CHAPTER III.
SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION.
APRIL, 1785, four families attempted to form a permanent settlement at the mouth of the Scioto, upon the present site of Portsmouth. They came down the Ohio from Redstone, Pennsylvania, and, believing that a permanent peace had been effected between the Indians and whites at this point, selected their lands and began the work of tilling the soil. While on an exploring tour up the valley, lured hither by the glowing accounts they had heard of the wonderful beauty and fertility of the country, the four men were attacked by their campfire at night, and two of the party were killed, the others escaping. They lost no time in reaching the unprotected women and children at the mouth of the Scioto, where they imparted the sad intelligence of the death of their two comrades. Embarking upon their boat with their few belongings, they were soon en route for more secure quarters at Limestone, Kentucky.
It was after this that the settlements were made at Marietta, Gallipolis, North Bend, Columbia and Cincinnati, of all of which sufficient mention is made in the State history. The settlement of the Scioto valley was delayed by order of Congress.
Before proceeding with an account of the settlement and organization of Ross county, a brief review of the question of title to the lands will be necessary. As is well known, the French were the first civilized people who laid claim to the territory now embraced within the State of Ohio, and France retained nominal lordship of the region until the Treaty of Paris in 1763, when the territory northwest of the Ohio came into possession of Great Britain. The English retained possession until the ratification of the Treaty of Paris, 1783, after the close of the Revolutionary war. The United States then became the sovereign of the territory, but did not entirely supplant the British for twelve years.
All this was aside from the claims of the real inhabitants of the land. The Iroquois Indians, or Six Nations, laid claim to the entire
48 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
Ohio country, basing their claims upon the assumption that they had conquered it, and held the territory by right of conquest. This claim was extinguished by the terms of the treaty of Fort Stanwix, concluded October 22, 17 84. The treaty of Fort McIntosh in 1785 was intended to quiet the claims of the Delawares, Wyandots, Ottawas and Chippewas, in the Ohio Valley. The Shawanees relinquished their claims under the provisions of the treaties of Fort Finney, January 31, 1786, treaty of Fort Harmar (held by General St. CIair), January 9, 1789, by the treaty of Greenville, August 3, 1795, and various other treaties from that date until 1818. It is a notable fact that every foot of Ohio soil was acquired from the Indians through honorable means embodied in treaty or purchase.
Besides the aboriginal sovereignty, there were the claims of the states of New York and Connecticut to more or less territory which is now included in Ohio, while Virginia laid claim to the entire territory northwest of the Ohio river.
On the admission of Ohio to the Federal union, the public domain, under the conditions named in the charter, was variously classified. The principal divisions were as follows : 1. Congress Lands ; 2. United States Military Lands; 3. Virginia Military District; 4. Connecticut Western Reserve ; 5. Connecticut Fire Lands; 6. Ohio Company's Purchase; 7. Donation Tract; S. Symmes' Purchase; 9. Refugee Tract; 10. French Grant; 11. Dolerman's Grant; 12. Zane's Grant; 13. Canal Lands; 11. Turnpike Lands; 15. Maumee Road Lands; 16. School Lands; 17. College Lands; 1S. Ministerial; 19. Moravian; 20. Salt Sections.
It is not necessary to enter into details regarding these various reservations except so far as the territory embraced within the scope of this work is affected. The Virginia Military District embraced lands reserved for Virginia upon her cession to the United States government, for the purpose of rewarding the Revolutionary soldiers of that state. The act of cession of Virginia's claims in "the territory northwest of the Ohio river" to the United States, reserved these lands for distribution to the Virginia soldiers, in case the territory reserved by the State south of the Ohio river, should be insufficient to supply the demand. When this deficiency was found to exist the lands embraced within this title were distributed by the Old Dominion. These lands lay between the Scioto and Little Miami rivers, from which were organized the counties of Adams, Brown, Clinton, Clermont, Highland, Fayette, Madison, and Union; also portions of Scioto, Pike, Ross, Pickaway, Franklin, Delaware, Marion, Hardin, Logan, Clark, Greene, Champaign, Warren and Hamilton.
Congress passed an act opening the reservation to settlement upon the report of the governor of Virginia that a deficiency of good lands existed in the territory south of the Ohio. Every honorably discharged soldier from Virginia was therefore entitled, under the pro-
SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION. - 49
visions of the State, to receive a military land warrant entitling him to a certain number of acres free of charge, the amount being based upon his rank, term of service, etc. The beneficiaries, under this liberal provision, constituted a large proportion of the early settlers in that territory embraced within this reservation. The lands were not surveyed according to the range and township system then adopted by the government, and since prevalent in new territory, but were parcelled out according to the several demands of the occupants, and described by the irregular system of "metes and bounds." This led to extensive litigations in later years, involving much expense and trouble. All of that portion of Ross county lying west of the Scioto river, being in the "Virginia Military Tract," was surveyed according to the irregular system, while that portion of the county lying east of the Scioto, being in the district of "Congress Lands," was surveyed according to rectangular or Congressional system of surveys, and these conditions still exist.
Early provisions were made for the support of free schools, and Congress reserved one thirty-sixth part of all lands lying northwest of the Ohio river for their maintenance. These lands, together with other Congressional reservations for the public welfare, became, in later years, the subject of much political speculation, and in many instances were perverted by designing persons from the real purposes intended. Much fruitless legislation resulted because of the private or personal interests of individuals, without materially enhancing the interests of education. Passing through the varied experiences of speculation, as the early years of Statehood passed, the question of school lands was finally systematized by the appointment of honest and conscientious commissioners, and the lands thus became the nucleus to the present magnificent school fund of the State.
We will now return and take up the question of further settlements as incidental to the organization and development of Ross county. In 1791, General Nathaniel Massie established the first settlement in the Virginia military district, this being the town of Manchester in Adams county. During the succeeding two years, he continued to locate and survey the best land in the vicinity of Manchester, and in the fall of 1793 he decided to attempt a surveying expedition on the Scioto river. For that purpose he employed a party of about thirty men, of whom three were chosen as assistant surveyors. These were John Beasley, Nathaniel Beasley and Peter Lee. Duncan McArthur was now employed for the first time with General Massie, and accompanied this party as a chain bearer. In the month of October this corps of daring adventurers ascended the Ohio in canoes as far as the mouth of the Scioto, thence up that stream to the mouth of Paint creek. Here they went to work, making many surveys on the Scioto, passing up the river as far as Westfall. Surveys were
50 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
made on both forks of Paint creek, and the greater part of Ross and Pickaway counties adjacent to the streams were well explored and partly surveyed. The party returned to their homes on the Ohio without having met any opposition from the enemy, and were delighted with the rich and beautiful country of the Scioto valley. In the face of the most appalling dangers, Massie explored to their sources the different branches emptying into the Little Miami, and then passed in a northeastern direction to the heads of Paint and Clear creeks, thus acquiring from personal observation a definite knowledge of the geographical position of the Virginia military district. This hazardous work was performed during the winter of 1793-4.
The succeeding winter, 1794-5, was spent by Massie and his faithful party on an extensive surveying tour, their field of operations being on Tod's fork and up the Miami to the Chillicothe town (now in Clark county), thence up Massie's creek and Caesar's creek nearly to their sources. The party suffered untold hardships, which were borne with that spirit of indifference so characteristic of the hardy and fearless frontiersmen. The recent defeat of the Indians by General Wayne had rendered the savages somewhat passive, and the Massie party was not disturbed in its work, though the immediate presence of the redskins rendered its stay very precarious. This expedition was characterized as the "starving tour," rendered more serious than the shortage of bread, by reason of the unusually deep snow, which prevented the taking of game in sufficient quantities to supply the party of twenty-eight men. It is recorded that after a three days' fast, during an exceptionally severe storm, two turkeys were killed, which were cooked and divided among the party, and eagerly devoured without regard to "pin feathers" or claws.
Col. John McDonald was also a member of this party, and closes his interesting description of the expedition with the following pathetic language : "Only reflect, reader, on the critical situation of twenty-eight men, exposed to the horrors of a terrible snowstorm in the wilderness, without hut, tent, or covering, and, what was still more appalling, without provision, without any road or even a track to retreat on, and nearly a hundred miles from any friendly aid or place of shelter, exposed to the truly tremendous and pitiless peltings of a storm of four days' continuance, and you can fancy to yourself some faint idea of the sufferings of this party. Although more than forty years have passed, I can scarcely think of our sufferings, even at this length of time, without shuddering."
The reader will remember that Massie's purpose to establish a town in the Scioto valley was frustrated in 1795, because of Indian opposition, and then was fought the "last battle with Indians on the Scioto river." But his purpose was not abandoned by reason of this, for such men as he never yield to discouragements. After the expe-
SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION. - 51
riences previously recorded, General Massie returned to the Scioto valley in the early spring of 1796, bringing a numerous party with him from the Manchester settlements, some of whom came by water, and others over land. They met by agreement at the mouth of Paint creek, at a place afterwards known as "Station Prairie." The parties who arrived by the water route brought with them a generous supply of provisions, farming implements and other articles necessary to effect a permanent settlement. On the first day of April, 1796, they landed their goods, commenced building their cabins, and prepared to plant a crop. Three hundred acres of rich prairie land were quickly subdued and rendered tillable by the willing efforts of thirty plowmen, and now the din and bustle of civilization succeeded the quiet and stealthy tread of the savage.
The first cabins of white men erected in the Scioto valley were in Scioto, then Ross, county. They were erected by Archibald and Thomas McDonald and Josiah Merritt. Next came the settlement of the Chenoweths and a few others on the Pe-pee prairie, followed by the settlement of Chillicothe. All these settlements were made between January 1 and April 30, 1796. There had been a scattered hut or two, built by hunters and traders, but these were the beginnings of the first permanent settlements.
While the settlers were engaged with all zeal in the establishment and improvement of their homes, Massie was equally zealous in selecting a site for a town, which had engaged his thoughts since his first visit to the Scioto valley. Apparently he had even then conceived the idea of making this site his permanent home, as evinced by the care taken in the selection, as well as in the later work of laying out the town according to some preconceived ideas of beauty and convenience. The site finally chosen evinces superior wisdom as a military genius, a farseeing appreciation as to the needs of the colony in future years, and a keen perception of the beautiful in Nature's generous distribution of natural scenery. In the broad and fertile valley between the Scioto and Paint creek are some three thousand acres of choice land, the bottom being some five miles in length, and from one to two miles in width, at the point where the creek and the river run nearly parallel with each other. Here General Massie laid out the town of Chillicothe, which in a few years became one of the most famous localities in the West. The town was prosperous from the first, and within the first year of its existence had several stores, a tavern, mechanical shops, and--above all--a spirit of thrift and industry characteristic of the high class of citizenship which had here sought a home. Chillicothe was the ninth territorial town established, its predecessors being, in the order named, Marietta, Columbia, Cincinnati, Gallipolis, Manchester, Hamilton, Dayton and Franklin.
The Indians were disposed to be peaceful, observing their promises
52 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
recently spoken at the treaty of Greenville. No trouble whatever was experienced with them, except when under the excitement induced by the white man's "firewater;" and this very satisfactory condition of peaceful associations continued unbroken for many years.
As the reader is well aware, this was the first settlement within the present limits of Ross county. The land upon which it was located was originally taken up by General Massie, who was an extensive land owner in the Scioto valley. As a means of encouraging people to locate at the new town, he proposed to donate to the first hundred settlers two lots each, and this liberal offer was faithfully observed. As a further encouragement to settlers, he sold his lands at a very low rate, either for cash or on time, hence the worthy poor man had an equal chance with his more fortunate brother in the establishment of a home in the wilderness.
A large proportion of the settlers were Virginia soldiers of the Revolution, and there was, also, a strong representation of that aggressive and progressive class known as Scotch-Irish. These hardy pioneers were inured to the hardships, dangers, and privations of the frontier by reason of experience during a long term of service in the Continental army, or on the vanguard of civilization in Virginia and Kentucky. They were a class of intelligent, active and provident people, who soon left the impress of their industry upon the primitive forest, and attracted others of like character from their former homes in other localities. Two years after the founding of Chillicothe the population had increased within the bounds of the territory to the extent that the people demanded county organization; and this was done by proclamation of the Territorial governor, Arthur St. Clair, on the 20th of August, 1798.
Freeman's Journal, printed at Cincinnati by Freeman & Carpenter, on the date of October 27, 1798, said: "Last Sunday, Lis Excellency, Governor St. Clair, returned to this place from a tour up the river he has laid off a new county, which he has given the name of ROSS, of which Chillicothe is the county town."
The name of "Ross" was chosen by the governor in honor of James Ross, who was then a prominent politician in Allegheny county, Pa., and the Federalist candidate for governor of that commonwealth. Ross was the sixth territorial county, wholly or partly within the limits of the State, as subsequently defined, Washington, Hamilton, Wayne, Adams and Jefferson preceding it. The original territory of the county was almost coextensive with the whole of the Scioto country, and included much more territory than is now embraced in all the counties bordering on it.
In 1803 Franklin county was set off from the northern part of Ross, and the boundary was established near the present town of Circleville; but the subsequent erection of Pickaway county estab-
SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION. - 53
lished the northern boundary of Ross where it now is. The erection of Scioto and Pike counties narrowed the southern limits, the eastern boundary being brought to its present location by the formation of the abutting counties of Hocking, Vinton, and Jackson, while on the west it was established as at present by the erection of Highland and Fayette counties. In more recent years it was further sought to reduce the area of Ross county by the establishment of "Massie" county from portions of Ross, Highland, Pike and Adams, a petition to that effect being presented to the legislature in October, 1840. The enterprise met with some favor, especially as it was sought by this movement to honor the memory of the man who had accomplished more than any other person in bringing about the then existing condition of advanced civilization. But this tardy justice was subverted by the belief that the promoters of the scheme were prompted by personal motives under cover of the more popular one, which appealed to the people. Bainbridge was to have been the seat of justice had "Massie county" been brought into existence, and the active promoters of the enterprise were J. N. Greene, D. C. Carson 'and Elijah Rockwell. It will ever remain a cause of just criticism that the name of Massie was not thus honored, instead of the distinguished Pennsylvania politician.
The "forties" seem to have been a crucial period in the maintaining of the boundaries of the county, since two other efforts were made to subdivide the territory one to establish McArthur county, with South Salem as the county seat--the other to create a county from the territory of Ross and adjacent counties near Adelphi, with that town as the seat of justice. But further efforts at subdivision proved abortive, and the county boundaries have remained undisturbed for the greater part of a century. It contains six hundred and fifty-eight square miles, and a population of 40,940, according to the census of 1900.
On the 29th of October, 1798, Governor St. Clair issued a proclamation directing the qualified electors of the Northwest Territory to hold elections for territorial representatives on the third Monday of December following. The counties of Washington, Hamilton, St. Clair, Knox. Randolph, Wayne, Adams, Jefferson and Ross participated in this election, selecting twenty-two representatives. Of these Ross county had four, viz.: Thomas Worthington, Elias Langham, Samuel Finley and Edward Tiffin. Nathaniel Massie, then a resident of Adams county, was elected a representative from that. district, his associate being Joseph Darlinton. This constituted the law-making power of the territory when taken in conjunction with a legislative council of five members who were appointed by the United States Congress. The legislature, of two houses and twenty-seven members, met at Cincinnati, September 16, 1799. Sixteen of the twenty-two members of the elective house were residents within
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the present limits of Ohio, as were, also, three out of the five members of the legislative council. Edward Tiffin of Ross county was elected to the position of speaker of the house; and here was the beginning of the prestige and political prominence which the county attained and held for many years in the administration of public affairs.
The first regular session of the legislature was prorogued by the governor, December 19, 1709, and the date of the second session fixed as the first Monday in November, 1800. But before this second meeting, Congress, by act of May 7, 1800, set off Indiana territory, west of the line of the mouth of Kentucky river and Fort Recovery northward. Of the eastern division of the Northwest Territory, Chillicothe was designated as the seat of government, and the legislature met at this new capitol November 3, 1800, and continued until dissolved by the governor December 9th.
In 1801 a second election was held and the apportionment of representatives arranged in conformity with the new boundaries and new counties. Ross county returned four members--Edward Tiffin, Thomas Worthington, Elias Langham and Nathaniel Massie. Mr. Tiffin was again honored by election to the speakership. The session convened on the 24th of November, 1801, continuing until January 23, 1802, when it adjourned to meet at Cincinnati, or elsewhere.
The agitation of the question of statehood, begin in the legislature in December, 1801, grew in strength, and a contest for supremacy was at once launched between Governor St. Clair and his followers and those who opposed his scheme to divide the proposed State. Of the adverse party, Edward Tiffin, Thomas Worthington, Nathaniel Massie, Francis Dunlavy and Jeremiah Morrow were prominent leaders who formulated means of opposing the scheme, which they felt certain was actuated largely by political motives upon the part of the governor. It is unnecessary to go into details regarding this controversy further than to state that Thomas Worthington was commissioned to go to the national capital and present the claims of the faction opposing the governor. While he was so engaged Nathaniel Massie introduced a resolution in the legislature authorizing the choosing of a committee to address Congress on the subject of the proposed. state government. This met defeat in the house by a vote of twelve to five, and it. was followed by a resolution, which passed the house, providing for taking the census of the Northwest. territory --the evident intention being to determine the question whether there was sufficient population to legalize the organization of two states from the territory embraced within the bounds of Ohio. The consideration of this measure was postponed by the legislative council. At this session it was voted to remove the capital from Chillicothe to Cincinnati.
In the meantime, Worthington was zealous in his efforts at Philadelphia, and was using all his influence to effect the organization.
SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION. - 55
Worthington succeeded in his efforts, and on the 4th of March, 1802, a report was made to Congress in favor of authorizing a state convention. It was believed that by reason of the sale of half a million acres by the government since the census of 1800, and the consequent rapid increase in population, the minimum limit of sixty thousand, as contemplated in the ordinance of 1787, would be attained, this being an increase of fifteen thousand above the census of 1800. It was the purpose of this convention to formulate plans for State organization and prepare a State constitution. The committees having this matter in charge submitted their report to Congress, and on the 30th of April, 1802, that body passed an act carrying into effect the recommendations of the committee.
It will be remembered that the territorial legislature, in session at Chillicothe, had adjourned on the 23d of January, 1802, to reconvene at Cincinnati. But it failed to meet according to adjournment, since eight representatives were members of the Constitutional convention, and all plainly saw that the territorial form of government was soon to be supplanted by the State organization. The State convention met at Chillicothe at the same time the territorial legislature should have been in session at Cincinnati. Governor St. Clair, defeated, though still hopeful, was courteously permitted to address the convention, though not without considerable opposition. Even now, though the movement for State organization was fostered and encouraged by Congress, St. Clair strongly urged the postponement of the State organization, hoping by his inflammatory address and violent opposition to carrying his point. But when the test vote was taken St. Clair had but one supporter out of thirty-three members present and voting. For his violent language the governor was removed by President Jefferson. On the 29th of November, 1802, the constitution of State government was ratified and signed by the members of the convention. It was never referred to the people for their approbation, but became the fundamental law of the State by the act of the convention and approval of Congress; and thus Ohio became one of the states of the Federal Union.
We have cited these events relative to the organization of the State with a view to showing the political prominence attained by Ross county citizens. We find among the signers of the first constitution the following distinguished names from Ross county: Michael Baldwin, Edward Tiffin, James Grubb, Thomas Worthington and Nathaniel Massie. Edward Tiffin was made president of the convention and Judge Thomas Scott, also of Chillicothe, was the secretary.
In the Scioto Gazette of December 18, 1802, appears the official proclamation of Jeremiah McLene, sheriff of Ross county, calling the first general election under the constitution, and locating the polling places throughout the county. It is an interesting old docu-
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ment, scarcely legible after the lapse of a hundred years. This is Volume III, No. 153, "printed at the seat of Government," by N. Willis, "printer to the Honorable Legislature." The proclamation reads as follows :
"Whereas the general assembly of the territory Northwest of the river Ohio, did, at their second session of the general assembly, begun and held at Chillicothe, on Monday, the third day of November, one thousand eight hundred, pass a certain act entitled, `An act to amend an act entitled "An act to ascertain the number of free male inhabitants of the age of twenty-one, in the territory of the United States Northwest of the Ohio,' and to regulate the election of representatives for the same ;' whereby it is required that all elections shall be by ballot, and that the court of quarter sessions in each county shall, at their next general session, to be holden after the first day of May, next, lay off and divide their several counties into election districts. And, whereas, the court of quarter sessions for Ross county, in conformity to the law of the territory aforesaid, did lay off and divide the county of Ross into election districts, as follows, to-wit : District the first, to include the townships of Lick and Jefferson, the election to be held at the house of Solomon Cox, on Salt Lick creek; second district to include Green and Pickaway townships, the election to he held at the house of Philip Wolf ; third district, to include Harrison, Liberty, Franklin and Darby townships, the election to be held at the house of James Scott, Esq., in Franklinton ; the fourth district to include Pee Pee township, the election to be held at the house of Richard Chenowith; fifth district to include Scioto township, the election to be held at the Court House in Chillicothe; sixth district, to include Wayne township, the election to be held at the house of Fergus Moore; seventh district to include Paxton township, the election to be held at the house of Christian Platto (Platter?) ; eighth district to include New Market township, the election to be held at the house of Oliver Ross, New Market.
"And Whereas, it is required by the constitution for the State of Ohio, that all elections shall be by ballot, and conducted in all respects as prescribed in the law of the territory before recited; Now, therefore, by virtue of the constitution aforesaid, and a writ of election for Ross county aforesaid, to me directed by the president of the convention, it is required, and the electors are hereby authorized, to assemble each in his own district, on the Second Tuesday of January next, at the hour of nine o'clock A. M., and then and there to elect, according to law, one Governor for the state of Ohio who shall hold his office until the first Monday of December, one thousand eight hundred and five, and until another Governor shall be elected and qualified to office ; two senators and four representatives to serve in the general assembly of the State; one sheriff and one coroner, for the
SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION. - 57
county of Ross, to serve until the next election, as prescribed in the Constitution of the aforesaid State.
"In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Chillicothe, in the county aforesaid, the fourteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and two.
"JEREMIAH McLENE."
In framing the constitution, and in the discussions of public questions of vast importance, Ross county statesmen were active, aggressive and influential. One of the questions of paramount importance in 1802 was that relating to human slavery. A decided stand was taken against the recognition of the system ; and in opposing the introduction of any measures favorable to the admission of Ohio as a slave state, none were more zealous than the political leaders from Ross county, Edward Tiffin and Thomas Worthington, who had each liberated a number of slaves in their old Virginia homes and sought to acquire citizenship on soil not contaminated with the curse of African slavery. Because of their great sacrifices for the principle of universal freedom, it is reasonable to presume that they were especially earnest and zealous in expressing their anti-slavery views. But they were not alone. Edward Tiffin, when interviewed on the subject on the 23d of August, 1802, expressed himself as follows: "The introduction of slavery, were it practicable, I should view as the greatest national curse we could entail upon our country." Michael Baldwin, on the 24th of August of the same year, said: "There can be nothing more repugnant to the feelings of a man, not hardened in iniquity, than the idea of depriving his fellow of his liberty, and placing him by force and violence into an abject state of slavery and misery." Thomas Worthington, who, like Tiffin, had liberated his slaves before removing from Virginia, and who afterward stood up in the United States senate in behalf of the negro, says: "I was decidedly opposed to slavery long before I removed to the Territory--the prohibition of slavery in the Territory was one cause of my removal to it. I have uniformly adhered to the same opinion, and now believe if slavery be admitted into the country, it will be entailing one among the greatest curses on succeeding generations." James Grubb, afterward a member of the constitutional convention, says on September 6, 1802: "As to the introduction of slavery, I must confess that I am not yet so great a Federalist or Aristocrat as to wish its admission. Such a pernicious scheme ought to be guarded against in a particular manner, as I conceive it bad policy, and the principle cannot be advocated by any person of humane or republican sentiments." On the 18th of September, John Hutt bitterly reproves those who favor slavery, and says that they wish "to fix a poisonous dose in the very heart of our state, that will inevitably produce a lingering disease, consuming the vital flame of liberty to all generations." Nathaniel Massie says : "I believe the
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introduction of slavery would ultimately prove injurious to our country. I am clearly of the opinion that it ought not to be admitted in any shape whatever." We are indebted to the "Centennial Scioto Gazette" for the above matter regarding slavery views of Ross county men.
But while the question of slavery was forever settled by the adverse decision of a majority of the Constitutional convention, it was not so with the question of negro suffrage. The convention was controlled by men from the slave holding states of Virginia and Kentucky, yet they were found to be badly divided on this point. One of their own leaders, Charles Willing Byrd, a "Virginian of the Virginians," was persistent in his advocacy of the negro's right to vote. On the adoption of the article of the Constitution bearing upon that subject, fourteen voted to abolish all race distinctions in the qualifications of electors ; and on the same day, by a vote of nineteen to fifteen, the convention adopted a proviso, "That all male negroes and mulattoes, now residing in this territory, shall be entitled to the right of suffrage, if they shall, within six months, make a record of their citizenship." By a vote of seventeen to sixteen, the convention refused to extend this proviso to the descendants of such negroes and mulattoes as shall be recorded. As an index to the division of opinion at that time, it may be added that this proviso, on final adoption by the convention, was stricken out by the casting vote of Edward Tiffin, president of the convention, the vote standing seventeen to seventeen without him. This matter is of interest as showing the feeling at that time toward the colored race.
As further indication of the political prominence of the Ross county party in shaping the destinies of the future state, it may be added that the constitutional convention was the first fruits of their great victory. It was their convention. Massie and his fellow Chillicotheans controlled it completely. They had asserted the right of the people to govern themselves through their representatives, and in a fair field had defeated the paternal policy of their governor and his followers. It is but necessary to study the proceedings, through the various committees, to discover the iron grip with which they held and fully directed the actions of the convention.
The constitution being adopted, Worthington was commissioned to bear the precious document to the national capital to secure the approval of Congress. This was formally given by an act passed March 3, 1803. The constitution provided for the election of state officers and members of the general assembly on the 11th of January, 1803, and that the general assembly should meet at Chillicothe on the first of March following. This was another triumph of the Ross county party. Edward Tiffin was chosen governor, while Massie, Worthington and Baldwin were elected members of the general assembly, which was organized by electing Massie president of the senate
SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION. - 59
and Baldwin speaker of the house of representatives. Thomas Worthington was chosen as one of the two United States senators, and William Creighton, a brother-in-law of Massie and Byrd, was elected the first secretary of state, thus beginning a long and useful public life.
This was only a recognition of superior merit, the culminating point being reached through the force of the peculiar circumstances surrounding the State organization. The very distinguished gentlemen whose names have already been written, as well as many others, possessed the inherent characteristics which will compel recognition, regardless of favoring circumstances. Four governors and five United States senators is but a moiety of the political honors awarded Ross county. The Ross county governors were Edward Tiffin, who served from March 3, 1803, to March 4, 1807; Thomas Worthington, from December 8, 1814, to December 14, 1818; Duncan McArthur from December 18, 1830, to December 7, 1832 ; and William Allen, from January 12, 1874, to January 14, 1876. The United States senators from Ross county were, from 1803 to 1807, Thomas Worthington : from 1807 to 1811, Edward Tiffin; Thomas Worthington was re-elected in 1809 and served until 1813, when he resigned, his successor being Joseph Kerr, who served the unexpired term, or until 1815 ; William Allen served from 1837 until 1849. Allen G. Thurman, reared. at Chillicothe and a resident there for forty years, was elected senator while his home was at Columbus, and served in 1869 to 1881.
Local interest in these early political affairs of the county may justify a digression by way of explanation as to why there was such a feeling of antagonism between Ross county politicians and the Territorial governor, Arthur St. Clair. Briefly stated, the chief executive of the Territory was a man of most positive views, obstinate and unreasonable under opposition, and devoid of fairness--a mild term --in the adjustment of differences. He strongly advocated a division of the territory into three states, the minute details of which are unimportant here, except that Ross county, as at present, established, would have been in two of these states, the Scioto being the proposed boundary between the eastern and middle state, under the proposed scheme.
St. Clair was bitterly opposed to the formation of the State as at present established, and did everything in his power to defeat the purposes of those of different views. Through his influence an act was passed by the territorial legislature on the 21st of December, 1801, as previously mentioned, providing for the division of the territory into three states, according to his pet scheme. In this he was joined by one Ross county representative--Elias Langham--whose political death-knell was sounded in consequence. Paul Fearing, the delegate to Congress, was also one of St. Clair's followers in advocating the territorial division,' and the final establishment of three states
60 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
instead of one. As is known, Ross county was formed in 1798 from territory then embraced in Adams county. These counties stood together in opposition to St. Clair; and by some machination, known only to politicians, they were deprived of a part of their representation in the Territorial Assembly. At the same time (1801) the above mentioned act was passed as an expedient fostered by the north-western, northern and a few members from the southwestern part of the territory--a coalition of forces to curtail the strength and influence of the counties which were striving for state government. That this scheming engendered a bitter partisan feeling need not be told. A vacancy occurred in the Territorial Council by the withdrawal of Major Vanderburg. Ross and Adams put forward General Massie and Colonel Finley as candidates for the position, knowing that in the selection of either they would have an able advocate in that body of the general assembly. But the combination against the middle counties, in which Langham figured actively, prevented the appointment, and placed Mr. Sibley, of Detroit, in the position; hence the middle counties had no representation in the Council. With this condition of affairs existing, and the official prestige of the governor arrayed against the measures advocated by the Chillicothe party, supplemented by a few other active workers in other localities, they entered into the combat, as fully described elsewhere. The partisan feeling was so strong against St. Clair that he was even threatened with violence; and in the winter of 1801 Thomas Worthington, at the risk of his own life, rescued the governor from a mob and assisted him to a place of safety. How thoroughly unpopular the governor was is illustrated by the following anecdote printed in the Scioto Gazette July 2, 1802: "A person from the country arriving in town on Wednesday evening last, during the exhibition, ask'd a bystander the cause of the rejoicing, who was answer'd, that it was in consequence of the stamp act, excise law, &c., expiring and being burned that evening; why, is that it ? says the honest farmer. I thought the governor was dead."
The Ross county political leaders of those days must not be classed with revolutionists, or primitive anarchists. On the contrary, they were men of high intellectual attainments, cultured in the affairs of men, and liberally schooled in the world's history. They believed in the eternal principles of right and justice: and the motives which actuated them in their opposition to St. Clair and his followers were prompted by a desire for the public welfare and not by personal animosity. But it is doubtful if this disposition to "temper justice with mercy" extended universally to the rank and file of the populace--the opposite is indicated in the attempted assault upon St. Clair, which was not the only demonstration of that character during the early meetings of the Territorial legislature in Chillicothe.