Ashland County, Ohio - Chapter 20: Pioneer History, 1880

Chapter 20: Pioneer History

j The Pioneers from 1809 to i3io. - I wo Indian Leasts at Greentown. - Curious Indran Ceremonies. - The White Persons Present. - Old Captain Pipe, Armstrong and Lyon.

A few weeks after the arrival of Andrew Craig and wife, he erected a camp cabin about one and a. half miles southeast of the Indian village of Greentown, where he resided when James Copus and family landed, some weeks afterward, on his way to his forest home in the south part cf Mifflin township. Mr. Copus was born in 1 Greene count)', Pennsylvania, about tiie year 1775. He | married in his native county in 1796. In March, 1S09,

| he removed Vo the Black fork in Richland countv. His | family consisted of himself, wife and seven children, j His route of travel was through Wheeling. Cambridge,

J bonding through the Indian village of Greentown. He ! located at first about three-quarters of a mile northeast 1 of the present site of Charles' mill, on what was after- I wards known as Zimmer's run, and erected a small camp ; cabin of poles. The cabin was constructed by planting two forks in the ground about twenty feet apart, and placing a ridge pole on them, and then leaning split tim- 1 her against the pole, making a sort of shed roof, the base being about twelve feet wide, leaving a small opening at the ton for the escape of smoke. The ends were closed by setting poles in the ground, leaving a door at one end. The cracks were carefully closed with moss gathered from old logs. The floor consisted of the smooth, well packed earth. In this rude structure James Copus and family resided for a period of about eighteen j months. Though often visited, in the meantime, by the Gieentown Indians, he felt entirely safe, and remained 1 on the most friendly terms with Captain Armstrong and his people. Being a stout, fearless and industrious man, he set tc work at once to clear and prepare a few acres for corn, and soon had a small field fenced with brush, and otherwise prepared to plant. Having brought a "yoke of Oxen'' and a cow or two along with him, he felt certain that his family could survive the hardships of pioneer life, aided by his industry. At that time the for- csis abounded in the most luxuriant growth of sedgegrass, pea-vines and other growths upon which horses j and cattle could feed and grow fat. In July he had the | misfortune to see his field of corn bitten by the frost and greatly injured. How ver, though soft, it turned , out better than he anticipated. In the meantime he ! visited Andrew Craig, and purchased a hog or two from i him, and by their increase and the use of his trusty rifle j he procured meat enough to pass the first winter in ; safety. In the spring of 1S10 he erected a cabin in the vicinity of an excellent spring, about three-quarters of a I mile south of the camp cabin, on the Indian trail leading to Green town. Here he cleared about twenty acres | and enclosed the same with a good rail fence. Here he ! resided when the war of 1812 commenced between the j United States and Great Britain. In the meantime, being an exhorter and local preacher in the Methodist ! Episcopal church, he was often invited to address the Indians at Greentown, by whom he was listened to with great attention. He soon became intimate with Captain Armstrong, the chief, and the leading men of the village, among whom were Montour and Jelloway.'

Indian Feast

In the fall of 1809 he attended an Indian feast at Greentown, where he met James Cunningham and other new settlers. Cunningham was a native of Maryland, and had emigrated to Licking county, Ohio, in 1804, and from thence to the vicinity of Greentown in May, 1SC9. His neighbors were Samuel Lewis, Henry Mc- Cart and Andrew Ciaig. The refreshments (?) consisted of boiled venison and bear meat,' somewhat tainted, and nor very palatable to the white guests. The ceremonies took place in the council house, a building composed of i clap-boards and poles, some' thirty feet wide, and perhaps J fifty feet long. When the Indians entered the council house, the squaws seated themselves -on one side and the men on the other. There was a small elevation of earth in the center, eight or ten feet in diameter, which seemed to be a sort of sacrificial mound. The ceremonies were opened by a rude sort of music, made by beating upon a small copper kettle, and pots, over the mouths of which dried skins had been stretched. This was accompanied by a sort of song, which, as near as could be understood, ran; "Tinny, tinny, tinny, ho, ha, ho, ha, ho" - accenting the last syllables. Then a tall chief arose and addressed them. During the delivery of his speech, a profound silence prevailed. The whole audience observed the speaker, and seemed to be deeply moved by the oration. The speaker seemed to be about seventy years of age. He was tall and graceful. His eyes had the fire of youth, and blazed with emotion while he was speaking. The audience frequently sobbed, and seemed deeply affected. Mr. Copus could not understand the ! language of the address, but presumed the speaker was | giving a summary history of the Delawares, two tribes ! of which, the "Wolf " and the " hurtle," were represented j at the feast. Mr. Copus learned that the distinguished ! chief who had addressed the meeting, was "Old Captain ! Ripe," of Mohican Johnstown, the executioner of the 1 lamented Colonel Crawford. At the dose of the address dancing commenced. The Indians were neatly clothed in deer skin and English blankets. Deer hoofs and bear daws were strung along the seams of their leggins, and when the dance commenced, the jingling of the hoofs and claws gave a rude sort of harmony to the wild music made upon the pots and kettles. The men danced in files or lines, by themselves around the central mound, and the squaws followed in a company by themselves. In the dance there seemed to be a proper sense of modesty between the sexes. In fact, the Greentown Indians were always noted for being extremely scrupulous and modest in the presence of each other. After the dance, the refreshments were handed around. Not relishing the appearance of the food, Mr. Copus and the other whites present, carefully concealed the portions handed them until they left the wigwam, and then threw them away. No greater insult could be offered an Indian, than to refuse to accept the food proffered by him. So those present had to use a little deception to evade the censure of the Indians.

In the spring and summer of 1810, the population of Green township was increased by the arrival of George Crawford, David Davis, Frederick Zimmer, sr., Frederick Zimmer, jr., Philip Zimmer, John Lambright, Peter Kinney, Edward Haley, John Davis (a widower), Charles Tannahill, Bazel Tannahill, John Coulter, Me'zer Coulter, Archibald Gardner, and their families. These settlers commenced improvements along the Black fork, the Clear fork, and the Rocky fork of the Mohican, each erecting a small cabin, and clearing a few acres of ground for corn. The majority of these settlers were o: German descent, and had come directly from the western counties of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and the eastern part of Ohio; and had found the way to their new homes up the branches of the Mohican, and by Indian trails. Many of them had entered their lands at Canton, Ohio, without seeing them, and had followed their neighbors into these wilds.

While these settlers were erecting new homes along the Black fork. Alexander Finley and Thomas Eagle were being joined, in 1810, by James Loudon Priest, Nathan Odell, Joshua Oram, Benjamin Emmons, John Baptiste Jerome, Ezra Warner, Elisha Chilcoat, Beniamin Bunn, James Conley, Amos Norris, William Metcalf, John Newell, Westel Ridgelv, Vatchell Metcalf, Josiah Crawford, and John Shinnabarger. The Odells, Ora ms, Priests, and Metcalfs, settled in the present limits of Lake township. Mr. Emmons settled in Perry, and Mr. Warner in the lower part of Vermillion. These settlers were mostly from the border States, and from Jefferson county, Ohio. They had found their way to their new homes like the settlers on the Black fork, and commenced the erection of cabins, and clearings, in the same way. Corn was generally purchased and ground, the first year, in Knox county and the new settlers either packed it or horses, or descended the Mohican in canoes, and transported it in that way. The hominy block was in universal requisition among the earh settlers; and jonaeake, or journey cake, pork, and v ild

In i S 1 1, Calvin and Joseph Hill, Allen Oliver, Eben- 1 e/e r Rice, Joseph Jones, Melzer Tannabili, sr., I.ewis j Hill, Solomon Hill, Moses Adzit, Jeremiah Conine, Sylvester Fisher, Thomas Coulter, Otho Simmons, and their families, came into the Greeniown settlement, along the Black fork. These families were from Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York, Vermont, Maryland, and eastern Ohio. Soon the woodman's ax was heard in every direction, and cabins commenced to spring up, and fields were cleared and fenced, and crops planted. The most friendly relations existed between the new pioneers and the Indians.

Another Indian I' East

In i8ir, about two years after ihe first feast attended J by Mr. Copus and Cunningham, another one took place j at Greeniown. It was conducted very much like the one i in. 1809. John Coulter,* who was present, and who is now (1873) in his eighty-third year, gives me the following description of the feast, which Alexander Rice and others confirm :

The feast was prepared and held in the large council house. In the center of the building was a mound of earth, perhaps eight or ten feet across and two feet in height. The kettles for cooking the supper were placed around the edge of the mound, over small fires, and bear's flesh and venison put in them. In the center of the mound a large fire was kindled, which blazed with great brilliancy. While the supper was be- j ing cooked an occasional choice morsel was thrown into the large fire as a sacrifice to the Great Spirit. A great number of distinguished j chiefs and warriors from U pper Sandusky, j erometown-and other pa r's, | were present and participated in the ceremonies. While the supper j was being cooked the leading chiefs and warriors commenced to move j in a solemn prosession around the altar, sometimes singing, sometimes j delivering short speeches in their native tongue. While this was going * oh the balance of the audience were arranged in lines two or three deep j around the inside of the council house, which, according to Mr. Howe, was about sixty feet long and twenty-five feet wide, one story high, and enclosed bt clapboards. The singing wa a so 1 of low, melar.eholv wail accompanied by a sort of grunt, contortions of the face, and singular gesticulations of the arms, i he exact meaning of the speeches and other performances was not understood by Mr. Coulter and the other guests. The chiefs and other distinguished warriors preset, t made a fine display as they marched around the altar, arrayed, as they were, in costume which exhibited many gay colors, arranged so as to produce a fine effect. As on the former occasion, their leggms were ornamented with dry deers' hoofs, which produced a rattling noise as they marched around tiic centra! mound. These ceremonies produced a profound impression on all present. Whether it was a recital of the history and achievements of the res, or whether it portended future trouble, and was an offering to. avert the calamities of war, could not be divined by those of the white race present. The ceremonies 1ast< d two 01 three hours, and then the cooked veni.-on and bear's meat were distributed among the audience and the ceremonies closed with a genera! hand-shaking, congratulations and other friendly tokens. .Mr. Couiter, Wesley Copus and other invited guests, feel confident that th-.iv met "old Captain l'ipe" of Jerometov/n. there. i'liert: were from three to four hundred Indians present, and We'lry Copus says that Thomas Lyon, who was a warm friend of his father (James Copus), prepared a choice bit of venison fur him. We are compelled to bdicu: that "old 'Captain l'ipe" was present. This was the last we hear ot him at any public gathering in this region ; arid *-.' are inclined to think this feast foreshadowed the calamitous war of 18 u, which commenced a few months jflet that feast.

Coiiyer, James Sinter, James Bryan, Joseph Chandler, sr., Robert Newell, Robeit Finley, George Eckley, Jonathan Palmer, James Wallace, Thomas Newman, and perhaps a few others and their families.

At this time there was not a white man in Montgomery, Milton, Clearcreek, Orange, Jackson, and the three northern townships. The number of the cabins in the lower part of Vermillion, in Lake and Perry, as well as all over Mohican, was rapidly on the increase;, and the prospect fora large influx of settlers in 1812 was fair. The pioneers were keenly alive to their interests, and traveled far and near to aid each other in raising cabins, felling the forest, roiling logs and fencing new fields. Many hardships were encountered the first year or two, by reason of unripe grain, and the great distance to' be traveled in reaching mills. Stilt, those difficulties were met with fortitude and soon overcome.

The spring of 1812 saw the tide of emigration on the increase. At that period a war Was impending between Great Britain and the United States. This checked the influx of the pioneers, for it was evident the Indians of the northwest would be invited to assist the enemy. In tact, it had been observed for nearly two years, that tire Greentown and Jerometown or Mohican Johnstown Indians had been in the habit of making frequent visits to Upper Sandusky, and always returned with new blankets, tomahawks and ammunition in abundance. Indeed, it was suspected that British agents were busily at work sowing the seeds of disaffection among the northern Ohio Indians.

A few families settled on the Black fork in iSxa, among whom were Samuel Hill, Simon Rowland, (single; Martin Ruffner, Richard Hughes, Henry Smith, (single) Archibald Gardner, and Michael Ruffner, (single).

On the Jerome foik and vicinity, we find the population increased by the addition of the families of Thomas Carr, William Bryan, and perhaps one cr two others.

In January. 1812, Daniel Carter, sr., located about one mile northeast of the present site of Ashland : Christopher Crickle at the cast end of Ashland, where Markley's brick house formerly stood; Benjamin Cuppy near i the Orange road, on the farm owned by the late David ! Sloan, and Jacob Fry near the present residence of I co j Wertman, on the Troy road, while Robei t Newell located on the old McGuire farm, near where the brick house now stands. All north of this region was a dense forest, and had not been disturbed by the presence of the white hunter or settler. .Messrs. Carter, Cuppy, Fry, Newell and Trickle put up small cabins, soon to abandon them for a home in the Jeromeville block-house.