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Union and Mandrake lanes where the Indians used to cross. They swam their horses.

In 1802, a man killed a bear with his hoe on Water street, near the Light House.

 

1804.

MILITARY ELECTION AND REMONSTRANCE.

"To Elijah Wadsworth Maj. Genl. 4th Division:

Agreeable to General orders, the Qualified Electors of the fourth Company district, in the second Brigade, of the fourth Division of the Ohio Militia; met a the house of James Kingsbery, Esq., at eleven o'clock forenoon, and maid choice of three Judges and a clerk, and when duely sworn proceded and made choice of Lorenzo Carter Captain, and Nathaniel Doan Lieutenant, and Samuel Jones Ensign for sd Company given under our hands and seals at Cleveland Trumble county ; this seventh day of May one thousand eight hundred and four.

James Kingsbery

Nathaniel Doan

Benjamin Gold,{Judges of the Election."}

REMONSTRANCE.

"To Elijah Wadsworth, Major General of the 3d Division of Militia of the State of Ohio:

SIR:-We, the undersigned, hereby beg leave to represent that the proceedings of the company of Militia,

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on Monday, the 7th day of instant May, in choosing officers, in our opinion, illegal and improper. Firstly. By admitting persons under the age of eighteen years to vote, and Secondly. By admitting persons not liable to do military duty to vote. Thirdly. In admitting men to vote who did not belong to the town. Fourthly. By not comparing the votes with the poll book at the close of the election. We also consider the man who is returned as chosen Captain ineligible to the office. Firstly. By giving spiritous liquors to the voters previous to the election. Secondly. On account of having frequently threatened to set the savages against the inhabitants. All which charges we consider provable and able to be substanciated by good and sufficient witnesses. We therefore beg leave to request that the appointment of officers in the township of Cleveland may be set aside, and the said company led to a new choice.

Thadeus Lacey William W. Williams

Rodolfus Edwards Amos Spafford

Joel Thorp Robert Carr

James Hamilton Abner Cochran."

It does not appear that this remonstrance produced any effect. At the next election Carter withdrew or was dropped, though he was present and acted as one of the judges.

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1805.

 

"Major Carter's son, Henry, a smart boy of about eleven years, was drowned at the mouth of the river. Search was made along the beach for the body, many days without effect. David Abbott built the "Cuyahoga Packet" at Chagrin river, a schooner of twenty tons, which sailed on lake Erie, until the war, when it was captured by the British."-(Barr.)

Judge Huntington about this time abandoned his hewed log house, the most aristocratic residence in Cleveland city, and removed to the mills he had purchased at the falls of Mill creek. This was probably owing to the same cause, which induced other families to prefer the highlands. the prevalence here of the detestable ague. What is now Newburg was then much the largest settlement.

This was the year of the final settlement with the Indians, for their claims to lands west of the river. Wm. Dean, on his return from the treaty ground, writes to Judge Huntington as follows: The letter is superscribed to "The Hon'l. Sam'l. Huntington, at the mills near Cleaveland,' and is dated "On board the sloop Contractor, near Black river, July 7, 1805."

"Dear Sir:-On the 4th instant, we closed a treaty with the Indians, for the extinguished part of the Connecticut Reserve, and on account of the

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United States; for all the lands south of it, to the west line. Mr. Phelps and myself pay about $7,000 in cash, and about $12,000 in six yearly payments, of $2,000 each. The government pays $13,760, that is annual interest, to the Wyandots, Delawares, Munsees, and to those Senecas on the land, forever. The expense of the treaty will be about $5,000, including rum, tobacco, bread, meat, presents, expenses of the seraglio, the commissioners, agents and contractors. I write in haste, being extremely sorry I have not time to send you a copy of the treaty. You will see General Champion, who will be able to give you further information.

Having some intention of making a purchase of considerable tracts of land, in different parts of the Reserve, amounting to about 30,000 acres; I beg of you to inform me what I should allow per acre, payments equal to cash; and address me at Easton, Pa. From thence, if I make a contract, I expect, with all speed, to send fifteen or twenty families of prancing Dutchmen."

Abraham Tappen, of Unionville, Ashtabula Co., O., among many reminiscences of the surveys and settlements, thus refers to this treaty.

"Owing to various causes, a treaty for the extinguishment of the Indian title to the Company's land west of the Cuyahoga, and also the Sufferers', or Fire Land, was not held until June, 1805. Cleveland was designated as the place for holding the treaty.

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The Indians to the west, having claims to the lands in question, were invited to attend in council at that place. The Indians residing in Western New York, having some claim to the land, sent a deputation of not far from thirty of their number, to attend the treaty at Cleveland. They arrived at that place in June, accompanied by Jasper Parish, their interpreter. The treaty was to be held under the auspices of the United States Government. Commissioners from the different parties interested in the treaty, were promptly and in season at the contemplated treaty ground. On the part of the General Government, Col. Jewet was the Commissioner, a very large muscular man. On the part of the Connecticut Land Company, Gen. Henry Champion appeared as Commissioner. General Champion was also of more than common size, and a man of good sense.

"For some cause of the Indians living to the west, and interested in the subject matter of the treaty, refused to meet the Commissioners in council at Cleveland. And, if we except the deputation from New York, few or no Indians appeared at that place. After staying a few days at Cleveland, and being well assured that the Indians would not meet them in treaty there, the Commissioners proceeded westward; and after some delay, and a show of great reluctance on the part of the Indians, they finally succeeded in meeting them in council. The treaty was held at the Ogontz place near Sandusky City."

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[Other authorities have it at Fort Industry, on the Maumee.]

"It said by those who attended this treaty, that the Indians in parting with and making sale of the above lands to the whites, did so with much reluctance, and after the treaty was signed, many of them wept. On the day that the treaty was brought to a close, the specie, in payment of the purchase money, arrived on the treaty ground. The specie came from Pittsburg, and was conveyed by the way of Warren, Cleveland, and the lake shore to the place where wanted. The treasure was entrusted to the care of Lyman Porter, Esq., of Warren, who was attended by the following persons as an escort: Josiah W. Brown, John Lane, James Staunton, Jonathan Church, Lorenzo Carter, and anther person by the name of Clark, all resolute men and well armed. The money and other property as presents to the Indians, was distributed to them the next day after the signing of the treaty. The evening of the last day of the treaty, a barrel of whisky was dealt out to the Indians. The consequent results of such a proceeding were all experienced at that time."

Prof. Kirtland, in an introductory lecture delivered at the opening of the term in the Cleveland Medical College a few years since, related the following incident, connected with this attempt at holding a treaty:

"While waiting their tardy movements,

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the company collected one afternoon on the bank of the lake, near the present location of the light-house, and were observing the descent of the sun, into the broad expanse of waters at the west. The gorgeous displays of light and shade, heightened by the brilliant reflections from the lake, unsurpassed by the brightest scenes ever exhibited by Italy's boasted skies, served, in connection with concurring circumstances, to add interest to the occasion. One of the company, the Hon. Gideon Granger, distinguished for talents, enterprise and forethought, uttered, to his astonished associates, this bold and what was then deemed, extraordinary prediction:

" 'Within fifty years,' exclaimed he, 'an extensive city will occupy these grounds, and vessels will sail directly from this port into the Atlantic Ocean.'

"A prophecy so specific and decided, coming from such a source, though received with a share of skepticism on the part of some, made a deep impression on the great body of his hearers."

Charles Jewet, was the Commissioner on the part of the United States, Henry Champion for the Land Company, and I. Mills, for the Sufferers by fire, or the Fire Lands Company.

At the election in the fall of 1805, the poll book for Cleveland was rejected for two very good reasons. The certificate to the oaths of the clerks and judges was not attached, neither were the signatures of the judges of election. The number of votes cast was

405

twenty-nine, of which James Kingsbury had twenty-seven for State Representative. In the county of Trumbull there were given for Edward Tiffin, for Governor; (the second term) three hundred and seventy-nine votes, and none against him. James Kingsbury received for Representative three hundred and seven votes, and Homer Hine three hundred and fourteen.

MILITARY ELECTION IN CLEVELAND.

To Elijah Wadsworth Maj. Genl. 4th Division:

We, the Judges of an election Holden in the seventh Company of the second Battalion of the First Regiment of the fourth Division of the Ohio Melitia do Certify that the persons here after named is just and truly elected in sd Company to the different posts attached to their names, given under our hands. This the twentyeth day of May said eighteen hundred and five.

Nathaniel Doan, Captain.

Samuel Jone, Leuftenant.

Sylvanus Burk, Ensign.

Lorenzo Carter,

Wm. Wr. Williams,

Will'm Erwin, } Judges.

Done in presence of Rodolphus Edwards, Clerk.

406

ELECTORS' NAMES.

Jack F. Mason, Nethemiah Dille,

David Kellog, Timothy Doan,

Eb. Charter, Seth Doan,

Jacob Coleman, Steven Gilbert,

Ben Warden, Samuel Hurst,

Daniel Parker, Richard Blin,

Cristoffer Gun, Epetary Rodgers,?

William Coleman, Samuel Jones,

John Doan, Nathaniel Doan,

Thomas Thomas, William Erwin,

Henry Norton, Ben Wood,

Harry Gun, Sylvanus Burk,

Jonathan Hubbard, Samuel Dille,

Mason Clerk, Meage Data,

Nathan Chapman, Charles Prard.?

Nathaniel Doan, Captain, 29 votes for Captain.

Samuel Jones, 29 votes for Leuftenant.

Sylvanus Burk, 245 votes for Ensign.

Samuel Jones, one vote for Leuftenant.

Ezekiel Holley (Hawley) six votes for Ensign.

These returns are in the hand writing of Rodolphus Edwards. It is very difficult to decypher some of the names which are given literally. In this way the names of families are subject to such changes that the originals cannot be recognized. "Hawley," has now become "Holly" or "Holley" which is identical with Holley's of Salisbury, without any relationship.

The name of Mr. Williams, of Newburg, the builder of the first mill is in the early papers written

407

Wheeler W., Wm. W., and William Wheeler. Our immediate ancestors were not as well versed in orthography as they were in penmanship. The disturbances of the Revolution, had a depressing effect upon education, even in New England.

1806.

"Early in the spring, Mr. Hunter, his wife and one child, with a colored man, called Ben, and a colored boy, were driven ashore in a skiff, a short distance east of Rocky river. The shore at that place is a rocky cliff, nearly perpendicular. They held as fast to the rocks as possible, the surges breaking over them continually.

"The wreck occurred on Friday, and the storm continued to increase that night. On Saturday there was no abatement, and the children died. Mrs. Hunter expired on Sunday and Mr. Hunter on Monday. Some traders were passing along the coast for Detroit on Tuesday, and discovering Ben, who was the only survivor, brought him back to Cleveland. He was almost naked, having for three days and four nights kept his position on the cliffs, without a morsel to eat, by means of some bushes which grew in the crevices of the rocks. Major Carter took care of Ben, and treated him kindly, for a year or more, while he was an invalid. The flesh came off from his lower limbs, rendering him a very disagreeable object.

408

"Surveys were commenced this year on the lands west of the Cuyahoga river. This brought many strangers to the place, which contained more white people than ever before. The year was rendered conspicuous by the holding of a militia training. They marched and countermarched to the lively roll Joseph Burke's drum, which he had used in the Revolutionary War, and to the soul-stirring strains of Lewis Dille's fife. They were all undoubtedly brave, many of them bearing on their shoulders the old fire-arms of the Revolution."

"The little settlement sustained a severe loss in the death of David Clark, and received a valuable accession in Judge Walworth and Major Perry, Senior."-(Barr.)

Abraham Tappen, an old surveyor, proposed to run the town lines. The following extracts are from a full account of the survey by himself, published in the Cleveland Herald, in January, 1851:

"I had spoken to Mr. Amos Sessions to join with me, and endeavor to obtain a contract for surveying the new purchase the coming season. Mr. Sessions was not a surveyor, but he was a man then in the prime of his life, and possessing energy of character, and great perseverance in business he undertook, would make him a safe and trustworthy partner. We accordingly made the following proposals to be laid before the Directors:

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'Painesville, August 20th, 1805.

'To Gen. Henry Champion:-We will survey the land belonging to the Connecticut Land Company, west of the Cuyahoga river, at the rate of dollars, cents per mile. We will survey it into townships, and make other sub-divisions as shall be directed by the Company. We will plainly blaze and accurately chain the lines; will map, and return field book, &c. We will begin and finish the survey next season. For the purpose of furnishing provisions and other necessaries for said survey to receive dollars in hand at the commencement of the survey; remainder at the close. For the well and faithful performance of such survey, we will bind ourselves in bonds with sufficient security.

'Abr'm Tappen,

'Anson Sessions.'

The contract was made, the work commenced and vigorously prosecuted during the season.

"From the west side of the Reserve, five hundred thousand acres of land, was to be measured off by the surveyor of the Fire Land Company. Almon Ruggles, Esq., was the surveyor of that Company. The balance of the Reserve, from the east line of the Fire Land to the Cuyahoga river, was comprised in our contract for surveying, amounting to some eight hundred and thirty thousand acres. We agreed to and did meet in Cleveland on the 15th of May,

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together with our men, chain carriers, pack-horses and their drivers. Capt. James Harper, of Harpersfield, was engaged as surveyor. The names of the men employed were James Arbuckle, Ira Wright, Augustus Staughton, Guy Carlton, John Ross, Samuel Parker, Mr. McMahan and his two sons, Alex. McMahan and Wm. McMahan, and a young man by name of Hewit, and an Englishman, a worthless fellow, whom we soon discharged. Also, for a short time, an active young half-breed Indian, who took chare of a very vicious Indian horse, hired as a pack-horse. The horse had once been the property of the noted Indian chief Ogontz. As before stated, our party assembled at Cleveland on the 15th of May, and our boat with flour, tents, and other necessary articles, came into the river on the same day. We were prepared to send out two surveying parties immediately; but the surveyor designated by the United States Government to run the south line had not yet arrived. We had notified Judge Kirtland at what time we should be at Cleveland to commence the survey. He accordingly met us at that place on the day of our arrival. As it could not be known the precise time when the Government would commence running the south line, Judge Kirtland proposed that our surveying parties should commence, and should measure off their own meridians, taking care to commence so far south that when the south line was run, it would be

411

sure to cross our ranges. The Government surveyor did not commence running the south line until the 24th of June, at which time we had nearly finished our meridians.

"The south line of the Reserve, as surveyed in 1796 by Seth Pease, measuring from the Pennsylvania line, ended at Tuscarawas river, a distance of fifty-six miles. A further distance of sixty-four miles was yet to be run, making the whole distance, to the south-west corner of the Reserve, one hundred and twenty miles. From the south-west corner a line was to be run to the lake, parallel to the west line of Pennsylvania. The running of these lines was to be done by a surveyor, under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, at Washington. The surveyor selected by the Treasurer was Seth Pease, then a principal clerk in the post office department at Washington, and who, ten years before, had run the eastern section of the south line, to the Tuscarawas."-(A. Tappen.)

The same process was gone through with to obtain a division west of the Cuyahoga as had been east of it. Tappen and his assistants, of whom Capt. Harper was the principal one, completed their meridians and parallels during the season of 1806. An equalizing committee was out with the surveyors, whose track among the towns is shown upon a map now before me, by dotted lines. The parties in the woods suffered from want of water, there being an

412

unusual droughth that summer. On the 16th of June a total eclipse of the sun occurred, which for a short time, produced in the shady forest the darkness of night.

A commission, consisting of Amos Spafford, of Cleveland, and Almon Ruggles, of Huron, was organized to establish the division line, between the Fire Lands and the Land Company. Their directions were, to lay off half a million of acres from the west end of the Reserve, using the meridian one hundred and twenty miles west of Pennsylvania, as the farther side, and the forty-first parallel as a base. Their measurement did not agree with those of Mr. Pease, and the dividing lines was not established until sometime in the winter of 1806-7.

This left an unsurveyed space on the margin of the Company's tract. These difficulties protracted the work of survey and of the final draft. The Government not being satisfied with the southern boundary, ordered it to be re-surveyed in 1808.

The committee on equalization reported to Judge Kirtland, and in February 1807, he started for Hartford with the results. Only one whole township was sub-divided into lots for the purpose of equalization, but several of the fractional ones on the lake shore, were. No person then lived on the tract, as Mr. Tappen expresses it "white, red or black."

In 1805 the Government concluded to have this coast open no longer to free trade with Canada.

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A collection district was established for the south shore of the lake, called the "District of Erie," and John Walworth, of Painesville, was appointed collector. The mouth of the Cuyahoga was made a port of entry; and in 1806 Mr. Walworth became a resident of Cleveland with his family. His first clearance was issued to the schooner "Good Intent," which was soon after lost on Long Point together with cargo and crew. Up to this time, the more healthy settlement at Painesville, had taken the lead of the sickly city of Cleveland. The mouth of Grand river presented a much better natural harbor than the Cuyahoga. A state road had been surveyed from the forks of the Muskingum (near Coshocton) to the lake, which terminated at Grand river. Cleveland had hitherto been on the verge of the settlements.

On the west bank of the Cuyahoga, within the cast of a stone from the houses under the hill, the Indian tribes had claimed the territory as their own, indefinitely westward, and the claim had been respected. They had the acknowledged right to establish their lodges in any number, within half rifle range of the principal residents of Cleveland, from whence, at any time, they might instantly destroy the settlement, by a concerted discharge of their guns. This state of affairs was now ended, and the Indians were here only on sufferance and good behavior.


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