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Source:
REMINISCENCES of
PIONEER DAYS in WOOD COUNTY
and the
MAUMEE VALLEY
Gathered from the papers and manuscripts of the late C. W. Evers
A PIONEER SCRAP BOOK
1909
[Pg. 46]
OLD TIME TRAGEDY
-----
Atrocious Murder of Summundewat, One of the Most Noble Chiefs of
the Wyandots
-----
IN his Log Cabin sketches
Mr. Evers gives the following description of the
murder of Summundewat, a Wyandot chief:
During the autumn of the year 1845, Summundewat a
Wyandot chief from the Sandusky Plains, with his daughter, her
husband, seven ponies, two colts, and five dogs, passed through
Portage township on their way to Turkeyfoot, Henry county, on their
annual fall hunt, and stopped a day or so in Portage township.
While here they visited Jacob Eberly's
blacksmith shop on the Portage river, one mile below the present
village of Portage, for the purpose of getting a knife and hatchet
made, and a gun-sight repaired.
In the employ of Eberly was a young man named
John Anderson, who was quite intimate with and kept the
company of one James Lyons, who lived with his widowed
mother, on the middle branch
[Pg. 47]
of the Portage. Lyons, who was considerably older than Anderson,
possessed all the elements of character for a desperado of the worst
type, and dark suspicions rested on him of counterfeiting and other
deviltries.
The Indians had with them two excellent coon dogs,
either of which could scent a coon tree without the trouble of
tracking the animal on the ground. During the visits of the
Indians at Eberly's shop, Lyons had tried to buy or
trade for these dogs, which he coveted very much, but without
success. Lyons and Anderson both visited the camp of
Summundewat, and by some means learned that the party had some
money.
Shortly after the Indians left for Turkeyfoot, where
they were to join another party from the Plains in a hunt. The
old chief and his little party had not been gone long, when Lyons
and Anderson
also left. Not many days after one of these men while passing down
the river was noticed to have with him Summundewat's coon dogs.
Old Benjamin Cox, who was familiar with
Indian habits, and could speak their language, remarked when he saw
the dogs that they must have been coaxed away, as no Indian would
sell his dogs at the beginning of the hunting season.
Not many days elapsed before a startling rumor reached
the settlement that Summundewat, the Indian preacher, and all his
party had been murdered, and on the following Sunday, while the few
scattering settlers along the river were assembled at quiet worship
at a little log school house where now is the town of Portage, a
party of Indians accompanied by a white trader from the Plains, and
led by a chief called Snake-bones, made their appearance, causing a
sensation and no little anxiety among the settlers.
Anderson Seized and Bound
After a brief halt and
short parley among themselves, and a few remarks with a man whom
they met, the Indians marched directly to the school house which
they quietly and almost unperceived, surrounded.
Anderson, who was in the school house, was
almost the first man to discover the dusky red men at the door, and
divined their purpose in an instant. He grew deadly pale and shook
as if awakening from a dream of horror. The chief singled out the
guilty man whom he had never seen before, with that unerring
certainty with which a dog tells his master. Anderson
was seized and bound. At that same moment, unconscious of his
danger (but with a presentiment as he afterward told, that for three
days and nights somebody or some shadow was pursuing him), Lyons
was one mile below on the river at Jacob Eberly's
shop, trying to induce him to shoe his mare, a splendid race mare,
the fleetest in the country, which Eberly did not care to do
as it was Sunday. Lyons presently left and passed down the
river to where Anderson lived, and waited some time for his
return, but of course waited in vain.
The settlers after learning of the terrible murder that
had been committed, and that the blood-stained perpetrators were
from their midst, became excited almost to frenzy. Not only because
of the cruel and revolting nature of the tragedy, but because it
exposed them to the fury and revenge of the exasperated red men, and
as may well be supposed gave every assistance in their power to give
the offenders over to the law, in order that their punishment might
appease the wrath of the savages.
Avenging Indians
Snake-hones had learned
where Lyons lived and thither he led his party, and with that
unerring certainty which had enabled him to follow the footsteps of
Lyons and Anderson, from the scene of the tragedy on
Turkeyfoot to Haskins settlement through unbroken forests and
[Pg. 48]
pathless prairies, and which seems almost an intuition, he soon
revealed in that secluded cabin the evidences of terrible guilt.
Mrs. Lyons lay on the bed feigning sickness. The chief
made a brief survey of the cabin, and, stooping lifted a puncheon
from the floor, and the two coon dogs sprung forth. He lifted
the bed clothing and beheld the bloody blankets of the ill-fated
Summundewat. The white spectators stood mute and aghast. In
another place they found the jerked venison and furs concealed, and
near by the ponies. They then retired; a short parley followed, and
that night a cordon of pickets guarded that lonely cabin. Twice the
two sisters of Lyons attempted to pass that line to warn
their guilty brother—twice they were sent back. Long after the
shades of night had gathered over all and nothing disturbed the
silence except the hum of the beetle or the song of the katydid, a
horseman was heard approaching, and the rider, Jim Lyons,
all unconscious of danger entered the cabin.
Lyons Captured Scarcely had the door closed on
his back ere the wary footsteps of the Wyandot chief were heard on
the threshold, and all of Lyons efforts to get his favorite
race mare were unavailing. She would have distanced all pursuers.
She was his tried and trusted friend in case of apprehension or
pursuit for crime. No telegraph or railways then to out speed
her. But no—he was a prisoner, his wily captors gave him no
chance of escape. He was bound hand and foot, and, with
Anderson, lodged in the jail at Napoleon, the crime having been
committed just within the Henry county line. The jail was a
log building, and shortly after, Lyons, Anderson, and
an Irishman confined on charge of murder, all escaped.
Anderson was afterwards through the influence of friends,
induced to give himself up under promise that he would turn state's
evidence. This was done under the belief by the settlers that
there was another and third party implicated in the crime, of whose
dangerous presence they desired to rid themselves.
And now, reader, would you like to hear a recital of
this dark deed of blood which even at this distant day makes one
shudder? If so, follow us through the
Confession of John Anderson
As has just been stated,
suspicion rested on a third party. That man was John
Ellsworth, who owned and lived on the farm now belonging to
John Z. Smith, in Liberty township. The confession of
young Anderson more than confirmed their worst suspicion. This
Ellsworth, who was a little past the prime of life, was one of
the most dangerous men of his time—a man who with a certain class of
people could gain a strong influence, capable of strong friendship
when it suited his purpose. Though professedly ignorant—so
much so that he never while here, was known to write his own name or
read a sentence, and yet he was one of the best educated of men.
It is said that he had, before he removed to the depths of the Black
Swamp, saved himself from the penitentiary on a charge of forgery by
proving by bribed witnesses that he could neither read nor write,
and in this state of ignorance he remained to the world about him,
to the last day of his residence in Wood county.
A Polished Villain
But long after, when all
old scores were outlawed, we hear of his occupying the Judge's bench
in one of the Western States, to which he emigrated, and to which
position he was elected. He was of fine address and plausible
demeanor, yet no man more cunning in devising deep laid plots of
deviltry and crime, and at the same time keeping his own skirts
clear of the consequences. He was
[Pg. 49]
several times apprehended and imprisoned, but each time managed to
break jail and get the damaging testimony disposed of, and in some
way escape the law, while those of whom he had made tools would
suffer the severe penalty. In fact he was supposed to be at
the head of a gang of counterfeiters, horse thieves and robbers. The
route of the Indians to Turkeyfoot led a little north of
where Ellsworth lived.
Anderson stated that he and Lynns
followed the trail until they got in the vicinity of where
Ellsworth lived when they went to see him.
As soon as he learned that the Indians had money, he
volunteered to go along with them, and during the journey he
Planned the Murder and Robbery
But when they reached a
point near the Indians he suddenly stopped and said, "Boys, I can go
no further. I am already resting under suspicion, and if this job is
done, I will be the first man called upon to prove my whereabouts.
I will go back and keep watch of matters until you return with the
plunder, which is now to be had for the taking." Ellsworth
went home and Lyons and Anderson went to the camp of the
Indians, where they were well treated. The Indians, said Anderson,
seemed to be suspicious of some impending evil. They were
wakeful and restless at night, so much so that no opportunity
offered to take their lives, until finally on the third day, under
pretext of trying to find the other party of Indians, they broke up
camp and moved about two miles; well had it been for them had they
never slopped until they had found the other party.
Lyons and Anderson followed at a
distance, blazing trees as they went, marking the route.
That night they again made their appearance at the
Indian camp, pretending to be lost, tired and hungry. They were
kindly received, and the poor woman
busied herself in getting them something to eat, and spreading some
blankets for their bed.
By previous arrangement, Lyons was to kill
Summundewat and Anderson was to kill the husband of the woman
and then dispatch the woman. The Indians
had been broken of their rest so much that sleep soon overcame them.
A Crime of Horror
At a prearranged signal,
each of the white men sunk his hatchet in the head of the sleeping
men. The poor woman sprang to her feet and implored
Anderson's mercy in such pitiful terms, that he hesitated.
Humanity had not entirely forsaken his breast; his arm faltered.
Said he, I could not strike that woman who had treated us so kindly
and never had done me harm. Lyons upbraided him with a terrible oath
for being chicken-hearted, and with one blow of his hatchet struck
her to the earth never to rise again. They dragged the bodies a
short distance and covered them beside a log. They then proceeded to
gather up the effects of the murdered people, and lastly the ponies,
as they were now in unite a hurry to hasten away.
So far all had gone well with them; no human eye was
witness to the deed they had done. The depths of the lonely forest
far, far from any settlement or habitation, was a fitting and safe
place for such a crime. Safe—did we say? — no. not safe.
There is an Eye that notes the fall of the sparrow, and numbers the
hairs of our head. There is a Power to avenge blood beyond the ken
of man. There are witnesses of all our thoughts and actions
when we least suspect them. Sometimes it seems as if an
overruling Hand directs mute, dumb witnesses to testify.
Just as the murderers were catching the ponies lo leave, after
having, as they supposed, destroyed all evidence of crime,
[Pg. 50]
occurred the circumstance which revealed all. Two colts that were
not tethered and that followed the ponies, were very wild and fled
at the approach of the white men. They could not be driven or coaxed
to follow, but remained about the place whinnying and making a great
fuss.
The Crime Revealed
It so happened that the
other hunting party from the Plains arrived about this time and
passed not. far from the place, and the noise made by the colts was
heard by them, and the ponies of the Indians answered the rail of
the colts, and the colts soon after joined and followed them. This
was the first intimation to the hunters that they were in the
neighborhood of the Summundewat party. Still they heard no guns and
saw nothing of them. They felt certain, however, that they could not
be far off, since the colts would not otherwise be there.
After a day or so one of the hunters took the trail of
the colts, and following hack a short distance, came to the deserted
camp. He soon became satisfied that there was something wrong and
reported at his camp. A number of hunters went with him and they
soon found the bodies of the murdered people, and with the pursuits
and results as before told. Anderson stated that not far from
Ellsworth's house the crafty old villain met them and
inquired. What luck? On being told what they had done, he
said, How much money? They produced it; he took it, and after
looking at it said, "Boys this is no place to count money, we
will meet again;" and that was the last they saw or heard of the
illgotten gold and silver.
Ellsworth Involved
The confession of Anderson
implicating Ellsworth intensified public feeling to fever
heat, and the officers of the law were soon after him in hot haste,
but they were too late. He had gone. Rewards were offered, and
he was handbilled, and finally was discovered and arrested in an out
of the way town in one of the western states, but soon made his
escape, and finally after Lyons and Anderson were out
of reach, he boldly presented himself for trial, and of course went
unconvicted and unpunished.
Anderson told how they made their escape from
jail, which was built, of solid square timber. With an iron poker
they succeeded, by long perseverance, in burning a log of timber
overhead, filling up the marks of their work with bread so as to
avoid detection. On the night set for the escape, they
discovered that Lyons, who was a large, full built man, could
not work his body through the hole in the ceiling, but he had a will
equal to the emergency. He sent Anderson through into
the loft. Then stripping off all his clothes, he pushed them
through, after which he thrust his body into the hole where he
stood, as if he had been wedged. Then commanding Anderson
to pull up and the Irishman to push up, he went through after much
labor and excruciating torture, leaving a part of his skin on the
rough, jagged edges of the timber.
Anderson was last heard of in
Indiana, where to all who ever knew him he vanished forever, nor has
search or inquiry ever been able to even get the faintest clue to
him.
Ellsworth, as before stated, went
west and wore the ermine of a judge, whether worthily or unworthily
is a question we leave to our readers.
Lyons Lynched
Lyons finally came
to the surface in California at a court organized by Judge Lynch,
accused of a diabolical murder and robbery. He confessed his
guilt, also to his true name, and confessed to having murdered eight
men. He was hung to the limb of a tree, and his execu-
[Pg. 51]
tion closed the chapter of the trio of blood-stained men, who
enacted a dark tragedy which produced a state of excitement never
equalled since civilization began in the "Black Swamp."
In this connection the editor of the Henry County
Signal, who was well acquainted with the murdered chief, "Summundewat
was one of the most enlightened and noble chiefs of the
Wyandot nation, and was not only hold in high estimation by his own
people, but by all the whites that were acquainted with him as well.
He had been converted to the Protestant religion, and was a Leading
member in the Methodist church of that nation. He was always a
firm friend of the whites, and used his endeavors to maintain peace
and friendly relations between his people and the 'Pale Faces' at
that day. His murder caused great excitement among the Indians and
the whites at his old home, and quite a number of the latter took
their guns and assisted in ferreting out the murderers. These
men insisted on staying and guarding the prisoners after their
arrest, until court convened, fearing that they would be permitted
to escape, hut after some time were prevailed to Leave them to the
keeping of the jailor, and we know that the escape of Summundewat's
murderers was connived at, end permitted by those who had them in
custody."
LOGICAL REASONS
-----
Both Historical and Sentimental, Given by C. W. Evers Why Toledo
Should Be the
Place for Holding the Ohio
-----
IT will be remembered that
preparations were being made to hold the commemorative centenary of
Ohio's admission into the Union, al Toledo instead of Columbus, in
1903. Mr. Evers, at that time gave the following
lucid points as
to why Toledo should be selected without question:
If historical sentiment has anything to do with it.
Toledo is the place.
Toledo is not only the proud metropolis of this
section, favored by the proximity of river, bay, lake, islands and
numerous railway arteries of travel and commerce, but she is rich in
surrounding historic associations which inspire patriotic sentiment
in the breast of every
In the Mad Race
For empire later on,
between Gaul and
Smoke of Deadly Conflict
Made Night Hideous
Most Thrilling Episodes
"Turkey Foot" Rock
Wayne's Daring Scouts
Veritable River Styx
From All Border Settlers
Kan-Tuck-E-Gun
INDIANS FOILED
-----
In Vain Did the Strategy of the Red Hostiles Succeed the Wayne
-----
NO sooner had Wayne's
column begun its line of march through the wilderness than hostile
warriors assailed the troops at every opportunity- hung on their
flanks, attacked the rear guard, planned ambuscades and by every
stratagem tried to draw the army into their deadly toils as they had
done with Harmar and St. Clair, but in every
attempt they were foiled. They always met a warm reception whenever
or wherever they attacked the American line. — C. W. E.
PIONEER FAMILIES
-----
That Settled on the Site of Bowling Green
The Martindales and Others
-----
IN October, 1832, Elisha
Martindale entered 40 acres of land directly west of and joining the
present fair grounds, and put up a stack of wild hay at a point
about due west of the floral hall, and on I he west, side of (he
present. Haskins road, where the great willow tree stood, and
long known as the Clinton Pay place. That was the first land
entry in the present limits of Bowling Green as shown by the
records.
In the spring of 1833 Martindale brought, his
family, and a few household effects out from Maumee, crossing the
river on the ice and following, much of the way, the old army trail
until he reached the cabin of a settler named Wilson on the
ridge on the Haskins road, where the family stayed until a cabin
could be built, except the two girls, Louisa, who later
became Mrs. Van Tassel and later Thurstin
and Eliza Jane, who married Warren Gunn;
they were taken over to the Portage settlement and left with a
family named Jaques until the cabin was ready.
Mr. Martindale, who was a man of restless
energy, was nothing discouraged to find his stack of prairie hay had
gone up in smoke in a big prairie fire late in the fall, started
likely by Indians on their hunting excursions, but went right to
work and in less than four weeks had a cabin 18x24 with "shake"
roof, ready and his family moved in. They got a supply of meat, from
Wilson, who, with a hunter named Decker, took their pick from
the bands of wild hogs that fattened on nuts and acorns in the vast
forests. The girls were brought home, a shelter was made for
the cow, a well dug and Bowling Green's pioneer family was settled
in their new home. It was paid for and all their own.
Soon alter they had got settled the oldest girl,
Sally, arrived, bringing with her a gingham dress pattern and
other fixings for a dress suit. In a few days William
Hecox, a young man from Maumee, came with a license, and
Squire Elijah Huntington, of Perrysburg, on April
15, 1833, solemnized the first marriage in Bowling Green.
The only neighbors, the Wilsons, were invited,
also four friends from the mission station on the Maumee. When the
young bride left the humble cabin that day on horseback sitting
behind her husband on the same horse, there was no rice or
second-hand shoes to throw after her; those articles were scarce
then.
Other cabins followed among them that of Alfred
Thurstin, in the year, 1833, who entered land and built a
cabin just east of the present Reed & Merry block. —C.
W. E. in Wood County Tribune.
[PICTURE of TECUMSEH]
TECUMSEH
Prominent Chief of the Turtle Tribe of Indians - Killed October 5,
1813
[Pg. 57]
PETER MANOR
-----
How He Was Remembered by His Adopted Father, the Indian Chief
Tondoganie
-----
PETER MANOR came to
the river to reside in the year 1808. He had been here prior
to that time but not to settle, and he had most likely acquired a
knowledge of the locality through his connection with some of the
French Canadian exploring parties, for at a much earlier period they
had made their way up the Maumee river and carried their canoes from
the head waters of the Maumee to the Wabash and passed down that
river to the Ohio. Manor was adopted by the Indian chief
Tondoganie and by the treaty at the foot of the Rapids of the
Miami of the Lake, concluded Sept. 29, 1817, his adopted father
caused a section of land to be granted to his son.
The treaty says it was granted at the special request
of the Ottawas. The grant is in these words: "To
Sa-wan-de-bans, or the Yellow Hair or Peter Manor, an
adopted son of Tondoganie or the Dog, and at the
special request of the Ottawas, out of the tract reserved by the
treaty of Detroit, in 1807, about Roche De Boeuf, at the village of
the said Dog, a section of land to contain 640 acres, to be
located in a square form, on the north side of the Miami at the Wolf
Rapid." This land was within the original limits of Wood
county.
It was Manor who saved the settlers at the foot of the
Rapids from the horhors of massacre by the Indians. He
learned of the surrender of Hull from an Indian runner, and
that the Indians would come in three days' time and would massacre
all the Yankees in the valley * * Manor lost
no time in making this known to the settlers, and they fled, but not
too soon, for they heard the yells of the savages, and saw the smoke
of their log houses as they passed down the river in their frail
bark. Thus tragically ended the first settlement within the
limits of Wood county, and the space vacated by the destruction of
their houses became the theatre of war, always dreadful, but
revolting when carried on by a savage fee, and still more so, when
those claiming to be Christians, use the savage scalping knife.
LITTLE TURTLE
-----
The Wisest Indian Diplomat, Remained Faithful to the Greenville
Treaty
-----
IN making the Greenville
treaty, Gen. Wayne, who was a pretty skillful, farsighted
diplomatist, nearly found his match in some of the Indian chiefs who
displayed wonderful tact and crude statesmanship. Especially
was this true of Little Turtle, whose skill, tenacity and
faithfulness in trying to guard the rights of all the tribes, won
encomiums even from the enemies. It may be further said
of this Indian and of his tribe, the Miamis, that after the treaty
was signed they always remained faithful friends the Americans.
The same can not be said of some of the other tribes, especially the
Shawanees, a portion of whom, under Tecumseh and his brother,
turned against the Americans in the war with England in 1812.— C.
W. E.
----------
Wapakoneta was the home of Tecumseh and Logan,
the famous Shawanese chief, was a nephew of Tecumseh, his
mother being a sister of that distinguished Indian warrior.
[Pg. 58]
ELOQUENCE OF
TECUMSEH
-----
His Forcible Address to Gen Proctor in Behalf of His Warriors
-----
WHEN Proctor began to make
preparations to retreat from Malden, the quick eye of Tecumseh
soon detected it. He called his warriors about him and in
their behalf addressed Proctor as follows:
"Father, listen to your children! You have them
now all before you. The war before this, our British father
gave the hatchet to his red children, when our old chiefs were
alive. They are now dead. In that war our father was
thrown on his back by the Americans; and our father took them by the
hand without our knowledge; and we are afraid that our father will
do so again this time.
"Summer before last when I came forward with my red
brethren, and was ready to take up the hatchet in favor of our
british father, we were told not to be in a hurry, that he had not
yet determined to fight the Americans. Listen! When war
was declared, our father stood up and gave us the tomahawk, and told
us that he was then ready to strike the Americans' that he wanted
our assistance, and that he would certainly get our land back, which
the Americans had taken from us.
"Listen! When we were last at the Rapids, it is
true we gave you little assistance. It is hard to fight people
who live like groundhogs. Father, listen! Our fleet has gone
out; we know they have fought; we have heard the great guns; but we
know nothing of what has happened to our father with one arm.
(Commodore Barclay, who had lost an arm in some
previous battle.) Our ships have gone one way, and we are much
astonished to see our father tying up every thing and preparing to
run away the other, without Letting his red children know what his
intentions are. You always told us to remain here and take
care of our lands, it made our hearts glad to hear that was your
wish. Our great father, the king, is the head, and you
represent him. You always told us you would never draw your
foot off British ground; but now, father, we see that you are
drawing hack, and we are sorry to see our father doing so without
seeing the enemy. We must compare our father's conduct to a
fat dog, that carries its tail on its back, but when affrighted,
drops it between its legs and runs off. Father, listen!
The Americans have not yet defeated us by land; neither are we sure
that they have done so by water; we, therefore, wish to remain here
and fight our enemy, should they make their appearance. If
they defeat us, we will then retreat with our father.
"At the battle of the Rapids (Wayne's) in the last war,
the Americans certainly defeated us; and when we returned to our
father's fort at that place, the gates were shut against us.
We were afraid that it would now be the case; but instead of that,
we now see our British father preparing to march out of his
garrison. Father, you have not the arms and ammunition which
our great father sent for his red children. If you have an
idea of going away, give them to us, and you may go and welcome, for
us."
Shortly after the delivery of this speech a
considerable body of Indians abandoned General Proctor, and crossed
the strait to the American shore. — C. W. E.
----------
The coldest day on record
in this county was January 26, 1873, when the mercury stood 30
degrees below zero.
Gen. LeBaum, in 1780 attempted to capture
Fort Wayne, known then as Kekionga. hut was defeated and his entire
command massacred.
TECUMSEH DESCRIBED
-----
By Gen. Leslie Combs of Kentucky, as He Saw Him
-----
GEN. LESLIE COMBS,
in a letter to the Historical Record in 1871, gives the following
description of the noted Indian Chief, Tecumseh:
You ask me for a description of the celebrated
Indian warrior, Tecumseh, from my personal observation. I answer
that I never saw the great chief but once, and then under rather
exciting circumstances, but I have a vivid recollection of him from
his appearance, and from intercourse with his personal friends, I am
possessed of an accurate knowledge of his character.
I was, as you know, one of the prisoners taken at what
is known as Dudley's defeat on the banks of the Maumee river,
opposite Fort Meigs, early in May, 1813. Tecumseh had
fallen upon our rear, and we were compelled to surrender. We
were marched down to the old Fort Miami or Maumee, in squads, where
a terrible scene awaited us.
The Indians, fully armed with guns, war clubs and
tomahawks—to say nothing of scalping knives, had formed themselves
into two lines in front of the gateway between which all of us were
bound to pass. Many were killed or wounded in running the
gauntlet. Shortly after the prisoners had entered, the Indians
rushed over the walls and again surrounded us, and raised the
war-whoop, at the same time making unmistakable demonstrations of
violence. We all expected to be massacred, and the small
British guard around us were utterly unable to afford protection.
They called loudly for General Proctor and Colonel Elliot to
come to our relief. At this critical moment Tecumseh came rushing
in, deeply excited, and denounced the murderers of prisoners as
cowards. Thus our lives were spared and we were sent down to
the fleet at the mouth of Swan Creek (now Toledo) and from that
place across the end of the lake to Huron and paroled.
I shall never forget the noble countenance, gallant
bearing and sonorous voice of that remarkable man, while addressing
his warriors in our behalf.
He was then between forty and forty-five years of age.
His frame was vigorous and robust, but he was not fat, weighing
about one hundred and seventy
pounds. Five feet ten inches was his height, lie had a high,
projecting forehead, and broad, open countenance; and there was
something noble and commanding
in all his actions. He was brave, humane and generous, and never
allowed a prisoner to be massacred if he could prevent it. At Fort
Miami he saved the
lives of all of us who had survived running the gauntlet. He
afterwards released seven Shawanese belonging to my command, and
sent them, home on parole.
Tecumseh was a Shawanese. His name signified in their
language, Shooting Star. At the time when I saw him he
held the commission of a Brigadier General in the British army. I am
satisfied
that he deserved all that was said of him by General Cass
and Governor Harrison,
previous to his death.
--------------------
The names of the settlers who located within the limits
of Wood county, prior to 1810, so far as can be ascertained, are
Maj. Amos Spafford, Andrew Race, Thomas Learning. Halsey W.
Learning, James Carlin, Win. Carter, George Blalock. James Slawson,
Samuel H. Ewing, Jesse Skinner. David Hull, Thomas Dick, William
Peters, Ambrose Hickox, Richard Gifford; these all resided
within a radius of five miles of the foot of the rapids.
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