Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-09-28

and supply them with provisions. Gen.
Putnam sent forward Major Burnham
and some 80 or 40 men for the purpose
of breaking ground for the French
Col. Stafford, as before mentioned, fell
in with this party in New Jsrsey.-
They arrived at Marietta, and remained
there about a week, and then in two
boats proceeded down to Point Pleasant,
four miles above their destination. Col.
Return ]. Meigs, Sen., was the survey
or. The upper corner of the ground
on the river having been fixed, either at
this time or before, Col. Meigs pro-
ceeded to find the centre of what is
now the Public Square in Gallipolis.-
Col. Stafford, as he says, in running
down from the upper corner, carried
the forward end of the chain, and hav-
ing found the centre, while the others
were busy, he caught up an axe, and
there the first tree cut in the town OF
Gallipolis, was felled by Col. Robert
Stafford, the old gentleman now before
us, who cried out, 'Hurrah, boys, I've
cut down the first tree This was a
point of pride, and SO it remains to this
day. 1t was the eighth day of June,
1870; and the tree was some six inches
in diameter, sugar tree.
Eighty cabins, log with the bark on,
were erected on the square, twenty in a
row; at each corner was block house,
two stories in height; and above there
were built two rows of story and ahalf
cabins, hewed logs, with high stock
ade fence, and block-houses at the upper
corners, these latter cabins being fin
ished in better style than those below,
for the richer class. The Council
Chamber and Ball Room was in one of
these upper cabins. Gen. Putnam,
who did this work and supplied provi-
sions, never received his pay from the
Scioto Company, which failed, leaving
him the loser by some thousands of dol
lars.
The French arrived at the town pre-
pared for them in the early part of Oc-
tober, and at one of their first meetings
named the town Gallipolis, town of the
French. They were but poorly calcu-
lated for a new country--as Col. SAT-
ford expresses it, Many of them were
gentlemen They were priests, lawyers,
watchmakers, painters, and artisans and
mechanics of various kinds.
After the arrival of the French, it
being open war with the Indians, Col.
Stafford went into the employ of the
government as a spy, the usual name,
ranger would be the more proper term,
and remained in that service until peace
with the Indians in 1895, something
over four years. His pay at first was
SO per month and found; afterwards
five shillings day and two rations, a
ration consisting of pound of bread, a
pound of meat, a gill of whisky day,
together with some other articles. In
their ranges or beats two spies usually
went together.
Gallipolis suffered comparatively little
from Indians beyond the loss of cattle,
the Indians having a love for French
men; some few, however, were killed
or wounded by Indians at or near the
town, and one man and woman were
made prisoners. yet there was always
fear of Indians, and spies were kept out.
Sometimes Col. Stafford, as he states,
with his brother spy, would go to Ma
rietta, but his usual duty was to range
about town a week, and the alternate
week to go cut In the direction of Chill
licothe.
The Scioto Company soon stopped
their supplies to the French, and there
came near being famine in their settle
ment, and hardships arose every day
They had been defrauded by grasping
spectators, who never fulfilled their
promises to them, and became disheart-
ened. Some of them went to the older
portions of the country and resumed
their trades; others became reckless.
and led a half-savage life; the most
part, however, memorialized Congress
on their wrongs and grievances, and
through Jervis, their agent, received
the French Grant, "a, 900 acres of land
in the upper end of the present Scioto
county. Jervis received 1000 acres,
and, ninety-two other persons lots of
2174 acres each. Some of them went
to the Grant, others remained at their
first home, Gallipolis.
At Gallipolis the French, as Col. SAT-
ford says, used to spend the Sabbath
after French style; they would have a
meeting or hold mass in the morning,
and in the afternoon always had ball,
when high glee and conviviality marked
the occasion.
Of the original French stock three
are yet living, to-wit: Francis Bertrand.
at the Grant, now some 80 years of age.
We saw him few weeks since at the
residence of his son-in-law, Mr.. Herrell.
He never adopted American customs,
and never learned to speak English
At Gallipolis Mrs. Menager, the widow
of Claudius Roman Mensger, yet lives
with her son-in-low, Gen. Newsom.-
Also at or near Gallipolis Madame De-
Yacht yet lives; she came to Gallipolis
with the first company, young widow,
and subsequently married Mons. De,
Yacht.
We will add few facts of Col. SAT-,
lords personal experience, when spy,
from our recollecfior, Of the oonvarsa.