Читать книгу Centennial History of Columbus and Franklin County - William Alexander Taylor - Страница 17

Tarhe's Friend, Jonathan Pointer.

"Jonathan Pointer, who had been a colored captive among the Wyandots and who was a fellow soldier with Tarhe in the Canadian campaign under General Harrison, returned with that celebrated chieftain to his home and stayed with him until the time of Tarhe's death, always claiming that he assisted in the burial of Tarhe on the John Smith farm, about a half mile southeast from his cabin home. Logs were dragged over the grave to keep the wild animals from disinterring the body. Jonathan Pointer was engaged as interpreter for the early missionaries among the Wyandots; he died in 1857.

No memorial marks Tarhe's resting place. Red Jacket, Keokuk, Leather Lips and other chieftains have received monumental consideration from American civilization; but Tarhe, the one whose influence and activity helped to wrest the great northwest from the British and the Indians, has apparently been forgotten. And how long shall it be so?

"Colonel John Johnson, who for nearly half a century acted Indian agent of the various tribes of Ohio and who made the last Indian treaty that removed the Wyandots beyond the Mississippi, was present at the great Indian council summoned at the death and for burial of Tarhe. The exact spot where the council house stood is not known, but a mile and a half north from Crane Town site are a number of springs bubbling forth clear water which form Pointer's run, that empties into the Sandusky river. They are still called the Council Springs and the bark council house was likely in this vicinity. Colonel Johnson, in his 'Recollections,' gives the following account of the proceedings:"

Colonel Johnson's Recollections.

"On the death of the great chief of the Wyandots, I was invited to attend a general council of all the tribes of Ohio, the Delawares of Indiana, the Senecas of New York, at Upper Sandusky. I found on arriving at the place a very large attendance. Among the chieftains was the noted leader and orator Red Jacket from Buffalo. The first business done was the speaker of the nation delivering an oration on the character of the deceased chief. Then followed what might be called a monody, or ceremony, of mourning or lamentation.

Thus seats were arranged from end to end of a large council house, about six feet apart, the head men and the aged took their seats facing each other, stooping down, their heads almost touching. In that position they remained for several hours. Deep and long continued groans would commence at one end of the row of mourners and so pass around until all had responded and these repeated at intervals of a few minutes. The Indians were all washed and had no paint or decorations of any kind upon their persons, their countenances and general deportment denoting the deepest mourning. I had never witnessed anything of the kind before and was told that this ceremony was not performed but on the decease of some great man. After the period of mourning and lamentation was over the Indians proceeded to business. There were present the Wyandots, Shawnees, Delawares, Senecas, Ottawas and Mohawks. Their business was entirely confined to their own affairs, and the main topics related to their lands and the claims of the respective tribes. It was evident, in the course of the discussion, that the presence of myself and people (there were some white men with me) was not acceptable to some of the parties and allusions were made so direct to myself that I was constrained to notice them, by saying that I came there as a guest of the Wyandots, by their special invitation; that as the agent of the United States, I had a right to be there as anywhere else in the Indian country; and that if any insult was offered to myself or my people, it would be resented and punished. Red Jacket was the principal speaker and was intemperate and personal in his remarks. Accusations, pro and con, were made by the different parties, accusing each other of being foremost in selling land to the United States. The Shawnees were particularly marked out as more guilty than any other; that they were the last coming into the Ohio country and although they had no right but by the permission of the other tribes, they were always the foremost in selling lands. This brought the Shawnees out, who retorted through head chief, the Black Hoof, on the Senecas and Wyandots with pointed severity. The discussion was long continued, calling out some of the ablest speakers, and was distinguished for ability, cutting sarcasm and research, going far back into the history of the natives, their wars, alliances, negotiations, migrations, etc. I had attended many councils, treaties and gatherings of the Indians, but never in my life did I witness such an outpouring of native oratory and eloquence, of severe rebuke, taunting national and personal reproaches. The council broke up later in great confusion and in the worst possible feeling. A circumstance occurred toward the close which more than anything else exhibited the bad feeling prevailing. In handing round the wampum belt, the emblem of amity, peace and good will, when presented to one of the chiefs, he would not touch it with his fingers but passed it on a stick to a person next to him. A greater indignity, agreeable to Indian etiquette could not be offered.

A Day of Disappointment.

"The next day appeared to be one of unusual anxiety and despondency among the Indians. They could be seen in groups everywhere near the council house in deep consultation. They had acted foolishly—were sorry— but the difficulty was, who would present the olive branch. The council convened very late and was very full; silence prevailed for a long time; at last the aged chieftain of the Shawnees, the Black Hoof, rose—a man of great influence and a celebrated warrior. He told the assembly that they had acted like children and not men yesterday; that he and his people were sorry for the words that had been spoken and which had done so much harm; that he came into the council by the unanimous desire of his people to recall those foolish words and did there take them back—handing round strings of wampum, which passed around and were received by all with the greatest satisfaction. Several of the principal chiefs delivered speeches to the same effect, handing round wampum in turn, and in this manner the whole difficulty of the preceding day was settled and to all appearances forgotten. The Indians are very civil and courteous to each other and it is a rare thing to see their assemblies disturbed by unwise or ill-timed remarks. I never witnessed it except upon the occasion here alluded to, and it is more than probable that the presence of myself and other white men contributed towards the unpleasant occurrence. I could not help but admire the genuine philosophy and good sense displayed by men whom we call savages, in the transaction of their public business, and how much we might profit in the halls of our legislature, by occasionally taking for our example the proceedings of the great Indian council at Upper Sandusky."

The Original Charter.

The joint resolution on February 12, 1812, merely declared that the name of the future capital should be Columbus—the town of Columbia—leaving it without municipal form, and to all intents and purposes, under the direct control of the legislature. As already shown, it assumed that direction and proceeded to appoint an overseer or supervisor, who took charge of it literally, and from his dicta there was no appeal except to the legislature itself.

The necessity of a municipal government soon manifested itself, and the following act of incorporation was passed by the legislature: An Act to incorporate the town of Columbus in the County of Franklin.

Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of the state of Ohio. That so much of the township of Montgomery, in the county of Franklin, as is comprised within the following limits, that is to say: commencing at the southwest corner of the half section of Refugee land, number twenty-five, of township five, in range twenty-two, on the bank of the Scioto river, thence with the southern boundary line of said half section, east, to the southeast corner thereof; thence north, with the eastern boundary of said half section, number twenty-five, and that of number twenty-six, and eighty poles on that of half section, number twelve; thence west, across half sections numbered twelve and ten, to the western boundary of the latter half section; thence north with the western boundary of said half section number ten, to the northwest corner thereof; thence west, on the north boundary line of half sections numbered ten and nine, to the northwest corner of the last named half section; thence south with its western boundary line, to the bank of the Scioto river; thence down said river, to the place of beginning, shall be, and the same is hereby erected into a town corporate, henceforth to be known and distinguished by the name of the borough of Columbus, subject however, to such alterations as the legislature may from time to time think proper to make.

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the qualified electors, who shall have been resident in said town of Columbus six months, to meet at the Columbus Inn, on the first Monday of May next, and then and there elect by ballot nine suitable persons, being citizens, freeholders or house keepers, and inhabitants of said town, to serve as mayor, recorder, and common councilmen of said town; and the persons thus elected, shall within ten days after their election, proceed to choose out of their own body by ballot, a mayor, recorder, and treasurer; and the remaining six, in conjunction with the mayor, recorder and treasurer, shall act as common councilmen; and the mayor, recorder, treasurer, and common councilmen thus elected, shall at their first meeting determine by lot what term they shall severally serve; three of them shall serve until the next annual election; three others of them for two years; and the last three for three years; and at every annual election, which shall be on the first Monday of May, in every year, there shall be elected three new members of said body, who shall continue in office three years, and until their successors shall be elected and qualified.

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That the mayor, recorder, treasurer and common councilmen so elected, and their successors in office, shall be, and they are hereby made a body corporate and politic, by the name and style of, the mayor and council of the borough of Columbus; and by the name aforesaid, shall have perpetual succession, with power to purchase, receive, possess and convey any real or personal estate for the use of the said town of Columbus: Provided, The annual income thereof shall not exceed four thousand dollars; and shall also be capable in law by the name aforesaid, of suing and be sued, pleaded and being impleaded, in any action in any court of this state; and when any action or suit shall be commenced against the corporation, the service shall be by the officer leaving an attested copy of the original process with the recorder, or at his usual place of abode, at least three days before the return thereof; and the said mayor and common council are hereby authorized to have a common seal, with power to alter the same at their discretion.

Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That the person first elected mayor of said borough of Columbus, shall within ten days after his election, take an oath of affirmation before some justice of the peace for said county of Franklin, for the faithful performance of the duties of his office; and every person who shall thereafter be elected mayor, shall be qualified to office by one of the board of said common council; and every recorder, treasurer and common councilman, before he enters on the execution of the duties of his office, shall take an oath or make affirmation before the mayor for the time being, for the faithful performance of his duty.

Sec. 5. Be it further enacted, That the mayor and members of the common council shall have power to appoint an assessor, a town marshal, a clerk of the market, a town surveyor and such other subordinate officers as they may deem necessary; and to give such fees to the recorder and other officers of the corporation, and impose such fines for refusing to accept such offices, as to them shall appear proper and reasonable.

Sec. 6. Be it further enacted, That the mayor and common council shall have power in the month of July, annually, to levy a tax within said borough, upon all objects of taxation for county purposes; but no tax shall be levied exceeding the rates prescribed by law for county purposes; and the assessor shall be governed in the discharge of his duty by the rules and regulations to be established by the mayor and common council: Provided, nothing herein contained shall be considered as prohibiting the said mayor and common council from levying a tax on dogs.

Sec. 7. Be it further enacted, That the mayor and common council shall have power to erect and repair such public buildings as they may deem necessary for the benefit of said town; and make and publish such laws and ordinances, and the same from time to time to alter and repeal as to them may seem necessary for the safety and convenience of said town of Columbus and its inhabitants: Provided, such laws and ordinances are not contrary to the constitution and laws of the United States or of this state; and the mayor shall have full power and authority to administer oaths, impose reasonable fines on such persons as shall offend against the laws and ordinances made as aforesaid; to levy and cause to be collected, all such fines by warrant under his hand, directed by the town marshal, who is hereby empowered to collect the same by distress and sale of the goods and chattels of the delinquent, and the same to pay to the treasurer of the corporation; and when goods and chattels cannot be found whereon to levy, to commit the body of the offender to prison, there to remain until such fine shall be paid, or until he shall be discharged by order of the corporation: Provided always, That no person shall be imprisoned under the provisions of this section, more than twenty-four hours at any one time.

Sec. 8. Be it further enacted, That the mayor and his successors in office, are hereby vested with powers coequal with justices of the peace within the corporation and shall have power to exercise the same jurisdiction and authority in civil and criminal cases within the limits of said borough, and be entitled to the same fees as justices of the peace in like cases; all process shall be directed to the town marshal who is hereby authorized and empowered to exercise the same powers in serving such process, levying execution, and making distress or delinquents in civil and criminal cases, and shall be entitled to the same fees as constables are; but it shall not be lawful for the said mayor or town marshal to take cognizance of or hold plea in any debt, personal or mixed, except the defendant shall reside within the limits of the corporation aforesaid.

Sec. 9. Be it further enacted. That the town marshal shall collect all taxes assessed by the corporation, and he is hereby authorized and required to collect and pay over to the treasurer all such sums of money as shall be assessed for the use of said corporation, within three months from the time of his receiving a duplicate thereof; and the treasurer's receipt shall be his voucher, on his settlement with the common council, which shall be when thereunto required by them, after the expiration of three months as above; the town marshal shall give ten days notice before he makes distress for the collection of any tax; and if the tax on any lot on which no personal property can be found, shall remain unpaid two months after the expiration of the three months aforesaid, the said town marshal shall give notice in one or more of the newspapers printed in said town, of the amount of such tax, and the number of the lot on which it is due; and if said tax shall not be paid within two months after the date of such advertisement, the town marshal shall in such case proceed to sell so much of such lot or lots as will discharge the same, taking the part sold in such a manner as will include the same distance on the back line of the lot, as on its front line; Provided, That the former owner may at any time within one year thereafter, redeem the lot or part thereof so sold, by paying to the purchaser, his or her heirs, executors or administrators, the amount of said tax, and one hundred per centum damages thereon.

Sec. 10. Be it further enacted, That the town marshal and treasurer shall each before he enters on the duties of his office, give bond with security to the recorder, to be approved of by the common council, conditioned for the faithful discharge thereof; the treasurer shall pay over all moneys by him received, to the order of the mayor and common council, and shall when required submit his books and vouchers to their inspection.

Sec. 11. Be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the recorder to make and keep a just and true record of all and every law and ordinance made and established by the mayor and common council, and of all their proceedings in their corporate capacity; and the record so made, shall at all times be open to the inspection of any elector of said town; and if any person shall think himself aggrieved by any judgment of the mayor, it shall be lawful for such person to appeal to the court of common pleas, within ten days after such judgment; and it shall be the duty of said court to hear such appeal, and give such relief as shall appear to them reasonable.

Sec. 12. Be it further enacted, That the annual election shall be opened at twelve o'clock, and closed at four o'clock in the afternoon of said first Monday in May; at the first election, two judges and a clerk who are electors, shall be appointed by the electors present, who shall each take an oath faithfully to discharge the duties of his appointment; and at all subsequent elections the mayor, recorder, treasurer or common council, or any three of them, shall be judges of the election, and shall cause a statement of the votes to be publicly declared, and a fair record thereof made by the clerk on the same day, who shall notify the persons elected to the respective offices, within two days thereafter, by giving personal notice, or by leaving a written notice at their most usual place of residence; and it shall be the duty of the recorder, every year, after the first election, to set up or cause to be set up, at least ten days previous to the first Monday in May, notice of the election, in five of the most public places in said town.

Sec. 13. Be it further enacted, That in case of a vacancy in the office of mayor, recorder, or treasurer, the vacancy shall be supplied from the common council; and in case of a vacancy in the common council, it shall be supplied by the mayor, recorder, treasurer and common council men, from among the electors of said town; and in case of misconduct in office of the mayor, recorder, treasurer, common council men or any subordinate officer, the others have hereby power to remove him or any of them, by an agreement of a majority of two thirds concurring.

Sec. 14. Be it further enacted, That in case of the absence or inability of the mayor, it shall be the duty of the recorder to act in his stead, who shall at all times when the mayor resumes his office, render to him an account of his transactions during such absence or inability.

Sec. 15. Be it further enacted, That the corporation shall use the jail of the county of Franklin, for the confinement of all such persons as by the laws of the corporation may be liable to imprisonment; and all persons thus imprisoned, shall be under the charge of the sheriff of the county.

Sec. 16. And be it further enacted, That no law shall ever be made by this corporation, subjecting cattle, sheep or hogs, not belonging to any of the residents of said borough, to be abused or taken up and sold for coming within the bounds thereof.

Matthias Corwin, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Peter Hitchcock, Speaker of the Senate.

February 10, 1816.

Pregnant With Great Results.

As heretofore suggested, the conference described was pregnant with great results, and had much to do in determining the immediate destiny of all that portion of the new republic lying west and northwest of the Alleghenies and south of the great chain of lakes. Having broken the French power in the Canadas, to lose in turn her own colonies in the American Revolution, the British government still fondly hoped to reconquer the republic, and bring the entire continent, at least north of the Rio Grande, under the British flag and scepter.

It is pretty well settled that the British aggressions, which led up to the war of 1812, had for their purpose the provocation of hostilities between the old nation and the infant republic. The English statesmen and soldiers apparently imagined that the republic was too poverty-stricken to maintain its existence in another war, and it provoked rejoicing rather than surprise in government circles in London when the United States declared their readiness and their determination to defend their rights against all comers and demonstrate that an American was not inferior to a king in all proper sovereignty.

It is also clear that it was part of the program to threaten the republic from the sea and from Lower Canada, thus engaging all the military forces of the original states in self-defense, and leave all the vast empire lying west and northward in a defenseless and undefendable state, thus allowing the savage tribes in the northwest the opportunity to sweep away the white settlements which were scattered over the territory now comprising Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, and form a junction with the British armies in Virginia or Pennsylvania, or some other advantageous spot that would paralyze the new nation.

After that the Indian allies would return to their wilderness domain, England would resume control of the lost colonies, a modified and a better form of government, would follow the once colonial system of the crown, and England would in the course of a century or two dominate the whole continent and build up the most splendid empire since the days of Persian greatness and opulence.

All this was changed by that conference across the river, and whatever of cohesive alliance of all the Indian tribes, under the tutelage of the Canadian representatives of the crown was dissipated, when the wise chief Tarhe, who had not only learned to respect Americans but was able to estimate them as warriors, gave the keynote to his fellows that prevented an alliance, which if once consummated, would have made it impossible for the United States forces to have invaded Canada and put England herself on the defensive.

To the military and statesmanic genius of General William Henry Harrison and the lofty idea of humanity entertained by Tarhe and his fellow chiefs and counselors, powerful enough to move and control all the northwestern tribes in the very crisis of an epoch, is due the fact that the growing young state of Ohio and its log cabin capital, were not whelmed in a century of darkness and disaster, from which but a slow recovery was to be expected, even if any semblance of the present political, commercial, social and educational conditions had been possible by the morning of the twentieth century.

The commemoration of the event and the spot by the Daughters of the American Revolution, however, we have every reason to hope and believe will in the course of coming years incite the people of a great city, the heart of a great state, to build other memorials to the simple-minded sons of the forest, who seem to have apprehended the true vision of the future.

The New Political Era.

It is but just to say, however, that the sentiment of British statesmanship, current in the opening of the eighteenth century, does not exist in the beginning of the twentieth, and the two nations interested are mutually grateful that the Harrison-Tarhe conference was held, that the then possible horrors of savage warfare were averted, and that Anglo-American politics and statesmen (probably as one of the outflowing consequences) are second to none in the uplifting of manhood and liberal ideas of political governments.

Following the event thus historically dwelt on to bring out the striking lights it throws upon current history and the state of which it is the capital went forward with full confidence in the future—a confidence that time has most amply justified.

The State Offices Assembled at Columbus.

In the fall of 1818, the state offices were removed from Chillicothe to Columbus, and on the first Monday of December, in the same year, the legislature commenced its first session in the then new state house in Columbus. The proprietors, having finished the public buildings and deeded the two ten acre lots to the state, agreeably to their proposals, at this session they presented their account for the erection of the public buildings; and by an act passed the 29th of January, 1817, the governor was authorized to settle and adjust the account, and the auditor required to draw on the treasurer for the balance found due after deducting the fifty thousand dollars which the proprietors were by their proposals bound to give.

In the settlement, after deducting from the charge for carpenter work some six or seven per cent, and the fifty thousand dollars, there was found a balance of about thirty-three thousand dollars due the proprietors, which was paid by the state, and thus closed this heavy and responsible enterprise.

A Practical Hanse Town.

This "Charter" is to be taken as the type of municipal organization at the beginning of the century. It was as Hanseatic in its latitude and freedom, as were the Hanse towns in Europe of the previous century and still more remote. It was home rule in its simplicity save as to the eligibility to office. While the elector was only required to be a native born or naturalized citizen of the United States and six months a resident, there were two important restrictions as to eligibility to office. Under this rescript to be eligible to an elective office the aspirant must either be a freeholder or a housekeeper. In other words, he must either be the owner of real estate or the head of a family and "keeping a house."

The advantages of the two classes were equalized and adjusted, however. The bachelor or widowed landowner was eligible to office. So, also, was the landless head of a family, sheltered under the clapboard roofed cabin. To the appointive offices, save in occasional exceptions, both classes were equally eligible.

The original body determined the tenure of its numbers, dividing them into three classes of three years tenure each, after the first two years, three holding for one year, three for two and three for three, three being elected annually. This did not precisely make the mayor, recorder, treasurer and common council a self-perpetuating body, owing to the fact that in those days an occasional public officer knew when he had enough. The nine members of the borough council, who were the corporation itself, elected the mayor, recorder and treasurer from their own number. Two thirds of them were in office when the remaining third were candidates for election to office, and as the whole body had the power to appoint all the subordinate officers of the town and control its entire business, expenditures, levies, etc., there was an opportunity for self-perpetuation at least. Whether it was taken advantage of or other is left to the judgment of the reader when he looks over the entire list of mayors, recorders, treasurers and councilmen, as well as the inferior officers on a later page, covering the entire borough period from 1816 to 1834.

The duties of the officers were plain and simple, and the borough government was not an onerous one; the population grew and Columbus increased in importance; there were no official scandals, and the people were, as a rule, satisfied. The final section forbidding the borough council to pass any law "subjecting cattle, sheep or hogs not belonging to the residents of said borough, to be abused or taken up and sold," is strikingly humane. They might abuse, take up and sell their own cattle, sheep and hogs, but such chattels belonging to the stranger and the outsider must receive respectful and humane treatment—a nineteenth century legislative rendition of the Golden Rule in behalf of domestic animals.

Early Years of Village Life.

For the first few years the town improved rapidly. Emigrants flowed in apparently from all quarters, and the improvements and general business of the place kept pace with the increase of population. Columbus at that date, however, was a rough spot in the woods, afar from any public road of much consequence. The east and west travel passed through Zanesville, Lancaster and Chillicothe; and the mails came to Columbus by cross lines on horseback. The first successful attempt to carry a mail to and from Columbus, otherwise than on horseback, was by Philip Zinn about the year 1816, once a week between Chillicothe and Columbus, via the Scioto river.

How Real Estate was Sold.

The proprietors of the town usually made their sales of lots by title bond. Upon receiving a third, fourth or fifth of the price agreed upon in hand, and annual notes for the balance without interest if punctually paid, otherwise to bear interest from date, they executed a bond binding themselves to make a deed when the notes were paid; and it frequently happened that after one or two payments and a small improvement had been made, the whole would fall back to the proprietors. The lots for sale all being in the hands of the proprietors, and their giving time on the payments, kept up the prices at from two to five hundred dollars on any part of the town plat, and price did not fall much below this until after the year 1820. when owing to the failure of two of the proprietors, McLaughlin and Johnson, as also of numerous other individuals who had possessed themselves of lots, there was such an immense number offered at forced sales by the United States marshal and sheriff, and so very little money in the country, that after being appraised and offered, and re-appraised and offered again and again, they finally had to sell. And lots which had years before been held at two and three hundred dollars, were struck off and sold at from ten to twenty dollars, and sometimes lower, even down to seven or eight dollars, for a lot on the extremities of the plat.

More Depression.

To add to the depression of business and price of property, about the year 1822 or 1823, the title of Starling's half section, on which the town was in part located was called in question. It had originally been granted to one Allen, a refugee from the British provinces in the time of the American Revolution. Allen had deeded it to his son. and the son had mortgaged it and it was sold at sheriff's sale to satisfy the mortgage, and Starling was the purchaser.

The First Disputed Title.

It was now claimed by the heirs of Allen, who took various exceptions to Starling's title. First as to the sale from the old man Allen to his son; also to the authentication of the mortgage by the son, and particularly to the sale by the sheriff to Starling, on the ground that there was no evidence that an appraisement had been made as required by the statutes of Ohio, and suit was brought by ejectment against some of the occupants who owned the most valuable improvements, first in the supreme court of Ohio, and then in the United States court for the district of Ohio.

Henry Clay in Ohio Supreme Court.

Mr. Starling defended the suits and first engaged Henry Clay, who then practiced in the United States courts at Columbus, as attorney. But owing to his appointment as secretary of state, he was called to Washington city and gave up the case, and Henry Baldwin, then of Pittsburg, was next engaged, who conducted the defense with great ability, and about the year 1826 it was finally decided in favor of Starling's title. So the matter was put to rest as to that half section.

The suit against Starling's half section was scarcely decided, when a claim was set up against Kerr and McLaughlin's half section. They had bought from one Strawhridge, who conveyed by an attorney or agent, and the deed ran thus: That the agent conveyed for Strawhridge, instead of Strawhridge conveying by agent, and was so signed:

"J M (the agent), (seal). Attorney in fact for Strawhridge.''

Thus the defect in Kerr and McLaughlin's title was merely technical.

But it was contended that this was not Strawbridge's deed, but the deed of the agent who claimed no title. And about the year 1826, a quit-claim was obtained from Strawbridge's heirs, by some man purporting to be a New Yorker, upon which a suit was brought in ejection, as in other cases, against one or more of the occupants of the most valuable lots. But by a suit in chancery to, quiet title about the year 1827, this was all set right, and the title of Kerr and McLaughlin sustained. In March, 1851, an act was passed by the legislature of Ohio to remedy such defects in conveyances, by which this technical distinction under the common law has been abolished.

The years 1819 and 1820 to 1826 were the dullest years in Columbus. But soon after this Columbus began to look up again. The location of the national road and the Columbus feeder to the Ohio canal gave an impetus to improvements, and by the year 1830, the prices of property and the improvements of the town had very considerably advanced.

The Manufacturing Spirit Appears.

Although Columbus possessed a reasonable amount of wealth and of money-making talent, the attention of its capitalists never was until of later years much turned toward manufacturing, but more directed to speculating upon the productions of others, by buying, selling, etc., than to creating new or additional wealth. The early efforts in the way of mills and manufactories, further than the common branches of mechanism, generally failed, either for want of capital or want of judgment and skill in their construction and management. The first partially modern sawmill erected within the present city limits was a sawmill on the Scioto, some ten or fifteen rods below where the penitentiary now is, in 1813, by John Shields and Richard Courtney. It passed through several hands in a few years; was considered a good property; but soon went to ruin; and for the last sixty-five years or more not a vestige of its remains has been perceivable.

About the year 1816 the same John Shields erected a flouring mill on the run at the southwest corner of the town, a few rods west of Ball's tannery. The water was brought from east of High Street in a race along the side of the bank, near the south end of Hoster's brewery, and let on to an overshot wheel. This mill, after standing some twelve or fifteen years and being owned by several individuals in succession was suffered to go to ruin, and there have been no remains of it perceivable for fifty years.

Along this hollow there formerly were, in succession, a number of breweries, distilleries, tan yards and sherries that have long since disappeared.

At a later period there were two large breweries, one owned by Messrs. Master & Silbernugle and the other by John Blenker, and some three or four tanneries.

The First Circular Saw.

In 1819, Moses Jewett, Caleb Houston and John E. Baker erected on the Scioto, just above Rich street, a sawmill upon a new patent plan. The saw was circular and was to cut constantly ahead with no back strokes. It was an experiment, and cost them a good deal without ever answering any valuable purpose.

In 1821 Colonel Jewett and Judge Hines commenced the manufacturing of cotton yarn by horse power in a frame building on Front street, between Rich and Friend; and after experimenting with that some time and also with the circular saw in the mill, the spinning machinery was removed into the mill, where the spinning was continued by water power a few years.

But finally the whole concern was abandoned, and for nearly fifty years there has not been a vestige of the building to show where it stood. The frame on Front Street where they first commenced the cotton spinning was for many years known as the "old factory."

A Hemp Dresser.

About this time, Judge Hines having invented a machine for dressing hemp in an unrotted state, in 1822 he and William Bain constructed and put in operation one of the machines at the southeast corner of High street and South Public lane. It was propelled by horse power on a tread wheel.

It after some time passed into the hands of Lafayette Tibbits, who worked it until the fall of 1824, when he failed and the whole concern went down.

Woolen Manufacturers.

About the year 1822, a woolen factory for carding, spinning and weaving was commenced by Ebenezer Thomas and others on the west end of the lot later owned by Colonel S. W. Andrews, corner of High and Noble streets. It was worked by horse power on a tread wheel. It passed through the hands of different owners, without profit to any. About the year 1884 or 1835, the building and machinery were removed and re-erected by George Jeffries on the west abutment of the canal dam, where it was worked by water power, some two or three years, when the machinery was sold out by piece meal under the hammer; and so ended that manufacturing establishment.

A Steam Sawmill.

About the year 1831 or 1832. John McElvain erected a steam sawmill at the head of the canal, where Hunter's warehouse afterward stood. It was worked by different persons (it is believed without much profit) for some seven or eight years, when the engine and machinery were disposed of and the warehouse erected over it, the mill frame answering as part of the warehouse. In 1843, the warehouse was totally consumed by fire, but was subsequently rebuilt. The first successful manufacturing establishment, other than common mechanic show, was the foundry and plow manufactory of Mr. Ridgway, established in 1822.

The County Seat Removed.

In 1824 the county seat was removed from Franklinton to Columbus: and the courts were held in the United States courthouse until 1840. The court of common pleas then (1824) was composed of Gustavus Swan, president; Edward Livingston, Samuel G. Flenniken, and Aurora Buttles, associates; A. I. McDowell, clerk; and Robert Brolherton, sheriff.

Begins to Expand.

As already observed, the original town was laid out in 1812. In the summer of 1814. John McGown's addition was laid out and called South Columbus—surveyed and platted by John Shields. In 1830 the wharf lots were laid out by order of the town council. They are, and theoretically must remain city property. In 1831, a few lots were laid out by John Young and called Young's addition.

McElvain's Addition.

In 1832 a five acre lot of land near the head of the canal, owned by John McElvain and others, was laid out into lots and called McElvain's addition.

In February, 1833, Otis and Samuel Crosby's first addition (between Town and South streets) was laid out; and in November of the same year, their second addition (between South street and South Public lane) was also laid out.

Brotherton and Walcutt's Addition.

About the years 1831 and 1832, Robert Brotherton and John M. Walcutt, who owned a few acres of an original reserve, sold out some building lots on Town street, which was generally called Brotherton and Walcutt's addition. They did not have their lots platted, but sold by metes and bounds as lands conveyed. The lots, however, were subsequently platted, agreeably to the sales, and recorded.

Heyl and Parson's Addition.

In 1835 Judge Heyl and Dr. Parsons had a small addition of lots laid out in the southwest corner of the town, called Heyl and Parson's addition. In the same year, 1835, Matthew J. Gilbert's addition was laid out.