Knox County, Ohio - Chapter 9, 1862

Chapter 9

Sketch of the first white man known to have been upon the ko- KO-siNG. - The indian captive in 1779. - The ajjjutant in 1812 - and commissioner in 18'2i.

The first of the citizens of Knox county to tread upon its soil, was John Stilley. In the month of June, A. D. 1779, he was a captive among the Indians npon the banks of Ko-ko-sing. We have thoroughly investigated the early history of this country and can learn of no white person who penetrated the wilderness prior to that time. His father was one of the pioneers of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, who was killed by the savages when John was but a small child. Immediately after his father was massacred, John (about the year 1774) was taken, with one of Ms little sisters, by his brother-in-law, Kennedy, to his home in the back part of Washington county, where he was living exposed to the privations, toils and suiferings incident to border life. At that time the people of the new country were in constant dread of the savages, and sleeping or waking they were alike in danger of becoming their prey. In the spring of 1779, when the corn was just sprouting out of the ground, a band of Indians of the Wyandot tribe one night attacked the house of Kennedy, took Kennedy, his wife and one cliild, John Stilley and his little prattling sister, plundered the house of such things as they fancied, set fire to the house, and burned it to the ground. While they were witnessing the destruction of the house and its contents, they became alarmed by the approach of some of the whites living nearest to Kennedy, and hastily seized his horses, and took to flight. One of the neighbors, called Captain Jack, an old Indian hunter, living about two miles from Kennedy's, thought on the evening of that dav that there were Indians about, and being unable to get to sleep on account of this presentiment, kept his family awake until about midnight, when he swore that he " smelt Indians," and seizing his rifle, powder-horn and bullet-pouch went out to his nearest neighbor, and while there discovered the fire in the direction of Kennedy's, and with such of the settlement as could be hastily gathered together came up to the ruins of the house, hurrpng the Indians away with their captives and plunder. They followed close in pursuit, and came so nearly up to them when crossing the river that Captain Jack shot the Indian having young Stilley in charge across the right hand, cutting off his thumb. They heard the crack of rifles, and the balls whistled bv them as thev. crossed the river. The Indian held young John in his left hand, and swam his horse over the river and rode some distance with the reins in his mouth. The band of Indians - sixteen in number - hastened rapidly across the country with their prisoners, crossing the White Woman near its moutli, and following on up the Ko-ko-sing, as Stilley distinctly recollects, until above where Eredericktown has since been built, and thence on out to the Sandusky plains. They cami^ed one night at the Little Indian Fields, near the present site of Mount Yernon.

This country was then an unbroken wilderness. They did not see a single white man, or the trace of one, this side of the Ohio river ; nor could John kStilley recollect of seeing one of his own race for five years, except a few j^risoners who were at times brought through the country where he was, and occasionally his sisters and brother-in-law. They were parceled out by the captors as suited their fancv, and were sometimes for months vrithout seeing each other. John was a stout, hearty boy, fond of rough exercise, and having not a particle of fear he soon became a great favorite with the tribe, and was often taken by the warriors in their hunting and fighting expeditions. He was several times brought with a portion of the tribe down to the Ko-ko-sing and White Woman country, and remembers that this was considered the most beautiful part of their hunting grounds. It then looked to him far handsomer than it ever has since, and because of its prepossessing appearance he determined, when he started in the world with thoughts of settling down permanently in one place, to make tliis Ms home and final resting place.

After the Revolutionary War was over and peace established, Kennedy and his wife and the two children were delivered up at Detroit. The Indians had taken a great liking to John, and determined to keep him. He was adopted into the tribe, had learned their language, and almost lost his own.

Trained u}) as their little Indians were, he had fallen into their ways, and fell in love with their mode of life, so that he had no desire to return to the white settlements. He bore no marks of ill treatment, unless we except that the end of his nose had been bitten off by one of the Indians in a light. In all their sports and games he took part, and was a worthy " boba-sheeby." Our old settlers, who recollect the " whoop" that Uncle John could give when so disposed, say that he surpassed the real Indian in that line. He has often spoken to us of the events of his captivity, and how he was for a time fascinated Avith their wild and roving life. He subsisted for days upon a little corn parched and pounded up, and used to affirm to us that he never relished any thing so well in his life as that simj)le food.

But he was not doomed to live always a savage life. His familv determined to rescue him from their wiles and allurements. His brother-in-law, with several others, undertook this mission, and at length succeeded in getting liim aAvay from them while they were camped down on Detroit, not far from where Maiden has since been built. He remained with KennedA' and his friends at Detroit some months. There was then a British Fort there, and the village was the smallest kind of a four-cornered place.

It is a satisfaction to know that several of the gang who captured Stilley and Kennedy's family were afterwards in one of their marauding expeditions overtaken by justice. The Poes met and killed them near the mouth of Yellow Creek. Stil-

John Stilley with other prisoners retaken from the Indians, to the number of about ninety, embarked in a vessel at Detroit, and landed in Sandusky Bay, and hired two Indian pilots to guide them back to the settlements. When they got pretty near the Oliio river, they began to talk over their position, where they were from, and with sadness parted with each other, scattering in different directions, never more to meet. Some were from Kentucky, others from Virginia and Pennsylvania. But fcAY of them crossed the river with Stilley into the edge of Alleglieny county. Stilley says that he then passed through the Ko-ko-sing and White Woman country, and not a particle of improvement was discernible from tlie time he was first taken througli it by the Indians.

After remaining in his native country a short time he became restless, and longed for a newer condition of things. His desire for adventure took him to the " dark and bloody ground." He went alone - a poor boy, but strong of heart, and with resolution indomitable. Alone, and in a light canoe of his own make, he navigated the rivers, and landed at the Limestone, about three miles from where the city of Maysville now stands. The only settlements then commenced on the Ohio river in his way were at Wheeling, Gallix:)olis, Marietta, and at the mouth of the KanaAvha. These were all very small. He pushed his way into the interior of Kentucky, and voyaged along the waters of the Elkhorn, and was struck with the surprising beauty of the country, and the nobleness and generosit}^ of the people with whom he fell in company, and there he sojourned for some time. "There was," he said, "a considerable settlement along the waters of tlie ELkhorn, and above and between Paris and Lexington more white people than I had eyer seen before. Lexington I thought a mighty cleyer town. We could raise along the old Elk's horn quite a number of men to take a tight every now and then, and I felt that I was man enough for any of them in any way they were a mind to take me. I knew Simon Kenton personally and right intimately, and a mighty true man he was too. He tlien lived down, I think, sort of northwest of Paris. He did not live as high up as I did. He kept four minute men do^vn there always ready. We kept watch fiftj^ miles along the river for a while, and went back and forth twenty-five miles ; I was one of them. I also knew ^eal Washburn well, and I tell you he was a real brotherly feeling man. The Kentucky hunters were as good men as God ever made. They were the clear noblemen spit - all soul - all bravery - all generosity. Would to God there were more such in the world." * * * 'vl remained upon Elkhorn enjoying myself finely, farming a little, and liunting more, and wrestling and fighting, and all that, till the pesky Indians u^) in the Maumee country, and in the Miami, got to cutting up so intolerable bad that we couldn't stand it any longer - they were depredating and thieving, and maxdering and scalping, and I got my blood up and concluded to try my aim on them, so I 'listed among; the tirst in tlie countrv, and there was no better shot with a rifle among the crowd."

John Stilley served for four months as one of the Kentucky volunteers, and upon discharge of the company, hy General Wayne, returned to the Elkhorn country. But he did not long remain quiet. Repeated acts of cruelty and inhumanity on the part of the savages and tlieir worse than savage allies, again rendered it necessary for the Kentucky boys to shoulder their rifles and march into the enemy's countrv to avenge the wrongs of their countrymen. Stilley then served five months, and said he would like to have continued with old Mad Anthony the rest of his days, but the old hero said he did not require his services any longer. He returned to Kentucky and remained farming, hunting, and shooting at a mark, until the country, where he was, became too thickly settled for him to enjoy life there, and then he concluded to look up again the fine country which he had admired so much, when a boy, on the Ko-ko-sing.

He is found living in this county in 1806, making his location, building his log cabin, and settling down for the remainder of his term on earth. His wife, Kebecca, daughter of old Kobert Thompson, the surveyor and pioneer, rests by his side beneath the soil of Knox countv. The Stillev farm, west of Mount Vernon one mile, where their sons Morgan P. and Oilman B. and daughter Dorcas now live, was cleared off and first cultivated by Thompson and Stilley from 1805. Of John Stilley's twelve children - Sarah E., wife of Jacob Maxteller, is in this townsliip; Julia Ann, wife of Col. Benjamin E. Smith, in Minnesota; Joel ¥. in this county, Rebecca Kimbal in Morrow county; ^^Tancy, >vife of Wm. McFarland, deceased, in Oquawka, 111., and the others, not above named, are dead.

In our chapter upon tlic military of Knox county it will be seen that the bellicose spirit of John Stillev is made manifest. In the war with Great Britain he served as Adjutant of Ool. Kratzer's Regiment, Ohio volunteers, until honorably discharged. He again entered the service wiien Eort Meio^s was attaclvcd bv the British and Indians, and received another honorable discharge. We became conversant Avith the events in the life of this worthy old settler several years ago, when forwarding an application for a land warrant, which he desired mainly as evidencing an evidence of appreciation of his services and suiferings by his government, but the lamentable delays of officials in the great circumlocution departments at Washington prevented his receiving this just acknowledgment of his country's gratitude. On the 10th of March, 1852, he died of palsy, at his home, in Clinton township. His widow, after his death, received the tribute of a land warrant for 160 acres.

John Stilley was a true hearted, a brave man - ready, w henever occasion offered, to assert his rights and evidence his courage. He performed four tours of service, and under the most trying circumstances acquitted himself handsomely. He was a great admirer of General Wayne and General Harrison, and never grew tired of praising them. We might give many anecdotes and incidents connected with the life of tliis worthy okl pioneer - who first walked upon the banks of Owl Creek, (Koo-koo-san he said it was pronounced by the tribe who captured him.) We have thought a chapter in the History of the county to be justly due to John Stilley - the old Adjutant - the old Commissioner - the old citizen who was proverbial for his honesty and integrity - and who possessed, at four score years, as good a memory, as sound judgment and irreproachable character as any man ever within the limits of Knox county.

"This term continued three days. The minutes show but one Jury Trial : The State of Ohio vs. Henry Smith for passing counterfeit money, and the Jury found him not guilty.

" John Stilley appears and pleads guilty to Indictment for assault and battery found vs. him at last Term, and is fined $4 and costs." The dignity of fighting is increased, and those who indulge in that luxury have to pay higher.

" The case of Joseph Foos vs. Archibald Gardner is tried by a Jury, who find ' that Gardner was only to pay for the improvements done by Foos on the House.'

"John Sawyer is fined $2 and costs for not attending as a witness. This being the second fine of this character in the Common Pleas Court, the penalty is increased 100 per cent.

" On tbe return of Jobn Heekewelder, Jobn McConnel and Moses Koss, Esquires, wbo were appointed by a Joint Ballot of botb Houses of tbe Legislature of tbe State of Obio to fix tbe seats of Justice in tbe Counties of Wayne and Eicbland in tbe State aforesaid, wbicb passed tbe 2Stb of Marcb, 1803, wbo did report for tbe seat of Justice in Richland county aforesaid to be afiixed at tbe town of Mansfield. Signed tbe 20tb day of April, 1809."

This vacation had proven fruitful of knock-downs, as we may judge from bills for assault and battery being found vs. George Lybarger, Henry Ankeny, Samuel W. Culberson, Joseph Dunlap, John Strain, Benjamin Rush, John Foglesong.

Culberson was fined 6 cents and costs ; Lybarger, $3 ; Ankeny, $5 ; John Foglesong, the unprecedented sum of $50 and costs. A jury in the State vs. John Davis found him guilty to the tune of S20 and costs.

" Two causes were tried by jury - Hiram Ball vs. Alexander Enos; verdict for defendant for costs; and The State vs. Elizabeth Walker ; verdict not guilty.

" There were three trials by jury - Henry Smith vs. Allison Strong ; verdict for pltff, .$12 and costs ; Eleazer Morely vs. Alex. Enos, for pltflP. $56.37 and costs ; Piatt & Harrison vs. Enos, for pltff. $40.80.

" Four bills were found for usual offenses. These and several other Indictments quashed for want of form. This Court continued in session three days. There were three jury trials, and many old cases on the docket were disposed of.

-' License to marry was granted to John Green and James Smith, regular ordained ministers in the Religious United Societies or Christian Church.

" James Smith, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas and Clerk of the Supreme Court for the county of Knox, appoints Alexander Ellioitt Deputy in either Court, Feb. 24, 1814.

" Upon bills of Indictment for assault and battery, James Adams and Wm. Mefford Avere fined 83, each, and costs ; James Martin $10 and costs, Charles Lofland was also fined S5 and costs, and Samuel Baxter SlO and costs, and Thos. Prather $3 and costs.

" License issued to John Fuller, of Christian Church, to marry. L. H. Smith, Benj. Barney and Ichabod Mai-shal, Ex'rs. of Richard Fishback, deceased ; and Gilman Bryant, Daniel Cooper and Timothy Burr, appraisers.

We liave given tlie Court transactions for twenty terms as miicli for tlie purpose of letting the present generation know wlio, in those early days, performed service as Jurors and otherwise, as with the view of giving an account of what was done. By reading over these pages the names of many settlers will be known whom otherwise we could not find had lived upon our soil.

James Berry, Collector 4th District. Collector's office, Zanesville, 17th Dec, 1813, received $359 23, the full amount of the Resident Land Tax of Knox county, of John Green, Collector. 9th June, 1814 - At settlement with Treasurer of Knox co.

"July 5, 1814. The Board this day examine the duplicates for County Levy for the Township agreeable to the return of the listers of Townships as follows :

" The first lands sold for Taxes were in January 12th, 18 1 5, when collector John Green sold for Abram Emmett 2-8 of lot 120 north side taxes and costs - 75 ; and f of lot 34 south side - 75. Isaac Vore, jr., ^ of lot 19 south side, and ^ of 20 north side - for 75 each.

" Parts of lots belongingto John Hawn, jr., James Smith, (Skenk's creek) Nathan Majors, Ichabod Nye, John Marquis and Wm. Marquis, jr., for which he charged for deeds and acknowledgments $1.25."

Items Suggestive From Commissioners' Journals Of 1811

Among the bills audited by the Commissioners in 1811, we find one to John Butler $i, for extra services in summoning jurors and witnesses for May Term ; Mcholas Kyle t|3, for use of their house for third Court, Sex)t. 1811 ; Ichabod Xye, sherifi''s fees in criminal cases, 1811, $25 ; Associate Judges James Colville f 18, W. W. Farquhar $21, John Mills |21; Edward Herrick for Prosecuting Attorney two terms, and at Supreme Court also, $9.75. A pretty cheap attorney's fee !

Order ISTo. 626 issues to Ichabod Marshal 75 cts. for gaging a half bushel for the County standard, and 627 to James Walker for making seal for standard for Knox county.

Timothy Burr appeared and gave bond as Coroner, with Gilman Bryant and Bobert Jones as sureties. Icliabod Kye gave bond as Sheriif, with John Hawn and Bichard Eishback as sureties.

1812, January. "VVm. Roberts, deputy coroner, is paid $4.45 " for viewing a dead body, for drawing the necessary writing in the same, for traveling, venire," &c. James Bryant for taking care of the dead body $5.

" Ordered that one acre of land be taken off Morgan township and added to Clinton, which acre was purchased of Martin Cosner by Silas Brown, in range 12, township 6."

'No sooner is the new court house ready for use than the Commissioners become involved in trouble about its occupancy, by different sects, as will be explained by the following entries on the Journal:

"Whereas, a number of the inhabitants of this county has made application for the use of the court house in Mount Vernon, for the purpose of occupying the same for preaching and holding public worship therein ; it is, therefore, ordered that the diflferent denominations of christians are allowed to occupy the same for the aforesaid purpose provided that each denomination shall have the use of the same for one meeting once in four weeks ; provided also, that the different denominations aforesaid shall meet and mutually agree upon the time or times they shall hold the same, which shall be in force for one year unless they do not agree on the times they shall hold their meetings aforesaid, and each denominatuai failing to clean up the house and have the same in as good repair as they found it within three days, it shall forfeit their privilege aforesaid, and shall at all times be liable to make good all damages done by such denomination at their meetings aforesaid ; and James Smith shall keep the key of the house aforesaid ; it is further provided, that each denomination aforesaid shall furnish the said house with at least fifty feet of good strong Benches for the use of the house aforesaid, which shall be left there for the use of all publick busi-

This brought about a cessation of hostilities, and again petitions poured in for use of the court house agreeing to agree as to time of using it, &c. Thereupon Commissioners Herrod, Cooper and McMillen, on the 22d of June, meet for the special jjurpose of ordering

One great difficulty was that the Methodists were unwilling to let the " !N^ew Lights," who had split oif from them, come in under the order as first made. These were times fraught Avitli great peril to the churches, as elsewhere recorded.

John Lee is paid $2 for riding with returns of Senatorial election of 1812 to IS^ewark. John Shrimplin endeayors to get a road from his mill, which Wm. Darling, James Rightwire and John Green report as not of j^ublic utility, and the petition is rejected. Stei)hen Stilwell is taxed fourfold for refusing to give in four horses to the lister for taxation, and Amos Yarnard is also taxed fourfold uj)on one liorse. Samuel Kratzer is allowed $1.62 J for iron for the jail, and Archibald Crofford f 4.75 for iron and labor done on the jail. The rate of taxation on taverns in 1812 is $8 for all located on Market st., Mount Yernon, all others on other streets of Mount Yernon and on road from Mount Yernon to Newark and in Fredericktown $7, and all others in the county f 6.

In 1811, July, Francis Hardista is taxed fourfold for refusing to return seven head of cattle to the lister. G. Downs and J. Martin are allowed $80 for shutters for court house. And the court house, but recently erected, is found to need alteration and rej)airs, so Solomon Geller purchased the job of making certain repairs for $799.70. The county, at this time, seems to have had a troublesome prisoner, as the following payments were made for standing guard over the prisoner, Beldon :

" Calvin Hill 3 nights, $1.50; Wm. Deliart 10 niglits and one day, $5.50; Henry Burge for 9 nights and one day, $5; James Irvine 19 nights and one day, $10; John Cramer 13 nights and one day, $7 ; Thomas Sprague one night, $1 ; Samuel Kratzer for guarding, $7.50; Jacob Woodruff, $14.75; Samuel Breese, constable, .95 ; Michael Click for trailing after prisoner Beldon, $1 ; Eli Gregg $1 for aiding in committing A. Beldon to jail, and Wm. Dehart for trailing after Beldon, $3."

Thus the snug little sum of $58.20 was expended in guarding, because Mike Click had convinced the people that, as he said, the "jail is not worth one tarn !"

Various Novel Items And Advertisements Of These Times

"The person who made so free as to horroio my Axe without my liberty, is respectfully solicited to return it immediately - otherwise, he will find his Axe, like the Indian's Gun, to cost more than it comes to. He can either leave it himself or by proxy at my woodpile. T. BURR.

A concert was held at Mt. Yernon, in the court house, May 6tli, at 10 o'clock, P. M., under direction of M. ~D. Lewis, of different singing societies in the county. " All those wlio feel willing to participate with us are earnestly solicited to attend."

May 3d. James Smith's Yindicatioii is now published, and offered for sale at Clinton and Mount Yernon - "for resisting the ecclesiastical power and authority of their Episcopal dignity, lliehael WJi^ and JDavid Youngs

*' This may certify that I was present when Mr. Isaac Beam examined a trunk and bundle belonging to Polly McCracken, for table cloths, but found nothing resembling such in either trunk or bundle. T. BURR.

George Paul, Col. 27th Infintry, was appointed, by Maj . General Harrison, to take command of the recruiting service for the 27th Heg't., and established his office at Zanesville, March, 1811.

"Samuel H. Smith having added a large stock of goods to his former assortment, will trade for butter, sugar, country linen, rye, com, hides, deer skins and furs. Doct. T. Burr is duly authorized

John H. Piatt, of Cincinnati, advertises, April 4tli, 1814, for 5,000 barrels flour, and 200 barrels whisky delivered at Eort Meigs, " or at any convenient place on the Lake shore to save transportation by land."

Grand Celebration Of Freedom'S Cirtii-Day, 1814

On the morning of the 4th of July the flag of the United States was hoisted near Mr. Zebulon Ashley's dwelling house, on a liberty pole 68 feet in length, and the day was celebrated by a respectable number of the citizens of Strong'' s settlement and its vicinity. After an elegant dinner 18 toasts were drank, accompanied with the discharge of musketry. From the number we extract the following :