|
The earliest known occupation of the
territory now embraced within the limits of the State of Ohio,
by any collective body of white men, was by the French in
1680. From that time until the conquest of Canada by the
English, French traders were scattered throughout the
territory, having a post, station or "store" at almost every
Indian town.
English traders first made their appearance in the Ohio
country in 1699 - 1700. From that time until 1745, we
frequently hear of them at various towns and stations.
In 1745 they built a small fort or block house among the
Hurons on the north side of Sandusky bay. In 1748 they
were driven off by a party of French soldiers from Detroit.
Prior to 1763 the English in Ohio were very few in comparison
to the French. Up to the period of the American
revolution thousands of French and English traders had passed
into the Ohio country. It is impossible to determine how
many lived there at any one time. At some villages there
was but one or two traders, at others ten, twenty, and
sometimes as many as fifty. For the most part the
traders were married to squaws and had children by them.
In rare cases, white women accompanied their husbands on
trading excursions, which generally lasted for months.
This was because the savages preferred to trade and barter
with those connected with their people by marriage. We
have heard of but two instances where traders had white wives
living with them in Indian villages. (*) We have no
information that would throw light upon the object of this
paper, (which is to ascertain, if possible, the date of birth
of the first white child born in Ohio) from any of the French
or English occupants of Ohio prior to the peace of 1763.
White children were doubtless born unto some of the many
traders in Ohio before 1763, and yet there is no evidence that
such was the fact. It is possible that among the French,
English or Canadian archives there may be records that would
enlighten up upon the subject, but nothing has appeared thus
far.
The information we possess is so meagre and perhaps
unsatisfactory, that the object of the query, "who was the
first white child born in Ohio?" may still remain as
heretofore, "a simple matter of conjecture," but we
-------------------------------------------
(*) These were a man named - Henry, (brother of
Judge Henry, of Lancaster, Pa.), who was domiciled on the
Scioto, as a Shawnese village called "Chelokraty," and Richard
Conner, a Maryland trader, who lived on the Scioto at
Pickaway. Both these men exercised great influence among
the Shawnese. Mr. Henry was living among them as early
as 1768, and married a white woman, who, when a child, had
been taken captive. We do not know whether they had
children born to them in Ohio, but it is likely they did, for
Henry continued on the Scioto for many years, and amassed a
fortune there.
In 1770, Mr. Conner, who had lived among the Western
Indians as a trader for years, married a young white woman,
captive among the Shawnese at Pickaway. In 1771 a male
child was born unto in all probability the birth occurred at
Pickaway on the Scioto. In 1774, agreeably to the treaty
of Fort Pitt, all whites residing among the Shawnese were
delivered up at the post. Among these were Mr. Conner
and wife, but the Shawnese held back their son. The same
year Mr. and Mrs. Conner went to reside with the Moravians at
Shoenbrun, O., Mr. Conner having obtained permission from the
American Commandant at Pittsburg, went to the Scioto in search
of his son. He left Mrs. Conner at Shoenbrun. In
the spring he returned without his child, having made a
fruitless search at the Shawnese towns. During the year
1776, Mr. Conner made a second search after his boy and
finally found him, and succeeded in purchasing his ransom.
Mrs. Conner afterwards had children at Shoenbrun, though we
are without dates.
< Page 2> |
