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History of Marion County, Ohio
CONTAINING
A HISTORY OF THE COUNTY; ITS TOWNSHIPS, TOWNS, CHURCHES,
SCHOOLS, ETC.; GENERAL AND LOCAL STATISTICS; MILITARY
RECORD; PORTRAITS OF EARLY SETTLERS AND PROMINENT MEN;
HISTORY OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY;
HISTORY OF OHIO; MISCELLANEOUS
MATTERS, ETC. ETC.
~ILLUSTRATED~
CHICAGO:
LEGGETT, CONAWAY & CO.
1883.
PART IV.
CHAPTER I.
EARLIER WARS
pg. 441
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
Although the war of the Revolution took place long before
Marion County or even Ohio, was settled, this heading is
introduced here to give place to a few notices of Revolutionary
soldiers who have lived in this county. It is to be
regretted that a complete list is unobtainable.
Frazier Gray - In the Union Graveyard at Scott
Town, there stands a stone over the remains of Frazier Gray,
a soldier of the Revolution. He enlisted in the Delaware
Continentals, and served as one of the "Blue Hen's Chickens"
until the conclusion of the war, without receiving a wound.
He returned to Delaware with his disbanded comrades, and resided
there until 1839, when he joined his sons, George and
Samuel, in this county. He was with his regiment on
the Hudson at the time Maj. André
was captured, and was
one of the soldiers who guarded him while in confinement, and
stood near the gallows when the Major was hung. He related
the occurrence, from a soldier's point of view, about as
follows:
"André
was well and neatly dressed,
was polite and courteous in his manners, never betraying the
least emotion, and when on the scaffold he made a beautiful
speech, full of loyalty to his King, and denying any intention
of acting as a spy. He claimed that, under the
circumstances, he ought not to be hung; but if death was
inevitable, a soldier's death, by shooting, should be ordered.
As his last appeal met with no response, he turned to the
officer near him, and with smiles on his face signified his
readiness to die in any way for his King and country."
Mr. Gray knew Gen. Washington, and had
conversed with him. One occasion was this: Mr.
Gray, with a few others of the "Blue Hen's chickens," were
out of the lines one day collecting chestnuts.
Washington and his Orderly rode near, and the former called
Mr. Gray to him. "What are you doing there?" asked
the General. "Gathering some nuts, sir," replied Mr.
Gray, "by permission." "It is right, then," rejoined
Washington, "but remember, green chestnuts are very
unwholesome. Be careful and not eat too many, for we
cannot spare any Delaware men," and with a regular military
salute the General rode away.
Mr. Gray died suddenly, free from pain and
disease, in 1849, at the age of eighty-nine years.
Maj. Pangburn, an early resident of Big Island,
was also a veteran of the Revolution.
Joshua Van Fleet, a Revolutionary soldier, and
an early settler of Big Island Township, emigrated to America
when twelve years of age, and when fourteen enlisted in the war,
serving the last three years. He was a Representative of
the New York Legislature, and was a member of the committee that
drafted a bill, which became a law, abolishing slavery in that
State. He also served as Judge of the County Courts.
In 1832, he came to Big Island Township, where he died Jan. 8,
1849, aged eighty-four.
[Pg. 442]
Johiah Wilcox, father of Hira Wilcox, an
early settler in Waldo, was a Colonel in the Revolutionary war,
and subsequently brevetted Brigadier General, and was a member
of Washington's staff. He had charge of Gen. Washington's
body-guard in the march on Trenton.
Mr. Clark, who settled in Richland Township
among the first pioneers, was a soldier in the Revolutionary
war. His son, Israel Clark, was one of the pioneer
school teachers of Marion.
John Irey, another Revolutionary soldier, came
from Loudon County, Va., to Claridon Township, in 1830, and died
in 1838. WAR OF 1812
From 1811 to 1814, was an exciting war period in this country.
There were a few settlers within the present limits of Marion
County, especially near the southern boundary and in Big Island
Township; but at this distance of time, it is difficult to
obtain anything like completeness, either in the catalogue of
those of this community who took part in that war, or in the
part taken by any citizen. There are but few rolls now on
file at the Adjutant General's office, and from these can be
gleaned but little history. Almost every citizen within
the limits of the county who was a military subject at that
time, was in the service at some time during the war. The
chief character from this region was not a resident of Marion
County at that time having located just south but adjoining the
Greenville treaty line. We refer to
Capt. William S. Drake, who took a company to Lake Erie.
On starting out, they encamped the first night on "Battle Run,"
about four miles from Marion on the Waldo road. The
Captain told some of the men that if there should be an alarm of
Indians during the night, they should run to their homes, to
protect them, and he likewise ordered them to "sleep upon their
arms." The men lay down to rest, and the Captain, desiring
to have some fun, slipped out of camp into the woods during the
night, fired off his gun and screamed "Indians! Indians!"
The confusion in the little camp was tremendous. Some of
the men who had not heard all the instructions endeavored to
form for a fight, while the others, according to orders, made
all possible speed for their homes. Nathaniel Brundige,
a well-known pioneer, was one of those who started for his home,
not knowing the true source of the alarm. Supposing that
he had been asleep but a few minutes, he took the moon for his
guide, but had really slept several hours, and his guide took
him from home instead of toward it, and after going about ten
miles he came out at Radnor. Drake afterward begged
Mr. Brundige's pardon.
Capt. Drake, seeing the bad effect of his
stratagem, called out to his men that he had raised the alarm in
sport, but the harder he yelled the faster the scared men ran.
Finally, he rallied the most of his men and proceeded on his
march, reaching his destination and rendering good service at
Sandusky.
The terror caused by Drake's fleeing men spread
all over the settlements. Goods were hastily packed up and
the teams driven off at the top of their speed. One
family, in their flight to Worthington, lost a little boy, two
or three years old, from the wagon, and gave him up as a
sacrifice; but he was found, and lived for many years in the
western part of Delaware County. The fugitives fled
through the Delaware, and men were quickly raised to help defend
the border against the Indians; but upon arriving at
MEXICAN WAR
[Pg. 443]
Norton, the true state of the case was learned. The settlers at Norton
were busily engaged at their usual labor.
Capt. William S. Drake, was the father of the
late Daniel S. Drake. He was a jovial, fun-loving man, and he
never dreamed that his little plan for fun would have such serious results.
While Capt. Drake and his men were quartered at
the site selected for Fort Finley, Fort Meigs was besieged by the British
and Indians. They could hear the roar of the cannon, and judged a
severe battle was taking place. He became very uneasy as to the
result, and called for two volunteers to approach the fort and learn the
cause of the cannonading. Orderly Sergt. McCalley and James
Shafer, the fifer, offered to go. They jumped into a canoe, or
"dugout," and descended the river. On arriving within sight of the
fort, the British fired on them, but they rowed rapidly along, hoisting a
flag of truce, and entered the fort. They carried a letter from
Capt. Drake to Gen. Harrison, and desired to return, but were
detained because the woods were full of Indians and British. The next
day a force was sent out to scour the woods in search of the enemy.
McCalley accompanied the force, and was wounded in the ankle and fell;
and while expecting to lose his scalp, a mounted Kentuckian rode up and
offered his horse, and assisted him to mount. By his means he reached
the fort, and lived to return home, and afterward drew a pension of $18 a
year as long as he lived.
In the absence of the Captain, his family took shelter
at night in Fort Morrow, in what is now the southern part of Waldo Township,
on what is known as the old Wyatt farm.
Jacob Walters, father of J. C.
Walters, of Scott Township, and the Jesse Walker, who used to
live about four miles south of Marion, where soldiers in the war of 1812.
Mr. Walters died in 1855, and was buried in the cemetery at Sandusky.
Mr. Walker died at his home, south of Marion, a number of years ago.
Benjamin Riley, of Green Camp Township, and
Adam Hines, of Backus' command, were also soldiers of 1812.
The latter was buried in the Underwood Graveyard, in Claridon Township.
William Arnold, formerly of Waldo Township, was
on Lake Erie the day of Perry's victory.
Capt. Flinn was wounded by Indians north of
Marion, while on his way from Detroit. He subsequently died at
Fort Morrow, Waldo Township.
William Wilfley was also wounded by the Indians,
near Upper Sandusky, and died at Wyatt's tavern. Maj.
Daniels, from Chillicothe, was wounded at the same time, but recovered.
The foregoing, with others, numbering thirteen in all,
were buried in Wyatt's Graveyard.
Jacob Rice, a teamster in the war of
1812, and with Gen. Harrison during his campaign, settled in
Caledonia, where he was a charter member of the first Masonic Lodge, and
died, at the age of ninety-three years, probably the oldest Mason in the
State.
Bruce Packard, who lost an arm in the battle of
Lundy's Lane, settled in the wilds of this county about 1820, or soon after,
cleared a farm and cultivated it - using the ax, plow, hoe, etc., and doing
all kinds of farm work, with one hand. He raised a large family.
William Patten, a local minister, and a veteran
of the war of 1812, settled near Prospect in 1822.
[Pg. 444]
Capt. John Vanmeter, one of the earliest
settlers of Grand Prairie Township, was an officer in that war.
Thomas Pugh, deceased, formerly a resident of
Prospect, was a soldier of 1812.
Last, but greatest in respect to age, is Robert
Cratty, in Prospect Township, still living, at the age of ninety-nine
years.
Soldiers of the war of 1812 whose remains now lie
buried in the Marion Cemetery: A. Sorrick, Heman Scott, Maj. George
H. Busby, Josiah Copeland, Simon Huggins and Calvin Barnett.
MEXICAN WAR, 1846-47.
This war took place under the administration of
James K. Polk, a Democratic President, at a time when the majority of
Marion County's citizens were Whigs, and consequently had but little
sympathy for that fight. For that war, the State of Ohio furnished
four regiments of infantry, of ten companies each, besides a
number of organizations of the cavalry and artillery arms. There were
probably sixty or seventy companies in all, but there is only one muster
roll on file at the military headquarters of the State. Probably no
organized squad went from Marion County. One man at a time volunteered
- probably less than a dozen, joining companies raised elsewhere.
Robinson Stevens enlisted from this county in
the regular army, and at the breaking-out of the Mexican war became a
Lieutenant, and served through the war. He now lies buried in Green
Camp Cemetery.
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