Ashland County, Ohio - Chapter 23: The Settlers Take Refuge in Block-Houses, 1880

Chapter 23: The Settlers Take Refuge in Block-Houses

In a few hours the painful intelligence of the assassination of Martin Ruffner and the Zimmer family reached the settlers along the branches of Mohican creek. A panic ensued; and the yells of the furious Indian hordes of the northwest, led on by the relentless Tecumseh, were momentarily expected. The situation was comprehended at a glance, and a general flight of the pioneers to the block-houses and other safe retreats, took place. Pack-horses, wagons and carts were in demand - in fact, every means of conveyance was put into speedy requisition;, and such articles of bedding and wearing apparel as could not be dispensed with, were put in packs and conveyed along with the fugitives. As near as can be remembered, the following families fled to Clinton: Ebenezcr Rice and family, Joseph Jones and family, Calvin Hill and family, Moses Adzit and family, Abraham Baughman and family, Allen Oliver an 1 family, and J. I,. Hill and family. There were in all about thirtypersons, and they made their way, as rapidly as possible, along the paths leading through the forests to the village of Clinton, nea, the present site of Mt. \ ernon, then a sort of depot for supplies for the army. A difference of opinion existed among pioneers as to the propriety of the flight, and the necessity of seeking protection among the Clintonites, some asserting that it seemed cowardly, while others contended that the Greentown Indians entertained none but the kindest feelings for their pioneer neighbors, and that if they should return would do them no harm* the block-house on the Clear fork, owned by Samuel Lewis. At that time, some twenty or thirty soldiers, under Lieutenant Barkda.ll, were there as a guard. Those seeking refuge there were Peter Kinney and family, James Cunningham and family, .Andrew Craig and family, David Davis and family, John Davis, William Slater and family, John Wilson and family, Peter Zimmerman and family, Harvey Hill and family. Henry Mc- Cart and family, and Henry Nail and family. Most of these families made a temporary stay at the block-house, returning to their cabins frequently, during the fall months, to keep watch over such household goods as were left in them, and to take care of their abandoned stock.

The next day after the flight to the I ew is block-house, Harvey Hill and John Coulter, who aided the fugitives in driving along most of their cattle, returned; and by the aid of the Tannahills and others, whose names arc not now remembered, the roof of the cabin of Thomas Coulter was thrown off, and a second story put on, and the cabin thereby became "Coulter's block-house." We learn from Mr. Alex. Rice, who was then a hoy. that the Coulter cabin was perhaps sixteen by eighteen feet, built for their first dwelling in the fall of iSro, the overjutting part being put on as referred to above. It stood at the base of a bold b'uff, on the bank of the Black fork, near where the mill-dam now is, about half a mile southeast of the village of Perrysville, and furnished a safe retreat fot the neighbors of Mr. Coulter, when endangered by the savages. As soon as this block-house was completed, the following persons occupied it: Thomas Coulter and family, Allen Oliver and. family. Mel.-er Tannahill and family, Jeremiah Confine and family, and George Crawford and family. When the foregoing families had gathered in. Thomas Coult-r and Harvey Hi. II volunteerd to go to Wooster, through the forest, to secure soldiers to defend the settlement against Indian incursions. They succeeded in obtaining a guard of eleven soldiers, under the command of Lieutenant W interringer, of the Tuscarawas militia, of t hear my of Genera! Beall, then collecting at Wooster, for an expedition to Upper Sandusky. The guard accompanied them home, and in the day-time skirmished about the hills, and up and down the valleys for Indian signs, and then stood guard at night to prevent an attack by t-he Indians.

While a resident of the block-house, the v. ilr- oi Jeremiah Conine died and was buried in the cemetery at Perrysville. She was the second person interred in that ground, the first being Mr. Samuel Hill who died the preceding June.

The settlers along the Jeromefork and its branches were also greatly excited and alarmed ovci the murder of Ruffner and the Zimmers. Thomas Eagle has-.eiu d to Wooster for assistance. The block-house at Wooster, then a mere \iilag*\ was under the command of < 'apt .in

Stidgov, v host, ei.mpanv constituted a pan of Genera! KM!. l'lie company of Captain Nicholas M u rrav, composed of about sixty soldier', immediately hastened to the relief of tin Icromc sc'.'leineat.

A block house was erected by Ids men, a short distance j nor theast of the present site of the mill, on a gentle rise j of ground, where the settlers commenced at once to con- 1 cent rate. Mr. Eagle also conducted a guard of eight or j ten men to protec t a small block- house or cabin at the j Finley and Collyer .settlement, about five miles down the ! Jerome fork, near where Tylerto.wn now stands.

In the meantime, Robert Newell and family, George Kckley and family, Jonathan Palmer and family, James Wallace and family, Christopher 'brickie and family, James I!r>an and family, Ezra Warner and family, and David Nogglc and others, i ot now remembered, gathered at the 'new block-house. The families of Benjamin Cup- j py and Jacob Fry did not remain at the fort, but passed j on east. It was noticed, when all had gathered in, that j Daniel Carter and family were missing. Much uneasi- i ness was evinced concerning the safety of Mr. Carter . and family. He resided up the stream, about nine miles from the block-house, and one mile northeast of the present site of Ashland. Absolom Newell, the eldest son of Robert Newell, volunteered to go and inform Mc- Carter and family of the danger that threatened them. Being an active young man, he soon reached the cabin of his father, some five miles up the Jerome fork, which he found almost consumed by fire. Supposing Indians had set it on fire, and were concealed in the vicinity, he hastened back and related the-circumstance to the company at the block-house. David Nogglc, a warm friend of Mr. Carter, at once offered to undertake the hazardous task of reaching him on horseback. Thirty soldiers were detailed for the expedition. Mr. Noggle and the soldiers followed a trail cut through the forest by Mr. Cat ter when he removed his famil) to his new cabin, which passed south of Newell's, thence over lands more recently owned by Mr. Smucker, Samuel Swinford, and the late farm of Daniel Carter, jr., and so on to his cabin. Mr. Noggle reached the cabin some time before the soldiers, and found Mr. Carter at work with his team, all safe. From circumstances afterwards developed, it appears that a body of Indians had that- very morning* passed through the cornfield near the cabin, but had offered no harm to Mr. Carter and his family. He j had always made it a rule to treat the Indi; ns kindly j and offered them food when they visited his cabin ; and ; it was doubtless owing to this circumstance that their lives I were spared that morning. Mi. Carter hastily placed j such clothing and bedding or; his wagon as he could con- | veniently remove, and taking his family, accompanied i Mr. Noggle. They had gone but a short distance when they met the guard. The soldiers continued in the direction of the deserted cabins of Cuppy and Fry, and on

* Mr. Daniel Carter, jr. , nuu a resident of Ashland, states lha t some time after die flight. Thomas I. von, a well-known Delaware warrior, in conversation with himself and father, inquired whether they had seen Indian tracks in the cornfield that morning. On assuring him that they had, he said lie was with lli - II ; lutols that p., -. od up tin | creel , an-J .mild see Carte ah. family from the e nil. < after asked him ; vvhv he did m>t stop.'' l.ynu replied. "Si, me strange Injin uulinu. ( Mo fraid scare you. Me pass on." It is probable the presence of I i .yin saved the- family ot Carter from the deadly tomahawk of the j strange II y,in.Ms. * approaching I he former, found it yet burning, and some ot the soldiers discovered the rear guard of the Indians skulking in a cornfield. , On looking towards the cabin of Air. Fry, a half-mile west, they could see the smoke ascending from it. They then - turned about, and retraced their steps to the block -house- at Jerome's place, where Mr. Carter and family had arrived a short time before. Mr. Carter and family did not remain at the blockhouse; but passed on through. Wooster to New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas county, where he and his family remained until February, 1813.

The band of Indians that burned the cabins of Newell, Cuppy and Fry was undoubtedly the same that the day before made the assault on the. Copus cabin. They had passed through the lowest in the hope of wreaking vengeance upon these families ; and if they had been found at home the tomahawk of the savages would have done its. work. Fortunately they had all fled on gaining intelligence of the Rufifnet Zimmer tragedy, which took place some five days prior to the Copus -murders. It is somewhat remarkable that Mr. Carter and his family should have remained in Lis cabin after the departure of Cuppy, Fry and Trickle.* No satisfactory explanation has ever appeared concerning the course of Mr. Carter, unless it be that he felt confident the Indians would do him no harm. A very strong friendship existed between Mr. Carter and Thomas Lyon, a famous old Delaware warrior, who accompanied the expedition, but who always denied that he had aided in killing Ru finer, the Zimmers and Copus. Mr. Carter never failed to invite hungry Indians into his cabin and offer them food when they called on him. These acts of hospitality made him feel confident and secure, although at that time he resided nine miles farther in the Indian country than his Jerome neighbors. Acts of hospitality have always been remembered by the red man of the forest, and many instances are recorded, where years after, the Indian warrior interposed to save the white prisoner from the fagot. Assuming such to be the true explanation of the motives of Mr. Carter in remaining in his cabin, all incoherence is removed, as well as the apparent indifference of his fugitive neighbors.

At this time there were six or eight families in the Vachel-Metcalf settlement, some two and a half miles southeast of the fort on Jerome's place, among whom were those of William Bryan, James Conley, Elisha

"Andrew Mason, now well advanced in yea is, states, that in a conversation with Ins father, Martin Mason, now deceased, at his mill where the mill of Mi. l.idigh now stands on tlvi Tr-av road, some f miles north of Ashland, about the year r 3 1 6. Thomas loon told his father " that being present it the Copus affair, but taking no part ip the murder, and learning that it was the intention ui some Green town and Wyandot Indians to ; tss up the Jerome fork and kill all the s, ttL-rs, he had gum* through the forest and notified Mr. Cuppv ul his danger." If ties statement be not erroneous. 1 liomns In oil. as is believed by the Copus family, w.i present at both those iragedh . In a conversation with Mrs. afti the return of 1 -rsrlf and children if ,t be true is asst fled Ivy loon, that h- was n> t disposed to alarm Mr Carter and funtil v. it . eonclusive that lv was rest rail ul by gratitude for past hospitality, is well as by friendship and tid- htv.

Chilcotc, Benjamin Bunn, James Slater, and James Bryan. These met and constiucted a fort two stories high, the walls of the second story projecting beyond the first on all sides. The floor and sides of the second story were pierced with port-holes. The pioneers, with ox teams, axes and strong arms soon erected the fort. The lower story had strong doors securely fastened, and was to be occupied by women and children, while the men, with trusty rifles, were to occupy the second story in hours of danger and alarm. About one-fourth of an acre of ground was cleared around the fort and enclosed by a palisade twelve feet high, with a strong gate; and all the families of the settlement gathered into the fort, while their horses and cattle were placed within the palisade. Mr. Metcalf and his neighbors remained in the fort during the winter of iSia-'ig and part of the summer of .1813, while cultivating, by occasional visits, small patches of corn and vegetables, with pickets, to prevent surprise.

In Lake township, Messrs. James Loudon Ihiest and William Greenlee had located very near the old Indian highway known as the Wyandot or Crawford's trial leading to Upper Sandusky from the Tuscarawas. When they first landed, the Jerome and Greentown Indians were peaceable and inclined to be quite friendly, and passed up and down the trail in large numbers on hunting excursions. Early in the spring of 1812, it was noticed that the Indians were quite uneasy, and that large numbers passed up the trail painted and armed for war. * Mr. John Greenlee, son of William, now aged seventytwo years from whom we obtain these particulars, says at the time of the murders on the Black fork, he and the son of a neighbor were at Shrimplin's mill in Knox county to obtain a small grist of corn meal, and upon their return were greatly surprised at finding all the settlers gathered at the cabin of Mr. Priest, busily en gaged with ox-teams hauling logs and split timber to build a fort. The fort was erected near the banks of the Mohican, not a great way from the point where the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago railroad crosses that stream. A new extension was added to the strong cabin of Mr. Prie.il. making it a double log house with an entry passage between the wings. The wings were about forty feet long and twenty feet wide. The fort was surrounded by a picket of heavy split timber about twelve feet high and enclosed about one fourth of an acre of ground. It had a strong gate suspended on wooden hinges. In case of necessity, the horses and cattle of the settlers could be brought within the enclosure. The families of Janies L. Priest, William Greenlee, William Hendrickson, Nathan Oddi, John Oram, Thompson Oram, Joshua Oram and Mordecai Chilcote forted here some three months during the fall of 1812 ; but wete not visited by any of the hostile red men of the northwest. in a few days after the construction of the fort, Samuel Marvin and John Hendrickson and their families departed foi Wheeling, Virginia, leaving hut seven families in the little colony. During the continuance of

The Block-House

It may be interesting to the reader to learn something of the construction of the early block-houses, or wooden forts. They were generally constructed of hewn legs, closely jointed or fitted together, two stories high; the length and width of the building being about twenty by thirty feet. The logs resting on each other, prevented the balls from entering the cracks or crevices. The corners were carefully notched and fitted, so that the building was really quite strong. There was but one door, or enj trance, made of thick planks or puncheons, hung on strong wooden or iron hinges, and bolted or fastened on the inside, so as to prevent ingress unless much force shoukl-be used,- - the door being thick enough to prevent ordinary musket or riile balls from passing through, it.

| The first story was generally about eight or -nine feet ! high. Sometimes the floor consisted of well packed j earth. The second story generally projected over the J lower one, about three feet, on the sides and ends. This i over jut rested upon logs or joists, which were, allowed to ! project over the first story The second story was about seven or eight feet high, and was perforated with numerous port-holes, pointing in every direction, so as to guard against the approach of an enemy. The rloor of this story was thick and strong, and had port-holes pointing downward, so that if an enemy came under the projection, to set fire to the building,' he could be shot from above. There were also port-holes in the lower story, from which the savages could be seen and cut off before j they reached the building. The roof was of clapboards,

! were generally placed in an open space, upon some slight | elevation of ground, so as to prevent the approach of a j hostile force without being seen by the inmates. The next point in the location of a block-house was to secure good water; and hence, they were always placed near a pure, sparkling spring.* In such a fort, or block-house, twenty-five or thirty families could be accommodated with tolerable quarters, by spreading their beds upon the floors, and sleeping thereon. During the day, the inmates could pass in and out; and, most of the time, attend to business without being molested bv the Indians,

| - their raids being only scan-occasional, and very sudden and unexpected. We do not learn that more than I two block-houses of this county, were surrounded by stockades.

Life in the block houses was exceedingly irksome and monotonous; and the inmates were always pleased when -assured they could safely return to their deserted cabins and slock. Of course, hours and weeks were spent in 1 reciting and reiterating stories of rcvolutionan adven- I ture, and pioneei hardships, until all could repeat them.

! Thus, the tedium of the foil was wiled away for two or three months The si arcit\ of flour, meal salt, and j other provisions, sometimes rendered the situation c\- | eeedingK unpleasant: nevertheless, ail was borne with patience until November, when most of the pioneers j .i^a in returned to their cabins. A few soldiers continued j to patrol the neighborhood, sleeping at the block-houses j at night.