fort, there described as "Fort Junandat, built in 1754." The words Wandots are doubtless meant for Wyandot towns. In 1764, while Pontiac was besieging Detroit, Gen. Bradstreet collected a force of 3,000 men, which embarked at Niagara in boats and proceeded up the lake to the relief of that post. Having burned the Indian corn-fields and villages at Sandusky and along the rich bottoms of the Maumee, and dispersed the Indians whom they there then found, he reached Detroit without opposition.* Having dispersed the Indians beseiging Detroit he passed into the Wyandot country by way of Sandusky bay. He ascended the bay and river as far as it was navigable for boats and there made a camp. A treaty of peace and friendship was signed by the chiefs and head men.† L. ERIE Fort Sandusky AWandots +Fort Junandas AWandots Erie, Huron and a small part of Ottawa county comprise that portion of the Western Reserve known as "the firelands," being a tract of about 500,000 acres, granted by the State of Connecticut to the sufferers by fire from the British in their incursions into that State. The history which follows of the fire-lands and the settlement of this county is from the MSS. history of the Fire-Lands, by C. B. Squier, and written about 1840. The largest sufferers, and, consequently, those who held the largest interest in the fire-lands, purchased the rights of many who held smaller interests. The proprietors of the fire-lands, anxious that their new territory should be settled, offered strong inducements for persons to settle in this then unknown region. But, aside from the ordinary difficulties attending a new settlement, the Indian title to the western part of the reserve was not then extinguished; but by a treaty held at Fort Industry, on the Maumee, in July, 1805, this object was accomplished, and the east line of the Indian territory was established on the west line of the reserve. The proprietors of the fire-lands were deeply interested in this treaty, upon the result of which depended their ability to possess and settle their lands. Consequently, the Hon. Isaac Mills, secretary of the company, with others interested, left Connecticut to be present at these negotiations. Cleveland was the point first designated for holding the treaty. But, upon their arrival, it was ascertained that the influence of the British agents among the Indians was so great as to occasion them to refuse to treat with the agents of the United States, unless they would come into their own territory, on the Miami of the Lakes, as the Maumee was then termed. Having arrived at the Maumee, they found several agents of the British government among the Indians, using every possible effort to prevent any negotiation Lanman's Michigan. Whittlesey's address on Bouquet's expedition. whatever, and it was fifteen or twenty days before they could bring them to any reasonable terms. Soon after the conclusion of the treaty, the settlements commenced upon the fire-lands. It is quite difficult to ascertain who the first settlers were upon the fire-lands. As early, if not prior to the organization of the State, several persons had squatted upon the lands, at the mouth of the streams and near the shore of the lake, led a hunter's life and trafficked with the Indians. But they were a race of wanderers and gradually disappeared before the regular progress of the settlements. Those devoted missionaries, the Moravians, made a settlement, which they called New Salem, as early as 1790, on Huron river, about two miles below Milan, on the Hathaway farm. They afterwards settled at Milan. The first regular settlers upon the fire-lands were Col. Jerard Ward, who came in the spring of 1808, and Almon Ruggles and Jabez Wright, in the autumn succeeding. Ere the close of the next year, quite a number of families had settled in the townships of Huron, Florence, Berlin, Oxford, Margaretta, Portland and Vermillion. These early settlers generally erected the ordinary logcabin, but others of a wandering character built bark huts, which were made by driving a post at each of the four corners and one higher between each of the two end corners, in the middle, to support the roof, which For some facts connected with the history of the fire-lands, see sketch of the Western Reserve, to be found elsewhere in this work. were connected together by a ridge-pole. Layers of bark were wound around the side of the posts, each upper layer lapping the one beneath to shed rain. The roof was barked over, strips being bent across from one eave over the ridge-pole to the other and secured by poles on them. The occupants of these bark huts were squatters, and lived principally by hunting. They were the semicivilized race that usually precedes the more substantial pioneer in the western wilderness. For two or three years previous to the late war, the inhabitants were so isolated from other settlements that no supplies could be had, and there was much suffering for want of food and clothing; at times, whole families subsisted for weeks together on nothing but parched and pounded corn, with a very scanty supply of wild meat. Indeed, there was not a family in the fire-lands, between 1809 and '15, who did not keenly feel the want of both food and clothing. Wild meat, it is true, could usually be procured; but living on this alone would much enfeeble and disease any one but an Indian or a hunter accustomed to it for years. For even several years after the war raccoon caps, with the fur outside, and deerskin jackets and pantaloons, were almost universally worn. The deerskin pantaloons could not be very well tanned, and when dried, after being wet, were hard and inflexible: when thrown upon the floor they bounded and rattled like tin kettles. A man, in a cold winter's morning, drawing on a pair, was in about as comfortable a position as if thrusting his limbs into a couple of frosty stove-pipes. To add to the trials and hardships of the early settlers, it soon became very sickly, and remained so for several years. The following is but one of the many touching scenes of privation and distress that might be related: A young man with his family settled not far from the Huron river, building his cabin in the thick woods, distant from any other settlement. During the summer he cleared a small patch, and in the fall became sick and died. Soon after, a hunter on his way home, passing by the clearing, saw everything still about the cabin, mistrusted all was not right, and knocked at the door to inquire. A feeble voice bade him enter. Opening the door he was startled by the appearance of the woman, sitting by the fire, pale, emaciated, and holding a puny, sickly babe! He immediately inquired their health. She burst into tears and was unable to answer. The hunter stood for a moment aghast at the scene. The woman, recovering from her gush of sorrow, at length raised her head and pointed towards the bed, saying, "There is my little Edward I expect he is dying and here is my babe, so sick I cannot lay it down; I am so feeble I can scarcely remain in my chair, and my poor husband lies buried beside the cabin!" and then, as if frantic by the fearful recital, she exclaimed in a tone of the deepest anguish, "Oh! that I was back to my own country, where I could fall into the arms of my mother!" Tears of sympathy rolled down the weather-beaten cheeks of the iron-framed hunter as he rapidly walked away for assistance. It was a touching scene. A majority of the inhabitants of this period were of upright characters; bold, daring and somewhat restless, but generous-minded. Although enduring great privations, much happiness fell to the kind of life they were leading. One of them says: "When I look back upon the first few years of our residence here, I am led to exclaim, O! happy days of primitive simplicity! What little aristocratic feeling any one might have brought with him was soon quelled, for we soon found ourselves equally dependent on one another; and we enjoyed our winter evenings around our blazing hearths in our log-huts cracking nuts full as well, aye! much better than has fallen to our lots since the distinctions and animosities consequent upon the acquisition of wealth have crept in among us. Another pioneer says: "In illustration of that old saw, 'A man wants but little here below, The I relate the following. A year or two after we arrived, a visit was got up by the ladies, in order to call on a neighboring family who lived a little out of the common way. hostess was very much pleased to see them, and immediately commenced preparing the usual treat on such occasions-a cup of tea and its accompaniments. As she had but one fire-proof vessel in the house, an old broken bake kettle, it, of course, must take some time. In the first place, some pork was tried up in the kettle to get lard-secondly, some cakes were made and fried in itthirdly, some shortcakes were made in itfourthly, it was used as a bucket to draw water-fifthly, the water was heated in it; and sixthly and lastly, the tea was put in and a very sociable dish of tea they had. In those good old times, perfectly fresh to my recollection, the young men asked nothing better than buckskin pantaloons to go a courting in, and the young ladies were not too proud to go to meeting barefoot." Soon The following little anecdote illustrates the intrepidity of a lady in indulging her social feelings. A gentleman settled with his family about two miles west of the Vermillion river without a neighbor near him. after a man and wife settled on the opposite side of the river, three miles distant; the lady on the west side was very anxious to visit her stranger neighbor on the east, and sent her a message setting a day when she should make her visit, and at the time appointed went down to cross the river with her husband, but found it so swollen with recent rains as to render it impossible to cross on foot. There was no canoe or horse in that part of the country. The obstacle was apparently insurmountable. Fortunately the man on the other side was fertile in expedients; he yoked up his oxen, anticipating the event, and arrived at the river just as the others were about to leave. Springing upon the back of one of the oxen he rode him across the river, and when he had reached the west bank, the lady, Europa-like, as fearlessly sprang on the back of the other ox, and they were both borne across the raging waters, and safely landed upon the opposite bank; and when she had concluded her visit, she returned in the same manner. The lady still lives on the same spot, and is noted for her goodness of heart and cultivated manners. Early in the settlement of the fire-lands the landholders injudiciously raised the price of land to $5 per acre. The lands belonging to the general government on the west were opened for sale at $2 per acre; immigration ceased, and as most of the settlers had bought their land on a credit, the hard times which followed the last war pressed severely upon them, and the settlements languished. Money was so scarce in 1820 and 1822, that even those who had their farms paid for were in the practice of laying up sixpences and shillings for many months to meet their taxes. All kinds of trade were carried on by barter. Many settlers left their improvements and removed farther west, finding themselves unable to pay for their lands. The first exports of produce of any consequence commenced in 1817; in 1818 the article of salt was $8 per barrel; flour was then $10, and a poor article at that. There was no market for several years beyond the wants of the settlers, which was sufficient to swallow up all the surplus products of the farmer; but when such an outlet was wanted, it was found at Detroit, Monroe and the other settlements in the upper regions of Lake Erie. As to the commercial advantages, there was a sufficient number of vessels on the lake to do the business of the country, which was done at the price of $2.50 per barrel bulk, from Buffalo to this place, a dis tance of 250 miles. Now goods are transported from New York to Sandusky City as low as forty-seven cents per hundred, or $9 per ton. Most kinds of merchandise sold at a sale corresponding to the prices of freight. Domestic shirtings from fifty to sixty-two cents and satinets $2.50 to $3.50 per yard; green teas $1.50 to $2.50 per pound; brown sugar from twenty-five to thirty cents per pound; loaf from forty to fifty per pound, etc., etc. Butter was worth twenty-five cents, and corn $1.00 per bushel. As to wheat there was scarcely a price known for some of the first years the inhabitants mostly depended on buying flour by the barrel on account of the want of mills. The Indians murdered several of the inhabitants in the fire-lands. One of the most barbarous murders was committed in the spring of 1812, upon Michael Gibbs and one Buel, who lived together in a cabin about a mile southeast of the present town of Sandusky. The murderers were two Indians named Semo and Omic. The whites went in pursuit of them; Omic was taken to Cleve land, tried, found guilty and executed. Semo was afterwards demanded of his tribe, and they were about to give him up, when, anticipating his fate, he gave the war-whoop, and shot himself through the heart. In the late war, previous to Perry's victory, the inhabitants were in much dread of the Indians. Some people upon Huron river were captured by them, and also at the head of Cold creek, where a Mrs. Putnam and a whole family by the name of Snow (the man excepted) were attacked. Mrs. Snow and one little child were cruelly butchered, and the rest taken captive, together with a Mrs. Butler and a girl named Page, and carried to Canada. They were, however, released or purchased by the whites a few months after. Other depredations and murders were committed by the savages. SANDUSKY IN 1846.-Sandusky, the county-seat, is situated on Sandusky bay, 105 miles north of Columbus, and 60 from Cleveland and Detroit. Its situation is pleasant, rising gradually from the lake, and commanding a fine view of it. The town is based upon an inexhaustible quarry of the finest limestone, which is not only used in building elegant and substantial edifices in the town, but is an extensive article of export. A few hundred yards back from the lake is a large and handsome public square on which, fronting the lake, are the principal churches and public buildings. The first permanent settlement at Sandusky City was made in June, 1817, at which time the locality was called Ogontz place, from an Indian chief who resided here previous to the war of 1812. The town was laid out under the name of Portland, in 1817, by its proprietors, Hon. Zalmon Wildman, of Danbury, Ct., and Hon. Isaac Mills, of New Haven, in the same State. On the first of July of that year, a small store of goods was opened by Moores Farwell, in the employment of Mr. Wildman. The same building is now standing on the bay shore, and is occupied by Mr. West. There were at this time but two log-huts in the place besides the store, which was a frame, and had been erected the year previous. One of the huts stood on the site of the Verandah hotel, and the other some sixty rods east. The first frame dwelling was erected by Wm. B. Smith in the fall of 1817, the second soon after by Cyrus W. Marsh, and a third in the succeeding spring by Moores Farwell. The Methodist Episcopal church, a small frame building, and the first built, was erected in 1830; the Episcopal and Presbyterian churches in 1835; the Wesleyan chapel in 1836, and the rest since. Sandusky contains 1 Episcopal, 1 Methodist, 1 Congregational, 1 Reformed Methodist, 1 Catholic and 1 German Lutheran church, I high school, a large number of dry-goods and grocery stores, several forwarding and commission houses, 2 furnaces, 1 oil mill, 2 extensive machine shops for the manufacture of the iron for railroad cars, 2 printing offices, 2 banks, and a population estimated at 3,000. This town is now very thriving, and promises to be, ere many years, a large city. A great impetus has been given to its prosperity by the construction of two railroads which terminate here; the first, the Mad River and Little Miami railroad, connects it with Cincinnati ; the other connects it with Mansfield, from which place it is constructing through Mount Vernon and Newark to Columbus: a branch will diverge from Newark to Zanesville. This last is one of the best built railroads in the country, and is doing a very heavy transportation business. The commerce of Sandusky City is heavy, and constantly increasing. The arrivals at this port in 1846 were 447, clearances 441; and 843,746 bushels of wheat were among the articles exported. On the farm of Isaac A. Mills, west of the town, are some ancient works and mounds. In the late Canadian "patriot war," this city was a rendezvous for "patriots;" they had an action on the ice near Point-auPelee island with British cavalry in the winter of 1838. They were under Capt. Bradley, of this city, who has since commanded a company of volunteers in the war with Mexico. In this action the "patriots" behaved with cool bravery, and although attacked by a superior force, delivered their fire with steadiness, and repelled their enemy with considerable loss.-Old Edition. Sandusky City, on Sandusky bay, an inlet of Lake Erie, is 100 miles north of Columbus and midway between Cleveland and Toledo. It is on the line of the L. S. & M. S. ; I. B. & W.; L. E. A. & S. ; and S. M. & N. railroads. County Officers in 1888: Probate Judge, Albert E. Merrill; Clerk of Court, Silas E. Bauder; Sheriff, Thos. A. Hughes; Prosecuting Attorney, Cyrus B. Winters; Auditor, Wm. J. Bonn; Treasurer, Jas. Alder; Recorder, John Strickland; Surveyor, Albert W. Judson; Coroner, Louis S. Szendery; Commissioners, William Zimmerman, Jas. Douglass, John L. Hull. Newspapers: Register, Republican, J. F. Mack & Bro., editors and proprietors; Journal, Democratic, C. C. Bittur, editor and publisher; Democrat, German, Democratic. Churches: 1 Congregational, 4 Episcopal, 3 Catholic, 1 Baptist, 1 Colored Baptist, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Friends, 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Colored Methodist, 4 German Evangelical, 1 German Lutheran and 1 German Methodist. Banks: Citizens' National, A. É. Merrill, president, Henry Graefe, cashier; Moss National, A. H. Moss, president, Horace O. Moss, cashier; Second National, R. B. Hubbard, president, A. W. Prout, cashier; Third National, Lawrence Cable, president, E. P. Zollinger, cashier. Principal Industries and Employees.-D. J. Brown & Co., hoops, etc., 35 hands; Germania Basket Company, baskets, 31; George W. Iesman, saw mills; Sandusky Tool Company, edge tools, 230; Ohlemacher Lime Company, lime, 34; J. B. Johnston & Co., lime, 14; Kilbourne & Co., cooperage, 20; J. T. Johnson, planing mill, 31; B. & O. R. R. Shops, railroad repairs, 130; B. & O. Grain Elevator; J. M. Sonerant, cooperage, 20; Johnson, Kunz & Co., lime; Schoeffle & Sloane, doors, sash, etc., 45; Woolsey Wheel Company, carriage wheels, etc., 143; B. B. Hubbard & Son, planing-mill; August Kunzman, carriages, etc., 10; Lea, Herbert & Co., planing-mill, 22; Sandusky Machine and Agricultural Works, engines, reapers, etc., 45; Barney & Kilby, engines, etc., 206; J. C. Butler & Co., doors, sash, etc., 142; Eureka Lumber Company, planing-mill, etc., 44 ; I. B. & W. R. R. Shops, railroad repairs, 164; The Sandusky Wheel Company, carriage wheels, etc., 260; Anthony Ilg & Co., lager beer, 12; Albert Schwehr, cigar boxes, 37; Portland Boiler Company; Frank Slang, lager beer, 15; J. Kuebler & Co., lager beer, 22; Hinde, Hansen & Co., paper, 18; J. S. Cowdery, crayons, chalk, |