Knox County, Ohio - Chapter 12, 1862

Chapter 12

Knox cottntt ntiRisG the war.- - Population pretty much at a stand STILL.' - Evekts. - Volunteers, &c. - Some incidents of a more stirring CHARACTER. A TOUCH OF INDIAN WARFARE. FORTS AND BLOCKHOUSES erected to save LIVES AND SCALPS.

The settlements in Knox county being upon the borders, it may be presumed tliat the news of the declaration of war in 1812, and the threatening aspect of aifairs kept our citizens wide awake and active. The Indians at that time were far more numerous upon Owl Creek, Mohican and^ in all parts of this country than the whites, and they required the closest kind of watching to keep them from depredating, killing and scalping the people. I^orth of our present county line, the settlers were few and far between, and the county of Richland at that time made its returns to, and for judicial and other purposes was a part of, Knox. Hence within our borders, we may say, were enacted some of the deadliest scenes of slaughter. The killing of the Seymours and Rufner, and the massacre at Copuses are within the recollection of many of our oldest citizens. From several of those who were at the time familiar with these horrid murders we have obtained full statements, but as from the termination of the war, and the organization of Richland to the present, the scenes where the tragedies

The people clustered together more closely than formerly, and at once made calculations for succor and i^lans for defence from the savage foe. A blockhouse was constructed at Frederick, and surrounded with pickets. After the war the building was converted into a school house. It was a frame, built on the square under direction of Captain Ayers, and moved on wheels to a point near where the railroad noAv runs. It was used for church and educational purposes for man}^ years. Many families went to the fort at Frederick for safety. William Mitchell prepared his house for a siege - made heavy batten doors with iron bars, port holes for guns, etc. One of his boys rode express, another kept out with scouting parties, and the old man with two workmen, who staid with him, were constantly on the look out for attack. The girls practiced shooting with rifles, so as to be ready for a large force of Indians at any time, and with his two dogs, "Gunner" and "Rover," that two story log house was prepared for one tight at least. y At John Lewis' was erected a blockhouse, where that neighborhood could defend themselves.

Upon the tax duplicate of Madison township, for the year 1811, is found the names of "James Ooj)us, 4 cattle, 40 cents;" "Philip Zeamore, 1 horse, 30 cents," and "Frederick Zeamore, 2 horses and 2 cattle, 80 cents," as returned to the commissioners of our county.

Seymour's lived on the Kocky or crooked fork of the Mohican, a little stream which headed above Mansfield. They were plain, simple minded people, who had been cultivating a small patch of ground and making slow but sure improvements on their location. Their nearest neighbor was a dutchman named Martin Eufner, who lived in a little cabin with only a small dutch boy. The Seymour family consisted of Frederick and his wife, and their children Philip and Catharine. One night four Indians were seen about dark prowling around the neighborhood of Seymour's house, and Eufner went to their house and urged Philip to go over to Mr. Oopus and get help fi'om there to capture them. 'No sooner had he started than the Indians entered the front door, when they Avere received in a friendly manner, and Catharine at once prepared supper for them, but the Indians instead of eating at once set upon the household and proceeded to kill and scalp them. Hufncr was a very strong man and fought like a tiger, but he was soon overpowered, killed by two balls through his body, and left scalped in the yard and with several of his fingers cut off by a tomahawk. The father, mother and daughter were killed and scalped. In a few days after this an attack was made by a party of Indians upon the cabins of Mr. Copus, who lived at the Black fort. Some men belonging to a scouting party were at the time stopping at his house, and four of them had gone to a spring a few rods o& to wash, when they were fired upon by the Indians who were hidden from view. Three of the men were killed and the fourth escaped into the house with a bullet in liis tliigli. Mr. Copus, when in the act of looking out the door to see what was the affray, was shot in the breast, and the door was at once closed, and a vigorous resistance made to the attack of the savages, who came on with terrific yells and a volley of balls. The daughter of Mr. Oopus was shot in the thigh, and herself and mother for safety stowed away in the cabin loft. One of the men had his arm broken by a ball, and the house was completely riddled by bullets. Several of the Indians were killed, and at length, after an hour's hard fighting, they withdrew from the field.

The particulars of the Seymour massacre, we have got from a Knox county man who Avas near the scene, and saw the place where the hellish deed was committed the next day. William and Richard Roberts had been for some time engaged building a mill for Andrew Newman, within one mile and a half of SejTUOur's. The night they were killed the dog kept up such a disturbance that Newman aroused those in the house, telling them "by shure Indians about, I know py my tog" - the Indians were then always uppermost in the thoughts. The guns were got in readiness - a man named Shore helped load them as Newman cried out "by shure I shall spill all my powder, I can't load the gun " - and the score axes were also laid hold of, expecting an attack. There was no sleep for that night, and early in the morning word was got from Mr. Hill's, a neighbor, that Seymour's family was killed. Upon examination about where the forebay had just been raised, several moccasin tracks were discovered, and the evidence was clear that the Indians had medi- tated an attack there, but feared they were too strong for them to succeed. Dui'ing the night howling as of wolves had been heard about where the race and dam had been dug. There were but the four men at ^N^ewman's. Within an hour from the time of hearing o the massacre, ISTewman got nj) his team and took all of his tricks to Mansfield. William Roberts at once rode around to Seymour's and viewed the scene.

After this a trader in Mansfield, bv name of Jones, was killed and scalped by the Indians on an out lot north of the houses near where the depot of the railroad now is. He had a wife and two children. The Roberts' had at that time a job of work about one of the blockhouses. The news of this was carried by Johnny Appleseed, on horseback, to the Richardson neighborhood, and thence on to Frederick. The greatest excitement prevailed throughout the country, and many amusing things were said and done in this general panic. Among the most ludicrous was that of Samuel Wilson, who lived near the Quaker meeting house, and was so badlv scared that he rushed from his house with his overcoat on and his pantaloons under his arm, and in tliat condition ran all the way to Frederick.

Application was made to Gov. Meigs for Rangers, and he sent an order for a company of twelve to be raised by Abner Ayers, whose beat was assigned them on the frontier, and this, with other bodies out, kept quiet in the settlements.

The friendly Indians of iha Delaware tribe in this portion of country were mainly of tlie Greentown gang. That place, so much talked about by early settlers, was about eight miles northeast from the Eichardson settlement, in Knox conntj, and within twelve miles of the Mansfield blockhouses. It was situated in the township of Green, laid out by our commissioners the 7th of January , 1812. The Indian village contained about sixty huts, and a council house built of posts and clapboards, sixty feet by twenty-five feet was its size. From 300 to 500 Indians congregated about it. During the summer various acts of hostility were attributed to this band, and many of the whites, whose friends and relatives had been killed by the Indians, were disposed to make no distinction between tribes, but to kill an Indian whenever it could safely be done. Collisions between j)arties of settlers and Greentown Indians became frequent, and it was at length determined to drive them from the soil. Two distinct races of people never have or can long live together in peace - one or the other must remain as subjects, or seek homes and freedom elsewhere. This little band of Indians became impressed with this historical truth and made ready to leave - some few, however, were loth to depart from the hunting grounds of their youth - the graves of their fathers - the homes of their race.

This was no time for sympathy with the race, and no tears were shed or regrets expressed by the settlers when the order come from the government for their removal. Under direction of the United States authorities they were removed via. Mansfield to Urbana, and thence to other western lands. Erom three of our old citizens, then young soldiers of Major Kratzer's command, we have gathered the particulars of their transfer, and have been told of a most brutal act committed by some white men, which shows more fully than language can express, the feelings of the greater part, if not all of this christian people. At the Mansfield station, our good old pastor, then of the Methodist, but subsequently of the Kew Light persuasion, James Smith, was ofiiciating as Chaplain to the Regiment - for even in those early times soldiers thought such an ofiicer necessarv to their welfare. While there an Indian and his plighted squaw came up to the Reverend Smith to have him marry them in the most approved manner of whites. Wliile the guard were looking at the performance of the ceremony, an old Indian and his daughter made their escape, but before they got a mile off they were discovered by two men from Coshocton, named McCulloch and Morrison. Morrison shot the old Indian, who ran a short distance and fell to the ground. The young girl fled to the woods. The men having shot the Indian ran back to the blockhouse greatly excited and told their exploit, and under Kratzer's orders Sergeant Gilkison, with a squad of twelve, followed up the Indian to the spot where he lay bleeding from the wound of a bullet in his chest, and to Gilkison's inquiry as to who he was, he replied " a friend." Morrison and McCulloch having joined the band at this answer, the latter exclaimed " d - m you! I'll make a friend of you!" and struck at his head with his tomahawk. And then stamped his foot on the neck of the dying Indian and sunk his tomahawk in his head. Sergeant Gilkison tried to prevent this fiendish act but could not accomplish it. Many of the old settlers tell of this feat of Mc- OuUoch's with great gusto, and add that he subsequently roved about among the western wilds taking revenge for two of his brothers who had been killed by Indians, by waylaying and shooting down and scalping every friendly or hostile Indian he met. Such are some of the traditions of frontier life. The early settlers underwent many hardships and privations ; but their sufferings from the savage foe were greater than the imagination of their descendants who occupy beds of down at night and cushoins of quilted ease by day - who dress in silks, satins, and fine velvets with furbelows - who clothe themselves in purple and fine linen - can realize or comprehend.

First Of November, 1812

Among the number of volunteers was John H. Mefford, a native of Connels^dlle, Eayette co., Pa., who at the time of the breaking out of the war was teaching school in Hawkins' neighborhood, about five miles from Shrimplen's mill. He served under Oapt. Walker and also in Capt. John Spencer's company, of Avhich last he was a Lieutenant and had coumiand after Hull's surrender.

After his return to Mount Vernon he married Abigail Mitchell, and worked at his trade, as a saddler, in partnership with his brother. He served the people as Justice of the Peace and as Associate Judge, and was a man of much popularity. He was possessed of some poetical talent, and it is said, by some, was the author of a noted song about "Hull's surrender." He was a good singer, which, in early times, in a country, is considered a great accomplishment. He died at Findlay about 1845, leaving two boys and three girls. His widow survives, and with the family now resides at [N^orwalk.

Another was Hichard Montgomery Brown, whose name mil be found as Lieutenant in Oapt. Walker's company. He was born in Massachusetts, of revolutionary stock. His father, Samuel Brown, was under Montgomery at Quebec, was taken and imprisoned 9 months, and was subsequently a pensioner of the U.S. His father emigrated to Brooke county, Virginia, and from thence to the neighborhood of St. OlairsAdlle, Ohio, in 1805 ; from there, in Oct., 1811, Richard M. moved to Mount Vernon, and engaged at his trade as a chairmaker and house painter. He has been in three new countries where the Indians yet were inhabitants. When he lived in Brooke county, Ya., no roads were tlien cleared out, nor streets in Wellsville or St. Olairsville. Indians then and there were plenty and savage. He volunteered at Mount Yernon, June 8th, 1812, and was mainly instrumental in getting up the company to which he belonged. One company was then raised at Newark and another at Granville. Enos was then Col. and Kratzer Major of the militia. Major Munson, the recruiting officer, came to Mount Yernon when the Regiment was out on parade, and on call for volunteers the whole company of Joseph Walker, with Brown as Lieutenant, turned out. There were 12 in the compan3^ Emanuel Hawn was to have been Ensign, but no election was gone into for that office on account of a quarrel with the Clintonites. They volunteered for one year, and served until surrendered by Gen. Hull, in August. This company mustered in a Regiment, of which Lewis Oasswas Ool., and the other officers, my informant believes, were Munson, Major, and Norton, Adjutant.

The company rendezvoused at Urbana with regiments of Col. McArthur and Col. Eindlay, of Hull's brigade, and from thence marched to Detroit. They were piloted on an Indian trail to Detroit, by roads which were cut out from the Scioto to the Maumee, and from there to Erench Creek and River Raisin, etc., following trails. A band, part Indians and part white blood - the Zanes and McCullochs, of Zanesfield near Bellefontaine, who had intermarried with Indians, and they had half breed children, acted as principal pilots. When Hull surrendered, Walker's company returned by

Greentown, Black Fork of Mohican and TTooster. The militia of the county was then called out en masse by Major Kratzer, and eveiy man in Mount Vernon went out to guard the frontier but old George Lybarger, who was left in charge of the women and children. "When Fort Meigs was beseiged Lieut. Brown, now Captain by brevet, says that two thirds of the men in the county went on to the Tort, and after the siege was raised he returned, haying in his company Swigert from Fairfield, a man from Coshocton and some from other counties. All men who could go - impelled by the sense of danger went without delay - singly and not waiting for battalions.

Capt. Brown in 1816 married Mary HaAyn, and settled down to his trade, at which he succeeded in making a competency, and now in his 73d year, with his wife and a portion of his children yet lives in Mount Vernon. Two of his children, James P. and Mrs. Elizabeth UpdegTaff, now reside in Wisconsin ; two, Samuel K. and George W. in Colorado Territory, and one Mrs. Mary Sapp in I^ebraska.

Colonel Alex. Enos, was one of the number surrendered up by General Hull, and on his return he attempted to take command of the men raised in Knox county, but Major Kratzer contended, that as he was a prisoner of war, he had no longer a right to the command.

Another active man in these times was Captain John Greer, who raised a company in the eastern part of the county, of which Daniel Sapp was Lieutenant, and George Sapp, Ensign.