GREENE
COUNTY
GREENE COUNTY was formed from Hamilton and Rose, May 1, 1803, and named from Gen.
Nathaniel Greene, of the revolution. The soil is generally clayey; the surface
on the east is flat and well adapted to grazing, the rest of the county is
rolling and productive in wheat and corn. Considerable water-power is furnished
by the streams. It has some fine limestone quarries, and near Xenia, on
Caesar's creek, is a quarry of beautifully variegated marble. The principal
productions are wheat, corn, rye, grass, grass seed, oats, barley, sheep and
swine. Area, 430 square miles, In 1885 the acres cultivated were 131,197; in
pasture, 35,693; woodland, 34,544; lying waste, 6,668; produced in wheat,
362,749 bushels; oats, 183,639; corn, 2,560,852; flax, 72,500 pounds; wool,
129,355; horses owned, 10,703; cattle, 18,986; sheep, 33,411; hogs,
30,191. School
census, 1886, 9,027; teachers, 183. It has 87 miles of railroad.
Township And Census |
1840 |
1880 |
|
Township And Census |
1840 |
1880 |
Bath |
1,717 |
2,593 |
|
New Jasper |
|
1,013 |
Beaver Creek |
1,762 |
2,470 |
|
Ross |
1,310 |
1,335 |
Cæsar Creek |
1,730 |
1,174 |
|
Silver Creek |
2,435 |
2,155 |
Cedarville |
|
2,702 |
|
Spring Valley |
|
1,562 |
Jefferson |
|
1,643 |
|
Sugar Creek |
2,379 |
1,588 |
Miami |
1,230 |
2,733 |
|
Xenia |
5,190 |
10,381 |
Population in 1820 was 10,509; 1840,
17,753; 1860, 26,197; 1880, 31,549, of whom 23,747 were Ohio-born; Kentucky,
1,645; Virginia, 1,377; Pennsylvania, 854; Indiana, 340; New York, 230;
Ireland, 729; and Germany, 384.
The Shawnee town, “Old Chillicothe,” was on the
Little Miami, in this county, about three and a half miles north of the site of
Xenia: it was a place of note,
Page 693
and
is frequently mentioned in the annals of the early explorations and settlements
of the West. It was sometimes called the Old Town.
In the year 1773 Capt. Thomas BULLIT, of Virginia, one of
the first settlers of Kentucky, was proceeding down the Ohio river, with a
party, to make surveys' and a settlement there, when he stopped and left his
companions on the river, and passed through the wilderness to Old Chillicothe,
to obtain the consent of the Indians to his intended settlement. He entered the
town alone, with a flag of truce, before he was discovered. The Indians,
astonished at his boldness, flocked around him, when the following dialogue
ensued between him and a principal chief, which we derive from Butler's
“Notes on Kentucky:”
Indian Chief. What news do you bring? are
you from the LONG KNIFE? If you are an ambassador, why did you not send a
runner?
Bullit. I have no bad news. The LONG KNIFE and the Red men are at peace,
and I have come among my brothers to have a friendly talk with them about
settling on the other side of the Ohio.
Indian Chief. Why did you not send a runner?
Bullit. I
had no runner swifter than myself, and as I was in haste, I could not wait the
return of a runner. If on were hungry and had killed a deer, would you send
your squaw to town to tell the news, and wait her return before you would eat?
This reply of Bullit
put the bystanders in high humor: they relaxed from their native gravity and
laughed heartily. The Indian conducted Bullit into
the principal wigwam of the town, and regaled him with venison, after which he
addressed the chief as follows:
Brothers:— I am sent with my people, whom I left on the Ohio, to settle the
country on the other side of that river, as low down as the falls. We came from
Virginia. I only want the country to settle and to cultivate the soil. There will be objection to your hunting
and trapping in it as heretofore. I hope you will live with us in friendship.
To this address the principal chief made
the following reply.
Brothers:—You have
come a hard journey through the woods and the grass. We are pleased to find
that your people in settling our country are not to disturb us in our hunting;
for we must hunt to kill meat for our women and children,
and to have something to buy powder and lead, and procure blankets and other
necessaries. We desire you will be strong in discharging your promises towards
us, as we are determined to be strong in advising our young men to be kind,
friendly and peaceable towards you. Having finished his mission Capt. BULLIT
returned to his men, and with them descended the river to the falls.
Some of this party of BULLIT'S shortly
after laid out the town of Louisville, Kentucky.
The celebrated Daniel Boone-was taken prisoner,
with twenty-seven others, in Kentucky, in February, 1778, in the war of the
revolution, and brought to Old Chillicothe. Through the influence of the
British governor Hamilton, Boone, with ten others, was taken from thence to
Detroit.
The governor took an especial fancy to
Boone, and offered considerable sums for his release, but to no purpose, for
the Indians also had taken their fancy, and so great was it that they took him
back to Old Chillicothe, adopted him into a family, and fondly caressed him. He
mingled with their sports, shot, fished, hunted and swam with them, and had
become deeply ingratiated in their favor, when on the lst
of June they took him to assist them in making salt in the Scioto valley, at
the old salt wells, near, or at we believe, the present town of Jackson county.
They remained a few days, and when returned to Old Chillicothe, his heart was agonised by the sight of 450 warriors, armed, painted and
equipped in all the paraphernaha of savage
splendor, ready to start on an expedition against Boonesborough.
To avert the cruel blow that was about to fall upon his friend he alone, on the
morning of the 16th of June, escaped from his Indian companions, and arrived in
time to foil the plans of the enemy,
and not only saved the borough, which he himself had founded, but probably all
the frontier parts of Kentucky, from devastation.
Boone told an aged pioneer that when taken
prisoner on this occasion, the Indians got out of food, and after having killed
and eaten their dogs, were ten days without any other sustenance than that of a
decoction made from the oozings of the inner-bark of
the white-oak, which after drinking, Boone could travel with the best of them.
At length the Indians shot a deer and boiled its entrails to a jelly of which
they all drank, and it soon acted freely on their bowels. They gave some to
Boone, but his stomach refused it. After repeated efforts, they forced him
to swallow about half a pint, which he did with wry face and disagreeable retchings, much to the amusement of the simple savages, who
laughed heartily. After this medicine had well operated, the Indians told Boone
that he might eat; but if he had done so before it would have killed him. They
then all fell to, and soon made amends for
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their long fast. At Detroit, he astonished the
governor by making gunpower, he having shut up in a
room with all the materials.
Col. John Johnston, who knew Boone
well, says in a communication to us:
It is now (1847)
fifty-four years since I first saw Daniel Boone, He was then about 60 years
old, of a medium size, say five feet ten inches, not given to corpulency, retired, unobtrusive, and a man of few words.
My acquaintance was made with him in the winter season, and I well remember his
dress was of tow cloth, and not a woollen garment on
his body, unless his stockings were of that material. Home-made was the common
wear of the people of Kentucky, at that time: sheep were not yet introduced
into the country. I slept four nights in the house of one West, with Boone:
there were a number of strangers, and he was constantly occupied in answering
questions. He had nothing remarkable in his personal appearance. His son, Capt.
N. Boone, now an old man, is serving in the lst
regiment United States Dragoons.
In July, 1779, the year after Boone
escaped from Old Chillicothe, Col. John Bowman, with 160 Kentuckians, marched
against the town. The narrative of this expedition is derived from Butler's
Notes.
The party
rendezvoused at the mouth of the Licking, and at the end of the second night
got in sight of the town undiscovered. It was determined to await
until daylight in the morning before they would make the attack; but by the
imprudence of some of the men, whose curiosity exceeded their judgment, the
party was discovered by the Indians before the officers and men had arrived at
the several positions assigned to them. As soon as the alarm was given, a fire
commenced on both sides, and was kept up, while the women and children were
seen ran running from cabin to cabin, in the greatest confusion, and collecting
in the most central and strongest. At clear daylight it was discovered that
Bowman's men were from seventy to
one hundred yards from the cabin in which
the Indians had collected, and which they appeared determined to defend. Having
no other arms than tomahawks and rifles, it was thought imprudent to attempt to
storm strong cabins, well defended by expert warriors. In consequence of the
warriors collecting in a few cabins contiguous to each other, the remainder of
the town was left unprotected, therefore, while a fire was kept up at the
port-holes, which engaged the attention of those within, fire was set to thirty
or forty cabins, which were consumed, and a considerable quantity of property,
consisting of kettles and blankets, were taken from those cabins. In searching
the woods near the town, 133 horses were collected.
About 10 o'clock
Bowman and his party commenced their march homeward, after having nine men
killed. What loss the Indians sustained was never known, except BLACKFISH,
their principal chief, who was wounded through the knee. After receiving the
wound, BLACKFISH proposed to surrender, being confident that his wound was
dangerous, and believing that there were among the white people surgeons that
could cure him, but that none among his own people could do it.
The party had not
marched more than eight or ten miles on their return home, before the Indians
appeared in considerable force, on their rear, and began to press hard upon
that quarter. Bowman selected his ground, and formed his men in a square; but
the Indians declined a close engagement, only keeping up a scattering fire. It
was soon discovered that their object was to retard their march until they
could procure reinforcements from the neighboring villages.
As soon as a strong
position was taken by Col. Bowman, the Indians retired, and he resumed the line
of march when be was again attacked in the rear. Re
again formed for battle, and again the Indians retired; and the scene was acted
over several times. At length, John Bulger, James Harrod and George Michael Bedinger,
with about 100 more mounted on horseback, rushed on the Indian ranks and
dispersed them in every direction; after which the Indians abandoned their
pursuit. Bowman crossed the Ohio at the mouth of the Little Miami, and after
crossing, the men dispersed to their several homes.
In the summer after this expedition
Gen. Clark invaded the Indian country, an account of which is related under the
head of Clark County. On his approach the Indians burnt Old Chillicothe.
The article relating to early times in
Greene county is slightly abridged from a communication by Thomas
C. WRIGHT, Esq., the county auditor.
After Abdolonymus had been taken from humble
station in life, and made king of Sidonea,
it is said he kept a pair of wooden shoes his throne, to remind him of his
Page 695
former obscurity, and check
the pride which power is so apt to engender in the heart of man. The annexed
drawing is deemed worthy of preservation, not only as a memento of early times,
and serving as a contrast to the present advanced state of improvement, but on
account of the historical associations it raises in the memory of the first
judicial proceedings and organization of Greene county.
The house, of which
the engraving is a correct representation, is yet (1846) standing, five and a
half miles west of Xenia, near the Dayton mad. It was built by Gen. Benj.
Whiteman, a short distance south of the log cabin mill of Owen DAVIS on Beaver
creek. This will, the first erected in Greene, was finished in 1798. A short
distance east were erected two block-houses, and it was intended, should danger
render it necessary, to connect them by a line of pickets and include the mill
within the stockade. his mill was used by the settlers of “the
Dutch Station,” some thirty miles distant, in the centre of Miami county.
On the 10th of May,
1803; the first court for organizing Greene county was held in this house, then
the residence of Peter BORDERS, Wm. MAXWELL, Benj. WHITEMAN and James BARRET
were the associate judges and John PAUL, clerk. The first business of the court was to lay
off the county into townships, and after transacting some other business, they
adjourned “until court in course,” having been in session one day.
The
First Court for the trial of causes was held in the same house, on Tuesday, Aug. 2,
1803, with the same associate judges
and Francis DUNLAVY, presiding judge, and Daniel SIMMS, prosecuting attorney.
“And there came a grand jury, to wit: W m. J. STEWART foreman John
WILSON, Wm. BUCKLES, Abrm..
VAN EATON, James SNODGRASS, John JUDY, Evan MORGAN, Robt.
MARSHALL, Alex. C. ARMSTRONG, Joseph C. VANCE, Joseph WILSON,
John BUCKHANNON, Martin MENDENHALL and Harry MARTIN, who were sworn a grand
jury of inquest, for the body of Greene county.”
FIRST COURT-HOUSE IN
GREENE
After receiving the charge “they
retired out of court;” a circumstance not to be wondered at, as there was
but one room in the house. Their place of retirement, or Jury room, was a
little squat-shaped pole hut, shown on the right of the view. And now, while
their honors, with becoming gravity, are sifting behind a table ready for
business, and the grand jury making solemn inquest of crimes committed, the
contrast between the state of the county then and at present, naturally
presents itself to the mind Since then, forty-four years ago –a period
within the recollection of many of our citizens-and what a change Then it was
almost an entire wilderness—a primeval forest, planted by the hand of
nature. The first house in Greene county was built by
Daniel WILSON, who is now living near Centerville, Montgomery county. It was
raised on the 7th day of April, 1796, about four miles from where Bellbrook has long been laid out, in Sugarcreek township. In 1798 Thomas TOUNSLEY settled near the falls
of Massie's creek, some eight mile from Xenia. The same year James GALLOWAY,
Sr., settled on the Little Miami two miles north of Oldtown.
Isaiah and Wm. Garner SUTTON erected the first house in Cæsar's
Creek township, in 1799, about five miles south of Xenia, near where the Bullskin road crosses Cæsar's
creek. Cæsarsville was laid out by T. CARNEAL,
in 1800, and the first house in it
was built the year following. It was expected to become the county-seat, but
was finally rejected in favor of Xenia Cæsarsville,
at the time of this
court, contained a few log-cabins, and so scattered about miles apart, the traveller might find one of these primitive dwellings
sending its smoke from a mud and stick chimney among the giants of the forest,
each cabin with a little patch of a corn-field, thickly dotted over with
girdled trees. A bridle-path, or blazed trees, led the traveller
from
Page 696
one to the other. But
they were the abodes of contentment, simplicity of manners, whole-hearted
hospitality and generosity of soul, which does honor to human nature and gives
a charm to existence.
But
to return to the court. From a careful examination of the records and other
sources of information I cannot learn there was any business for the grand jury
when they retired.
But they were not permitted
to remain idle long: the spectators in attendance promptly took the matter into
consideration. They, doubtless, thought it a great pity to have a learned court
and nothing for it to do: so they set to and cut out employment for their
honors by engaging in divers hard fights at
fisticuffs, right on the ground. So it seems our pioneers fought for the
benefit of the court. At all events while their honors were waiting to settle
differences according to law, they were making up issues and settling
them by trial “by combat”—a process by which they avoided the much complained of “law's
delay,” and incurred no other damages than black eyes and bloody noses,
which were regarded as mere trifles, of course. Among the incidents of the day,
characteristic of the times, was this: A Mr. ____,
from Warren county, was in attendance. Owen DAVIS, the owner of the mill, who,
by the way, was a brave Indian fighter; as well as a kind-hearted, obliging
man, charged this Warren county man with speculating in pork, alias stealing
his neighbor's hogs. The insult was resented—a combat took place
forthwith, in which DAVIS proved victorious. He then went into court, and
planting himself in front of the judges he observed, addressing himself
particularly to one of them, “Well, Ben, I've whipped that d--d
hog-thief—what’s the damage—what’s to pay?” and
thereupon, suiting the action to the word, he drew out his buckskin purse,
containing eight or ten dollars, and slammed it down on the table then shaking
his fist at the judge, whom he addressed, he continued, “Yes
Ben, and if you'd steal a hog, d--n you, I'd whip you, too.” He had,
doubtless, come to the conclusion, that, as there was a court, the luxury of
fighting could not be indulged in gratis, and he was for paying up as he went.
Seventeen witnesses were sworn and sent before the grand jury, and nine bills
of indictment were found the same day-all for affrays and assaults and
batteries committed after the court was organized. To these indictments the
parties all pleaded guilty, and were fined—DAVIS among the rest, who was
fined eight dollars for his share in the transactions of the day.
The following is the
first entry made on the record after the grand. jury
retired : The court then proceeded to examine the several candidates for the
surveyor's office, and James GALLOWAY, Jr., being well qualified, was appointed
surveyor of said county. “On the second day of the term Joseph C. VANCE
(father of ex-Gov. VANCE, of Champaign county) was
appointed to make the necessary arrangements for establishing the seat of
justice, who, with David HUSTON and Joseph WILSON, his securities, entered into
a bond, with a penalty of $1500 for the faithful performance of his duties. He
surveyed and laid out the town of Xenia (which, by the way, is an old French
word, signifying a new-year's gift) the same season, for at the next December
term he was allowed “$49.25 for laying off the
town of Xenia, finding chainmen, making plots and selling lots.” On the
third day of the term Daniel SYMMES was allowed twenty dollars for prosecuting
in behalf of the State. The presiding judge then left the court, but it was
continued by the associate judges for the transaction of county business. In
addition to the duties now pertaining to associate judges, they discharged the
duties now performed by the board of county commissioners. Archibald LOWRY and
Griffith FOOS were each licensed to keep a tavern in the town of Springfield,
on the payment of eight dollars for each license. A license was also granted to
Peter BORDERS to keep a tavern at his house, on the payment of four dollars
“together with all legal fees.” So our old log-house has the honor
of having the first learned court held within its rough walls; and, in addition
to that, it was, in fact, the first hotel ever licensed in the county in which hog and
hominy and new corn whiskey could be had in abundance. Perhaps the court was a'
little interested in granting the license. Like old Jack FALSTAFF, they might
like “to take their own ease in their own inn.” James GALLOWAY,
Sr., was appointed county treasurer. The court then adjourned, having been in
minion three days.
On the 19th day of the
same month (August), the associate judges held another court for the
transaction of county business. They continued to meet and adjourn from day to
day, waiting for the lister of taxable property to
return his book, until the 22d, when they made an order, that fifty cents
should be paid for each wolf killed within the bounds of the county, and
“that the largest block-house should be appropriated to the use of a
jail; “and Benjamin WHITMAN, Esq., was appointed, in behalf of the
county, to contract for repairing it—a decisive mark of civilization.
Among the allowances, at this term, there was one of six dollars to Joseph C.
VANCE, for carrying the election returns of Sugar Creek township
to Cincinnati; and a like sum to David HUSTON, for returning the poll-book of
Beaver Creek. He afterwards held the office of associate judge twenty-one
years, and twice represented Greene county in the State
legislature. He lived the life of an honest man-was beloved and respected by
all who knew him. He died in 1843. The clerk and sheriff were allowed twenty
dollars each for ex-officio fees, and Jacob SHINGLEDECKER, nine dollars and
fifty cent, for preparing the block-house to serve as a jail—a great
perversion from the original design of the building, as it was intended at
first to keep unwelcome visitors out, and ended in keeping
Page 697
unwilling visitors in. It was
ordered by the court, that the inhabitants of Mad River township
should be exempted from the payment of taxes, or rather, their taxes
were reduced two cents on each horse and one cent on each cow. The reason
assigned for this favor was “for erecting public buildings.
“ As we have seen no public buildings
yet but the two block-houses, and the one which figures at the head of this
communication, the reader would, doubtless, be much surprised that the erection
of these should be deemed sufficiently meritorious as, in part, to exempt the
inhabitants from the payment of taxes. But these public buildings were situated
in Cincinnati. We apprehend that but few of our citizens are aware of the fact,
that the first settlers in this county contributed to the erection of public
buildings in Cincinnati—the old atone court-house, we suppose, which was
burnt down while used as barracks in time of the last war, and the hewed log
jail which stood on the north side of the public square.
The first supreme
court was held in the same house, on the 25th day of October, 1803, by their
honors Samuel HUNTINGDON and Wm. SPRIGGS, judges; William MAXWELL, sheriff,
John PAUL, clerk, and Arthur ST. CLAIR, Esq., of Cincinnati, prosecuting
attorney. Richard THOMAS was admitted an attorney and counsellor
at law. Nothing more was done, and the court adjourned
the same day.
At the November term
of the court of common pleas, the first thing was to arraign Thomas DAVIS, a
justice of the peace, for misconduct in office. He pleaded guilty, was fined
one dollar, and ordered, in the language of the record, “to stand committed until
performance.” But what the misconduct
was for which he was fined, the record sayeth not;
neither is it known whether he raised the dollar, or was made familiar with the
inside of the block-house. On the first day of this term the Rev. Robert
ARMSTRONG received a 'license to solemnize the rites of matrimony. He and the
Rev. Andrew FULTON, were sent, by the general associate synod of Scotland, as
missionaries to Kentucky, and arrived at Maysville, in 1798; but, not liking
the institution of slavery, Mr. FULTON went to the neighborhood where South
Hanover now is, Indiana, and Mr. Armstrong came to Greene county,
Ohio. This was the commencement of the Seceder
denomination in this county. From this small beginning it has become the most
numerous, perhaps, of any other in the county. They form a large portion of an
orderly, law-abiding and industrious population-strict in observing the Sabbath
and in discharge of their religious duties, and correct in moral conduct. They
are mostly farmers, in independent circumstances. Mr. ARMSTRONG was a small
man, of vast learning, with the simplicity, in some things, of a child. An
anecdote is told of his being at a log-rolling assisting to carry a log, and
having but a few inches of handspike, the weight of it resting mostly on him.
The person with whom he was lifting, seeing his situation, said, “Stop,
Mr. ARMSTRONG—let me give you
more handspike.” “No,” said Rev. gentleman,
“no more stick for me; I have already as much as I can carry.” He
was universally esteemed and respected. He died in 1818. He brought a very
large library of books with him, and was very liberal in lending them. To this
circumstance, perhaps, may be attributed the fact, that more books have been sold
and read in this county than in any other of the same population in the State.
At this term, in the
case of Wm. ORR vs. Peter BORDERS, leave was given to amend the declaration, on
payment of costs—an indication that some attention began to be paid to
special pleading. The first civil case that was tried by a jury was that of
WALLINGSFORD vs. VANDOLAH. A
verdict was rendered for the plaintiff of twenty-four cents, upon which
“he paid the jury and constable fees.”
At the December term
of the common pleas four cases of assault and battery were tried by jury, which
took up the first day. The day following, this entry was made: William CHIPMAN
vs. Henry STROM, “judgment confessed for one cent damages and
costs.” But such is the imperfect manner in which the records were kept,
that it is impossible to ascertain what the subject matter of the controversy
was in which such heavy damages were admitted. The court decided that the fee
paid to the State's attorney at the August term, was illegal, and should be
refunded. This was the result of “sober second thoughts” of the
court about that twenty dollar fee, for which the attorney came from
Cincinnati, more than fifty miles, through the woods, and drew nine bills of
indictment and attended to the cases. At this term Andrew READ, an early
settler near where the beautiful village of Fairfield now is, took his seat on
the bench as associate judge, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the election of
William MAXWELL to the office of sheriff. The first view and survey of a new
road route was granted at this term. It was to commence at granted at pass the
Yellow spring and intersect the Pinkney road near
Isaac MORGAN'S. Wm. MAXWELL, Lewis
DAVIS and Thomas TOUNSLEY were appointed viewers, and James GALLOWAY, Jun.,
surveyor. So our fellow-citizen, Maj. GALLOWAY, was the first county surveyor,
surveyed the first road by order of the court and afterwards made a map of the
county, in its present metes and bounds, showing all the surveys and sections
of the land, with their divisions and subdivisions into tracts. Tavern licenses
were granted to Thomas FREAM, William MOORE, and James M'PHERSON to keep
taverns in their houses for one year, and so ended the term.
The June term of 1804
was the last court ever held in the old log-house. It was composed of the same
judges, clerk and sheriff, with Arthur ST. CLAIR, Esq., of Cincinnati,
prosecuting attorney. The writer of this has been informed he wore a cocked hat
and a
Page 698
sword. William M'FARLAND
was foreman of the grand jury. A singular incident took place at the opening of
this court. There was a shelf in one corner, consisting of a board on two pins
inserted in the wall, containing a few books, among which counsellor
ST. CLAIR searched for a Bible, on which to swear the jury. At length he took
down a volume, and observed, with his peculiar lisp ,
“Well, gentlemen, here is a book which looks thist like a testament.” The foreman of the grand jury
was accordingly sworn upon it—but the book, which so much resembled a
testament in external appearance, turned out in fact to be an old volume of The Arabian Nights
Entertainment! From this mistake, or some unknown cause, the practice of
swearing on the Evangelists, has gone entirely out of use in this county, being
substituted, by swearing with the uplifted hand, or affirming. The grand jury
found several bills of indictment, and were discharged the same day. In
proportion as cases of assault and battery begin to decrease, a sprinkling of civil suits make their appearance on the
docket. Fourteen cases were called the first day, and all continued except one
in which judgment was confessed and stay of execution granted until next term.
The entry of continuance was in this form: A. B. vs. C. D. E. F. and G. H. pledges for the defendant in the sum
$------. This form was observed in all cases, the amount being more or less,
according to the subject matter in controversy. On Wednesday of this term
Joseph TATMAN produced his commission as associate judge, and took the oath of office.
He afterwards, in 1816, in company with Samuel
and William CASAD, laid out the town of Fairfield, not far from the site of an
old Indian town, named Piqua, at which Gen. George R. CLARK defeated the
Indians in 1780 On this day 22 cases were called: 11 continued, 2 settled, 1 judgment, 5 ruled for plea in 40 days, 1 in 10 days, l discontinued and 1 abated by
death. This was certainly a pretty fair beginning, and quite encouraging to the
learned profession.
The total amount of
taxable property returned by the “listers”
“was $393.04, and this levy included
houses and mills, if any. As to houses, there was but one returned, and that
was valued for taxation at one dollar! Considering the
sparseness of population and small amount of property in the county, the
proportion of litigation was greater then than at this time, 1847, when the total amount of taxable property is $6,583,673. So much of a change in forty-three years, they
fought less and lawed more. In newly settled
counties, there appears to be a peculiar fondness among the people for
lawsuits. After a court has been organized in a new county, they still continue
to settle their difficulties by combat, until fines become troublesome. The
court then becomes the arena in which their contentions and quarrels are
carried and finally disposed of. If one cannot afford the fine or imprisonment
which would be incurred by taking personal satisfaction, he can bring a suit,
if any cause of action can be found, and no matter how small the amount
claimed, or frivolous the matter, if he can only cast his adversary and throw
him in the costs, he is as much gratified as if he had made him halloa “enough—take him off.” It is this
spirit which gives rise to so many trifling and vexatious lawsuits.
And now we take leave
of our primitive dwelling-house, court-house and tavern. It is still standing,
and occupied as a residence. While our drawing was being taken, an
old-fashioned long-handled frying-pan was over the fire—its spacious
bottom well paved with rashers of ham, sending forth a savory odor, enough to
make a hungry person’s mouth water. What scenes it has
witnessed—what memories it recalls! It has witnessed the organization of
the county, the first administration of law and justice, the first exercise of
the right of suffrage through the ballot-box, and the first legal punishment of
criminals. Near it the first corn was ground into meal for the use of the
settlers, and here they rallied to build block-houses to protect them from the
hostile attacks of the Indians. As a tavern many a weary traveller,
through the tall and lonely forest, has been sheltered and refreshed beneath
its humble roof. How many buckeye lads and lasses have been reared within its
walls-for
“Buirdly chiels and clever hizzies
Are
bred in sic a way as this is! “
How many jovial dances
have been had on its puncheon floor! While we may suppose
some lame or lazy fellow seated on a stool in a corner, prepared with an awl or
Barlow knife, to extract splinters from the heels of the dancers, as fast as the
sets were over. How many courtships have been carried on during the long
winter nights—the old folks asleep, and the young lovers comfortably
toasting their shins over the decaying embers—happy in present love, and
indulging in bright anticipations of housekeeping in a cabin.
Long mayest thou stand, old relic, as a memento of pioneer life,
primitive simplicity and good old-fashioned honestly, to remind the rising
generation of the hardships and privations our pioneer fathers encountered in first
settling the county, and to show by this humble beginning, compared with the
present state of improvement, how much
honest labor, painstaking industry and thrifty management can accomplish.
JOSIAH HUNT, THE INDIAN FIGHTER.
Josiah HUNT
resided in this county in the time of the last war with Great Britain. He was a stout, well-formed, heavy-set man,
capable of enduring great
Page 699
hardships and privations, and was then a member
of the Methodist Episcopal church. There was a tone of candor and sincerity, as
well as modesty, in his manner of relating the thrilling scenes in which he had
been an actor, which left no doubt of their truth in the minds of those who
heard him. He was one of Wayne's legion, and was in
the battle of the Fallen Timber, on the 20th of August, 1794.
At the commencement
of the onset, just after entering the fallen timber, HUNT was rushing on and
about to spring over a fallen tree, when he was fired at by an Indian concealed
behind it. The latter was compelled to fire in such haste that he missed his
aim. It was, however, a close shave, for the bullet whizzed through the lock of
his right temple, causing that ear to ring for an hour after. The Indian's body
was entirely naked from the waist up , with a red
stripe painted up and down his back. As soon as he fired he took to his heels. HUNT aimed at the centre of the red, stripe, the Indian running zig-zag” like the worm of a fence. “When
he fired, the Indian bounded up and fell forward. He had fought his last
battle.
He was an excellent
hunter. In the winter of 1793, while the army lay at Greenville, he was
employed to supply the officers with game, and in consequence was exempted from
garrison duty. The sentinels had
orders to permit him to leave and enter the fort whenever he chose. The Indians
made a practice of climbing trees in the vicinity of the fort, the better to
watch the garrison. If of a person was seen to go out, notice was taken the
direction he went, his path ambushed and his scalp secured. To avoid this
danger, HUNT always left the fort in the darkness of night, for said he,
“when once I had got into the woods without their knowledge, I had as
good a chance as they.” He was accustomed, on leaving the fort, to
proceed some distance in the direction he intended to hunt the neat day, and
bivouac for the night. To keep from freezing to death, it was necessary to have
a fire; but to show a light in the enemy's country was to invite certain
destruction. To avoid this danger he dug a hole in the ground with his tomahawk
about the size and depth of a hat crown. Having prepared it properly, he
procured some roth,
meaning thick white-oak bark, from a dead tree, which will retain a strong heat
when covered with its ashes. Kindling a fire from flint and steel at the bottom
of his “coal pit,” as he termed it, the bark was severed into
strips and placed in layers crosswise, until the pit was full. After it was
sufficiently ignited it was covered over with dirt, with the exception of two
air holes in the margin, which could be opened or closed at pleasure. Spreading
down a layer of bark or brush to keep him off the cold ground, he sat down with
the” coal pit” between his legs, enveloped himself m his blanket,
and slept cat-dozes in an upright position. If his fire became too much smothered,
he would freshen it up by blowing into one of the air
holes. He declared he could make himself sweat whenever he chose. The snapping
of a dry twig was sufficient to awaken him, when, uncovering his head, he
keenly scrutinized in the darkness and gloom around—his right hand on his
trusty rifle “ready for the mischance of the hour. “A person now,
in full security from danger, enjoying the forts and refinements or civilized
life, can scarcely bring his mind to realize his situation, or do justice to
the powers of bodily endurance, firmness of nerve, self-reliance and courage,
manifested by him that winter. A lone man in a dreary, interminable forest
swarming with enemies, bloodthirsty, crafty and of horrid barbarity, without a
friend or human being to afford him the least aid, in the depth of winter, the
freezing winds moaning through the bare and leafless branches of the tall
trees, while the dismal bowling of a pack of wolves
“Cruel
as death, and hungry as the grave;
Burning
for blood, bony, gaunt and grim,”
might be heard in the
distance, mingled with the howlings of the wintry
winds, were well calculated to create a lonely sensation about the heart and
appall any common spirit. There would he sit, nooding
in his blanket undistinguishable in the darkness from an old stump, enduring the
rigor of winter, keeping himself from freezing, yet showing no
fire,—calm, ready and prompt to engage in mortal combat, with whatever
enemy might assail, whether Indian, bear or panther. At day-light he commenced
hunting, proceeding slowly and with extreme caution, looking for game and
watching for Indians at the same time. When he found a deer, previously to
shooting it, he put a bullet in his mouth, ready for reloading his gun with all
possible dispatch, which he did before moving from the spot, casting searching
glances in every direction for Indians. Cautiously approaching the deer, after
he had shot it, he dragged it to a tree and commenced the process of skinning
with his back toward the tree, and his rifle leaning against it, in reach of
his right hand. And so with his rear protected by the tree, he would akin a
short time, then straiten up and scan in every direction, to see if the report
of his rifle had brought an Indian in his vicinity, then apply himself to
skinning again. If he heard a stick break, or any, the slightest noise
indicating the proximity of animal life, he clutched his rifle instantly, and
was on the alert prepared for any emergency. Having skinned and cut up the
animal, the four-quarters were packed in the hide which was so arranged as to
be slung on his back
like a knapsack, with which
Page 700
he wended his way to the fort. If the deer was
killed far from the garrison, he only brought in the four-quarters. One day he
got within gun-shot of three Indians unperceived by them. He was on a ridge and
they in a hollow. He took aim at the foremost one, and
waited some time for a chance for two to range against each other, intending,
if they got in that position, to shoot two and take his chance with the other
in single combat. But they continued marching in Indian file, and though he
could have killed either of them, the other two would have made the odds
against him too great, so he let them pass unmolested. A midst all the danger
to which he was constantly exposed, he passed unharmed.
Owing to the constant and powerful
exercise of the faculties, his ability to hear and discriminate sounds was wonderfully
increased, and the perceptive faculties much enlarged. He made $70 that winter
by hunting, over and above his pay as a soldier.
At the treaty at Greenville, in 1795, the
Indians seemed to consider Hunt as the next greatest man to Wayne himself. They
inquired for him, got round him, and were loud and earnest in their praises and
compliments: “Great man, Capt. HUNT—a great warrior—a good
hunting man; Indian no can kill!” They informed him that some of their
bravest and most cunning warriors had often set out expressly to kill him. They
knew how he made his secret camp-fire, the ingenuity of which excited their
admiration. The parties in quest of him had often seen him—could describe
the dress he wore, and his cap, which was made of a raccoon's skin with the
tail hanging down behind, the front turned up and
ornamented with three brass rings. The scalp of such a great hunter and warrior
they considered to be an invaluable trophy. Yet they never could catch him off
his guard—never get within shooting distance, without being discovered
and exposed to his death-dealing rifle.
Many years age he went to Indiana, nor has
the writer of this ever heard from him since, nor is it known among his old
friends here whether he is living.
Mr. T. C. WRIGHT, who supplied the foregoing sketch of
Josiah HUNT for our first edition, also gave the annexed historical sketch of
Xenia, which name is said to be from a Greek word signifying friendship.
Xenia was laid off in the forest, in the autumn of 1803, by
Joseph C. VANCE, on the land of John PAUL, who gave the ground bounded by Main,
Market, Detroit and Greene streets, for the public buildings. The first cabin
was erected in April, 1804, by John MARSHALL, in the southwest corner of the
town. The first good hewed log-house was erected for the Rev. James FOWLER, of
the Methodist persuasion, from Petersburg, Va.: it is still standing, and is
now the hatter's shop, a short distance west of the old bank. David A. SANDERS
built the first frame house, on the spot occupied by the new bank; it is yet
standing on Main street, in Gowdy's
addition.
The first supreme court was held
Oct. 3, 1804. The grand jury held their deliberations under a sugar tree in the
rear of the present residence of James GOWDY.
The first court of common pleas in Xenia
was on the 15th of November, 1804, and was held by the associate judges. A
license was granted to “William A. BEATTY, to keep a tavern in the town
of Xenia for one year on the payment of $8.00!” This was the first tavern
ever licensed in the place. It was a double hewed log-house, two stories high,
and was in progress of erection at the same time with FOWLER'S house. It stood
on the south side of Main street, opposite the public
square, on the spot where there now is a two story brick house, occupied as a
drug store. In the west room, above stairs, the court was held. The first
election in the place was held in this house. It continued to be a tavern until
after the last war with Great Britain, and, until Mr. James COLLIER built his
brick tavern on Detroit street, was the grand hotel of the place. In a corner of the
west room there was an old-fashioned bar—the upper part enclosed with
upright slats of wood, with a. little wicket through which the grog was handed
out in half pint glass cruets. In time of the war the recruiting officers
put-up at this house; and here might be seen the recruiting sergeant rattling
dollars on a drum's head, and calling for half pints, appealing to the
patriotism of the bystanders, tempting them with jingling dollars, and adding
thereto the potency of whiskey, to enlist recruits for the army. Court
continued to be held in this house for the years 1804 and 1805, and until a new
court-house was built.
In 1804 the building of the first jail was let to Amos DUROUGH; it was
received from the contractor in October. It stood on ground now covered by the
new court-house, and was constructed of hewed logs. It was burnt down the year
following; and in April, 1806, a new jail was accepted from William A. BEATTY.
It stood on the site of the present market house –was a rough
log-building; two stories high, with a cabin roof, and was burnt down in time
of the war with England. The building of the first court-house was let on the
8th day of April, 1806, to William
Page 701
KENDALL, who was
allowed six dollars for clearing the timber from the public square.
The house was built of brick, forty feet square and twenty-eight feet
high, with a cupola in the centre of the roof, ten feet in diameter and fifteen
feet high. It was finished, and on
the 14th day of August, 1809, accepted.
On the 6th of April “a license
was granted to James GOWDY, for retailing merchandise, on his complying with
the law!” He opened his goods
in a log-house, with a mud and stick chimney, which stood on Green street, at
the north end of where Mr. John EWING’S store now is. He was the first merchant in the place.
The first punishment for crime was in
1806. The person was convicted for
stealing leather,
Drawn by Henry Howe, in 1846.
STREET-VIEW
IN XENIA.
To half-sole a pair
of shoes. There was a sugar tree on the public
square, which served as a whipping-post. He was tied up to the tree, and
underwent the sentence of the court, which was to receive one stripe on his bare back, which was inflicted by James
COLLIER. The sugar tree served as a
whipping-post for the last time on the 8th of October, 1808. A man was convicted for stealing a
shovel-plow and clevis, and the sentence was that he should receive eight lashes
on his bare back, “and stand committed until performance.” He drank a pint of whiskey just before
hugging the tree, and though it don not prevent him form halloaing
lustily, while receiving the eight stripes.
Wm. M. Gatch, Photo, Xenia, 1886.
VIEW IN XENIA.
[Both view were taken
near the same stand-point, but showing different sides of the same street, and
In
time taken 40 years apart.
The court-house is yet standing.
A fine bank building now seen on the
Right side of the new
picture occupies the site of the two-story store shown in the old view.]
Page 702
XENIA IN 1846—Xenia, the county seat, is on the Little Miami
railroad, 64 miles north of Cincinnati, and 61 from Columbus. It is a handsome;
flourishing and well-built town, with broad streets, and some fine stores and
elegant dwellings. The engraving represents a part of the principal street: the
court-house, shown on the left, is the most elegant, as yet built, in Ohio.
Xenia contains 1 German Lutheran, 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Methodist Protestant,
1 Seceder, 1 Associate Reformed and 1 Baptist church,
beside 2 churches for colored persons—two church edifices are erecting,
one by the Presbyterian and the other by the Associate Reformed
denomination—17 mercantile stores, 1 foundry, 2 newspaper printing
offices, 1 bank, a classical academy in fine repute, and in 1840 had 1,414
inhabitants, and in 1847 about 2,800.-Old
Edition.
Xenia is 55 miles southwest of Columbus and 65
miles north of Cincinnati, on the line of the P. C. & St. L. and D. &
I. R. R. It is the county-seat of Greene county.
County officers in 1888: Probate Judge, John H. COOPER; Clerk of Court, John A.
CISCO; Sheriff, Clement W.
LINKHART; Prosecuting Attorney, J.
N. DEAN; Auditor, William R. BAKER; Treasurer, F. E. McGERVEY,
James A. JOHNSTON; Recorder, S. N. ADAMS; Surveyor, Levi RIDDLE; Coroner,
Addison S. DRYDEN; Commissioners, Moses A. WALTON, Alfred JOHNSON, Henry H.
CONKLIN.
Newspapers. Democrat-News,
Democrat; Republican, Republican, O. W. MARSHALL,
editor; Gazette, Republican; Torchlight, Republican; Boss Painters' Journal, Trade. Churches:
2 Methodist, 3 United Presbyterian, 1 Reformed, 1 Lutheran, 1 Baptist, 1
Episcopal, 1 Catholic, 1 Old School Presbyterian, 2 Colored Methodist, 2
Colored Baptist, and 1 Colored Christian. Banks: Citizens National, J. D.
EDWARDS, president, W. R. McGERVEY, cashier; Second
National, Thomas P. TOWNLEY, president, Robert LYTLE, cashier; Xenia National,
John B. ALLEN, president, A. S. FRAZER, cashier.
Factories and Employees:
J. P. & W. P. Chew, newspaper, 14 hands; N. F. Copenhaver,
lumber, 5; Upham & Clayton, .builders, wood work,
4; Leonard Smith & Co., linseed oil, 12; The Xenia Paper-Mill Company,
brown paper, 25; The Field Cordage Company, 183; The Xenia Twine and Cordage
Company, 94; Hoover & Allison Cordage, etc., 111.—State Report 1887. Population
in 1880, 7026. School census in 1886, 2107: Edwin B. COX,
superintendent. Xenia is sometimes termed “the Twine City;” its
three twine factories are said to be the largest west of the Alleghenies.
In Xenia are two extensive gunpowder companies
which do a large business—the Miami Powder Company, whose mills are on
the railroad five miles north of the city, and King's Great Western Powder
Company, whose works are near Foster's Crossings on the Little Miami.
THE. POWDER MILL EXPLOSION.
Notwithstanding the care taken the
history of all powder works is marked by explosions of greater or, less
frequency. One of the heaviest of these occurred on the morning of March 1,
1886, at the works of the Miami Powder Company. Several had taken place at the
same works in the intervals of years. A large dry house containing 50,000
pounds of powder at this time exploded, from some undiscovered cause. It was
completely demolished; the fields about were strewn with débris,
none of it larger than a man's hand. A car to which a horse had been harnessed
could not be found; one of the large wheels was thrown to the other side of the
Miami river, 500 yards distance. Of three men at work
there the largest part found was a piece of backbone; other
fragments being scattered necessitated the gathering up of the remains in bags
and baskets. Part of an arm with other débris
was found at Oldtown, a distance of two miles. Houses
were injured and débris scattered for miles
away. The scene among the families of the employees who flocked to the ruins
was heartrending; as husbands, fathers
Page 703
and
brothers came out uninjured, their families gathered about them and wept tears
of joy. But to three women and their children the fathers and husbands came
not.
At Xenia every, building was badly shaken and
many, windows broken. The people rushed out of their houses into the
street fearing that the buildings were about to fall; while north of the city
could be seen an immense white cloud of smoke and débris
hanging over the scene of devastation. The cloud was photographed from Xenia.
Reports of the explosion were heard 100 miles distant. A house three miles from
the explosion was completely demolished and the covered bridge on the Yellow
Springs turnpike, half a mile distant, was blown in; while a number of people
in the vicinity were so prostrated by the shock that they were
confined to their beds for several days after.
THE
XENIA FLOOD.
In May, 1886, the southern and western parts of Ohio were
visited by perhaps the most severe storm or tornado known in the history of the
State. The destruction of property was very great throughout several counties,
but the greatest damage to life and property prevailed in Greene county, in and about Xenia.
On the evening of Friday, May 14, 1886, between 8 and 9
o'clock, a violent storm of wind, rain and hail struck Xenia and grew in
violence until about 12 O'clock. The wind came in a continual gale. At 10
o'clock the fire-bells rang an alarm, and the people came forth from their
houses to assist in the rescue of the unfortunate. Owing to the dense darkness
and the severity of the storm, they could only grope around and were not able
to do much. Above the roar of the elements came frantic cries for help.
It was found that Shawnee creek had burst its banks and was
rising at the rate of one foot in every five minutes. The stream became a
torrent and threatened to submerge the entire southern part of the town,
through which it passed; houses on its banks were most all swept from their
foundations or floated down the stream. The house of Aaron FERGUSON was carried
away and lodged against the Detroit street bridge,
where nine persons were rescued from it.
From this point to the Second street bridge
the flood swept everything in its way: The dwellings were mostly occupied by
poor people and the waters rose so rapidly that it was with the utmost
difficulty that any were rescued. Screams and cries for help came from every
quarter, and many acts of heroism were performed by the rescuers, ladders and
lanterns were procured to aid in the work, and huge bonfires kindled that the
workers might see.
Alongside the Springfield Railroad, in Barr's Bottoms, the
destruction was terrible; of twenty houses only three remained. The gas works
were flooded and coal-oil lamps were in use all over the town.
The flood seemed to start at a small culvert on the Little
Miami Railroad, where the water formed an immense lake rising to the top of the
embankment, when it suddenly broke through and swept down upon the town. In
some places where the houses were carried away the ground was washed as smooth
as a floor, leaving not a vestige of plank or timber.
It was prayer-meeting night in Xenia, and many people had
attended the meetings, leaving their children at home alone; the storm detained
them in the churches, but when they learned its disastrous results they rushed
forth in an agony of apprehension for the safety of their children, who had,
however, mostly been taken to places of safety by rescuing parties. Their
anguish while searching for the missing little ones was heartrending to see.
Strong men wept and women wrung their hands while rushing hither and thither,
and were filled with doubt, hope and dread.
A house containing Orin MORRIS and family was seen floating
down the stream, and the screams of the family could be heard above the roar of
the relentless
Page 703
waters. Then the house struck the solid masonry of a bridge, sank,
and all was still. Afterwards two of his children were saved.
Among many others whose heroic efforts saved many lives
that horrible night were six young men, named WATSON, TARBOX, BYRES, MORRIS,
PAXTON and EYLER. (The town of Xenia presented these young men with medals
commemorative of their bravery.)
BYRES made
three attempts to swim to the FERGUSON house (which lodged against the Detroit
street bridge) with a rope around his waist, but was
swept away each time by the swift current. Finally TARBOX succeeded in reaching
the house by going farther up stream and allowing the current to carry him
against the house, in which the family
was rescued, the house going to pieces just as
the last person was taken out.
A colored boy named BOOKER, who was rescued with his mother
from one of the buildings, could have saved himself but would not leave his
mother, whom he placed with great difficulty on top of some furniture; then
groping his way around, with the water up to his neck, he found a rope and
after great effort succeeded in
fastening the floating house to a tree, where the two remained until rescued.
Rev. Mr. YORKEY and Homer THRALL succeeded in rescuing Mrs. John BURCH from her
house; she was found with the water up to her neck, holding her baby above her
head.
The scene at the mayor's office next morning was a sad one;
here were brought the bodies of those who had lost their lives; some were in
night-clothes, having been swept away while in bed, others were partially
dressed. Side by side lay the bodies of the MORRIS family, seven in number. In
all them were twenty-three bodies, although the total number of lives lost was
about thirty, as other bodies were afterward found one or two miles below the
town, carried there by the powerful current. The dead included the young and
old, white and colored.
The mayor and city authorities took active measures for the
relief of the surviving sufferers, and aid was generously forthcoming from
other cities.
The loss of lives by this storm was confined to the town of
Xenia, but the loss of property extended throughout a large district of
territory into many counties. Railroad
bridges were destroyed and tracks washed away throughout may parts of
Southwestern Ohio. In Greene county nearly every
bridge in the county wag destroyed, while the pikes were so washed out that
access to Xenia was almost entirely cut off. The day after the flood the
correspondent of the Cincinnati
Commercial Gazette, from whose communication to that journal most of these
facts are gathered, was five hours going from Dayton to Xenia (16 miles), being
compelled to walk, make use of boat, farm wagons, railroads, hand-car and
carriage.
TRAVELLING
NOTES.
To have chats with old gentlemen has been
to me in my years of historic travel a great eat source of amusement and
instruction. Such grow mellow and sweet under the revival of memories of events
and characters of their early days. I always found they ran largely to
anecdote, and the humorous rather than the sad formed the burden of their talk.
In Xenia two elderly gentlemen ministered
to my entertainment—Dr. Geo. WATT and James E. GALLOWAY. The first named
was born in the county in 1820, was
surgeon in the One hundred and fifty-fourth Ohio, and is an invalid from an
injury to the spine, a direct result, of his love for the old flag
Feeding Joe Hooker's
Soldiers.—The first point of our talk was the passing of Joe Hooker's
army cows of some 30,000 men through
Xenia. They were on their way from the sea-board to the mountains of Georgia.
It was a mighty host, and it was days in passing; and these boys in blue had to
be fed. The whole town was alive in the good work, women busy cooking and all
ministering to the blue-coated host, a free offering of hospitality on the
altar of patriotism. Such were the scenes and the common sarcrifices
of that period in Ohio on the lines of transportation. It helped to ennoble the
people, but is one of those minor matters illustrating the spirit of the times
that rarely finds a place in formal history.
Indian
Anecdote.—The
Doctor's memory went back to the time “when the Indians were
about,” and so he told me this. About the year 1825 Father MAHIN, a local preacher of the Methodist church living
in the eastern part of the county, having lost his wife, and his children being
properly cared for, went as a self-supporting missionary to the Wyandot Indiana
near Upper Sandusky.
Page 705
He had a
mechanical turn and made himself especially useful in giving them, with moral
and religious instruction a knowledge of the arts of
civilized life, as blacksmithing, shoemaking and the like. I well remember a
scene occurring when I was about five years of age. Six Indians the first I
ever saw, came to my father's, having been sent to see why Father MAHIN, who
was at home on a visit, had not returned to them at the expected time, and if
needed to aid him in the journey.
My mother gave them their dinner and when they asked the way to Father
MAHIN'S she replied it was about a mile distant in a direct line and two miles
by the road. “I advise you,” she said, “to go by the road as you may
miss the way.” “What!” replied the leader “must Indian
keep out of the Woods? Indian get lost? Point to
Father's wigwam and tell what it like.” She pointed the direction and
gave instructions, and they set out across the fields, fences and woods, going
direct, as she afterward learned.
An Eccentric Character.—On the
preceding pages are amusing accounts of early times, in gig county, contributed
to our first edition by Thomas Coke WRIGHT, at the time county auditor. He was,
I think, the most eccentric as well as the most beloved man of his time in
Greene county, and when I knew him was about sixty
years of age. He was nearly six feet in stature, very fleshy, face florid; and
he was excessively deaf. His voice was light, pitched upon a high key, and he
was a complete specimen in his simplicity of a child-man, susceptible and
quickly responsive to every shade of emotion. At one moment speaking of
something sad, his face would put on the most lugubrious aspect, and his fine
high voice crying tones: then in a twinkling, as something droll flitted across
his memory which he would relate, there would come out a merry laugh. The
expression of big face when at rest was sad, as is usual with very deaf people
of strong social natures, being in this respect different from the blind, who
are generally It is because the first, by the use of vision, are constantly
reminded of
their
infirmity, while the last can have no conception of their great deprivation.
Mr. WRIGHT was indeed what they term ‘a character,’ one
worthy of the pen of a Dickens, and, like the Cheeryble
brothers, superabounding in benevolence and
sociality. He was a native of Virginia, and when a young man had been a teacher
under Father FINLEY, studied law, but becoming too deaf to
practice, the people gave him the position of county auditor He was a poor
accountant, but he got along with an assistant. His deficiencies made no difference,
his superabounding affection for everybody was such
that the plain farmers, irrespective of politics, would have given him any
office he wanted, he was such a warm friend to everybody and so anxious to do
everybody some good. He was a Republican, loved his old native Virginia, and
told me some excellent anecdotes illustrative of the affection some of the
old-time slave-holders had for their old servants, with whom they had begun
life as children playing together.
Dr. WATT related an
amusing incident of Mr. WRIGHT, who died shortly after the war, at an advanced
age. Said he: “A few years before his death, the late Dr. Joseph
TEMPLETON of Washington, Pa., but a former resident of Xenia visited here, and
the late Dr. S: MARTIN and myself were entertaining him. As we walked with him
to the railroad station we met Mr. WRIGHT. The two men, equally deaf, cordially
saluted each other, when this dialogue ensued:
Templeton.—Xenia has greatly improved since I left.
Wright – It is a great misfortune, but the best thing for
us is a short tin trumpet.
Templeton.—Some very fine business
blocks have been built.
Wright—I’d show you mine, but a tinner has it for a pattern while making a new one for a
friend.
Templeton.—Some of my old friends now
reside in very fine houses.
Wright.—I’ll have one made and send it
to you if you will give me your address.”
And in
twenty minutes' conversation,” continued Dr. WATT, “they got no
nearer. As we went on, Dr. TEMPLETON cordially, thanked us for waiting to let
him have such a pleasant conversation with his old friend Coke WRIGHT. Coming
back we met Mr. WRIGHT, who still more cordially thanked us for our patient
waiting, as he had not had such a pleasant chat for years.”
Mr.
GALLOWAY I found living in his rooms over some stores in the centre of the
town, alone among his books and papers and old-time relics. Among these, over
the door, were the horns of the last deer killed in Greene county.
The year of Mr. GALLOWAY’S birth I know not, but evidently it was so far
back that he must have been born in some cabin in the woods, or perhaps in one
near their leafy margins, among the girdled trunks of the skeleton monsters of
a once luxuriant forest.
The Bullet
Barometer.—His grandfather, James GALLOWAY, Sen., a native of
Pennsylvania, was the first settler in his part of the county. In 1797 he came
from Kentucky, and built a cabin on the Little Miami, near the site of the
Miami Powder Mills. During the revolutionary war he was in the service of the
United States in the capacity of hunter, to procure game for the army.
“My grandfather,” said he “was in the Blue Lick fight in
Kentucky and during the campaign of 1792 he was shot by the renegade Simon
GIRTY, whom he well knew. He had met GIRTY while on horseback going through the
woods face to face, who, perceiving that he was unarmed, said: “Now,
GALLOWAY, d--n you, I have got you,” and instantly fired three small
bullets into his body. GIRTY supposed he had killed him. Although in a fainting
condition, GALLOWAY wheeled his horse and made good his escape. One bullet
Page 706
passed through his shoulder and stopped in the
back of his neck. He carried it there for many years, and brought it with him
to Ohio. It was a great source of annoyance, which varied much with the state
of the weather. It served one useful purpose-acted as a barometer; so much so
that when anything important was to be done requiring good weather, the
neighbors would send to him to learn the prospect. Finally grandfather concluded that he must part
with his barometer; it was getting altogether too demonstrative. There was no
surgeon about, so one day he sent for a cobbler and seating, himself in his big
arm-chair the cobbler extracted it, using his shoe knife and awl.”
Having told me this, Mr. GALLOWAY took me
into his attic and brought out the identical old arm-chair in which his
grandfather had sat when the cobbler had turned surgeon. found
it the most comfortable of seats. It was hand-made, very strong, the wood maple
and hickory and a great deal of thought with faithful workmanship had gone into
its construction. The seat was very elastic. It consisted of a network of
deer-thongs covered with buckskin, so that it yielded gently to every varying
tack or movement of the person. The back slats were each curved with a due
regard to exactly fitting the part of the form leaning against it, the lowest
having, as it should, great curvature. The chair arms were a curiosity,
inasmuch as each terminated in a knob m which were cut
grooves to admit the spreading fingers of a sitter,
while resting in comfort.
Tecumseh Smitten, with Rebecca Galloway.—Having shown me the arm-chair, Mr. GALLOWAY gave
me some anecdotes of the great Indian chief. “TECUMSEH,”
TECUMSEH,” said he, “was a young man of
about thirty years when my grandfather first moved into Greene county. He lived
some fifteen or twenty miles away. They became great friends, TECUMSEH being a
frequent visitor. Whether the chief was attracted by friendship for grandfather
or his fancy for his daughter, my aunt Rebecca, was at first a matter of
conjecture; it was soon evident however, that he was smitten with the “
white girl “ but according to the Indian custom he made his advances to
the father, who referred him to his daughter.
Although TECUMSEH was brave in battle he
was timid in love, and it was a long time before he could get his courage up to
the sticking-point, which he did finally and proposed, offering her fifty
broaches of silver. She declined, telling him she did not wish to be a wild
woman and work like an Indian squaw. He replied that she need not work, as he
would make her a “great squaw.” Notwithstanding his rejection, he
ever remained friendly with the family.
Tecumseh on a Spree.—The books speak of TECUMSEH
having been a large man; but this, I can assure you was not so; he was but a
moderate-sized Indian. He was fond of “fire-water,” and would go on
a spree sometimes, when he would become very troublesome and provoking. On one
occasion, when at the shop of “Blacksmith” James GALLOWAY (a cousin
of my grandfather's who lived on the banks of Mad River), TECUMSEH, being on
one of his big “drunks,” became very insulting and annoying.
GALLOWAY grew angry, and being a very powerful man took him, much to his
disgust, and tied him up to a tree until he became more sober and quiet.
THE
SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' ORPHANS' HOME.
This noble institution of the
State is located at Xenia. The Home farm consists of 275 acres, and a healthful
site a mile southeasterly from the centre of the town and about three-quarters
from the depot of the Little Miami railroad.
The buildings consist of an administration building with
large dining-room attached, the two forming an Egyptian cross; twenty cottages,
ten on each side of the administration building, a school-home, chapel,
hospital, laundry, industrial building, engine room, gas houses and all necessary farm-buildings. The build-