Miami County, Ohio - The whole text, 1880 (part 5 of 23)

5u^i£m 'byS^d^ikete ^ mileS by "at8r. .both sides of the river to be ino- ohstniptirmo Pt? and Plckets 5 axmen and soldiers cutting drifts and removihiC^vstoFort Sg a mos* incessantly, the voyagewaa "rmeSTn and south of the falls m' f we8tf>0^ tb? of Greenville Creek, on the a few mi, ^ *7° "!lesT,ea9t°f thi®. the Lehman Big Spring west to the high bank of Stiliwltor Pp" Han<11e dePot is built) and extending the new fort was hunt 5y ?°vernment order> in September, 181?

splittingoff 'S blOWn V the roots' the *°P veiT large, one limb IndiansShad toted o£^'v ,p??r.8!de' f1!0^ decayed and hollow; here the limb off n"r theTr,?nt ^ ' -?*£ W,b'eh laid the big Indian I 'hen cut the secure. Dre Coleman niShr6?.. li l?8** 7 tbe tree a*ain> making it neat and took it to Troy foTSnde ? ^ ford brought a neat box, put the Indian in J tor students to practice upon.

the countT^nnL^l^'^J8^ warriors would. They prowled around through all to catchin^'hfm^S* P 0 Kent°cky, and then to Missouri, but never succeeded at the oln£ Jfl'u N° one kn.ows the name °* the big Indian to this day. Finally, UDDer r!?-e tr^aties were made with the several tribes of Indians. At bled mull yhio, the middle of November, 1812, thousands were there assem- *ea under their agent, John Johnston.

moving me? ?.tthe forest and the pale-faces, their new neighbors, the Indians returnbi ^twmd like shadows, and the whites disbanding their defenses and brief - "®ir rejoicing in the sunshine of peaca We shall close our all the honored names who went from this county, but space forbids. In giving names, we wish it understood that we have made no choice, manifested no partiality, but simply have given those names within our knowledge, honoring those left out as much as those inserted ; their absence is owing to necessity, not choice.

It appears that James Blue was the first Captain from Miami County who went from the east of the Miami, and Charles Wolverton was the first from the west side. Capt. Blue was not promoted, but afterward became Judge. Capt Wolverton was promoted to Major. In the early part of the war a Mr. Rush was killed by the Indians, near Greenville, which so alarmed the inhabitants that they all rushed for the block-houses. Maj. Wolverton took a squad, commanded by Capt Westfall and started for Greenville ; within four miles of the place they came upon a large camp of Indians. The whites rushed upon them, killing about a dozen men and squaws. After scalping them, they learned that they were friendly Indians, and knew nothing of the murder of Rush. On August 13, 1813, a company went to Covington, and from there up Stillwater, about twelve miles, and camped for the night The next day they marched toward Piqua, and there learned of the murder of Gerard and Dilbone ; arriving near Troy, they found much alarm. Old Mr. Tullis and wife started for Troy, by way of Peter Sewells', who lived on the McKaig farm ; Mrs. Sewells was so low with consumption as not to be able to travel She asked to be left alone, as she would soon die anyway, but they resolved to remain with her, and if need be perish together. Mr. McClung was in the army, and his wife and children were at home ; they started for town, but lost their way in the neighborhood of what is now Shilling's Foundry. She was afraid to make her situation known until she heard the voice of Mr. James Brown, when she was taken to town and cared for.

- . Through the courtesy of Mr. Culbertson, of Troy, we gained access to the records during 1812 - 13. We found the rolls of all the companies raised for the defense of Fort Wayne and the frontiers. Three rolls of Capt Reuben Westfall, called out by Maj. Wolverton for the defense of the frontier : from May 1 to 15, 1812; from October 24 to November 13, 1812 ; from December 1, 1812, to April 25, 1813. Capt. Hi. Kirtly, from May 28 to November 27, 1812 ; Capt William Barbee, Sr., for the relief of Fort Wayne, August 12, 1812 ; Capt Charles Wolverton, for the relief of Fort Wayne, from August 24, to September 23, 1812 : Capt Jacob Mann, from November 15, 1812, to March 15,1813; Capt Buchailan, from May 5 to August, 1812 ; Capt William Luce, from August 20, 1812, to February 22, 1813; Lieut. Gardner Bobo, from September 26, 1812, to March 26, 1813 ; Capt Charles ninfH 22 to Au^8t 22, 1813. In addition to these, we have

Liieut. J. Orr Capts. John Williams, Conrad Flesher, Robert Reed, Moses Patterson, James Patterson, John and Francis Patterson, Timothy Titus, and John ^ y , _e can only mention a few names of privates who volunteered for their defeMe> referring the reader to the rolls of Mr. Culbertson for the other.

The Old Muster

non-attendance at comnanv mLIfTi d a muster of the raiment in October, regimental or battalion nZtCorJXZ in' "® T T than *3< nor lese than $1 ; concerned, and excuse the^Lnk «nisim^ &r S? the improvement of morals is our understanding tfthe erZ^^ l8® *?m military duty during peace. From

,th.e opposite direction. It^Z^d'to hT® '"f1^ *° tbinI ite tendencies were in to stand at ora fh/a seemed to be a gala day. At the command of the Capwhisky, tin cups^'hlnd^T^ W°Uld the line with a bucketfhl of officer muster a two-days' real fruition. Sometimes, going to Germantown and Eaton, there would be four days. Battalion and regimental courts of inquiry were all days when they expected to have a good time ; a good dinner and supper were always provided, and the by-laws of discipline would be invaded at the expense of a fine, in order to have " something to take " when business was over. Days of regimental and battalion musters were longed for, also. The pomp and splendor on puch occasions were truly exhilarating. To be sure, there was a class of subalterns, who gave no evidence of having associated with the " upper ten," and could not be regarded as an ornament to the profession, yet there was another larger class, who seemed adapted to the calling, and were a pride and honor to the military station. These men, on such occasions, swelled out with war-like pride, and, we may say, they " set the teeth and stretched the nostrils wide, and gave the eye a terrible aspect," and, as sable knights of old - only they wore blue coats and brass buttons - they pranced upon their pampered steeds, with the glitter of the polished saber, the waving white plume, the brilliant sash and flashing epaulet, the proud recipients of many admiring smiles from fhir ladies, whose sparkling eyes rivaled their own gay uniforms in brilliancy ; while the stolid, anti-bellum Quaker, looking on, exclaimed, with the sentiment of the frogs, This may be fun to you, but it is death to us.

Among the officers who figured conspicuously in these muster exercises, we may mention a few : The first Major General resident of the county, seems to have been Robert Young ; next, Hiram Bell and J. W. Frizzell ; Brigadier Generals,

Cut Monet Or Sharp-Shins

From the abundance of her agricultural products, Miami County was eminently fitted to supply the army with all necessary provisions in that direction in its operaiiow m the Northwest during the war. The almost impassable condition of the roads rendered transportation toward the north very expensive and difficult, and required all the assistance that could be obtained for that purpose. While the snow was on the ground, sleds were used in preference to wagons for the transput;011. of supplies to St. Mary's, thence to be forwarded north by water. A good deal of money was put into circulation in this county by the sale of supplies to the Government for army purposes. In these transactions, the Government UV?Pec*2' mainly through the banks at Cincinnati, principally the Xp?rtang ^mpany, Bank of Cincinnati, and John H. Piatt's bank.

cannot boast of adipose tissues otherwi^t 3age °( tflnt unfortunate class wL0 could not be caSln Sre KZ a SCf' " Sharp-shS" confined it until spent for a Eimr shirt bag<.w.as Provided, which the highest hills of the Allefh -' 8ecurlty. But unmigration came rapidly' on: lowed. They came afso froff and streams of emig^anta fol-' from the farther and iunnier south ^0^' ^ ^ ""1 bIoody ground> and even moecasined Indian hunter ha^frtifamlet'^e 1%5t Canoe' hrown otter and the nance of 1787 have done »h - * dl8,al>i>^red' 7be ax of civilization and the orditoiy of the world? * There is not a Parallel progress in the histhe c^?i"t?f*!d'.fhat' "Miliary to this, some of the most potential elements in izatdon andZlwLfc o7cM nfeff8*' mf Christian religion, the handmaid of civilan oflspringof sobef - JFff'°Ve ?f labor, noble and honest labor, is first To the* ZZnJrt8*' 'tmm?"!ty from evil Propensities, superinduced by the ascribe theZrTn^!®^^^ the8e fwo P°tent "gents, therefore, are we to noble coun^ffn-ST^f fl. ^ ^ ma?y chan?es that have been effected in our cabin. ^ 81DCe 4118 flret lonel3' pioneer cleared away a spot for. his solitary the r^^f8^ 'f® fffrgy of.t?,f °°aDt7 was Paralyzed for a time by the war and ately eonoenwfflf °f the P^Piei especially those whom it more immedidirections Tt '^.eee, almost supernatural recuperation and progression in all half of th« lo rj - u ^"e commencement of the war, not more than onecounty and pir^7e rounty were taken up by settlement, and, being a frontier came in at th "1 hazardous fluctuations of war, very few immigrants her beantiAo oil u* 5 jUt ,the aS8emblage of so many men on her soil published su abroad and made the general character of the country favorably known ; the consequence of which was that when the country was entirely free from Indians, and all danger removed by the treaty of Ghent, the hardy and enterprising Pennsylvanians, and the unique Yankee, whose inventive and mechanical genius has rendered his name almost a synonym for these terms, made their appearance in this county. A lietter combination for the development of a new country could not have been found. The sturdy, iron constitution, combined with naturally industrious habits and agricultural proclivities, set in motion and impelled forward by the indomitable energy and perseverance of the one, levels the forests, converts the barren wilderness into blooming and fVuitfhl fields, and sheds the light of civilization "where darkness and gloom had hitherto reigned supreme, while the ever-active, almost ubiquitous-mind of the other soon gives birth to the spinning, carding, foiling, grist and saw mills, and, we may say, comprehensively, that mechanical industries follow by natural sequence in the wake of the Yankee. To them we owe some of the first carding-machines, the first folling-mills, the first cotton manufactory, and the first scythe manufactory of the county, while to the industrious South Carolinians and Marylanders we award the building of one of the first grist and saw mills in this county ; all of which will be treated of at length in the townships in which they were located.

The Black Hawk war of 1832 being local in its nature, caused no sanguinary perturbations in this county. The Mexican war was participated in by some of the citizens of this county, but its transitory nature left no visible imprint here. In 'the progress of the county from the war of 1812, no changes stand out with prominent significance until the war of 1861 to 1865. We shall, therefore, leave the details to the township histories, and notice some important features in the direction of important improvements and other miscellaneous matter of interest.

Her development was rapid, and, with the lapse of years, her commercial, agricultural and manufacturing importance began to take rank with her older sisters.

Improvements, Customs, Etc

The Ferry. - When this county was covered by a vast forest, and the whole course of the river ran through a densely-timbered country, its volume was much greater than at present, and its channel deeper. As the town of Troy grew in size and the surrounding country became settled, the crossing and re-crossing of the river became .a matter of grave importance. At an early day there was a ferrv between Market street and the opposite shore, the wharf extending up to Felix s tavern the rat^ for which were : Foot passengers, 6* cents ; man and horse, 12 cents ; loaded wagon and team, 75 cento ; carriage or empty wagon, 50 cento.

to .°harge at all, every person engaging in the business was m 15 for licen8e- In 1814? Fielding Loury, uuder- F Z%?***? 801088 hy meaus of a rope and pulley. To facilitate ' PleF 8?me di8tanoe into the river, fromPwhioh to launch his ri^to^rt oTth^ r*6 ready- " *oon as the spring rains filled the mand of Capt Qahamn*n^J!i^Sa^0U8 y°ya&- The first boat, under the comwhose beginniiig^^^inl^S6'1 ?ow" the channel, and, after a short voyage. groundedfLno?tXk99 isC^° Aw***® 8"ocfsftl1 is8ue of th« enterprise, she "6 « islands. A few minutes later the second boat, under the to cause her to sink wkh 6 boat' receiving such a shock thereby m under the command of Capt. Hamle^fmfel v land*? . minntes- The third boat,

«»n goes down. Several days were sLnM«^f W0^!" "!d the shoats of men which was taken to the neighboring ih ^lng from ®e wrecks the cargo, Capt G.'s boat w S W*T ,l.was 8P"»d out and dried. ' going to visit her parents at St From?;0*riii 8ta£e of water- Mrs. Loury, who was little daughters, alL Sa^el LI^^dTh? m V* - thlbo?t8 with her two says that, after making n anc* Jolm McKaig, the former of whom they were still within fight of the^oke from the fii "* S" e?Pira?ion of two days nights before Whiia JL *1 . ,om the nre where they had stoDDed two all the deprivations incident *to such^urm^!? boiJr'f ^ *"*, anci> after suffering No delicacies for her Nourishment ' S'"8" f<>r -two 0r three weeks- she died! bourn ; no sister to nerfom female ^"P881011 to soothe her in her last female society was cJmferZl on th^ inhrZ^K\0n8J°^ol^.nie? ; alone 80 far " from the necessity of two strange voting Pltakle Mississippi, with no redemption paring the body of that hi<rhh^S?i«0U^§ t?. PerfonnIng the solemn duty of pre- »ox for a c^ she wae ift W for interment- * 8 rough to the remainder of the cargo the <Ined ^jrnmeal, remained uninjured ; as nuts spoiled, potatoes rotten '..h *)e&na naoldy, the pork was sour, hickoryravages of time* amTwater bit thefl^h ftUOh m{Ure<!: ?othin«> "deed, escaped the trous failure, and bv it Mr Imw. ^ i J?® wboIe shipment proved a disasat St Prancis^le till' thetVfflof^g^^111^6*16^? ruined- Mr W, not arriving little daughter we« i Dece,?lber> Iearned for the flnrt time that hit desiring to retata^the fofUt " ?°n8?lu®?ce of Public works. The citizens of Dayton, sion of the canal north ^ °^n?vl^atl®ni sought every means to prevent the exten- Congress, passed M« 24 iwa °bje? was defeated by a bill in the United States to one-haif'of flve^f^a'fn8' ^ "g lands to ®e State of Ohio, equal canal between T>nvt« ? 'Sr?®' on each side of the contemplated line of the jollification. ' On the^io^Vr!*^ an^ P'1ua were highly elated, and had a grand Canal Commissioners to nnt ®<^embJ;r> 1831, the State Legislatnre authorized the. from time to time ftUt tb worh under contract, beginning at Dayton, and, tion. March 7 iBQaPiif *5? pi?*^?d8 from the sale of those lands to its constructfae Miami pJ.i r the Canal Fund Commissioners were authorized to loan to reimbursed fo^ th! tem> of one year, not exceeding $60,000, to be

In 1837, the canal was completed through Miami County, thus affording facilities for cheap transportation to Cincinnati, the remembrance of which, to those now living who then enjoyed those advantages, are, by association of ideas, remembered with pleasure. The " packet boat " then plying on the canal ran at the rate of four miles an hour, leaving Piqua in the morning at 8, and landing in Cincinnati for breakfast, and was regarded by the Miamis as a wonderful feat That portion running through this county intersects the richest portion of her lands, and to this is attributable, in an eminent degree, the development of our county and the rapid advance in the price of lands.

By affording cheap transportation and permanent hydraulic power throughout # the whole extent of the county, various manufacturing interests have been promoted, and, in addition to this, the shipment of ice has become an extensive business, which has assumed proportions that will be of great benefit to the county.

Railroads and Pikes. - Through the northern tier of townships passes the Pan Handle Railroad to Piqua (with which Maj. Stephen Johnston, of Piqua, was early identified, in 1849 having drafted, upon a saddler's bench, its first charter, and, for more than twenty years, acted as its attorney), which, deflecting south, passes through Covington, then on to Bradford. Cutting this at nearly right angles, and following the general course of the Miami through the center of the county, runs the Dayton & Michigan Railroad. Again, connecting with the Pan Handle at Covington, the Narrow Gauge, running from Dayton prospectively to Toledo, affords great shipping facilities for all the western tier of townships.

In addition to these, there have been filed with the Secretary of State, March 20, 1878, a certificate for the construction of a railroad from Springfield via Troy to Piqua, capital stock, $200,000 ; also, May 28, 1878, a certificate to construct a road from Springfield via New Carlisle to Troy, capital stock, $150,000 ; and still another road is agitating. The number of miles of railroad already built and running js nearly sixty, thus giving to Miami ample shipping facilities. She is intersected with a perfect network of nearly 100 pikes of nearly 400 miles, most of them free. Plenty of timber, rich soil, good pikes, numerous railroads, Miami Canal, good climate, all conduce to make this county one of the most desirable localities in the State.

1853, the farm consisted of 130 acres, of which eighty were under culua*?' 1X Purchase<i in 1838, and cost $20 per acre. In 1853, its value Had, advanced to $60 per acre, exclusive of the buildings. The first buildings for public use were erected in 1839, and opened for the reception of inmates in 1840. ur these buddings we have a very meager description ; they were built of brick, insisting of a one-story mam building, to which were attached several small addiinsertion soon proved inadequate for the accommodation of thi supermtendent, Matron, assistants and inmates. The main budding, having beei ___ to inferior workmen, was very defective in every particular; an<

To avoid the errors mJ*^**^ .arrangements for the erection of a new structure tion reffardintr their eir Predecessors, and obtain the requisite informa ors to visit some of thpmJ?1011' Commi88iouers appointed one of the Direct ^prominent Infirmaries in the State. * Mr. Butterfielc ficationsfor the same buildings, and drew the plans and speci hn'tr 40 the dining-rooms above in '!lf bTment ' food vras oonbmlding was a large porch, fifty feet lon<r ^li®uPboards' 0n the east side of the desired for a certain* das^ of inmlti waa connected with a small yard,

«on of" the oj^^ouge^was^rifi^8*0^0^^! r¥Mdin* °» unsafe condiby hail and rain, struck the mein August, 1853, a violent storm, acoomnenie^ ruins upon the Cdsofthe ^ none fatally, and all thoroughly dren^ bv th^ .bem| '"jured. some serionsly, the temporary accommodation of X imn»L ra,n-, were erected tor exposure. In 1854, the new bufldin!^ ^5 maDy ?f whom were sick from the ttmates. On the 8th day of June lSh^thTiv ai)d occupied by the

!lre ln a clean and inviting w^ffitio^hlh ** bymldi*g- The halls and wards fluent of the Superintendent h fiu 8p^aks volumes for the careful manthrough the male dep^rtm^nt i* 'd *"8 ,worthy wife and daughter. While passing Z? m3> who cfaims to lO'lOfi "'7 wa8 °7 "* 1 to Samuel Myers, an inmSI first entered the institution .. i. of ***- As he was an old man when he t lu the female ward ' ^-^T.r ?as?n for donbti"g bim. eny 54 acres of land are'eon^ted®^^4^0 e7, an imnatfe since 1842. At prescultivation. Surmlndin£r the7l^i*lth the inflrma*T. the most of which is under b?use, barn and wash-hSuse the k?tb£' h*® the pecessaty out-houses, the pump- Jttth a capacity of 500 bari^iar1*^ laying just been completed. A cistern, have no records of the ow?*1^8' ^umisbe8 the water for lanndty purposes We *28? SE* to 186a 1118 foUowfa* S&ZE* held

A ^185*^' s^rintend^n^aVld Hu8tOI1, Ge01B® Throgmorton, Directors ; George than B2^^^ttSdertaVid Huston' GeorSe Throgmorton, Directors; Jona- Ba'son5Su^^bn®onnt8' David Huston, S. M. DickBon, Directors ; Jonathan i1oc^~£ame RP®®4018 ! same Superintendent 1070 0""® i James Foster, Superintendent i Q71 Same Directors ; same Superintendent i»w~fam® RP6®40" ! same Superintendent ImsTo * ; same Superintendent iwtr1"® RP®04®*8 i same Superintendent Rotors ! same Superintendent meeting 0f the cffeenl ? '"TK to,CaUintte% Time., a ford, Esq., for the purpose of taking intn of John G. Tela County Agricultural Society At thiTtimp6^01* ** efpediency°f organizing the society, which shall beheld on^etrsf^Ilt ba^°^ at tlle annual meeting of UC Aar v"d fr* M.the Directors shaU order"^ " eptember In 680,1 year, at Secretary on toe re^.>if^tingS ?f -be 80cietJ' sha11 be called by theKecordinir "ade in writing (Sefof » notic^th^r°f ** ?irec^ra',or of ""J *ve membere be published to one or ^ th f' M weU as of all general meetings, shaU two-thirds of the membra D^nT«tmay ** a,ltered °.r ""ended by the votes of have been proposed to wriH^*^1 at ^ regular meeting, providing toe same shall The - wntu«» at a previous regular meeting.

The By-laws of the Miami County Agricultural Society are as follows : - u' J11®111]3?1* 8ball W annually into the treasury, the sum of $1 ; any ember who shall flail to pay his annual assessment, or any fine or forfeiture on account of books taken from the library for the space of ninety days after the Mnual meeting shall then cease to be a member of the society, and forfeit all his the society^"^6^68 ** 8U°b' an<* the library and other property belonging to

8ave 8UC^ 88 the Board of Directors may except, may be ruthe ?n Saturday of each week. ' No book shall be detained 1<??er than two week8> nnder a penalty of 5 cents for each day in t fh framed beyond that period ; and any member lending a book beloogmg to the society, shall pay as a penalty therefor the sum of $1 proc^inm^d^^h1?J^CITtar^ ®ball keep the reoords of the meetings and their and also <rf those who report a list of the members of the society, held December* 5. a^which an ^DroDrStioC0Unty A^*ic^IturaI Society was a library, after which Mr Thnmna t> PPv?pi?a^01! was made for the purchase of ing on the subject of '"Scientific Hustendrv "^rhich S0Cie§r' add''«58ed the meetmanner, and listened to with raDt attenHnn », h h d.,8CU38ed in a masterly his remarks had a practical bearing m?,?? - ? aPPreciat've audience. That immediately resolved that the circulation of 'thZnf- fact' ttlat tlle board bers, would be highly condurivp 9^° ^tlvator among the memrecommended to the formers for their Mhnn^V "d the same was therefore the winter of 1846 about 470 ha - Pafr°nage. The library was purchased in

Recording Secretary ftenroa r/^T) re8,dents ; M. M. Munson, Corresponding and Committee : William J Thoma«* r?^8' ^reas'lrer and Librarian. Agricultural Hart, Thomas J Orbison tK,£ 2 Heald' Joh" James smallest, 50 cents Th highest premium awarded in 1849 was $3, the

Secretary. A^cirtSf-n.0' ^8p01 ldl,ng S^tary ; M. M. Munson, Recording Westlake Wilffom R m Committee, John Barbee (Chairman), J. D. Fowler, Josias Exhibition from here Th® first delegate to the State Pomological Society

H.Ga^?aid5^rirLA8^-0le^"tfre8ident; William J. Thomas, William librarian*- M M ^ ^esidents5 George D. Burgess, Treasurer and Committee - John R«^Vol>r^8p0,ld,?g^nd Recording Secretary. Agricultural W. B. ® b (Chairman), J. D. Fowler, J. McKaig, Josias Westlake,

G^n, J. McKaig, William Knoop, J. Fenner R. WUZ^8£t5brW- f' Cobt^gan, President; J. Westlake, Vice President ; MeLung jnj\^ret<Uy i f' 5- Harter, Treasurer; Board of Managers: W. B.

gave Mr Qow flx>? "'1^iam Senior, the board confirmed the contract made, and ments. 10r notes 40 amount of $1,520,80 made payable in three install-

B. >fcLnn riT8,T ^ret?r^ » Kyle, Treasurer. Board of Managers : William of the i J^binson, Isaac Peck, Daniel French, James Hart At a meeting the Fair Grounds, for exhibition purposes ; the size of which was to be 36x72 feet, and to defray the expenses of this building, a funded debt was created, and a permanent lien on the grounds of the society was given. A committee of two was then appointed to negotiate a loan of $500 which amount was obtained from William Brown, and a note given for the same, payable in one year from July 9, 1857. * '

Officers 1858 - William H. Gahagan, President ; James M. Dye, Vice President ; B. S. Kyle, Treasurer and Librarian ; C. W. Morris, Secretary. Board of Managers : William B. McLung, James Hart, J. J. Robinson, W. H. H. Dye, Stephen Widney. At a meeting of the society held March 19, 1859. it was resolved to open for competition to all the counties adjoining Miami all premiums on every grade of stock, and to " invite them to compete with us," giving them previous notice of the amount and kinds of stock to be provided. It was further resolved, that, in consequence of the great increase of visitors, it was necessary to purchase more ground for the better accommodation of persons attending subsequent fairs. Accordingly, the old grounds were increased by an addition of the ground purchased of the railroad company, for which the society agreed to pay the ^ of $100 per acre, the whole to be paid in two equal installments.

Officers 1859 - 60 - William H. Gahagan, President; James M. Dye, Vice President ; B. 8. Kyle, Treasurer ; C. W. Morris, Secretary. Board of Managers : 8. Widney , J. J. Robinson, William B. McLung, W. H. H. Dye and James Hart. The receipts pf **** y®8* were 11)652,13, which were $96.75 less than in 1858.

Biyant, W imam B. McLung, Josiah Westlake, S. Widney. The society met, upon u Daniel French, and passed a resolution expressing the loss experienced by the society in the death of one of its most efficient members, whose exam- P e. 8 citizen and agriculturist was well worthy of general imitation. The society tendered their sympathy to the family and friends in their unexpected Movement, and caused a copy of their resolution to be presented to them ; also w> be inserted m the county papers and entered on the minutes of the society.

Shaeffer, D. W. Simpson, Thomas E. Coate, James Hamilton; for one year - W. B. McLung, Lourv Barbour, A. Robbins, Z. H. French, A. M. Heywood, Conrad Licklider. S. A. Drury, Secretary ; F. L. Harter, Treasurer. The new grounds were used first on September 25, by the colored people, for the purpose of celebrating their emancipation jubilee. The first fair held on the new premises was upon the 2d, 3d, 4th and 5th of October, 1872, and, at the close of that year, the society found themselves in debt to the amount of $8,596.95.

Officers 1873 - N. Smithers, President ; Dr. W. W. Crane, Vice President Board of Directors : For two years, D. A. McLung, Loury Barbour, Z. H. French, A. M. Heywood, Conrad Licklider, A. Robbins ; for one year, Andrew Knoop, A- T. Jaques, E. Shaefer, D. W. Simpson, Thomas E. Coate, James Hamilton, S. Drury, Secretary. Upon the death of President Smithers, the society adopted suitable resolutions, expressing regret at the great loss they had sustained, a copy of which was given to the bereaved family of the deceased.

Officers 1875 - L. Hayner, President ; B. P. Bond, Vice President ; F. M. Sterrett, Secretary ; Theodore Sullivan, Treasurer. Board of Managers for two years : A. Robbins, W. K. Dunlap, W. H. H. Gahagan, C. R. C. Dye, S. D. Green and John Wilson. At the close of this year the society had diminished their debt to $6,310.36.

rS0618 1877 - Lewis Hayner, President ; B. P. Bond, Vice President ; W. b ' uu- Secretary ; Theodore Sullivan, Treasurer. Board of Managers : A.

i?* H Ga.ha8an> C. R. C. Dye, S. D. Green, John Wilson, Zimri H. French, ine board this year issued complimentary tickets to all school teachers in the 8Cholars fifteen years old and under, as well as to the Agricultural Boards of adjoining counties, members of the press, ministers of the decided^*) settle the mattw if®? Snyder and William Ashworth being a tie, it was worth for two years ^ ^ drawmg cuts, which resulted in the election of Ash- for the accommodation of the iaih,. f log8 > one end f°r prisoners, the other a brick court house was built in the C?UI3r,rooin in the upper story. In 1816, was cum in the square by William Barbee and Fielding Young, pi tne btate of Ohio, and countoraim,^ \ a 01 °"10' sealed with the ereat seal ing date the fourth day of Februarv^urhiL8*^4!^ j°f the State. The one bearmis^6 """'/^thTdectiOT KTheH^rr ** 884 up in sis P"blic Places '^rf' "nd 8igned the same " ff d Coroner and three County (W, list of the taxable pronertv^rt th^ toJni8bip be notified to proceed to take the ation of the white rnTtehnSitente^*1!® toWnship8> aI*> to teSthl earner 'Adjourned until Tu«Xv JL ^^VltWe?^>ne **"- °f age.

Before the H(mor^i^1Ip^^'J?:,1^,"on ^S®88' September term, 1807. Stenh*8 V?' Crawford, Associate Judcm]U n^' ^^'' Pres'dent John Gerard, Stephen Dye, Sheriff; ArtoS «ai>pi. ^r"el" 18 WftfaU' Clerk, P«> tern.

Before the Honorable Francis Dunlavy, Esq., President ; John Gerard, John H. Crawford, and William Barbee, Esqs., Associate Judges. Present, Cornelius Westfall, Clerk ; Stephen Dye, Esq., Sheriff ; Isaac G. Burnet, Esq., Prosecutor for the State.

The Grand J urors, after receiving their charge, went out of court, and after -some time, returned back into court, and made presentments as follows, viz.:

We present George Overpeck for an assault and battery, and Alanson Shaw for assault and battery. And then the Grand Jurors, having nothing farther to present, were discharged.

The Commissioners for the county of Miami, made application for the appointment of a Commissioner, in the place of Joseph McCorkle, resigned, who was one of said board.

la.* 1118 ?!^ered kj ik® Court, and is hereby understood, that Lots No. 134, 135, H are appropriated for the purpose of building a schoolhouse and immediate audience with tlipm 9®mPiiments to the gentlemen, and requested an said : " Gentlemen, the court finp?6 COU<5^rooin- Upon their appearing, the Judge rejoined, "It bears me i^mhid ^n m - $?f each for contempt," to which Mr. KeiT md 3 on might as well say $10." " Well, I say $10.

Hi8Tory Op Miami County

Levi Martin, foreman ; Lewis Winters, Andrew Wilson, Willis Northcutt Ezekiel Kirtley, William Campbell, Benjamin Knoop, Joseph Stafford, Jonathan Ballenger, Jonathan Miles. Only the above jurors on the venire answered to their names. The court ordered the Sheriff to take talesmen to make up the number of fifteen, whereupon the following answered to their names, to wit : Moses Scott, John North, William G-ahagan, Adam Thomas, James Youart. David Arnold, Constable ; two days.

County Oepicers

Keander MunseU iLJLi' ^oyi Hart electetl October, 1817, served four yearselected Octoto 0St*lber' 1821> served two years ; Robert Culbertson'

Surveyor t. - It appears from the records that Surveyors were not regularly elected, but, as occasion demanded, were appointed for surveying roads, ditches, etc. The following is a list of the same, with the date of appointment, as nearly as can be ascertained : elected Commissioner by 109 votes ; Henry Gerard, 195, and James Naylor, 108. Joseph McCorkle resigning in June, 1808, Arthur Stewart was appointed to fill the vacancy till the election, in October, 1808. Henry Gerard served from his appointment, in July, 1807, till October, 1824 ; William Barbee served from his appointment, in July, 1807, till October, 1808 ; Alexander Ewing, from October, 1808, till October, 1810 ; Thomas Coppock, from October, 1808, till October, 1811 ; James Naylor, from October, 1810, to October, 1813; Alexander McNutt, from 1811, to March, 1814 ; James Fergus, from March 1814, to October, 1818 ; John -Wilson, from October, 1818, to October 1819 ; William Mendenhall, from October, 1819, to October, 1822 ; James Orr, from October, 1820, to October, 1826 ; James Johnston, from October, 1822, to October, 1826 ; William Barbee, re-elected October, 1824, served till October, 1829 ; Oliver Benton, from October, 1826, to October, 1829 ; Hugh Scott, from October, 1826, to October, 1827 ; Henry Gerard, from October, 1827, to October, 1828 ; William Wiley, from October, 1828, to June, 1831 ; Robert Morrison, from October, 1829, to October, 1838 ; Michael Williams, from October, 1829, to October, 1842 ; James Brown, from September, 1831, to October, 1834 ; Ephraim P. Davis, from October, 1834, to October, 1835 ; William Wiley, from October, 1835, to October, 1837 ; Samuel Pierce, from October, 1836, to October, 1839; Richard Morrow, from October, 1837, to October, 1843; James Fergus, re-elected October, 1838, served till October, 1842 ; Jacob Knoop, Sr., from October, 1842, to October, 1844 ; Samuel Kelly, from October, 1842, to October, 1851 ; William C. Knight, from October, 1843, to October, 1846 ; William Elliott, from October, 1844, to October, 1847 ; D. H. Morris, from October, 1846, to October, 1848 ; Isaac Sheets, from October, 1847, to October, 1850 ; William Scott, from October, 1847, to October, 1849 ; J. N. Wolcott, from October 1849, to October, 1852; Jacob Knoop, from October, 1850, to October, 1853 ; Thomas B. Rose, from October, 1851, to October, 1855 ; Abner Jones, from October, 1852, to October, 1854 ; Ralph Peterson, from October, 1853, to October, 1856 ; B. F. Brown, from October, 1854, to October, 1860 ; Howard Mitchell, from Octol>er, 1855, to October, 1861 ; Jeremiah Fenner, from October, 1856 to October, 1859 ; Jacob Rohrer, from October, 1859, to November, 1865 ; Jonathan C. Coate, from October, 1860, to his death in 1872 ; James Sims, Jr. from October, 1861, to October, 1867 ; D. M. Rowzer, from December, 1865, to October, 1871 ; Nathan Jackson, from October, 1867, to October, 1870 ; B. F. Brown, re-elected October, 1870, served till November 1876 ; James Saylor, from October, 1871, to October, 1874 ; D. M. Coate, from October, 1872, to October, 1875 ; Isaac Clyne, elected October, 1874, serves at the present time ; William H. Norcutt, elected, October, 1875, 8erves at present time ; D. C. Branson, served from December, 1876, to October, 1879 ; William Johnston, elected in October, 1879, serves at present time.

The first Representative in the Legislature for Miami County, session commencing December 8, 1808, was Arthur Stewart ; first Senator for Montgomery, Miami and Preble Counties, same session, was Daniel Cooper, of Montgomery County. In the vote for Governor in 1808, Miami County cast 270 votes. 1809 - Representative for Miami County, Fielding Lour}' ; Senator, Daniel C. Cooper. 1810 Representative, Fielding Loury ; Senator, David Purviance. 1811 - Representative, Joseph Evans ; Senator, David Purviance. 1 812 - Representative, J ames Blue J Senator, David Purviance. 1813 - Representative, Thomas W. Furnas ; Senator, David Purviance. 1814 - Representative, Samuel Kyle; Senator, David Pumance. 1815 - Representative, Robert Montgomery ; Senator, David Pumance. l°lb Representative, Asa Coleman ; Senator, Thomas W. Furnas. 1817 - Senator, Thomas W. Furnas ; Representative, Darke and Miami Counties, Asa >

W. Furnas. 1822 - Senator, Thomas W. Furnas; Representative, William Mendenhall. 1823 - Senator, Thomas W. Furnas ; Representative, Leander Mansell. 1824 - Senator, Miami. Shelby, Logan, Hardin, Hancock and Wood Counties, Robert Young ; Senator, Miami, Shelby, Logan, Hardin, Hancock and Allen Counties, J. W. McCorkle. 1825 - Senator, Miami, Shelby, Allen, Logan, Hardin, Wood and Hancock Counties, Robert Young ; Representative, Miami, Shelby and Allen Counties, James Furgus. 1826 - Senator, Miami, Shelby and Wood Counties, James Furgus; Representative, Miami, Shelby and Allen Counties, James Furgus. 1827 - Senator, same Senator from same district ; Representative, Miami and Shelby Counties, William Fielding. 1828 - Senator, Montgomery and Miami Counties, G. B. Holt ; Representative, Miami and Shelby' Counties, John McCorkle. 1829 - Senator, Montgomery' and Miami Counties, Morris Seeley ; Representative, Miami and Shelby Counties, William Barbee. 1830 - Senator, Montgomery and Miami Counties, Morris Seeley ; Representative, Miami and Shelby Counties, William Barbee. 1831 - Senator, Montgomery and Miami Counties, Robert Young ; Representative, Miami and Shelby Counties, William Barbee. 1832 - Senator, Miami and Shelby Counties, Robert Young ; Representative, Miami County, Amos Perry. 1833 - Senator, Miami, Darke and Shelby Couuties, James Johnston ; Representative, James Furgus. 1834 - Senator, Miami, Allen and Darke Counties, James Johnston ; Representative, John Wilson. 1835 - Senator, Miami, Allen, Darke and Shelby Counties, John E. Hunt; Representative, Thomas J. Smith. 1836 - Senator, Miami, Darke and Mercer Counties, William I. Thomas ; Representatives, Darke and Miami, Stacy Taylor, and Hiram Bell. 1837 - Senator, Montgomery, Darke and Shelby* Counties, William I. Thomas ; Representative, Montgomery, Darke and Miami Counties, Hiram Bell. 1838 - Senator, Montgom- Miami Counties, William I. Thomas ; Representatives, same District, John Brings and Justin Hamilton. 1839 - Senator, Montgomery, Darke and Mimni Counties, William I. Thomas ; Miami, Darke and Mercer Counties, Thomas d ®Iar8l}a11 J Purviance. 1840 - Senator, Montgomery, Darke, Miami Shelby Counties, William I. Thomas ; Representatives, Montgomery', Darke, sinl?1 aD£Sh.elby Countie8» Hiram Bell, Justin Hamilton and John Brown. 1841- q M®?tf°"ery, Darke, Miami and Shelby Counties, Justin Hamilton, Joseph

H- Morris- 1845 - Senator, John O'Ferrall ; Representa- 1846-Senator, William M. Wilson; Representative, ton PlfUR^Q 1847 - Senator, William M. Wilson ; Representative, W. A. Wesator J S* ConUin 5 Representative, Tanzy Julian. 1849 - SentenkHv.W{? ;Q Representative, Joshua Worley. 1850 - Senator, J. H. Hart ; two vears iftko q ^ayo' Adoption of New Constitution changed the term to 185^ - Senator Ran^in WalkuP ; Representative, Augustus Fenner.

hands, and a semi^d^of6 hostife ' ft* °Id OF W&8 Struck ^ traitor compelling its surrender, a thrill of martial ardor^fi^^ *tbeir fir® on Sumter, deed, brought Miami to the front Tn Q a- 5 sou^8 to revenge the

Anal statement Miami's quota^n F^brL^ w" mftT be gained by the following 44°* Pour hundred and twenty .FebruaI7> July Rod December of 1864, was -even only raised by dnrft The'^t.i men ^er®. , ^'ted to fill this quota, and four_a deficit, without adraft.Af^ DUmber formshed was 436 - a surplus of Jtrong, unwavering and detwlfZTi, The8e J^68 tell the storyofthat W1 W« surrendeF at Ap^>m^tto"P hlCh DeVer faUered' from Sumter's fell organization, he waT eomm^^An Colu,?bus' , April 29, on the regimental Lieutenant-Colonel on Jann^^ai^0 j ®e-enhsting, he was advanced to September 17 i8fi9 tho a ^ a commission as Colonel issued on

Jf8 Rnd cool in2 h Dd training for soldierly duties ; firm in discipline, feartbe bold charge of th* pm ne'2; besitated m the performance of duty, whether in tRin, or, as leader IeJe?th a\ M°nocacy, the fierce contest at South Moun- Antietam Crept t* t lG , norn hope, to advance upon the bridge across the - it was while resolutely moving upon this cannon-swept position that he fell, struck by a hostile shot, which pierced his arm and side. The Eleventh wavered at his fall, and then swept down upon and over the bridge, up the hill beyond, and gained the rebel position. Thus fell a gallant officer, his last words telling how his thoughts were not of self, but of his men and country.

As a three-years' regiment, the Eleventh was mustered into the service on June 20, 1861. Five frill companies went from Miami County, viz.: B and F from Piqua, and D, H, and E from Troy. July 7, they were sent to the Kanawha Valley, and placed in the Kanawha division, officered by Gen. J. D. Cox. On December 1, 1861, the regiment went into winter quarters at Point Pleasant. August 18, 1862, the Eleventh moved to Parkersburg, and thence to near Washington, D. C., and camped by Alexandria.

August 27, the regiment was ordered to Manassas Junction. The rebels took position previous to their arrival, and Taylor's New Jersey troops were being driven back as the Eleventh Ohio came up, crossed Bull Run, and, forming line, checked the enemy. Overpowered in numbers, the Union troops fell back to Fairfax, the Eleventh being the rear guard. A night march brought them within the lines at Washington.

August 29, the regiment took position at Munson's HilL September 6, the men were on the march to Maryland. September 12, the rebel line was found on the banks of the Monocacy, and holding the bridge across. Of three columns formed for attack upon their position, the Eleventh led the center, drove back the enemy, and took the bridge. The Union line became disordered ; the rebels advanced and seized two cannon. Led by Col. Coleman, the Eleventh rushed forward cheering, recovered the artillery, and never stopped till the enemy were ^ea^en* A night at Monocacy ; another at a bridge over creek near a Middletown ; and, on the morning of September 14, the Kanawha Division had moved to toe Sharpsburg Road, where the Eleventh prepared for battle. A severe Are from three sides met their advance. Amid the thick laurel growth individual acts of bravery were numerous, and the men fought on till the enemy yielded their strong position and retired toward Sharpsburg _ The battle of Antietam was one of those struggles which decided the question of araaed supremacy. Lee was beaten, and his scheme of invasion frustrated.

Perf<?rme<i no ignoble part in this service. All the morning of September i7 this raiment had been more or less engaged, when Burnside received the order from McClellan to " carry the bridge, gain the heights beyond, and advance along their crest to Sharpsburg and reach the rear of the enemy." lne bridge was of stone, 12 feet wide, 150 long. Six thousand veteran troops in splendid position over the stream, with artillery trained upon the bridge - t narrow approach, awaited the Union advance. Sharpshooters and skir- H°?k' LSimm.ons McMullen's batteries poured a rain of j . . **8 rabsl ranks, while a storm of lead and iron smote the front of !t wavered fell back.

troops of the BnmaiJ? r1? 1 j re8e.rve, hut Burnside cannot have them, and the January 24 1863 the FIa^h!6 ^etired to the bridge crowned with honor. On occupied and fortified ^ for Nashv^. Tenn. ^ebruarv 22, they and assigned to Third re^iment was at Murfreesboro' by June,

^bel Position, and materiaUy aided in Athp UnSta? 8 *£U th? rogiment charged the Ohio Cavalry, the men returned to the lnM r°"-' ?e_e.IlIi3tinB « the Eighth mg m rear-guard near E ^ ^Jhth f CW?PaT.te,Tito,y in Vi^nia- Act lost from their number seventvlnl «<?"ght 8 br!S"de of mounted rebels and pnsed in camp at PhiUnni ^~°ne men. Six companies of the regiment were sur- she having furnlTh^V2!^ I?fan^5L was recruited in part from Miami County ment ^r^Z^ZTnZl' W E' About Februal7 ». 1862, tie red Lionel. This brave 1 Kyle, of Troy, as Lieutenant

J o'clock of April 7 1862^ regjlnent was among the first. At about toe Union center. The Seventh Donelso" ^8"" the rebel attack upon 'me of a road favorable to rtit lC® 4 W8f T°D m lme' They were placed on the drawn to abetter position^ 8nd' h®1^ jailed by artillery, were withsoon advanced witht^°n - cb"nge was well-timed and fortunate, as the enemy attack was fierce the abfatterlU?. "P°n tbe rocent position of the regiment The jng, itfougKvifv tin ^ 8 ubb?rn, and the Seventy-first fell back. Re-formkilled and womdJi U gbt closed tbe Sniggle. The loss at Donelson was 130

BoneIso^Sundft^eI^glmtnit^W^f ordered to hold the posts of Clarksville and Fort ward, at Clarks vi it. A^JSt017, Mason was attacked by the rebel Col Wood- The Seventy-first were scattered about at various points.

and Col. Mason had with him only about 200 men. These were surrendered to i a force some four times their own. Being exchanged, four companies defeated Woodward at Fort Donelson on August 25, 1862." In the spring of 1864 the Seve[rty; first moved south and bore itself gallantly. In the battle at Nashville, one- third their number killed and wounded, attested the courage and devotion of the men. The summer of 1865 was passed upon the Rio Grande, and not till January, I860, was the regiment mustered out

The Ninety-fourth Ohio was organized at Camp Piqua, Miami County, Ohio One thousand and ten men were recruited within a month. Kirby Smith had. invaded Kentucky and this raw regiment was ordered to Lexington. They obtained three cartridges apiece and, taking the cars, reached the city at 9 o clock P. M. of Saturday. Ordered to Yate's Ford, east of Lexington, the regiment made his first march of fifteen miles, and reached the vicinity of the ford at dark. Some rebel scouts fired upon them, killed two men and wounded six. The Ninety-fourth secured a position and passed the night unmolested, while the entire army of Smith lay encamped at two miles' distance. Morning brought 125 rounds of ammunition to each man from Lexington. It also brought up the rebel army, which opened from a battery upon the troops at breakfast Col. Frizell withdrew the regiment back from a cross-road, down which the enemy came rapidly. Capt Drury**8 ordered to take his company and guard the rear, while the regiment formed for action. A message now arrived, ordering the Ninety-fourth to hasten back to Lexington. Twelve miles upon the road was too much for some of the men, who fell by the way and were captured by the enemy. Ordered to Louisville, the men went into camp almost exhausted. Two hundred and eight men were lost, paroled, and returned to the ranks. At the battle of Perryville the regiment won special mention. At Stone River they were engaged every day of the contest. A synopsis from " Ohio in the War " gives the meed of honor to the organization :

" In the advance on Tullahoma and the fight at Hoover's Gap in June, I860 , skirmishing at Dug Gap, and participants in the battle of Chickamauga, the}' were in charge at Mission Ridge and the battle of Lookout Mountain. With Sherman they took part in actions at Buzzard's Roost, Resaca, Kingston, Pumpkinvine Creek, Kenesaw Mountain, Chattahoochie River, Peachtree Creek, Atlanta, Jonesboro , and Bentonville." They were first to enter Raleigh, and took part in the grand review. When mustered out, June 6, 1865, 338 men were all that were left of the original 1,010.

The One Hundred and JEemh Ohio Volunteer Infantry was organized at Camp Piqua, Miami County, on October 3, 1862. At Winchester it was assigned to the First Brigade, Second Division, Eighth Army Corps, and variously employed till ou the 13th of June, 1863, the regiment advanced to Kemstown, and fought gtaadily with the superior force of Lee. Next day, the One Hundred and Tenth held a small work some distance from the fort. The enemy concentrated upon them the fee of twenty-six cannon, and followed the cannonade by an assault in column, lhe regiment fell back at the point of the bayonet, and at night fought their way t 1 Ferry. After various movements, one of which was to Governors island, New York, the regiment are found crossing the Rappahannock, capturing de!Plte oevere shelling, taking the ground held by the enemy at Brandy Station. May 4, the One Hundredand Tenth crossing the Rapidan into the 22? XMtf6 -\c*larKL "d drove the rebels into their breastworks and held loss this day was 118 in killed, wounded and taken milT to theIIwday ^we*e objected to a severe artillery Are ; fell back * WlvtiSL heW ** P091^ on the 7th; and then fell back to foughtfat Cold TT«rk!?U8e. waded the Nye and occupied the rebel works, line - was mot 5 9t0od a heavy on June 3, as a regiment on the first to EUicott's Milte, br*Vely W'th heavy odd8>"d ****

1865 to naa$ and take an active part in the rout of rLP^f Creek to check 'be <lrhl' I b y Cbcarge wi'b their hri trade the Zht l' 8 <0roe' 0n March 25,

Fort .Marey. At midnight of June Tfton " *- f?rmer work. and for four at File enemy were near by and "e re8"nen' was ordered to Fort Reno only where their bodtra could^Jot be^f16!15 t'6®1? °1- U!e fields "here they fell JiV^l|t1*IUrud them, and yearly as the sm-iiio- t " tke National Cemeteries a nation go forth and strew their rest inw-pla<* with C°meS' the o'rest of tbe land at Rose Hill Cemetery, where he the temZ r mma7- So have they done will pass, and still this token of « * remains of some forty men ; and years specifically in the process of it« «« , e ]t las ,)een impossible to note each fact !«* development, y£t we have takm ", " "?» into t,le Stalls of each step h "W steps, we have guTded Tt wi« Z "V* Il'T-'' a,,d dnri"S ^ initial totter into shape, and its proper function ' f}'ame7ork of it* organism grew

Proportion withdrawn the Lnulfm 5®, Strenfth aud direction, so have we in us in perfection, the expon",t of hef o« ,^ descnPt,0"i Ulltil now she stands before look back to her feeWe^enesis and a«d power, from which she can a boy to turn the boltiim anuaratns *£? 'mlisto,le- from a huge boulder, with capacity ; from the littfe '®'J? 'be present grand flouring mills of endless poison and tangle-foot - fmrrP^fi /i .^ le ,niinense manufactories of rotgut (Which latter processes °{d'®,shioned flax break, swingling and fulliim Maj. Johnston : " The process of'fblli1* W® *®fV i"troduce a description of it after by tlie neighboring men mMierin f ,ollr borne-made cloth in our county, was eight ; taidng seats^n tSf ' ,T, g,at th5 ll0l,.se of 0l,e of 'heir number, say six or rol>e around the back to keener? ^Il0n^ spht-bottoined chairs, in a circle, with a center, and the feet of Urn meTi.reSi', bfetl!f'' a"d witl' 'be weh of cloth in the P««ts rolled up, and a -r^woman wbl g ^ ?P1X(sition to each other, witli hot soap-suds poured on to the etoJi 1 ^ gourd kand' *° 3UP1>I3' 'he web with iate hour in the ni<dit when tiff ' a"d 80 7°,rk' klckln8 against the web until a measuring the shrinkaee wZi l woman of 'he liouse, with yardstick in hand. n>ng wheel, and the twv to the^ dP,?noun«- 'he words -Thick enough ' "), the spinspools ; from hog and homto^w18''".1!8 and spuming jenny, witii its thousand ^ to pies, preserves baking ®ni?>11» l^tatoes, corn bread, sassafras or spice-wood fncI sound luno-s to ,)19ClIlt' etc '- ft'°m rosy cheeks, round waists, hemp rope fastened" fi 8 ifasteile(^ 011 hiohory withes for harness, a good back and tied harnesa h.aruess hy passing through an auger hole, brought ' Uarue88 a collar of husks stuffed in leather, with a boy on the horse ; this combination among the roots would kick a man down, and, it is said, kick him over the fence, and kick at him after he was over ; from this grotesque apparatus, we go to the glittering steel mold-board that turns the unbroken furrow from end to end ; from the shovel-plow, the boy and the hoe, we go to the modern planter, which, by a rope and knot, drops, farrows out and covers the corn ; from the sickle we go to the self-binder ; from the flail and the hoof of the horse, to the steam separator ; from the blazed path, meandering through the woods, to the countless turnpikes ; from the lumbering ox-team to to the lightning speed of the railway ; from the corduroy bridge, in the shady swamp, to the magnificent iron structures that now span our streams ; from the circle around the fire, shelling the com by hand, to the steam-power capacity of a thousand bushels a day ; from the hickory-bark bureau and clothes-press to the inlaid productions of the cabinet-maker ; from the three-legged stool to the reP^X)vere^ mahogany chair ; from the home-spun linsey-woolsey to the flounced silk and satin and real point lace ; from the plain sun-bonne*; to the coronal flower garden ; from the rude log cabin, stick chimmey, capacious flreplaoe, greased paper window, to the brown-stone front, polished base-burner, French plate and silver call ; from the old dandy wairon, to the elliptio-springed phaeton. The old fireside home -

The ragged brash ; then, horering near, We watched the first red blase appear, Heard the sharp crackle, caught the gleam On whitewashed wall and sagging beam. Until the old, rude- furnish edroom Burst flower-like into roey bloom - ' '

^dr^nl!^0nnallt^ Such were toe tines then ; such are the times, customs 0 mores/" * we may conclude in the words of Cicero: "0 tempora, the county. There would h* Q Jt - " formation wherever it occurs throughout those two miles east of TiDneoan^111 f^J^ting the cliflb near Charlestown with course of all the tributaries ^ ' Woodward's, and onward, marking the rainfall is retained in the soil and hIpi^011 18 SUCb tbat *n average proportion of afford an ample supply of water throuirhmit1,ti!ler0U8 8Prl?^9 " the county which supplied with an ample auanhtvnf^h. ^ The farms are generally which abound in all sections ^This^f water from the springs and water-coursed baa a better supply Twater ftom 0,1 a lower level than Shelby'

^ere is an undergroun^respr^nir «o 6 1?ea' JTblcb 18 sometimes entertained, that so nearly the samp fnr -If J*' 18 UDtenable ; the force of the issuing stream is St Tnti8 together In the of SeS these springs. The surDriae^v8?*' &t lbe quantity of water which flows from fote quantity of I^J8 expre8sed' has not *»** at the absob«t at the quantitv whiph li - 0t ^eat °°mP&red with many other springs, the general level^of tl S a. locality which seems to be so near by inquiry into tine character of the material penetrated. For example, in some places in the county no wells have ever penetrated beyond the drift, or, at least, reached bedded rock ; while on each side, sometimes at no great distance, other wells have to be sunk in the rock. Generally, perhaps always, it will be found that a line can be marked out by such excavations, within which no rock is ever reached by the deepest wells, while . the excavations on each side show bedded rock near the surface. Here, then, we have traced for us the channel of some ancient water-course which has been filled in with drift at some time in the past There were rivers, and a river system, cut far deeper in the rocks of a former age. than any we now have in this region. The whole surface was sunk down under deep water and gravel ; sand and clay covered up all inequalities of surface When the surface emerged again, the drainage began to excavate channels, the general character of the surface remaining the same ; the streams would take courses in general the same as before, but from local causes would be deflected in places. The old, filled-up channels are now traced by means of excavations. I will mention that at Mr. Murray's, on the Troy and Covington turnpike, no bedded rock is found in sinking wells, while to the east, within a half-mile, and to the west, stone in situ is encountered in well-digging.

The influence of the character of the surface on the soil can be noticed in various parts of the county. This may be illustrated by comparing the soil and surface on the east of the Miami River with that on the west. East of the Miami the surface is rolling, and gravelly ridges abound.

This gives a good drainage in general, and the soil is composed of drift material, with accumulation of mold, composed of vegetable substances, partially decomposed. There is a good proportion of clay mingled with the mold. Not only does this clay affect the character of the soil, but the free drainage and the gravel beneath also affect it. Where local causes obstruct the free drainage, there are local swamps, whose soil, when cleared and drained, is entirely different from that of the rolling land. Somewhat like the swamps is a wide scope of land between the Miami and Stillwater Rivers. Here the land was not rolling, and hence not naturally well drained, but was flat and moist. The result was that a different vegetation sprang up here. Rough sedge grasses, mosses and kindred vegetation ounshed m this region, growing and perishing successively, until several feet of aeep, black soil had been accumulated. At a certain time, trees suitable to a wet region, such as elms, soft maple, and shrubs, such as button bush, and, Anally, bunras*1' ^gnn to grow. The vegetable material perishing, underwent a procjr® or> rather, a process of preservation. The substance of the vegetauon broke down into a number of compounds, which, situated as they are, in noi"nder8° ft^r decay. This material was arrested in a stage of AMt different from that of the drier substances on the rolling drift land of doirw ood redhnd 0aks' beeche?> walnuts, sugar maple, with an undergrowth up ancTperished ann'n^flv' Pr?>aw' with a vegetable growth which sprung the condition they aretoL' remJd quB?Ut* ^vegetable substances ; (2) m gone; (3) in the character decay which they have underrial, and (4) in the different f substances which make up the matecomposed largely of clav whili^**10?-^ they contain, that on the east being blackaoil not being ^ UtUe day is *>und in the swamp soil. The county, the soil has the character nf fh«+ 6 ^T61* 88 m the southern part of the of the Stillwater where the drift does not exist n There are 801116 Peaces west but the soil, only a few inches or feet in i? at+ ^ or vei7 httle of it is seen, the x\iagara fonnation Sl soflTs L^lv «Pon the lime!

jock. This is not usual in the region nf tho ^ 2 denved fr°m the underlying but little influence upon the surfoS soil ex^^n p* moatPIace8> °«r «>cks havf ln? the surplus waters into the two outlets tv. systems of drainage pourunited after they leave the countv Th^i ^ ]^1^}land Stillwater Rivers, to be from the east, as those of the QtiirLQf^e ^on®p8t tributaries of the Miami come £»nty receives actions of *? west, °" three 8id<* t*>e general watershed on the north contrihnwh "T04168' whde the streams thorn together making a large and oonsta^^t 4^ 4h,e dramage of several counties, all county, furnishing wjler J^r^4 °um® of water flowing across the entire Canal is a conve^ent^omtoit for indu8trie8- The Miami toges of the situation of the muntvlrT» ^by the "t4ural aod Physical advanor financial embarrassment dd?? til/* "peering blunders are encountered, country lvinpr abovp fho k - e completion of the works. The breadth of furnish a drainage ampie^ughfer^ ?orthern boundary of Miami County will proper channels!^ iTXv be n£lf« '"I?!118® water-power, if it is directed into a reservoir on the Mian/ fothT^h' ",4" to detain the water in account, and Miami Countv win ^8t®' W, ^°me *** ** turned to good as it has been for its airricidturel thrift W? for l4s manufacturing industries, fine, living sprii^ whinh t^!8 F Gr 18 fed' from source to mouth, by numerous bas also severaff^xi mill stroma f c?D8tailt flow of water along its channel. It and large dams tnbutwy to it In addition, its bed is deep, reserve. This stream alo^wonM^hf^ ^ViDg a 9** head and bolding water in confidently anticipate the timo0^ ^ a fortune m many localities, and we may will spring up onfts banka T^60 1°du8tTe8 of.gr«at importance to the county b^ges superior to mantf^p ^^ether. Miami County has natural advancenter, since no power fa ^ *ltS ?ei^bbors, f°r becoming a manufacturing The Drift 2^ " f° economical in application as water. ^ been drifted hither by the agency of water, either fluid or as ice, and the facts observed, all point to the north, mostly beyond the chain of great lakes, as the source whence it has been brought. In the several volumes of this survey, the reader will find the whole subject of the drift agencies discussed, and many interesting statements made as to the probable method of transportation, the relative age, the phenomena, and physical history of the drift It so happens that our soil, where the drift exists, does not depend altogether - in general not at all, or very little - upon the nature of the underlying rock for its qualities, but upon material transported from distant regions. In some places, the thickness of drift, amounting to thirty feet or more, renders the influence of the underlying rock utterly without influence upon the soil I have already referred to some soil west of the Stillwater, which is influenced by the underlying rock, lying, as it does, within a few feet of it. Much of the gravel is calcareous, and has been derived from rock broken up in the course of the movement of the drift. The sand is silicious, and has been derived from the grinding down of masses of igneous rocks.

This county lies south of the area of thickest drift, which may be regarded as extending no ftirther south than about the latitude of Sidney, the county seat of Shelby County. Thence it begins to thin out southward. The Miami River, where it enters the county in the north, cuts through a perpendicular thickness *of about seventy-five feet of drift-clay, gravel, and bowlders, and all the water-courses which intersect the northern portions of the county, but through the drift to a depth of from thirty to fifty feet. As might be expected, the material of the drift varies greatly in different localities. In some places, it is composed of blocks, whose nature and condition show them not to have been transported far, and commingled with them are gravel, sand, clay, quartz, and granite bowlders in varying proportions. Sometimes the drift is composed of sand and gravel, with a small proportion of clay, or none at all, arranged with more or less stratification. An illustration of this character of drift may be seen well developed on the new hydraulic works, two miles north of Piqua, where they form a bed some forty feet in thickness, cemented in great masses. The same formation is seen acroM the .country on the Stillwater, about one mile from the town of Clayton, ine dnft being largely composed of gravel and sand, there is no deficiency of tnese valuable materials for all purposes. The streams wash out the clay, and eave the gravel and sand, assorted in beds, along their entire course. In other cases, the large accumulations, left by floods of former days, afford convenient l°l road-making, in localities distant from water-courses. Advantage - 0f the abundance of good material for road-making. The county free oTtoU h* ***** direction the finest of roads, most of which are entirely wtih blocks of lim^f*06 the bedded rock, « a conftised mass of yellow clay, position together Jritfc06' n0t wo?l» of various sizes and in great confhsion of other igneous rocks -rounded gravel, both of limestone and granite, and the mJs. All these ha^th^ bowlderB of igneous rocks distributed throughout their course, in which thf aPPe^rance of having been arrested in the midst ol the bedded rock, as well "^^ng and polishing the surface of river, at French^ « Ol^RailmSJ ny an? stratification. On the east side of the observation could be m«Ha Quarry, at the time of my visit, an instructive stripping of the °n the bedded rock. The and kindred rock£ and blTOks^n^.0/ dnftnclays> bowlders of quart*, grwutc surface of quarried rock w ".n. i lme8tPne' 811 commingled in a mass, and the 4 amec rock beneath, here only four feet in thickness, was everywhere three^^Sf milL^h T Kfej""" in a line which passes within Lefevre! on LmSoST Jha*® ^ «f passing throuSh the term of John observed There> 88 well 88 both north and south, in a line, it may be mile east of Tadrnn011^^ f?ut£eni boundary of the county, passing about one mad. The °r' where the Dayton & Michigan Railroad intersects the National ders to be fully one mile in width, and altogether contains amass of bowlvariety and^l !!^ atl whether we consider their combined weight, their belt either ' or tbeir regular distribution and direction. There is another sions, andofte^th^n?rkS UefUi ?'roy* This has ^ bowlders of great dimenbles 086 °T ^1Ilusual mterest ; some composed of rounded quartz pebments of vartonl,11 a1matl?xof dark .mineral ; some, again, formed of angular fragto their co ors> imbedded in like manner. Some of these have been taken bowlder el!!6 -owjder in this locality measured about 640 cubic feet The large line of n 8ldney> mentioned in my report on Shelby County, is nearly in the rior to ."V*8* ofTr°y* Another great belt of bowlders, but, perhaps, infeit mav b* J the eastern part of the county, occurs west of the Stillwater, where belt is m.tke neighborhood and north of- the town of Milton. This verv i u ^ee? *n ^titude above the bed of the Stillwater. Here, also, are mmairnTwh^K 2 ^ormer Race. - It will be necessary to notice but briefly the which aro niC u l0nner have left. The usual stone and flint implements, rate of rf;a^vt>,i?dan^ 8cattered over the country occur, also, here in about equal when emr^Si *l^1°n e^sewhere. Heretofore, those who have picked them up, and buta^" lD working the ground, have either broken them or lost them again, to them rJQT7 8mall number can be obtained. But as attention has been called made with*0*6 0818 b® taken to preserve them, and collections of them will be an intellicm^^^ ea8? hereafter. There are many persons in the county who take of whnofl?* mterest te these relics of a people who once dwelt upon this soil, and them nhrv 80 bttte is yet known that everything which will reflect light upon contains a number of these flint and stone tools, and should Ik? made a depository of many which, in private hands, are subject to all the vicissitudes of our uncertain lives. Many private collections fall into the hands of unappreciative persons when those who have gathered them pass away. This school cabinet is an admirable one for purposes of instruction, and will doubtless continue to receive from the friends of the schools in Troy additions of value from time to time.

Remains of Mammals. - These are by no means abundant in the county. A fragment of an elk horn, of about eight pounds weight, about ten inches long, and without the prongs, and six inches wide, which was found on the land of Mr. Isaac Sheets, I saw in possession of Mr. Ira L. Moms of Troy. This gentleman has many specimens of natural history in his cabinet, and some relics of a past race of men. I saw the tooth of a mastodon in possession of Mr. C. S. Coolidge, of Troy. The tooth was found on the farm of Mr. Abram Beddle, about north of Troy.

Public Improvements. - The account of these works does not properly belong to the purpose of this investigation, but as they depend largel}' upon the physical character of the country, it will not be out of place to speak of them. Reference has already been made in these pages to the admirable system of graded and graveled roads, which connect all parts of the county together. The Miami & Erie Canal passes through the county from north to south, near the right hank of the Miami River, and affords water-power for manufactories at Piqua, Troy, and Tippecanoe, and at some other points. At Piqua and at Troy there were in process of construction, at the time of my visit (1872), extensive works to make available the large water-privileges of the* canal and river for manufacturing purposes. While the actual success of these enterprises remains to be seen, there seems to be no reasonable doubt in regard to it. Tf success does crown these efforts, the result will show itself in greatly increased prosperity in all the interests of the county. The urban population must already be, as compared with the rural, rather beyond the average of that in the agricultural counties. The town population of Miami county is distributed among several prosperous cities and towns, instead of being collected into one larger city. To this report there is lacking the statistics of the cities as well as the figures of the comparative elevations of the various portions of the county, above the sea-level, or as compared with the Miami River, the canal, railroads, and the turnpike roads. I made several efforts to obtain these figures, but have failed. Those who have them, and have failed to furnish them, are responsible for the lack of fullness of the report in this respect.

exposed, in Miami County, below the drift, belonging to era known as Silurian. The lower Silunan is seen at all exposures below the horizon of the base of the Char[e®to7ln' and Col. Woodward s, at Tippecanoe. The rock composing to * hat J"8t menti°ned, is that known in geology as Clinton, called, atton ^t,C0^! y,.fn^t0De- The c,iffs in Ludlow Cl^k a~ in the same formic that S above the Clinton, and the only remaining bedded rock in the county, countv CTthf, ?iaganL Tke NiaSftra extends on a horizon throughout the The fails and ?£ tke a^ruPt cliffs mentioned, to the drift above, entire countv in a had r»f P^n°d- When it was formed, it extended over the portion which if Sickness, no doubt, much greater than the thickest at all horizons below that^f^thL abraded, and the Clinton is the surface rock, as In other places the Niagara is but°a f* named as composed of Clinton.

Kerr's quarry, in the south at thL? f w ^ thlck- 1X8 at the Piqua quarries. At and at the lime-kilns north of n! ^ LxJdlow> Panther and Greenville Creeks, thickness. 5 Clajton, the formation remains of considerable mands the highest price in the i J148,. bee.n manufactured and comall demands likely to be m-^ UDOn it' ^cflcfly > > **"> quantity is sufficient for tional strata, immediately upon ^ a1? lles' wlthont any transiition of Clinton to Niagara. ^tis a finer ^fin^nt°" *i 14 ?ay rePresent the transa large proportion of'lbssiis It nrohaKtonf*1' m°tt 7 sedimentary stone, without extremely well and i. . iz, It probably thins out in all directions. It dresses whole, withgthe subja^^rfomSi^ ? *5® ?iagara; for a °°nnected view of the this article, showing the thirfr^nw Lf®*? 4116 reader to sections at the end of the county. g "® thlckne8s of the stone at several of the best exposures in at all of th« At S on Ludlow Creek. Good building stone is obtained veiy large and fimf s^hnenTlf CpV1?gt°D' flne block8 are obtained, containing BUm^ba^^r ^LPe,l^nT'U / trilobites of the specie low Creek, not manv feet lere' Tbe quarry of Mr. Ellis, on Ludits lowest part aDDroximafinn 6 uPPfr Par* °f the Clinton, contains stone in observed in the other nimrri£ ne^r,y,.to jbat °,f tbe Piqua quarries than any age, and that it rpnii^- arfies" am helmed to believe it may be of the same le8iuWeur than the lowest bed. quarried at Covington, cated. Whether the°01int?e ?orizon of ^is formation has been already indiinstruments to ascertain **? north or not> I bad not the cipal exposures of th SI?1?8 to £e a8certained. I shall mention the printhfc fSSS? tL ^nton. The cliffs referred to several times are in named. The limp-wJ^*10118 f1!?11 Twl11 show its# thickness at the places burned at <?uany of Mr- John Brown is in the Clinton. The lime makers who 1 'l 7ei7 pure I,me' strong and valued highly by paperpaper ; at Mr RhJT i!me *° 8often the straw used in the manufacture of Mr. J. H Hftrtov.deU^u°n ^he Tippecanoe and Carlisle road, and on the farm of Clinton. On th* '"°?V Honey Creek, can be seen good exposures of the sandstone - it ia Af j1?.6' , ^1S Sate, a veiy friable stone may be seen, called f'avigtelln mt 77 * a ~ypn9°P°ra coral was highly developed and some masses of feet evpitnmk Uta' . T"e 9uanYing has been carried to a depth of about fifteen ' evei7where characteristic rock of this formation.

The highest locality, in Lost Creek, where the shale underlying the Clinton, can be seen, is in a ravine on Mr. John Lefevre's farm, below the old dam on the creek.

In all exposures observed, the lower strata of the Clinton are of a coarse and sandy nature. The characteristic unevenness of the bedding renders the quarrying of it difficult, and makes it necessary, before it can be used for masonry, to cut it on all sides. The lower strata are used for fire-stones and hearths, and endure the greatest heat of the ordinary fire-place, as lining stones, for many years.

At Mr. S. D. Green's, one mile east of Lost Creek, the Clinton appears about twenty feet above the bed of the creek, and attains a thickness of some thirty feet on his farm. While the lower exposures are composed, in a large measure, of fragments of encrinites, the upper is made up of various species of coral At the highest exposure, on Mr. Green's farm, is a very good quality of stone for lime. Very fine specimens of Syringopora can be obtained in the old quarry , as well as of HcUysites.

Between Troy and Piqua the new Troy hydraulic was cut for several hundred feet through the solid Clinton formation. Near this point the same stone may be seen exposed on the river bank.

The lime-quarries, on the south of Piqua, are in the Clinton. The lime has nearly the same properties as that burned in Mr. Brown's quarries. Here the Clinton seems to be but a mass of fossils, mostly corals of the genera Stromatapora1 HcUysites , Favosites and Syringopora.

At the falls of Ludlow Creek, attempts were' made to open a quarry, a few years ago, to obtain building stone, particularly of a fine quality. It is called the " marble quarry." The stone is of a good quality, crystalline, even-grained limestone, which takes a fine polish ; but its hardness, and the frequent fractures and unevenness of strata, made it unprofitable as a business operation. I have given enough instances of the occurrence of this stone. Any one observing with care the horizon of each formation, and the character of the stone, oan readily decide as to any exposure where it belongs.

The Blue Limestone of the Cincinnati Group. - I shall attempt to do nothing more than indicate the horizon of this group, and refer the reader to the volumes of these reports in which this formation is specially treated of.

The blue limestone comes in below the base of the Clinton. In some places heavy beds of shale intervene. It will be observed in the sections given, that various transitional strata exist between this formation and the next above. Whether these represent formations which are more distinctly developed in other localities, I do not undertake to decide.

The blue limestone may be regarded as practically, in this county, coming in next below the Clinton. The Clinton is succeeded downward by blue or red shales. These may be observed at the base of the Charlestown cliffs and then at Col. Woodward's. On the same line of cliffs, further south of the National road, the blue shale is manufactured into a good article of drain tile by Mr. Mark Allen. It is to be seen in the railroad cut north of Tippecanoe. On the Stillwater, near Milton, the same shale is seen at the base of the clifT, and on the east of the river on the hill-side opposite. From the horizon of these localities, all below belongs to the Cincinnati group. All the streams below this horizon cut through the upper strata of this group. The outcrop of the blue lim'estone must be looked for up all the streams, far enough above these localities to allow the rise to reach the horizon of the base of the cliffs.

Falls At Hilton

that these did not ariJo /VOld °f timber, called prairies. We venture the opinion white settlements the fm^t "at°Jal cfU8e8> but that, long prior to the advent o t for the had ***" cut off by the Indians, of it It is about ti1Ch m83 named after Samuel Freeman, who entered a portion Honey Creek west nf^hT^8 ^P4*1®?®4 Tippecanoe, opposite the mouth of two or three hundred ^ nver' 2Il Monroe Township. It is said there were some tiers, on the east sidS re?dy for *he plow' which was utilized by the early setside of the rivpr BqI thf nv£r* The second> about two miles north, on the east John Gerard who Staunto? Township, was called Gerard's Prairie, for Judge ceiled Gahaekn'fl pwl!?.on® ^r8t white men to cultivate it. The next was site the oldvllburp lo<rated in Concord Township, below Troy, directly oppolast two llpfe f Staunton, or the original "Dutch station" of 1798. The yielded them a v^?e!?ACiUltlVated by tbe ^t settlers of the above station, and small tract ^or themselves and animals. The fourth was a and was iSXi* x? ?° OV6rflow excePt the last, which was called " second bottom," of the TnHio«5 Hemg high and free from inundation, it was the favorite resort The Indian aS?' and manJ °f tbeir densely populated villages were located here, ians - thia » 1°WS? were located here, which were invaded by the Kentucktleg f0tj«uf 88 dwelling-place of the ancient Twigtwees ; here were many batall othpr pK ma^y war-dances celebrated, many feasts, scalp-dances, torturings and too Tppnnf41^^18^0 8061168 and features incident to Indian savage life. Here, tinv bow tr' 8 flwam in the Miami River and shot at a mark with his water nn ln addition those already enumerated, we may mention two on Still- > e near the county line in Union Township, the other in Newton Township, known as Williams' Prairie, named from Michael Williams, who settled on it in 1800 or 1801. While these latter were much smaller than those previously mentioned, they were utilized by the early settlers in the same way, and were a peat advantage to them in furnishing products to sustain them while clearing out ana improving their new homes.

Plum Tfuokj5T8

One peculiar feature of these prairies was the existence of plum thickets, covering their borders and in clumps over their entire area. Gerard s Frame especially abounded with them. They were a source of some benefit to the ear y settlers, in the direction of a rather delicious fruit, which was of various colors and quality - yellow, red, and occasionally purple. Some were of large size, an , though thick-skinned, were very palatable. The yield was abundant, continuing to the year 1825 or later, when the curculio destroyed the fruit, and the trees, being no longer of any benefit, were cut down.

Old Fortification At Piqua

On Wednesday, March 21. 1823, an expedition, under the care of Major S. fl. Long, left Columbus, its ultimate object being the source of the St. r< eter River. Passing through Piqua on its route, the expedition remained a few days i the purpose of surveying the old fortifications in this locality, a graphic descnpuo -of which we here reproduce in the author's language : " Piqua is a small incorporated town, situated on the west bank of the Miami River, and on a spot wmc appears to have been the site of a numerous Indian population. The river mna - igable for keel boats a few miles above the town, during half the year. The tow is built in a semi-circular bend of the river, so that its streets, which are rectllin®?' ' and parallel to the chord of the arc, are terminated at both ends by the water, l spot is one of the most advantageous in the country for a large population ; tn situation is very fine for defense against aggressors ; and we find that, with the accustomed discrimination, the Indians had made this one of their principal sea - The remains of their works are very interesting, and being, as we believe, as ye undescribed, we surveyed them with such means as were at our disposal lb y consist, for the most part, of circular parapets, the elevation of which Y®11?®* present from three to five or six feet, but which bear evident marks of having b©e at one time much higher ; many of them are found in the neighborhood of town, and several of them in the town itself. The plow passes every year over some parts of these works, and will probably continue to unite its leveling mn ' ence with that of time to obliterate the last remains of a people, who, judging frp the monuments it has left behind, must have been far more advanced in civilizhti than the Indians who were found there a century or two ago, and of whom a sw may still be seen occasionally roving about the spot where their fathers me^n council. We observed one elliptic, and five circular works, two of which are on ® east bank of the river, the others are on the west. The ground appears, in cases, to have been taken from the inside, which forms a ditch in the interior ;i depth cannot, of course, be ascertained at present, as it is in a great measure fih©u up, but it must have been considerable. The area within the ditch, probably retain the level of the surrounding country. The parapet may have been from three to four feet wide, but from slow decay it appears much wider. The first which we visited is situated at about a quarter of a mile to the southwest of the town and half a mile westward to the river. It appears to have been the most important of all, and forms* as it were, the center round which the others are disposed. Its form is circular ; its diameter is about one hundred and fifty feet : it has a gateway from eight to ten feet wide, which faces the river. Immediately connected, and in close contact with it, to the south-southeast, there is a small circular work, the parapet of which is considerably higher ; its diameter is about forty feet ; it has no gateway or opening whatever. It has generally been considered as intended for a look-out pw£ but this opinion appears incorrect, from the circumstance that it is not raised luff1

££ l * Mai'i f°.rt at the center of the wOTks L s^?b°Ut-it- ItB they would admit a considerable force w a.Ym smaller dimensions, which, while former; its dimensions are larger bei^W ,^ S0Je,evated 88 that of the fronting that in the first fort 'on^ a!iout.22.5 feet 111 diameter; it has a irateab^VhCSe two w°rhs were wnn^Sd' th^ 1 * aV covered way ^ at present visible. Taking agate th^fw . disappeared, no trace of it being in a course north eightydiif degrees^./ * "V ?mter> and Proceeding from it

^>Jd l it* parapets are higher than thore of^tefVh1 8 "orth?r,y course from the 150 feet ; it is provided with a gatewav fronting iw* *7 diameter is about the second and third forts and k7? tllat of the flra' fort. Between water-way, formerly connected <77? bank of.the river, there are remains of a consist of a ditch dug dS^to the l'j^'T,ththe third fcrt. These remains having been thrown uf priMiD^ll^on rt! f iif r,^er; the earth from the same Denver; the breadth b£w~n the tl 8°"th 8lde- or «><" which fronts down distance from it, so that it hi? tfI° parai>e15s *? mder near the water than some a wfe passage down the rive/or as awt^h^ST ^ pUrpose of offering drawn up, or, perhaps, as is most^^M t harbo.r> ln wh'ch canoes might be P08®?- This water-way resemhlPfl *' Wf® "tended to serve both purits dimensions are smaller Tho ' - me that found near Marietta, but the ditch filled up. This is 7k?8 of7\ the paraP°t has been leveled and in ite perfect state, would peXns^diwf6^' M..this York> ifit 00,11(1 he seen of these fortifications the itself.?' ds 'er ,the motive which led to the erection "d the means with^hich 7? -aP,n8t which th«y were intended to provide 'he works onX west^ banks *** *° J,e effected- Bat the la^i of instruction of great ^enWcUv iti to bj noticed- Thi8 18 80 epical

^ 83 and 295 fit ; £is "Sd ?nn W" and ^nsverse diameters melasurfrom the first fort - ts 600 *f* " a direction north forty degrees east no gateways. This wor^flf f^8 extends nearly east and west ; we obsemid foot above the ground We cro^d^06^ ' par8pet does "ot rise quite one f veiy steep hiUabout 1 (1(ic1h!m, vfLr ln 8 081108 and landed a' the foot of in a veiy good state of nra. 661 «*8b' 'he top of this hill, remains of a fort,

?i'y d^ei?lm SSSS? V 7 ^ .8eeD, i il lie8 in a direction north 14 is placed on a v^7mm^ ® H wh,c.h we and >8 123 feet in diameter, nnfortunately been n«rt?i? d'nug 110811,011 on the brow of the hill, which has, one-fourth of thTwork^The W"b<? away' "d hss carried down with it .about There is at present but one gateway visible, which is on the east side, and is about six or eight feet wide. This part ofthe wortais one of the most interesting, it having, as yet, received no inJu.^o man. It is covered with trees of a very large size. Upon the top of the parapet we found the trunk of a tree, which had evidently grown iong a^r therw^t had been constructed, and probably much after it had ceased to be the theater

"The interior part of the trunk was very much decayed, bu* we countea ^ concentric layers, in what appeared to be less than the outer half, w|»enoe we - eluded that this tree was certainly upward of five-hundred years old at the « it was cut down. These works all bear the impress of a very remote antiquity. In some cases, trees of very large size are seen growing upon the trunto ot sun larger trees. We have, as we conceive, no data to enable us to refer to them any definite date ; but we are well warranted, from all their characters, m them an antiquity of upward of 1,000 years. At about fifty rods to the no northwest of the last-mentioned work, there is another which is circular, an much larger size. It has two gateways, one fronting ^t and the -owm We did not see this last, but we are indebted to some of the inhabitants ot riq for a description of it About these forts there are, as might be expected, many Indian arrow-heads, and other remains to be found. Those which we saw P b however, nothing peculiar. We observed both the war and peace arrow-h , 41..4 1. knwMtuv an<i ia iof i «nmi ah Ari from the war arrowextricated without much danger and pain to the patient ; whereas, that hunting, is such that it can be withdrawn without difficulty. For the same mso , while the latter is attached to the arrow-head very firmly, the war-head adne to it but imperfectly, so that, after it has entered into the body, if the arrow withdrawn, the head remains buried in the flesh. Among other things mu near these fortifications, was a piece of broken pottery, which was considered of Indian manufacture ; but, upon examining it closely, we immediately it to be a fragment of a small earthen crucible, and, from its appearance, we bed® it to be of French manufacture, as it resembles more the French than the (terman crucibles. Taking this into consideration, and bearing in mind that the n French settlers in this country were constantly looking out for ores of gold, silver, etc., we entertain no doubt that this, instead of being of Indian manufacture, is fragment of a crucible, probably imported from France, and used in aom docimastic experiment

"We had an opportunity the ensuing day, on our road to Fort St toth the remains of an old Indian work, which consists of stones apparently from tn destruction of a stone wall, which is supposed to have been erected by the wm nation. It is situated about three miles west of Piqua, on a bluff elevated aDOU thirty feet above the level of the valley of the river. The wall, which is con®' ' ered by some as having been erected for purposes of defense, stood near t e brink of the hill, facing to the southeast. It haa been completely thrown down, but itB limits may be distinctly traced by the stones which lay on the groun » forming an ellipsis, whose axes are respectively 1,500 and 900 feet This work is stated, upon the authority of Col. Johnston, to inclose an area of seventeen acrefK The longest axis extends in an east-and-west line ; the distance of the near®® - point of the ellipsis to the river was estimated to be about seven hundred yards. At its southeastern part it is supported by a circular earthen fort, similar to those previously described, and measuring about thirty-six yards in diameter. Xh® stones, of which the wall was built, are all rolled, mostly granite ; few of them are calcareous ; they are in every respect similar to those we find scattered over the country, and especially on the banks of the river. At present they form a loose pavement, about six feet wide, around the ellipsis. The figure of the ellip®1® deviates, in some cases, from a strict regularity, probably to accommodate its® ^ to the surface of the country as it then was. In sundry parts, and more especiallj ellipsis, we And a number of stones VioorJ!^ these, and within the area of the supposed to be the remainsof smaMwoH^ ."if " th® f?m of m°unds, which are way, and so situated that one thr°WI1 nP f°r the defense of the gategeneral opinion seems to be fa arable to thfirt^h^v*46^8' -^though the as a fortification, we by no® meins th'8 8tone wall was Greeted consider this as the remains nf « miirf I6et' iJ ^ the Part of those who do not no proof of these stones havimr nj^ work' lt: be argued that we have sent. That this Lifi!! 01 lorming the elliptical pavement which they now nreent conceive of, is no proof ^hTt for m0tiveS 7hich We oannot at may be said thkt ^mtt th^ ^ 7"^"^ "0t haVe existed 1 htrther, it probable that it was madegfor mili^ ^ ^ h® remaT8 of a waU> it is not certainly not have been erecf^H f purposes, as a work of this kind would