Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1848, BY ENSIGNS & THAYER, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in and for the Southern District of New York. STEREOTYPED BY C. C. SAVAGE, PREFACE. In presenting the following pages to the reading public, we desire to disclaim all pretensions to originality; our labors having been directed chiefly to the arrangement and condensation of facts developed and recorded by others, in such manner and within such a space as would suit the tastes and wants of a large class of our citizens. This work is in continuation of a plan to put forth in cheap form, the important events in the history of our Republic, its governmental operations, and its extraordinary progress in its population, wealth, and intelligence. Already, in the "NEW WORLD ILLUSTRATED," a general view of the United States has been taken, and we now commence a detailed description of the several states, by a series of works of a more local character, like the one here presented. In the preparation of this little volume, we have made free use of all the information within our reach, and we here wish to give full credit to the sources whence we have drawn it, the most important of which are, the valuable "Historical Collections of Ohio," by H. Howe, Esq.; Sherman & Smith's "United States Gazetteer ;" and "Bradford's Atlas ;" and other works of minor importance. We have aimed to secure accuracy, in all that we have presented, and believe that comparatively few errors will be found. For the population of the towns we have used the last official Census of the United States. It will be found occasionally that the capital of a county bears the same name as the township in which it is located, and in some instances the population of the township and of the capital are given separately. This if unexplained would present the appearance of error, but when understood, the seeming error and discrepancy may be easily reconciled. Although this work is designed especially for the use of the people of Ohio, yet the information which it contains will be found valuable to all, in every part of the Union; for as we are E Pluribus Unum-many in one-whatever relates to one member of the confederacy, has an abiding interest in the hearts and minds of the people of all. It will be found valuable to the emigrant who departs for that "garden of the west ;" and to the general reader, we trust a perusal of its pages will prove profitable and edifying. CONTENTS. 11 Area and Boundaries, 12.-Surface of the Country, 12.-Soil, 13.-Rivers and smaller Streams, 14.-Mineral Productions, 15, 16.-" Boulders" and their Character, 16. Early Settlers, 17.-Expeditions of Marquette and La Salle, 18.-Murder of La Salle, 18. --Erection of Forts by the French, 19.-Expedition against the French, under Washing- ton, 20.-Building of Fort du Quesne, 20.--Capture of Fort Necessity, 21.-Expedition and Defeat of Braddock, 21.-Fort du Quesne abandoned by the French, 22.-General Bradstreet's Expedition against the Indians, 22.-Lord Dunmore's War, 24.-Other Expe- ditions against the Indians, 24.-Claims of the several States to the Soil of Ohio, 25.-Trea- ties with the Indians, 25.-First Settlement at Marietta, 26.-Campus Martius in 1791, 26. -St. Clair's Treaty with the Indians, 27.-Expedition under General Harrison, 27.-St. Clair's Battle and Defeat, 28.-Battle upon the Maumee, 29.-Forts Greenville and Defi- ance, 29.-Treaty of Greenville, 30.-Formation of the State Constitution, 30.-Burr's Con- spiracy, 31-Battle of Tippecanoe, 31.-War with Great Britain, 31.-Fort Meigs and Fort Stephenson or Sandusky, 32.-Defence of Fort Harrison by Captain (now General) Zachary Taylor, 31.-Defence of Fort Stephenson by Colonel Croghan, 33.-Battle of Lake Eric, 33.-Battle of the Thames, 34.-Close of the War in the Northwest, 34. Boundaries of the State, 35.-Adams County, 36.-Allen County, 36.-Ashtabula County, 37.-Ashland County, 37.--Athens County, 38.-Belmont County, 39.-Brown County, 40.- Butler County, 40.-Carroll County, 41.-Champaign County, 41.-Clark County, 42.-Cler- mont County, 42.--Clinton County, 43.-Columbiana County, 43.-Coshocton County, 44.- Crawford County, 45.-Cuyahoga County, 46.-Darke County, 46.-Defiance County, 47.- Delaware County, 47.-Erie County, 49.-Fairfield County, 49.-Fayette County. 50.- Franklin County, 50.-COLUMBUS, 52.-Gallia County, 54.-Geauga County, 54.-Greene County, 55.-Guernsey County, 56.-Hamilton County, 57.-CINCINNATI, 58.-Hancock County, 63.-Hardin County, 63.-Harrison County, 64.-Henry County, 64.-Highland County, 65.-Hocking County, 65.-Holmes County, 66.-Huron County, 66.-Jackson Coun- ty, 67.-Jefferson County, 68.-Knox County, 68.-Lake County, 70.-Lawrence County, 71.-Licking County, 71.-Logan County, 72.-Lorain County, 73.-Lucas County, 74.- Madison County, 74.-Mahoning County, 75.-Marion County, 75.-Medina County, 76.- Meigs County, 77.-Mercer County, 77.-Miami County, 78.-Monroe County, 78.-Mont- gomery County, 79.-Morgan County, 80.-Muskingum County, 80.-Ottowa County, 82.- Paulding County, 82.-Perry County, 82.-Pickaway County, 83.-Pike County, 84.-Port- age County, 85.-Preble County, 85.-Putnam County, 86.-Richland County, 86.-Ross County, 87.-Sandusky County, 88.-Scioto County, 89.-Seneca County, 90.-Shelby Coun- ty, 90.-Stark County, 91.-Summit County, 91.-Trumbull County, 92.-Tuscarawas Coun- ty, 93.-Union County, 94.-Van Wert County, 94.-Warren County, 95.-Washington County, 95.-Wayne County, 97.-Williams County, 98.-Wood County, 98.-Wyandot Officers of the First Government of Northwestern Territory, 101.-Territorial Legislature, General Assembly, how chosen, 103.-Powers and Duties of, 104.-Governor, how chosen, 105.-Power and Duties of, 105.-Secretary of State, how chosen, 106.-Courts of Judica- ture, how organized, 106.-Powers and Duties of, 106, 107.-Electors, Qualifications of, 107. Militia Officers, how chosen, 107.-County Officers, how chosen, 107.-General Provisions, 108.-Constitution, how amended, 108.-Boundaries of the State, 108.-Declaration of General Remarks, 111.-Articles found in an Ancient Mound at Marietta, 111-115.-Ancient Works at Marietta, 115.-Ancient Fortifications at Circleville, 116.-Ancient Works near Newark, 117.-Ancient Ruins near Somerset, in Perry County, 118.-Ancient Works on Paint Creek, 118, 119.-Ruins at the Mouth of the Scioto, 119.-Ancient Works at Ports- mouth, 120.-Great Mound near Miamisburg, 121.-Gigantic Bones, found at Conneaut, 121. -Skeletons at Coshocton, 122.-Ancient Wells at Mount Vernon, 122.-Engraved Stones PICTORIAL DESCRIPTION OF OHIO. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. HE ancient domain of "the Ohio* country" was undefined in boundary, and unknown in extent. It was comprised in that vast wilderness which spreads out interminably west of the Allegany mountains, and known by the general name, given it by the French, of Louisiana.† Prior to the Peace of Paris in 1763, the Allegany mountains formed the western limits of white settlements of any kind, except an occasional fort with a feeble garrison which the French had erected and planted to support their claims, founded upon actual discovery, to the region watered by the Ohio and Mississippi, and their tributaries. It was not until after the war of American Independence, that boundaries were given to the Ohio region of Louisiana, and it was known by the vague title of "the Ohio country." *The derivation of the name of Ohio is somewhat obscure. It is supposed to be a corruption by the French, of " O-he-zuh," the name given to the river by the Wyandots, which signifies great or, grand to look upon. The French called it "the beautiful river;" and, according to Colonel Johnson, they adopted the Indian name in their boat-songs, and called it Ohi'o, as that pronunciation was more euphonious. + This name was given to the great valley of the Mississippi, by La Salle, who in 1681, descended that river to the sea. He called the country Louisiana, in honor of Louis XIV. who was then the reigning monarch of France. The present area of Ohio is comprised within latitude 38° 28′ and 420 north, and longitude 80° 35' and 84° 47' west from Greenwich, or longitude 3° 31' and 7° 41' west from Washington. It lies in a compact mass between Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, and Lake Erie. It is bounded on the north by Michigan, and Lake Erie, east by Pennsylvania and Virginia, south by the Ohio river, which separates it from Virginia and Kentucky, and west by Indiana. Its length and breadth are nearly equal, being two hundred and ten miles long from north to south, and two hundred miles wide, from east to west, the difference being made by the bend in the river on the southern boundary of Lawrence county. It contains upward of forty thousand square miles, or about twenty-five millions six hundred The southeast and south have a navigable frontier of thousand acres. four hundred and thirty miles; and on the north, a lake front of more than two hundred miles, comprising two fine bays which afford spacious harbors. If we except the states upon the Atlantic seaboard, Ohio is more eligibly situated in a commercial point of view, than any other member of the Confederacy, and its advantages have been fully appreciated by settlers from the older states, who, with their descendants, form a very large portion of the population. It now, in area and population, holds the third rank in the Federal family. The boundaries of Ohio, when the northwestern territory was dismembered, and this state was formed in 1803, were fixed by act of Congress, as follows:-"On the east, the Pennsylvania line; on the south, the river Ohio, from its intersection by the same to the mouth of the Great Miami; on the west by a line drawn due north from the lastnamed point; and on the north, an east and west line drawn through the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan, running east, after intersecting the abovementioned north line, until it intersects Lake Erie, or the boundary line between the United States and the British provinces, and thence with the same to the Pennsylvania line." The northern boundary was changed by congress in 1836, so as to take in the mouth of the Maumee river, and Maumee bay, in the direction of the southern point of Lake Michigan, and continued from the cape northeastwardly, to the boundary of the United States and Canada. THE SURFACE of Ohio is generally level, nowhere presenting any Yet the whole great elevation above the common face of the country. state is a lofty table-land, rising gradually from Lake Erie on the north, and from the Ohio river on the south, to an altitude of about one A ridge of high lands, thousand feet in the central part of the state. *Heretofore the latitude has generally been computed from the equator, and the longitude from the observatory at Greenwich, in England. The latitude is still reckoned from the equator, but with us, the longitude is determined by making the observatory at Washington city, the starting point of observation and computation. |