Seneca County, Ohio - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 25 of those read), 1880

preached and wrote against celibacy of the priesthood, and to prove the sincerity of his teachings, married a sister of Consul W. Butterfield. She was then in Paris, a correspondent of the J\Y<v York Herald and Madam Demorest's papers, and noted for her great intelligence, gracefulness and beauty. Mr. Anson Burlingame, who has become so distinguished in his mission in China, used to teach school in Kden township. Ceneral Cibson was raised on the banks of old Honey creek, in Kden. and while he speaks in glowing colors of her pioneer settlers, there is always a moisture observable in the southwest corner of his eye.

There never was another such man as Philip |. Price, and if room would permit, a description of him would fit here. Kden had a number of local characters of mark. Dr. Selden Craves was a most remarkable man in every way. He was stern in his bearing, honorable in his dealings, a good physician, an excellent neighbor; a man of clear judgment and of wonderful endurance. In every walk of life he was respected and esteemed.

On the 1 6th day of July, 1836. (Saturday.) the M. K. church was raised in Melmore, and Amroy Butterfield, assisting as one of the hands, was killed by the falling of a piece of timber. He was then father of eight children. Consul W. and Mrs. Hyacinthe among the number.

John Cibson's was the first barn that was raised in the county, and Thomas Baker introduced the first Merino sheep into Seneca, from Steuben county. Xew York.

Melmore was quite a trading post at one time, and its citi/ens were possessed of a spirit of enterprise that would have been a credit to any town. When the question of the Mad River and Lake Krie railroad was being agitated, great efforts were made to have the line from Republic through Melmore. by way of I'pper Sandusky. to Springfield. and when that tailed, Melmore determined to have a railroad for its own use. and to run a line from Melmore to Republic, and to intersect the Mad River road there. Meetings were held in Melmore, Republic and Tiffin: a temporary line was surveyed between the two places; committees were appointed, and books opened for the subscription of stock.

The names attached to the following notice will revive early recollectiuns ami help to pre>erve memories of those days. This notice was publi-hcd in the Tij'rin (^r^'ttr of May 301)1. 1856, and long before a raiir < >,«\ rea; lied R epublic :

Miller, in Republic, and at tin- house of < '.il\ in Bradlf\ . in Titlin. <>n tin- Uh day of July next, and will !>-- kept open for live da\sin succession, from lo o'clock A. M. until ~2 o'clock 1'. M.

'I'hc road was never built, liei atise the M»< k was not taken very last, hut sonic of the--- gentlemen entered into the enterprise with :;reat energy.

The old pioneers had their weaknesses also, ami were nut angels at .ill < Md Adam wa> still alive in some of them a-, now . ami re ^cner ation ha«l not be< omc universal.

Hamilton M< ( 'ollister was a jiistii c ot the peace in Kden, ami his neighbor, Mathew ('lark, not havini; the lear ot lioil hetore his eyes, one Sumlav morniiiL; looked tor his ho^s, that i,'ot away Iroin him the day l>etore I IK le Mathcw's do^s followed him, and 'Squire Mct'oilister saw ('lark driving the ho^s home. This act was a (lear < ase ot' Sabbath breaking in the mind ot the court, and on the next mornitii,' the 'Squire sent the constable and had uncle Mathew arrested. It was a clear case; the court saw it himself, and Mr. Clark was tilled. The officers ot the l.iw taxed no costs. The insulted law was vindicated, and that \\as enough. This was on the i^th day ot November, '^-'7. Hut uncle Mathew felt a^rievcd for bem^ arrested, and old Adam o>t up tu law heat in him. so he ^oes to Tiffin lor redress, and 1 >n kmson \- Kawson filed a de< laration against Mi ( 'ollister tor <_;,:,GO damages lor !al-c i mpi isoiimi nt .

that met th<> eye on every side. If you can imagine a little spot of about an acre, cleared olf. and a log cabin standing in the middle, and all around you an unbroken forest, with underbrush and vegetation so dense that you could not see ten feet ahead, especially in the bottoms then you can form some idea of the wilds of Seneca county in lsii>.

We settled about live and a half miles south of Tillin. and about three miles northwest of Melmore. Doth towns were very small villages, then built of log cabins. We had no neighbors nearer than Melmore and Titlin, except .Jacob Price, who lived about one mile south of us, and Iluel Loomis, \\ ho lived about the same distance northeast of us. on school section sixteen.

About half wa> between ii* and Tillin was the village of Mohawk Indians, who were quite friendly, and visited us very frequently. Indeed, they became quite troublesome after we had lived here a few years, for they made their friendship a source of annoyance by their constant and persistent begging. The\ wanted white bread every time they came, and that was very often. Sometimes whole squads came, together with their guns, bows and arrows, then women and children, and wanted white bread for all of them. At begging the Indian seems to have no conscience for either frequency or quantity.

The second \ ear after we came here we cleared a Held of 1 tot torn land about half a mile down t lie creek from our house. 1 Jet ween this lie] d and our house was yen thick woods, and as I was going to the bottom Held one day alone. I e>pied an Indian coming around a little curve in the path, and supposing he had not dix-overed me. and I being a little timid lad of about eleven years, my first thought was to get out of his way. so I stepped to one side and laid down behind a large oak log. expecting the Indian to pass by without noticini:' me. IJut the first thing I knew lie looked over the log and exclaimed '- Cooh '." and laughed heartily. I was deeply mo rti lied, but my fear was all gone.

A few da\s after this one of the>e Indians. Isaac Brandt by name, came to our house with two little axes he had made by a blacksmith in Melmore forhKtwoho\s he said and a>ked me to turn the grindstone for him to uTind the little axes. I had turned grindstone before to sharpen axes forged out h\ blacksmiths, and as they were all very thick at the edge. I did not crave the job. I made all soils of excuses, and told him that my father would whip me for leaving my work and turn the grindstone for him a half da\ . and all that. Urandt replied: "Tell fodder Indian here : grind axe ; hail to shove." So I turned for him until he was done. In the meantime lie tried to teach me Indian, but I concluded that it cost more than it come to. IJut to present me with some compensation when the grinding was done he took in) hand and shook it very heartily, thanking me for the service.

At that time it was an easy matter to raise grain and vegetables where the land wa> clear, but the great trouble was to save them. Squirrels, chipmonks and other vermin were soahiindant that they would devour a Held of corn almost entirely, being surrounded by thick woods and weeds. We used to have dead-falU for every fence corner, and some one of the family had to go around t he Held with a gun nearly all the time at certain seasons. I rememliei- veil that during the warm weather, such was the stench from the carcas>e-, of dead vermin, that it became nearlv unbearable.

some brands. .John, or ,Ioliini> . as lie was called by the family. accompanied tin-in, while the father went to the fort, and the mother and sister remained at home.

The ho\s had hut just got at their work, when a party of Indians came upon them. The two older ones made their escape. Irtit .Johnny was taken. The 1'i'ii -in-; thru ueiit to the house of Van Mat re. and set it on lire, having !ir>t killed his wife and daughter. Then the\ tied to the wilderiess. carryin. <r \\ it h them their captive hoy.

Hebrew up and always lived among the Indians, and partook of their manner-, habits, dress, etc.. etc. lie forgot entirely his native tongue, though he learned it again Itefore he died, lie always remembered, however, that his name was .Johnny Van Meter.

I n after lil'e he was induced to visit some of his relatives, but utterly refused In remain with them, preferring, as he said, the innocent, unrestrained indulgences of the Indian's life, to the arbitrary restraints of civili/.ed socieU .

lie married an Indian woman. b\ \\hom he had one child only a son, whom he called John. His wife's name was Susan Brandt, a name wellknown in the state of New York, and in the histor\ of that state, and a relative of the celebrated .Joseph Brandt, who. in 17>7. completed the translation of St. Mark and other portions of the scriptures and the book of common pra\er. into the Mohawk language.

The Moha\\ ks were originally a powerful 1 rihe of I ndians. inhabit ing the coiinin from the northwestern part of Pennsylvania, north through New York into < 'ana. la. Their true name was the Bears. Mohav. k being but a corrupt ii 'ii of t heir name for Bear.

The Brandt I'aniilx was the royal one of the Mohawk nation : the chiefs al\\ a\ s coming from that family, either by descent or elect ion. probably the lattt r.

The Moha\\k nation uTadually wasted awa\. and linalh emigrated west, of at least l he (-- -i itra 1 poll ion of it . and lit last settled down in this county, and wit bin t \\ o and one-half miles of \\ here Ti I) in now stands.

< >n the j ith of April. M7. a treal> was held at the foot of the rapids of the Miami of l/ik.- Krie. near l'err\ .-burg. Wood county. < Mdo. between Lewis ( 'ass and Duncan Me Arthur, commissioner of the I' nit ed States, of the one part, and the sachems, chiefs and \\arrioix of \\hat was then called the \V\andot. Seneca, I>ela\\are. Shawnees. 1'otawatomie. Ottawa and ( 'hip|ia\\ a t ribes of I ndians. wh(-n all their lands wit bin the limits of ( )hio \\ ere ci d--d to the I' idled states forever.

\o\\ at the above treat> there was not in fact a Seneca Indian present. In-lead of the Seneca it \\ a s the Mohauk triheof Indians that participated wil h the other 1 ri bes in that t real \ . or at least the remnant and head port ion of the trib,-.

" To .John Van Meter. \\ ho u as taken prisoner b\ t he \V\ am lots, and who lias ever since ii\ ed a ii ion --st them, and has married a Seneca woman, and to hi- wife and three brothers. Seiiecas. \\ho now reside on Honev Creekr one which wits as follows : His t\vo elder brothers easil) cleared the fence, and ran. lull Johnny undertook to cra\vl through a crack of the fence, hut ijot fast. In lids situation the Indians caught him.

Kmi'_rrat"d from 1 Vniis\ Ivania to ( 'oshortoii county in 1M / . and entered laud in Bedford township. He cam]ied in the woods uniil he had Imilt a cabin. lie had then a wife and two children. H'-re he laid out the town of New Bedford, \vliich is now al>oin the si/e of .Melmore. lie there kept the first hold and po^loilice. In l^.i In moved to Seneca count), and bought a quarter section from Mr. Searles. in Ivlcn townshiii. ahoiit three-quarters of a mile south of Melmore. on the Kilhonrn road. lie traveled from ('oshoctou to Seneca, ahout one hundred miles, in a hiy- old-fashioned IVnus) l\ ania four horse wau'on. riding t he saddle horse. He built 1 \\ o cabins, and commenced clearin.n' land and lindin^ subsistence for his lai'ire famih of ele\cn persons. ||c was a brickla\er \>\ trade, and often compelled to \\ork at jobs lo earn niotie) The su^ar-t roii^h was used a> a cradle in our house, and mot her u>ed to do her baking in a " 1 )iitch-oveii." I-' lax wa> raised for summer Hot hiuu'. and manufactured b\ thefamil). The spinninu' \\ as done b\ haiiil. Mother carded the \\ool while m\ Bisters spun it into \arn for idoth. \\'.e bo\ s were a I lo weil one pair of >hoe> per year, which would be worn out during winter, and in the >umniei- \\ e had !o combat \\ith the thistles and nettle^, which u'i'e\\ very thick. They used to have " lou; rollings" in the neighborhood. The men wi>uld work hard all da\ and then

In the iirst few years after we settled here, the I ndians often stopped at our house with cranberries to sell, and to be»-. ( )ne da\ a \ ouiiLi'cr brother and 1 \\ e|-e pUiyiiiLT " horse " in our cabin. \\ hen a biu I ndian came in. armed to his teeth. He sel his ._i-im behind t hi' door and walked up to the tire. The " hor>es." \\ ho u ere ilown on all fours, look fright at the Indian and ran au a\ to the other cabin. The Indian wauled to st;i\ all ni-'ht . and father look care of him.

Fa I her li\ ed lo see iiearl) all the old set t lers pass to t heir lonu homes. He d ied in the \ ear Is;-;, ut t lie ad \ a need au'e of eiyh! \ ) ears.

Mr. Martin quietly entertained his o\\n views of religion, but upon his dying bed professed a hope in the saving pardon of (Jod.and frequently said that lit- was LTuing to tin- realms of endless glory, lie has left behind him a record of \ irtue worth) of our imitation. His disease was chronic asthma.

obituary notices of father and son, both distinguished and good men, and both especial dear friends of the writer, should follow each other so closely in succession ? Hut we all tollow each other in close succession, and one has scarcely time to tell the tale of his friend before he is himself called awav to reali/e the scenes o! another mission.

\Vas born in Perry county. Ohio. September 18, 18:12, and died April 4, 1^79. and was therefore aged fifty-six years, six months and sixteen (.lays. In the spring of 18.29 he came here with his father's family, Samuel S. Martin, noticed above, and has resided in Kden township to the time of his death, except only a tew years, as hereafter noticed. In his youth he taught school in the winter and labored on his father's farm during the summer and fall until 1846, when he was appointed to the oftice of count}' recorder by the county commissioners, to till the vacancy caused by the resignation «f \Villiam H. Kessler. who had accepted a clerkship in some department at Washington. In 1847 Mr. Martin was elected to this otfice and re-elected in 1850, making his aggregate term of service about seven years. His official administration was characteri/ed by a high degree of capacity and singular punctuality at his post of duty. On October 12. 1848. Mr. Martin was married to Barbara Kagy, daughter of Abraham Kagy. Ksq., who still resides in I'doom township. Thirteen children resulted from this union, ten of whom, together with their bereaved mother, survive to lament their loss. The funeral cortege which followed the corpse to the burial was the largest ever known in the township, being nearly a mile in length I hiring his prostrated illness of more than two years, Mr. Martin manifested an almost heroic fortitude, and at the trying end of his earthly race he met the remorseless "King of Terrors'' with such calm resignation that seemed to mock his power. The family of of the deceased reali/ed the fact that he must leave them, only a few minutes before the end. and the wildest manifestation of grief prevailing. Mr. .Martin essayed to calm their sorrow and counsel them for the future lie retained his reason and spoke up to within a minute or two of his death, and thus peacefully and calmly he closed his timely career. To Robert Martin, all who ever knew him record the highest was a double cabin and stood in the street north ot the iron bridge, and the army road ran along in front ot it also. I )avid Smith occupied, for a while, the same room with Mr. Creesy Rollins lived on the Souder farm. - so-called afterwards).

In the >pring of i.s^i. Mr. Searles helped to open a road from Tiffin to Rocky creek, where the church now stands. and where he had bought \(>- acres of land. 11 ere he- built a cabin in the woods, and in 1^25 he built a frame barn which was probably the first one in the county. Reuben Williams was the boss carpenter. Mr. Searles attached himself to the M. L. church when he was a young man, and up to his death remained a faithful and honored member. After he located here on Rocky creek, his house became a stopping place for all the preachers, and headquarters at nearly all the camp and quarterly meetings. For several years the elections were held at 1m house. Kxcept Tiffin, Kden township contained the most decided politicians, strong Whigs and strong Democrats, but in their township elections they picked their officers from both parties. Here they voted tor men only.

Mrs. Searle-.' maiden name was Duncan. They were the parents of nine children, five bovs and tour girls, ot whom four sons and two daughters are still living.

The foregoing was gathered Irom what Mr. He/ekiah Searles related, and he goes on to say: " (Mir neighbors were the \\elches, who had located on ihe < Minuted (arm. ('harles IJretx. Mr. Sponable. Cal. |acqua. the lioyds. father Shelden. Thomas Vannatta. the Sneaths and and others came on ->oon alter.

11 ( )ne time in the winter we lost a colt We built a fence around it with a trap lid and caught live wolve>. This was before Seneca county was i ir^ani/ed. and we took the scalps to Lower Sandusky. where we got S^ a piece lor them. The rivers and creeks abounded in good fish and the woods in game. We suffered the deprivations and enjoyed the pleasures pr< uliar to that sort ot lile.

There i- here MI Kden township a >ort of counterpart to the old stone fortification-^ described by Mr. Swigart in liloom. near 1 loney creek. Thi> one is near the *ame creek in the Van nan a section. Alter you leave the Mohawk road, turning to the right at the corner of (he old Wolf farm. < ros,-ing ihe bridge goin.u" wcM. \ on come across the bottom and appro, x h a hill, where von see a lii_rh blul' a little to the lett. forming a rounded < orner at the northeast point. I pon this blull there is a circular embankment embracing nearlv tuo acres of land. The embank- ment is now nearly llat on the top and looks a-> if at one time it must have- been a \er\ substantial parapet. Mr. Randall s.i\ s he saw oak trees _' r o.w < n _' upon it two leet ;n diameter. The Mohawks lived all arounci over this part ot the country and knew no m»re about it than the present generation «»! white people.

In a direction o! a little east oi" north t'rom this rampart, and within the rai'.^e ot a rule, are found ver\ many leaden bu!!i-t -> <>f \ trious si/es, from .;rape shot down in i p to the pound. Some of ;h--se ha\e the-

I of ,i while, it wa> a '|ue>':on in the mind ot the writer a^ to whii h township in the ( ounty a sketch ot this distinguished pioneer should he attai lied, hei aiise he lias IM\V lived in (ire-en Springs >onie time, but he tirst located here in Kden. \\ here he drove his stake in the woods near Ro. k\ <-eek. lie has lived longer in Seneca c ounty now than an\ other man in it. 1 1 is lather was in \\ ash in _; ton's army, and so was also his ta'.her's neighbor in Huron county, Mr. Seitert. I'he-e old re\ olut'.onar\ \eler.nis ol'teti talked over their s( enes of strife for inde pendem e. I'.oth were un at admirers of (lenerai \\ a-h; n_'ton.

llu-h Welch was the iir.it postmaster in Lden township, and he held the ottii e at hi> opening, which was afterwards known as the Olmsted and Richardson place. This was the first postottice in Seneca county ea-t ni the riser. Mr. Welch was appointed by President Jackson. lolin M< Lean wa-> postmaster-general at that time and signed the comminion a> MH h. It is dated August 4. 18.15. Mr. Welch sold the ( >lm>ted tann and the Richardson place and moved into \Vyandot counts, where he wa> appointed one ot the associate judges of ('rawlord count}'. W\aiulot wa^ then a part ot Crawford. This commission is dated September _'j. 18^4. and is signed by Robert Lucas, governor, and M. II. Kirby. >ecrctarv ot state. He was re-elected a>sociate judge, and his second commission bears date ot February 4, 184.:. and is signed by Thomas ('orwin. governor, and Samuel (lallowav. sec re'.ary of >tate. The Judge sold his Wyandot farm and again moved into Seneca count}'.

lie laid out the town of Mexico soon after he moved into Wyandot; helped i" build the M. L. church there, donated the lot upon which it wa> built, and for a long time and until he sold his property near Mexi'o. wa> one ot its mo-t iniluential members.

Judge Welch wasborn in Little I'>ea\ cr township. Heaver county, I'ennsvlvania. on the iSth day ot February, i So i . His father's name was Felix, and hi^ mother's name was Margaret liarnes, who came from Fngland. i!i> lather was a native of the count}' ot Ilerry. in Ireland. The parent-- had six sons and four daughters. Hugh was the fifth son.

In iSi<) the parent^ mo\'ed with their children to Huron county, Ohio, where they lived until the sons t.mnd better homes, in Seneca county. Hugh was married on the i.Sth day of September, i<S2^. to I'olU . >e< ond daughter oi Jolin (libson. They had three children : Lii/a. married, to William A. Watson: a little >on who died at the age of about four year>, and Maria, who married Frank Mcliride, and who ha> two interesting daughters, nearlv young women grown. Judge We'n h's brother. Martin, was the first stationed minister at Tcjledo in the.M. \.. church. '1'hc Judge was well acquainted with all the Mohawk Indian^ on the \ an Meter section, and knew ('harline. who was a nejihew of the Hrandt's. and the bitter. unforgi\ing foe of the American-. He carric-d hi-- hatreil to the grave with him. He had the skin ot the leg and loot of a child tanned, in which he carried his trinkets. lie would not talk to a wh:te man. and died trom eating warm bread beond, '.he M i^i -,-ippi.

Ind^e Welch say> that there were throe brothers ot these Itramlt's, Thomas, I'anhis ami Kaai . Is.i.ir was his tavorite. They were both o! ab'cit the same height and a_;e: loth lull ot lun and i^reat wrestlers Van Meter wa> a generous and noble man, and a _;teat horse laneier.