Coshocton County, Ohio - Chapter 19: Miscellaneous Matters, 1876

Chapter 19: Miscellaneous Matters

1. Tl\e Prc-Historic Race. 2. Ancient Burial Groxmds. 3. Meaning of the names 3Iuskivgum, Tuscarawas, and Walhonding. 4. Prose Legend of the Walhonding. 5. Heckiv elder s Famous Ride. 6. Temperance Crusade among the Indians. 7. Gnadenhuiten Massacre. 8. Curious Stories Touching Captives Reclaimed by Colonel Boquet. 9. Description of Hunting-Shirt. 10. The House and Furniture of the Pioneers in Coshocton Countg. 11. Louis Philippe at Coshocton. 12. How to Raise a Large Family. 12. Indian Stories. 13. Bachvoods Sports.

The Pre-Historic Race

Doddridge, in his " JSTotes on the Settlement of "Western Pennsylvania and Virginia," etc., says, touching the earth forts, mounds, grave-yards, stone-hatchets, and other evidences of a race preceding the Indians :

"Most writers represent these as peculiar to America; but the fact is, they are also in Europe and Asia. Large groups of mounds are met with in many places between Moscow and St. Petersburgh, in Russia. When the people of that country are asked if they have any tradition concerning them, they answer in the negative. They suppose they are the graves of men slain in battle, but when or by whom constructed they have no knowledge. Kearly all the mounds which have been opened in Asia and America have been found to contain more or less charcoal and calcined bones. Some have thought that these mounds were used for altars for sacrifice, the offerings being the prisoners taken in battle. The great antiquity of these relics can not be questioned. A curious fact is that they are not found in any great numbers along the shores of the main oceans. This circumstance goes to show that those by whom they were made were not in the practice of navigating the great seas. That they contain nothing with even hieroglyphics is evidence of a high antiquity. Ani6o Historical Collections of Coshocton County.

other evidence of the great age of these rude remains o± antiquity is that there is not even a regular traditionary account of their origin."

Doddridge gives reasons at length for rejecting the idea that there was any considerable degree of civilization among the people making them. He is inclined to think they were of Asiatic origin, though not holding the idea that they were " the lost tribes of Israel." He is not so wild as some in his estimates of their numbers, wanting something more than one swallow to make a summer, and not familiar with or disposed to accept the processes of the modern anti-biblical " scientists," who made so much out of that tremendous " sell," the Cardifi' giant, to disparage the scriptural account of man.

Ancient Burial Grounds

"In the county of Coshocton, as we pass west on the Pan-Handle railroad, three miles or thereabouts from the county-seat, is seen to the right a large plain in the river bend of several hundred acres, and on the east bank of the river, a few hundred yards distant, a large mound, forty feet high, with trees thereon. In its vicinity, Zeisberger settled Lichtenau, in 1776, and he was attracted to the spot from the numerous evidences of an ancient race having been buried there, more civilized than the Indians of his day. The missionaries have left but meager details of what they there found, but enough to clearly prove that its inhabitants understood the use of the ax, the making of pottery, and division of areas of land in squares, etc. In a large graveyard, which covered many acres, human bones or skeletons were found, less in stature than the average Indian by a foot and a half. They were regularly buried in rows, heads west and feet east, as indicated by the enameled teeth in preservation, so that the disembodied spirits, on coming out of the graves, would first see the rising sun, and make their proper devotional gestures to their great Spirit or God. From af)proximate measurement this grave-yard contained ten acres, and has long since been plowed up and turned into corn-fields. The race of beings buried there averaged four feet in height, judging from the size of the graves and layers of ashes. Estimating that twenty bodies could be buried in a square rod, this human sepulcher, if fall, would have contained over thirty thousand bodies, and the ordinary time required to fill such a grave-yard would not be less than five hundred years in a city the size of Coshocton of the present day, assuming that the generations averaged thirty-three years of life. One skeleton dug up from this grave-yard is said to have measured five and one-half feet, and the skull to have been perforated by a bullet. The body had been dismembered, and iron nails and a decayed piece of oak were found in the grave.

" On the farm of a Mr. Long, about fifteen miles southwest of St. Louis, was found, many years ago, an ancient burying-ground, containing a vast number of small graves, indicating that the country around had once been the seat of a great population of human beings of less than ordinary size, similar in every respect to those found near Coshocton. But, on opening the graves, they found the skeletons deposited in stone coflins, while those at Coshocton bore evidence of having been buried in wooden coffins. After opening many of the graves, all having in them skeletons of a pigmy race, they at length found one, as at Coshocton, denoting a full-developed, large-sized man, except in length, the legs having been cut ofiF at the knees and placed alongside the thigh bones. From this fact many scientific men conjectured that there must have been a custom among the inhabitants of separating the bones of the body before burial, and that accounted for the small size of the graves. The skeletons, however, were reduced to white chalky ashes, and therefore it was impossible to determine whether such a custom existed or not.

" A custom is said to have existed among certain tribes of the western Indians to keep their dead unburied until the flesh separated from the bones ; and when the bones became clean and white, they were buried in small coffins. The Nanticoke Indians of Maryland had a custom of exhuming their dead after some months of burial, cutting off from the bones all the flesh and burning it, then drying and wrapping the bones in clean cloths, and reburying them ; and, whenever the tribe removed to new hunting-grounds, the bones of their dead were taken along. It is known that this tribe removed to "Western Pennsylvania, and portions of them came to the Muskingum valley with the Shawanese. Zeisberger had two Nanticoke converts at Schoenbrunn, and one of whom (named Samuel Nanticoke) affirmed - as tradition goes - that this pigmy grave-yard at Lichtenau was their burying-groimd, and contained the bones of their ancestors, carried from one place to another for many generations, and found a final resting place in these valleys, when their posterity became too weak, from the wastage of war, to remove them elsewhere." - Mitchener's Ohio Annals.

When the Walhonding canal was being built, a number of skeletons in the sitting posture were unearthed. On the Powelson place, just east of the town of Coshocton, a skeleton was dug up, having upon the head a curious shaped metallic cap or earthen-ware vase. It was forwarded to the Academy of l^atural Sciences in Philadelphia, by Rev. Wm, E. Hunt, in 1869.

The Tuscarawas river was long embraced with the Muskingum river, as we now call it, under the one designation - the Muskingum extending from Marietta to the headwaters in Summit county. Afterward the Tuscarawas was called the " Little Muskingum." The best accredited meaning of the name Muskingum is " Elk's Eye " - the emblem of placid, quiet beauty.

Tuscarawas, according to Heckewelder (as good authority as any in these things), means " Old Town," the oldest Indian town in South-eastern Ohio being on it near the present Bolivar.

Prose Legend Of The Walhonding

Christopher Gist, when looking up lands for George Washington's Virginia Land Company, was at " White Woman's Town," January 14, 1751. He says the town (it stood near the junction of Killbuck and White Woman creeks) was so called from the fact that the ruling spirit in it was a white woman, who had been taken captive in New England, when she was not above ten years of age, by the French Indians, and had subsequently become the wife of " Eagle Feather." She is reported as having been one of the -' strong-minded " of her day, and " wore the leggins." She had several children, and was even outstripping the Indian in Indian qualities. Her name was Mary Harris. According to this story, the river was named from the town. Those who prefer this account to the more poetic, and perhaps equally truthful, one given in the chapter of this work entitled " Indian Occupancy," can do so without hurting the feelings of the writer of the book, who has not talent nor time to settle conflicting Indian legends.

" There came to Goschachgiink, in the spring of 1778, some disafiected persons from Pittsburg, with Alexander McKee, Matthew Elliot, and Simon Girty - an ignoble trio of go-betweens and desperadoes.

" Soon after the arrival of this party, a second appeared, consisting of a sergeant and twenty privates, deserters from the fort, who joined the British Indians. These men all vied one with another in spreading falsehoods among the Delawares. The Americans, they said, had been totally defeated in the Atlantic States ; driven westward, they were now about to wage an indiscriminate war against the Indians. Such reports produced a general excitement in the nation. Captain Pipe, who had been eagerly watching for an opportunity to supplant White Eyes, and overthrow the policy of the council, hastened to the capital, called upon his countrymen to seize the hatchet, and defend their homes. Who would venture to prate of treaties now?

White Eyes barely succeeded in having the declaration of war postponed for ten days, that time might be given to ascertain whether the reports were true or false. But this did not hinder preparations for the conflict. Goschachgiink rang with the war-song ; rifles were cleaned and tomahawks sharpened. In order to prevent the rising of this nation and its numerous grandchildren, peace-messages must at once be sent to Goschachgiink. Such messages were prepared, but not a runner could be induced to take them. General Hand's oflers of the most liberal rewards were all in vain ; the risk was too great.

" In this emergency, Heckewelder and Schebosh volunteered their services. Riding three days and two nights without stopping, except to feed their horses, in constant danger from the war-parties that lurked in the forests, they reached Gnaddenhiitten an hour before midnight of the fifth of April. The next day was the ninth of the stipulated term. Ko contradiction of the reports spread by Girty and his confederates had been received. War was accepted as a necessity even by White Eyes. Of that crisis John Heckewelder was the illustrious hero. Although scarcely able any longer to sit upon his horse, and although it was at the risk of his life, he pressed on after but a brief rest, accompanied by John Martin, a native assistant, and got to Goschachgiink at ten o'clock in the morning. The whole population turned out to meet him, but their faces were dark and sinister. There was no welcome given. Not a single Delaware reciprocated his greetings. He extended his hand to White Eyes, but even White Eyes stepped back.

" Holding aloft the written speeches of which he was the bearer, Heckewelder addressed the Indians from his horse. He told them that they had been deceived ; that the Americans, instead of being defeated in the Atlantic States, had gained a great victory, and forced Burgoyne and his whole army to surrender ; and that, so far from making war upon the Delawares, they were their friends, and had sent him to establish a new alliance. Such news brought about a - sudden change in the aspect of aflairs. A council was called ; the missives of General Hand were delivered and accepted in due form ; the warlike preparations ceased ; and, while Captain Pipe and his adherents left the town in great chagrin, the instigators of this whole plot fled to more congenial tribes." - From De Schweinitz's Life and Times of Zeisbcrger.

A Temperance Crusade Among The Indians

"In the year 1773, Rev. David Jones, a Baptist minister, was sent out from Philadelphia city to the Scioto and Muskingum valleys, with the view of establishing a mission. On arriving at Schoenbrunn he found Zeisberger had planted his colonies along the Tuscarawas, and as they gave evidence of success, Jones proceeded on south and spent some time among the Shawanese, but found no encouragement for a mission among them. He, therefore, returned up the Tuscarawas valley to 'New Comerstown, in the vicinity of the present town of that name. Here the Indians were having a great feast and dance, in which whisky, procured from traders, was the principal performer. Under its influence they refused Jones permission to preach, shut him up in one of their huts, and put a guard around him, and some proposed to kill him ; but one of the chiefs, called Gelelemend, or Killbuck, interfered and saved his life.

" After the Indian feast was over they listened to the preacher, and he, having spoken much against the use of whisky, made such an impression on the mind of the chief Killbuck, that he became a convert then, and was ever afterward opposed to its use. While Jones remained at " the New Comerstown," Killbuck destroyed all the liquor on hand, and notified the traders that if they brought any more whisky among the Indians they (the traders) would be scalped. This aroused their enmity against the preacher, and threats being again made by some of the drinking Indians against his life, the chief had him escorted up the river to Gnadenhutten settlement, and from there to Schoenbrunn, from which place the Delawares saw him safe to Fort Pitt, it being midwinter, and

The Gnadenhutten Massacre

Although this was not an event taking place in Coshocton county, yet as some of the ancestors of the settlers in Coshocton county had to do with it, and the occurrence bore important relations to the Indians whose cherished seat was once in Coshocton county, and to the settlement of the count}', a brief account is here given.

In 1781, the Moravian Indians were required to abandon the Tuscarawas valley mission stations and repair to Detroit. Amid the rigors of the winter they were taken to Sandusky and there held for a time. A scarcity of provisions was, however, soon felt in the new location, and in February, 1782, about a hundred and fifty of the Indians returned from the Sandusky region to the Tuscarawas region to get supplies of corn which had been raised the season before, and left in the field unhusked. While they were husking and gathering the corn they took up their residence again ii^ Gnadenhutten and Salem.

Meanwhile the settlers in Western Pennsylvania were experiencing some great outrages at the hands of some redskins. A band had attacked the home of a man named Wallace, murdered his wife and five children, impaling one of the children with its face toward the settlements and its belly toward the Indian country, and had carried ofi" John Carpenter as a prisoner. In the latter part of 1781, the militia of the frontier came to a determination to break up the Moravian villages on the Tuscarawas. For this purpose, a detachment of men, under the command of Colonel Williamson, avowing only the determination to make the Indians move further away or taking them prisoners to Fort Pitt. When they reached Gnadenhutten they found but few Indians, the removal of most of them to Sandusky having already been eft'ected. A few were captured and taken to Fort Pitt and delivered to the commandant there, who, after a short detention, sent them home again. This procedure greatly displeased the settlers, who were demand- iiig a more vigorous policy. Colonel Williamson, hitherto a very popular man, was losing his place of honor among the frontiersmen. At length, in February, 1782, a new expedition under his command set out. This was gathered under the impulse of stories that the Indians released by the commandant at Fort Pitt had, the night after they were liberated, crossed the Ohio and killed a family by the name of Monteur ; that an Indian who had been captured after the killing of a family on Buffalo creek had reported that the leader of the baud was a Moravian. Williamson's expedition reached the Tuscarawas valley on the 7th of March. Upon pretense of friendly council, and only with the purpose of arranging for the greater peace and prosperity, and especially to take some steps so as to relieve them from their unpleasant situation as between "two fires," of bad Indians and vengeful whites, the corn-gatherers were all called in and actually made prisoners.

The militia now tried to criminate the Indians, charging that despite their peaceful professions they were warriors, and had taken part in the war against the Americans; that they had harbored and fed, in their towns, British Indians on their march to the American frontiers ; that their horses were, many of them, stolen ; that their houses, in their appliances, and their clothing gave evidence that they had helped to plunder the farms and attack the settlements ; that, at any rate, they kept a half-way house for marauding Indians and received stolen goods.

The prisoners appealed to the knowledge of the soldiers themselves as to the general public friendship for the whites ; to the efforts they had made successfully for years to keep the nation of which they were part from joining with the British Indians ; they explained the necessity which compelled them to entertain British Indians, but showed that they had, at the same time, persuaded many a warparty to turn back ; and, further, that when the American general, Brodhead, had come into their country, on his expedition against Goschachguuk, they had furnished his army too with provisions ; they admitted often receiving articles of clothing and utensils from other Indians for entertain- ment ; and reminded their captors that they were civilized Indians, dressing like the whites, working their horses like them, and using the same household utensils, mechanical tools, and agricultural implements.

But thepe explanations were not accepted. A council of war was held. The officers, unwilling to assume the responsibility, agreed to submit the question to the men. They were, accordingly drawn up in line; Colonel Williamson stepped forward, saying : " Shall the Moravian Indians be taken prisoners to Pittsburgh or put to death? All those in favor of sparing their lives advance one step and form a second rank." Thereupon sixteen (some reports say eighteen) men stepped out of line, leaving an immense majority for the sentence of death.

The mode of execution then created some debate. It was at one time proposed to set iire to the houses in which the captives were and roast them alive; but it was finally determined to kill them and get their scalps as trophies of the campaign. On the 8th of March, the captives (twentynine men, twenty-seven women, and thirty-four children) were placed in the " slaughter-houses," as they were designated - the males in one, the females in another - and then butchered with tomahawks, mallets, war-clubs, spears, and scalping-knives. Only a part of the militia were engaged in this dreadful work. Others were gathering up the plunder and making preparations for the march to another town. After the massacre all the houses of the village Avere burned. The Indians in the second town got timely alarm and fled. Two lads escaped - the one having received a blow that only stunned him, and the other having been scalped. The whole number killed was ninety.

The Eev. Philip Doddridge, a Presbyterian minister, who lived in Western Virginia, where many of Williamson's troops lived, speaking of this massacre, says :

" Should it be asked what sort of people composed the band of murderers of these unfortunate people, I answer that they were not miscreants and vagabonds. Many of them were men of the first standing in the country - many of them men who had recently lost relations by the hands of the savages. Several of the latter class found in the houses of the murderers articles which had been plundered from their own houses, or those of their relations. One man, it is said, found the clothes of his wife and children who had been murdered by the Indians a few days before ; yet there was no unequivocal evidence that these people had any direct agency in the war. Whatever of property was found with them had been left b}^ the warriors from the regions beyond in exchange for provisions. When attacked by our people they might have defended themselves, but they did not. They never fired a single shot* They were prisoners, and had been promised protection. Every dictate of justice and humanity required that their lives should be spared. The complaint of their villages being half-way houses, if well founded, was at an end, because the people had been removed to Sandusky the fall before. It was, therefore, an atrocious and unqualified murder. But by whom committed? By a majority of the campaign? For the honor of my country, I hope I may safely answer this question in the negative. It was one of those convulsions of the moral state of society in which the voice of the justice and humanity of the majority is silenced by the clamor and violence of a real minority. Very few of our men imbrued their hands in the blood of the Moravians. Even those who had not voted for saving their lives, retired from the scene of slaughter with horror and disgust. Why then did they not give their votes in their favor? The fear of public indignation restrained them from doing so. They thought well, but had not heroism enough to express their opinion. In justice to the memory of Colonel Williamson,! have to say that, although at that time very young, I was personally acquainted with him, and from my recollection I say that he was a brave man, but not cruel. Had he possessed the authority of a superior oflicer in the regular army, I do not believe that a single Moravian Indian would have lost his life. But he possessed no such authority. He was only a militia officer, who could advise, but not command. His only fault was a too easy compliance with popular opinion

In the summer of 1872 (some ninety years after the massacre), ten thousand citizens of the Tuscarawas valley assembled at Gnadenhutten to witness the unveiling of a handsome monument erected through the efforts of the "Gnadenhutten Monument Society" to the memory of the Christian Indians who fell the unresisting victims of the Williamson expedition.

After some excellent music by an immense band of traiued singers, accompanied by instrumental music, the Rev. Dr. De Schweinitz, Bishop of the Moravian Church of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, delivered an oration of rich historic interest and rare beauty of expression.

At the close of the oration, amid music of suitable sort, four Indians of the Delaware tribe, two of them lineal descendants of the massacred Indians, stripped the canvas, and exposed to full view the monument. This is of gray stone, wnth base and die and shaft, in all about thirty -five feet high. On the die is the inscription: "Here perished ninety Christian Indians in 1782," and on the base the simple legend, "Gnadenhutten."

The assembly having been dismissed for dinner (basket and otherwise), was again summoned to the stand, and the exercises of the afternoon opened by a hymn in the Delaware language, sung by the Indians and their missionary, the Rev. Mr. Riennecke, from Canada.

Brief addresses were made by Mr. Riennecke and each of the Indians, and Rev. "Wm. E. Hunt, Presbyterian minister from Coshocton, Ohio, made a few remarks congratulating the Monument Society upon the accomplishment of its work, declaring that the monument belonged to the whole Christian world, and would not only commemorate the Christian virtues of the deceased, but speak to all coming generations of the undying fame of all who do and sufier for the Master.

After a few remarks by Rev. Mr. Harmon, pastor at Gnadenhutten, the benediction was pronounced by Bishop De Schweinitz, and the assembly thus dismissed.

Among those present were many of the dignitaries of the Moravian Church, such as Bishop De Schweinitz and his brothers Francis and Mier, Dr. Riennecke, the Wollfe brothers, and others ; but the thousands present witnessed the interest of the whole people of the Tuscarawas valley, and especially those of classic and Christian taste and feeling, in the secluded spot now marked so unmistakably, and even hitherto well known, by all interested in the annals of heroism and the legends of the Christian faith.

" Among the captive children surrendered to Colonel Bouquet, at the ' Forks of the Muskingum,' was one whom no one claimed at the time the people were summoned to the fort for the purpose of identifying and reclaiming their lost ones, and whose after-history is full of romance. In 1756, the wife and child of a Mr. John Gray, living near Carlisle, Pennsylvania, had been taken by the Indians. When Gray died, he willed one-half of his farm to his wife, and the other half to his child, in case they should ever return from captivity. The wife soon got away from the savages, returned home, and, finding her husband's will, proved it, and took possession of the farm. She went to look for her daughter among the Bouquet captives, but, failing to recognize her, was persuaded to claim as the missing daughter the unclaimed little girl above spoken of, and thus secure the whole farm. Taking her home with her, she brought up the strange child as if her own, carefully keeping the secret. The girl grew up as the daughter of John Gray, married a man named Gillespie, and took the Gray estate. This changed hands several times up to the year 1789, when some of the collateral heirs of John Gray obtaining information about the spurious Jane Gray, commenced suits to recover the land, being some four hundred acres of the best land in Mifiiin county, Pennsylvania. After legal contests, running through forty -four years, the case was disposed of against the reputed daughter, and the

"At the time of the reclamation, one woman failing to recognize her lost child was lamenting her loss, and telling how^'she continued still to sing every evening the favorite hymn of the lost child. ' Sing it now,' said the sympathizing officer, and she sang :

" She had sung thus far, when the daughter, having her sight quickened by the old sound, rushed forward, and the joy of the restoration was complete."

Description Of The Hunting-Shirt

Among the earliest settlers of Coshocton county, as elsewhere in the West at the same time, the hunting-shirt was almost universally worn. For the information of our younger readers, we append a description :

" This garment was a kind of loose frock, reaching half way down the thighs, with large sleeves, open before, and so wide as to lap over a foot or more when belted. The cape was large, and sometimes handsomely fringed with a raveled piece of cloth of a different color from that of the hunting-shirt itself. The bosom of this dress served as a wallet to hold a chunk of bread, cakes, jirk, tow for wiping the barrel of the rifle, or any other necessary for the hunter or warrior. The belt, which was always tied behind, answered several purposes, besides that of holding the dress together. In cold weather the mittens, and sometimes the bullet-bag, occupied the front part of it. To the right side was suspended the tomahawk, and to the left the scalping-knife in its leathern sheath. The huntingshirt was generally made of linsey, sometimes of coarse linen, and a few of dressed deer-skins. These last were very cold and uncomfortable in wet weather." - Doddridge's Notes.

The house was built of logs laid one upon another, all being notched, so that the end and side logs would hold each to the other. The roof was made out of boards split out of short blocks or pieces of logs, called " clap-boards." The cracks between the logs were stopped with clay. A door was made by sawing or cutting the logs on one side of the house, so as to make an opening about three feet wide. The opening was secured by upright pieces of timber, three inches thick, into which holes were bored into the ends of the logs, for the purpose of pinning them fast, and helping to keep the logs in their place. The door was made of clap-boards, such as were on the roof. At one end was the fire-place, made of a few stones, and the chimney, formed of sticks daubed over with mud. There was a little opening that could be covered by a board for a window, or sometimes an opening covered over with apiece of greased-paper or rag.

As to the furniture, there was a table made by splitting a log and putting some sticks for feet on the rounded side. A few chairs were sometimes made in the same way. Some wooden-pins were driven into the logs, whereon to lay clapboards for shelves for dishes, etc. A forked-stick was set in the floor, which was either made of split-logs, called "puncheons" or of earth, and into the fork of this one end of a stick was put, the other going into the log in the side of the house. Upon the rest thus made some sticks were placed, the other end of them going in between the logs which formed the wall of the house. Into these walllogs were driven a few wooden-pins, whereon were hung the gowns of linsey belonging to the women, and the hunting-shirts of the men. Usually two small forks or bucks' horns were fastened up, whereon rested the rifle and shotpouch, etc. Kot a nail nor a piece of glass was anywhere used. A wooden latch for the door was made, and a string of leather or flax ran through a hole in the door to the outside, and when " outsiders " were not wanted this string was pulled in. The " latch-string out " was thus the sign of hospitality. The table-ware consisted of a few earthenware or pewter dishes, and an iron pot or skillet, or both, and some wooden bowls or trenchers, or perhaps a few gourds, made up the kitchen and table furniture. A handmill or a mortar and pestle to prepare the grain for cooking was a housekeeping utensil found in some families, but many did not command these, and one served sometimes for several neighbors. The most " fore-handed " men that came into the county had for some years little or nothing better than these things.

Louis Philippe At Coshocton

Among the accepted traditions of Coshocton is one that old Colonel "Williams kicked out of his tavern the abovenamed famous Frenchman, who, having been compelled to flee his own country, was traveling in America about the close of the last century.

Louis was on the throne when G. "W. Silliman visited Paris, and he reported upon his return that the king, in an interview, had spoken of his travels in the Western country, and stated that he had been very shabbily treated at a tavern at the forks of a river, whose landlord was described in such way as to satisfy Silliman that it must have been "Williams.

The latter, upon being spoken to, said he remembered the circumstance. That Louis had complained of the accommodations as very unbefitting a king, and that he had informed him that all the people in this country were sovereigns, and that, if he did not like what satisfied them, he could get out of the house, and he would help him out, as he then did, with the toe of his boot.

It is said, however, that, as a historical fact, Louis Philippe was on shipboard, on his way back to France, before "Williams kept any tavern at the forks.

In later years, there was living in Coshocton a somewhat famous character, who, when in liquor, always fancied himself "Andrew Jackson." It may have been that 'Williams' French king was a man of the same style.

People who fancy that the importance of either Williams or the town may be increased thereby can still " hold the tradition," and possibly find some way of removing the little anachronism alleged in the case.

How To Kaise A Large Family

One of the " old settlers," who had reared a very large family, though a comparatively very poor man, was asked how in the world he had done it. " No trouble at all," said the old man. " Commenced with a pot of mush, and as each child came, just put in a little more water and gave a few more stirs."

" Indian stories," among many of the old settlers, were largely the stock in trade. A man was not much in the old-time bar-rooms, who could not tell some tall stories.

The fact is thoroughly established that after 1795 there were very few Indians within the territory afterward embraced in Coshocton county. In Tuscarawas county, some years later, there were some of the Christian Indians ; but such as were found in the region of Coshocton were straggling bands, or sellers of game, or individual strollers.

For thirty years before 1795 the whites had been seeking to occupy the land, and the Indians struggling to maintain their hold ; and about that time the whole upper Muskingum valley and the Tuscarawas valley were almost uninhabited, the two races having scourged each other out of them.

Despite all this, stories were told of how frightened the wives and children of the first settlers were, who could hear at night the Indians prowling about the huts and cabins in which they were sleeping.

One of the old fellows, who attached great importance to Indian experiences, was once, when somewhat set up with liquor, relating some wonderful things, when some one, interrupting him, asked him if there were many Indians in the county when he came into it. Eying his questioner sharply, he answered, " Indians plenty ! I guess there were. Why, when I came, if a man got off the canal- boat and took a few steps into the woods, lie would get shot just full of arrows." This a quarter of a century after the Indians were all removed !

Backwoods Sports

In "house raisings," "corn huskings," "fox hunts," and " rifle matches," the early settlers, who had no special interest in horse races or " listicufis," found largely their amusements. In some parts of the county, a custom prevailed in relation to observing Christmas and New Year's day that has been thus reported :

The country around was wild, and but little cultivated. A rifle was an indispensable article for house-keeeping, even before the hewed-out log cradle, or the harrow made by taking a forked stick and driving some wooden pins in it. On the days above named, thirty or forty " neighbors " would come together, some of them coming for twenty miles, and, as noiselessly 'as possible, getting in a circle around a previously selected house, about two or three o'clock in the morning, they would all fire their rifles and simultaneously give a yell. The sequel of the matter was they were all invited into the house and furnished with something hot to eat or drink.

Weddings were big things in the pioneer days. The " neighbors " for twenty miles around would commonly be invited. The understanding was that those coming in by certain roads would gather at a designated place on each road, about two miles from where the wedding was to take place. And then for a race !

The mother of the groom was provided in advance with a supply of bottles of whisky, and as the foremost of the horsemen on each road came in he was presented by her with a bottle, and an elegant ruflQer was placed upon the horse's neck, ornamented also with gay-colored ribbons. When the horsemen were all in, the hills echoed and re-

In the earlier days the amusements may have had more of what is now called " coarseness " than some of the modern ones, but then they were generally more health -promoting, and, according to every testimony, full as " clean " as the latter.

It is certain the social life of the people was not less joysome than now. For a few years, there were not apples enough in the county for " a bee," but they after a time had a place.

In the townships largely peopled by Kew Englauders and Western Pennsylvanians, the singing-school afibrded the diversion as well as often sometliing better.

And then " sparking " was much in vogue - just the thing for a new country - said, indeed, to have originated there. The process was readily learned, generally practiced, and so familiar that old people never stop to inquire about it, but very young do, and for these let it be told how it was done.

The log houses in those days, it will be remembered, had but one room, or, if more, commonly but one with a tireplace. Bed time came, and the children crawled up a ladder into the loft; the old folks went to bed in a quiet way in one corner of the room. The wood fire has been glowing and cracking all through the evening, b*it has pretty well burned out, and, " for sake of the old people," the fragments are drawn together and slightly covered over with ashes, and thenceforth there is only a dull red glow, with now and then a " spark " springing with a slight snap from the wood. Now was the time for the bashful lover and coy maiden, and then were carried on the love afiairs, designated in one locality and set " sparking," and in another " courting," and in another " paying and receiving attentions," but, in one phrase or another, everywhere readily recognized and approved.