspected Stewart of being a runaway slave. But hearing his simple story, both Walker and his good wife who was a woman of some education, encouraged him to take up the work of preaching to the Wyandots. As Mrs. Walker herself was a half Wyandot, her influence was strong at the reservation and she was a great aid to Stewart, He engaged as his interpreter another colored man named Jonathan Pointer, a prisoner of the tribe. Stewart's only hearers at his first meeting were two old Indians, Big Tree and Mary. Continuing in his work, his audience increased in numbers at each service. Among his first converts were Pointer, the interpreter Mrs. Walker and her sons, and the chiefs John Hicks, Betweenthe-Logs, Mononcue and Scateash, and later many more. When Stewart began his work he was not a licensed minister, but was later duly ordained. He had a strong, musical voice and his singing was a great aid in gaining the approval of the Indians. He continued in his work, though in later years less actively, until his death in 1823. His remains were buried in the graveyard of the Mission church. In his later years he lived on a tract of sixty acres of land adjoining the reservation, purchased by funds raised through the efforts of Bishop McKendree of the M. E. Church. The circumstances attendant upon Stewart's ordination are told as follows: The traders thereabouts, finding that he had been performing the rites of baptism and marriage with only an exhorter's license, branded him as an imposter. Therefore, in the winter of 1818 while on a visit to some Indians at Solomon's Town on the Great Miami River, he became acquainted with a Robert Armstrong and with some Methodist families residing near Bellefontaine, Ohio. Being informed that the quarterly 736 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY meeting of the Bellefontaine Circuit would soon be held at Urbana, he proceeded to attend, accompanied by some Indians. Here, through the recommendation of several of his converted chiefs and some whites, he was issued his ministerial license. Rev. Moses Crume was the presiding elder, and Bishop George was also present. The Wyandot Mission was taken over by the Methodist Episcopal Church at the annual conference held in Cincinnati, August 7, 1819. The Rev. James B. Finley was appointed presiding elder that year of the Lebanon district, which included the mission territory. John Stewart was appointed missionary to the Wyandots, with Rev. James Montgomery, assistant. Rev. James B. Finley, Robert W. Finley and Russell Bigelow were selected as a committee of aids. The first quarterly meeting for the mission was held in the cabin of Ebenezer Zane, near Zanesfield, Logan County; sixty Indians were present. When Rev. Mr. Finley took charge of the mission in 1821, he had constructed a log mission building and a schoolhouse. "In this mission house the Indian maidens were taught to cook, bake and sew, while outside, in the field, at anvil and at bench, the young men learned the trades of civilization." With increasing numbers in attendance, in 1824 from government funds, a new structure was built of blue limestone. "And here within the hallowed precincts of this modest meeting-house, for nearly twenty years the Indians met to worship God and within the shades of its sacred walls they buried their dead." The story of the departure of the Wyandots for the West in 1843 has already been told. When they left, the church fell into decay. In 1888, and 1889, it was restored by the General Conference. During the session of Conference at Upper Sandusky in September, 1889, appropriate ceremonies commemorated the establishment of the mission and its history following. Rev. Adam C. Barnes presided upon the occasion, and addresses were delivered by the Hon. C. C. Hare, Bishop John F. Hursh, Gen, W. H. Gibson, the Rev. L. A. Belt. The Rev. E. C. Gavitt and Rev. R. B. Pope also took part in the services, while the Rev. N, B. C. Love delivered an historical discourse. The famous Mother Solomon sang a religious song in the Wyandot tongue. When Charles Dickens, English novelist, on his visit to America passed through Upper Sandusky from Cincinnati to Sandusky City and Buffalo, he wrote in his "American Notes" as follows: "It is a settlement of the Wyandot Aborigines who inhabit TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 737 this place. Among the company at breakfast was a mild old gentleman (Col. John Johnston) who had been for many years employed by the United States Government in conducting negotiations with the Aborigines, and who had just concluded a treaty with these people by which they bound themselves, in consideration of a certain annual sum, to remove next year to some land provided for them west of the Mississippi. He gave me a moving account of their strong attachment to the familiar scenes of their infancy, and in particular to the burial-places of their kindred; and of their great reluctance to leave them. He had witnessed many such removals and always with pain, though he knew that they departed for their own good. The question whether this tribe should go or stay, had been discussed among them a day or two before in a but erected for the purpose, the logs of which still lay upon the ground before the inn. When the speaking was done the ayes and noes were ranged on opposite sides, and every male adult votes in his turn. The moment the result was known, the minority (a large one) cheerfully yielded to the rest, and withdrew all kind of opposition. We met some of these poor Aborigines afterwards, riding on shaggy ponies. They were so like the meaner sort of gypsies, that if I could have seen any of them in England I should have concluded as a matter of course, that they belonged to that wandering and restless people." CHAPTER XLIX EVOLUTION OF NORTHWESTERN OHIO COUNTIES CIVIL DIVISIONS FROM TERRITORIAL DAYS DOWN TO THE PRESENT -MAUMEE AND SANDUSKY VALLEYS UNDER MANY JURISDICTIONS. The establishment of the Northwest Territory under the Ordinance of 1787, the formation of Ohio as a state under its first constitution, the establishment of civil state government by the election of a governor, a legislative body and the judiciary, and the admission of Ohio into the Union, March 1, 1803, has already been related in the unfolding of this story. The Maumee and Sandusky valleys in the course of their development have been under many jurisdictions, too complicated to be given here in detail. Originally, as has been seen, there was contention as to the right of possession of the new continent between Spain, France and England, and after a long series of wars, England remained in sole possession and this region became British Territory. The fact will be merely mentioned, that now Ohio and consequently the Maumee and Sandusky regions, were a part of the vast "Virginia Claims," under her charter of 1609 from the British crown. The claims of other Colonies, notably that of Connecticut, overlapped the Virginia charter rights, but had no real standing. Therefore until Virginia surrendered her claims to the general government in 1784, of her western territory, this section belonged to the Virginia Claims, and by the act of her Assembly in 1734, when Orange County was established, it was in Orange County, Virginia, and later included in other established Virginia counties. Again when George Rogers Clark captured Vincennes and wrested the West from the British for Virginia, when the County of Illinois was formed, in October, 1778, with Kaskaskia on the Mississippi as the main seat of justice, now Ohio and the Maumee and Sandusky valleys were in Illinois County. Following the American Revolution, out of the great then West came the formation of the Northwest Territory, embracing what are now the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. This vast territory functioned under one head, a territorial governor. Under the Territorial Ordi- - 738 - TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 739 nance, Governor St. Clair was authorized to form counties for the better regulation of the more populous sections; and within certain boundaries, by proclamation, counties were established years before any states were formed. The first territorial county was Washington, established July 27, 1788. It comprised all that part of now Ohio east of the Scioto River and the Tuscarawas and the Cuyahoga north to Lake Erie and east to the line of Pennsylvania. A comparatively straight line drawn from the head of the Scioto to the Tuscara was was the northern boundary of the western portion of the county. The last revision of the county boundaries of Ohio was made March 15, 1888, 100 years later, when the boundary line between Auglaize and Logan counties was changed or straightened. This century of the evolution of Ohio counties until the last of the eighty-eight in number was formed, makes an interesting story. So far as Northwestern Ohio is concerned, after the Treaty at Greenville 1795 until the treaty of 1817, this territory north of the Greenville treaty line, was in fact Indian lands. However, June 20, 1790, Governor St. Clair set off the County of Knox, most of which was in now the State of Indiana; but a strip thereof extended over the western boundary of now Ohio along the entire length of the state. Hamilton County was established by St. Clair in 1790, and February 11, 1792, the county was enlarged until it took in all of now Ohio, between the east line of then Knox County and a line on the east running from the Ohio River on the line of the Scioto River to Lake Erie. It also took in the eastern portion of now Michigan. Therefore, in the civil divisions after the Northwest Territory was formed, Northwestern Ohio east to and including most of now Seneca, Sandusky and Wyandot was in Hamilton County—except the strip included in the western tier of counties which would then have been in Knox County (Indiana) . The boundary lines of then Hamilton County read as follows : "Beginning at the confluence of the Scioto with the Ohio River, and up the Scioto with the course thereof to the upper part of the lower Shawnee town upon said river; thence by and with a line drawn due north to the territorial boundary line (Canada) and westerly along said boundary line to the east boundary of the County of Knox and down along the said eastern boundary of Knox County by a due south line to the standing stone forks of the Great Miami River, and with the said Miami to its confluence of the Ohio River; thence up the Ohio River to the place of beginning." While Northwestern Ohio was within 740 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY the civil jurisdiction of Hamilton and Knox counties, neither the territorial nor county laws were in fact operative here for two reasons : There was practically no settlement to operate in and the British still held Fort Miami, Detroit and other posts. Imagine a civil officer from Cincinnati or Vincennes coming to Northwestern Ohio to obtain service on a law offender, criminal or civil. As for Detroit, after the American Revolution, that place and what is now the State of Michigan, for eight years was also under the jurisdiction of British laws and the Canadian courts. In July, 1788, five years after the American-British treaty of peace at Paris, and after the settlement of Marietta, the Canadian government established the Judicial District of Hesse, which included within its jurisdiction Detroit and all adjoining regions. On December 26, 1791, Detroit and now Michigan were incorporated or included as a part of Upper Canada. On July 16, 1792, the Canadian County of Kent was established which included territory on both sides of the Detroit River and all of now Michigan. The seat of government for Upper Canada was at Newark at the mouth of Niagara River. In August, 1792, two delegates were elected to represent Detroit in the Canadian Legislature which met the following September. It was in January, 1796, that the Canadian Court of General Quarter Sessions held its last session in Detroit. Consequently as the Ordinance of 1787, and the establishment of Hamilton County extended the jurisdiction of the United States over Detroit and the Michigan territory, at the same time that British-Canadian authority was imposed by the Canadian Act, for years Detroit and the territory it controlled, was under the jurisdiction of two opposing and distinct governments—the United States and the British. The United States laws came into actual force at Detroit and in the Maumee and Sandusky regions, in July, 1796, after the evacuation by the British of Fort Miami on the lower Maumee and Detroit and other posts. This was nine years after the establishment of the Northwest Territory and the appointment of a governor and the judges of the court. Even after the removal of the British over the Detroit River into Canada in 1796, they continued to ignore the line of demarcation of United States Territory, and crossed over to perform their official British acts. Besides the attempt to continue their former influence over the Indians in now United States territory, in October, 1800, a British officer crossed over to Detroit, broke 742 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY into a private residence and arrested one Francis Poquette, who later died of the injuries he received by the outrage. But the stabilization of American governmental affairs soon stopped such aggressions. After the Americans obtained possession of Detroit, there was a wide range of country on the north that was outside of any of the organized counties. Governor St. Clair of the Northwest Territory arrived at Detroit, September 5, 1796. Secretary Winthrop Sargent had preceded him several months and on August 15, as Catlin says, "without any authority at all," had organized the County of Wayne, honoring the name of General Wayne by proclaiming that title "over a vast area of the new Territory." As Catlin in his "Story of Detroit" further says : "This precipitate action made General St. Clair very peevish, he having been in Pittsburg at the time, and having plans and titles of his own in view. When he arrived at Detroit he reprimanded Sargent and asked the citizens what name they would prefer for the district, but the unanimous response was 'Wayne County and the Governor bowed to the popular will." The county boundaries were as follows : "Beginning at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, upon Lake Erie, with said river to the portage, between it and the Tuscarawas branch of the Muskingum; down said branch to the forks, at the carrying place above Fort Laurens; by a west line to the eastern boundary of Hamilton County (which is a due north line from the Lower Shawnese Town upon the Scioto River) ; by a line west-northerly to the southern part of the portage, between the Miamis of the Ohio and the St. Mary's River; by a line also west-northerly to the south-western part of the portage, between the Wabash and the Miamis of Lake Erie (Maumee), where Fort Wayne now stands; by a line west-northerly to the most southern part of Lake Michigan ; along the western shores of the same, to the northwest part thereof (including the lands upon the streams emptying into the said lake) ; by a north line to the territorial boundary in Lake Superior; with the said boundary through Lakes Huron, Sinclair, and Erie, to the mouth of the Cuyahoga, the place of beginning." There is some error in the description of the south line, not necessary to be discussed here. As this county finally became Wayne County, Michigan, it should not be confused with Wayne County, Ohio. This new county cut off a large northern portion of Hamilton, and Knox County (Indiana). It was after the TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 743 establishment of Wayne County that Judge Jacob Burnet and other noted jurists used to travel from Cincinnati to Detroit, through the wilderness of now Northwestern Ohio, to attend court sessions, as heretofore related. The forming of the foregoing territorial counties which concerns Northwestern Ohio, brings the matter down to the division of the Northwest Territory in 1800, and then the organization of Ohio as a state in 1802 and its admission into the Union March 1, 1803. The difficulties attendant upon maintaining and enforcing the territorial laws in sections so remote from the seat of government and the officials became so pronounced, that the subject came up for investigation by Congress. As already told in Chapter 37, under the head of "Progress of Events in the Northwest," on March 3, 1800, a committee reported that "in the three western counties of the Northwest Territory there had been but one court having cognizance of crimes in five years; and the immunity which offenders experienced, attracts as to an asylum the most vile and abandoned criminals, and at the same time deters useful and virtuous persons from making settlements in such society," consequently the Territory of Indiana was established on July 4, 1800. All east of the Indiana territorial line was Ohio territory. (See Chapter 37 for details.) The Ordinance of 1787, applied to both the Ohio and Indiana territories as before, William Henry Harrison being appointed governor of Indiana Territory and St. Glair still having jurisdiction of Ohio Territory. As also earlier stated, this reduced the size of Wayne County about one-half. May 30, 1800, when the Connecticut Assembly transferred all her rights of jurisdiction over the Reserve to the United States, this action placed all of Ohio Territory on a uniform basis. Later in the same year Trumbull County was organized, its western limits extending to the middle of Sandusky Bay, about five miles west of Sandusky City, and included all the Western Reserve. This further curtailed Wayne County on the east, which had run to the Cuyahoga River. The county divisions pertaining to Ohio, in 1802 when the state was formed were as shown on the accompanying map. (See map "Ohio Counties 1802.") With the formation of Ohio as a state, that part of Wayne County within its borders passed to the state ; however, until the Indian treaty of 1817, all Northwestern Ohio as shown on the map as "Indian Reservation," except the small reservations provided for in the Greenville Treaty, was not subject to the civil laws of Ohio. 744 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY After the admission of Ohio as a state and after the formation of Franklin County, April 30, 1803, and Green and Montgomery counties May 1, the same year, Northwestern Ohio was a part of Montgomery, Green and Franklin counties, as shown by map of 1803. Then with the establishment of Champaign County, March 1, 1805, a part of Northwestern Ohio was in that county as shown by the map of 1806. After the formation of Delaware County, April 1, 1808, Franklin County was "off the map" so far as Northwestern Ohio was concerned and the situation after later additions was as set forth by the map of 1810. With Miami County taken from Montgomery, January 7, 1812, and Darke County formed but unorganized, at the same time, in 1814, the divisions affecting Northwestern Ohio were as shown on the map of that date. Darke County was organized March 1, 1817. With Huron organized and extended April 1, 1815, for judicial purposes, the map of 1816 shows the situation, then. It was at the treaty held at the "Foot of the Rapids of the Miami" (site of now Maumee) September 29, 1817, and heretofore set forth, that the Indians ceded their claims to the Indian Reservations in Northwestern Ohio, and that territory came under the civil jurisdiction of the State of Ohio, except about 300,000 acres and nine reservations. Almost immediately by reason of the influx of settlers, steps were taken to organize this long held reservation into counties. By an act of the Ohio Legislature passed February 12, 1820, to take effect April 1, 1820, it was divided into fourteen counties, only two of which, Wood and Sandusky, were immediately organized. Among the other counties formed was Van Wert, to be attached for civil purposes to Darke County ; Mercer County, to be attached to Darke; Putnam County, attached to Wood County; Allen County, to be attached to Shelby County; Hancock, attached to Wood County; Hardin, attached to Logan County; Crawford County, attached to Delaware County; Marion County, to be attached to Delaware; Seneca County, to be attached to Sandusky; Henry County, attached to Wood County; Paulding County, to be attached to Wood County; Williams County to be attached to Wood County. The meaning of "attached" is that for civil purposes, the formed, but unorganized counties were under the jurisdiction of the organized counties mentioned, until they were regularly organized and had county officials and a seat of government of their own. The date of the organization of these various counties with some changes is as follows: 746 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY Mercer County, organized January 2, 1824, Van Wert attached for judicial purposes and detached from Darke County; Williams, February 2, 1824, Paulding, Henry, and Putnam attached for judicial purposes and detached from Wood; Seneca, April 1, 1824, the northern tier of sections in Crawford County being attached for judicial purposes until Crawford organized; Crawford County, organized April 1, 1826; Hancock, organized January 21, 1828, to take effect March 1; February 3, 1826, a part of Shelby County attached to Mercer County; March 1, 1828, Allen County detached from Shelby and attached to Mercer County; Allen County organized February 9, 1831, to take effect March 1; Hardin County organized January 19, 1833, effective March 1; Putnam County organized January 3, 1834; Henry County organized December 26, 1834, immediately effective, as was Putnam. Lucas County was established June 20, 1835, with the following lines : "All from Sandusky, Wood and Henry, beginning at a point on Lake Erie where line, commonly called Fulton's Line, intersects same ; west to Maumee River; southwesterly with river to point where township line between T. 6 and 7, if drawn and continued across the twelve-mile-square reservation, would intersect same; west to county line between Henry and Williams; north to northern boundary line of State, called Harris's Line; east to Lake Erie; to place of beginning. The dotted line on map of 1839, shows part of the original Lucas line as it existed before the change of March 14, 1836. The county taken from Wood County was organized March 14, 1836, with the following boundaries : Beginning at a point in Lake Erie where Fulton's Line intersects same ; west to Maumee River; southwesterly to east line of Henry; north to northeast corner of T. 6, R. 8; west to east line of Williams; north to north boundary of state-Harris's Line; easterly to Lake Erie; due east till line drawn due north from beginning will intersect. Van Wert County was organized March 18, 1837, effective immediately; Erie County was organized March 16, 1838; Paulding organized March 18, 1839. Ottawa County was organized March 6, 1840, with the following boundaries : North part of Sandusky and Erie and eastern part of Lucas, beginning at a point two miles north of southeast corner of T. 16, called Bay Township, Sandusky County; west on section lines to TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 747 western line of said county; north to Lucas County line; east 6 miles; north till it intersects Michigan line; with said line until it intersects the line between the British and American Governments in Lake Erie; down lake with said line, so that a line to mouth of Sandusky Bay will include Cunningham's Island; up the bay to place of beginning. Wyandot County was organized February 3, 1845, with boundaries as follows : All from Crawford, Marion, Hardin and Hancock, beginning at the southeast corner of Section 10, T. 4, south, R. 15, of public survey of lands in Marion; north on sectional lines through Crawford, to north line thereof, between Sections 2 and 3, T. 1, south, R. 15, which line shall form east boundary of Wyandot and west line of Crawford; west on base line to northwest corner of Section 2, T. 1, south, R. 12, in Hancock; south on sectional line to northeast corner of Section 22 in said township and range; west on section line to northwest corner of Section 22 ; south on sectional line to south line of said township as originally surveyed, between Sections 33 and 34; west on said township line to northwest corner of Section 5, T. 2, south, R. 12; south on sectional line through said T. 2 to south line thereof, at northwest corner of Section 5, T. 3, south, R. 12, in Hardin; east to northeast corner of said Section 5; south on sectional line to southwest corner of Section 9, T. 4, south, R. 12; east to northwest corner of Section 13 in township and range last aforesaid ; south to southwest corner of Section 13; east on sectional line to southeast corner of Section 13, T. 4, north to northeast corner of Section 13 aforesaid; east on sectional line to place of beginning. Defiance County was organized April 7, 1845, with lines as follows : All from Williams, Henry and Paulding, beginning on Indiana state line, where line between T. 5 and 6, north, in Williams County, intersects said state line; east on township line to east line of R. 5; south on range line to north line of Putnam; west on Putnam County line to east line of Paulding ; north to point where section line between Sections 13 and 24, T. 3, north, R. 4, east, intersects said county line ; west to west line of said township ; north to present south line of Williams; west to Indiana state line; north to place of beginning. March 6, 1840, a part of Huron was taken into Erie County. March 23, 1840, a part of Clay township, Ottawa County, was attached to Sandusky County. February 3, 1845, Crawford 748 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY County was added to from Richland and Marion counties. February 14, 1848, Auglaize County was organized, taken from Allen and Mercer counties. April 1, 1850, Fulton County was organized as follows: All from Lucas, Henry and Williams, beginning on state line between Ohio and Michigan at northeast corner of T. 9, south, of R. 4, east of Michigan meridian; south on township line to southeast corner of T. 10, south, of R. 4, east, on Fulton Line; west on said Fulton Line to northeast corner of T. 8, north, of R. 8, east; south to southeast corner of Section 12, in T. 6, north, of R. 8, east; west on section lines to southwest corner of Section 7, in T. 6, R. 5, east, on county line between counties of Henry and Williams; north on said line to southeast corner of T. 7, north, of R. 4, east; west on said township line to southwest corner of Section 35, in T. 7, north, of R. 4, east; north on section lines to Fulton line; west on said line to southwest corner of Section 11, in T. 10, south, of R. 1, west of Michigan meridian; north on section lines to said state line; easterly with state line to place of beginning. Act passed February 28, 1850. February 14, 1848, the following territory was attached to Allen County from Putnam, Van Wert and Mercer counties with other changes: Township 2, south, of R. 7, and 8, east; the south half of T. 2, south, of R. 5 and 6, east, and Sections 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, in T. 1, south, of R. 8, east, in Putnam; the east half of T. 3, south, of R. 4, east, in Van Wert, and the northeast quarter of T. 4, south, of R. 4, east, in Mercer, are attached to Allen County. And east half of T. 1, south, of R. 4, east, in Van Wert, attached to Putnam. The northwest quarter of T 4, south, of R. 4, east, in Mercer, attached to Van Wert. Fractional T. 15, R. 1 and 2, east, and fractional T. 12 and 13, of R. 3 and 4, east, in Darke, are attached to Mercer. On April 1, 1850, Lucas County was added to from Ottawa County by the following act passed February 28, previous: For purpose of restoring to Lucas its constitutional amount of territory the eastern limits of said county be extended, beginning on Fulton line at the southeast corner of T. 10, south, of R. 9, east; east on said line to Lake Erie; most direct line in northeast direction to line between American and British Governments in Lake Erie; westerly on said line to dividing line between states of Ohio and Michigan; on said line to northerly cape of the Maumee Bay. TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 749 Concerning this description, Doctor Randolph Chandler Downs of Marietta College, from whose article, "Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries," much of this chapter is adapted, says this: "It will be seen that there is some difficulty in adapting this statute to actualities. The west line of Ottawa as it was extended north to the Michigan line (See O. L. L., XXXVIII, p. 99), was the line between R. 12 and 13 of the Survey north and east of the First Principal Meridian, as designated in the act forming Sandusky (O. L. L., XVIII, p. 90). This extension of Lucas is made to begin at the southeast corner of T. 10, south, R. 9, east, of Michigan Survey. This point, from the map, is obviously too far east to begin on the old Ottawa line. It has been suggested that, by a typographical error, the southeast corner was designated when the southwest corner was the point meant. However, even this is too far east, as the following quotation from the letter of J. A. Snell, of the Surveyor's Office in Lucas County, shows: `Even if this statute called for a point of beginning at the southwest corner of Township 10, south, Range 9, east, it would take in all of the land in Lucas County east of a northern extension of the west boundary of Ottawa County, according to our records. * * * Our copy of the original Government Survey shows that the line between Ranges 12, east, and 13, east, in the township south of the Fulton County line, is 26.76 chains west of the line between Ranges 8, east, and 9, east, of the Michigan Survey. In other words, the southwest corner of Township 10, south, Range 9, east, is 26.76 chains east of what we show as the line between Ottawa and Wood counties." April 11, 1833, the boundary line between Logan and Shelby counties was straightened, and March 15, 1888, the boundary line between Auglaize and Logan was changed to run parallel with section lines.