Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-10-21
CLEVELAND THURSDAY MORNING. OCTOBER 81, 1858.

er from the savOry quality of the flesh or the
particular state Of our stomach, could not say
which, we had eaten it with high relish Mr
Stow was a healthy, active man fond of a
wOodsman's life, and determined to adopt ali
the practices of such life, even to the eating
of snakes During almost every day while on
the lake shore, he killed and swung over his
shoulders and around his body, from two to SIX
or eight large rattlesnakes, and at night a part
were dressed, cooked and eaten by the party
with good relish-probably increased BY the
circumstance of their being fresh, while all our
other meat was salt "
On the 22d day OF July, l796. Genl Moses
Cleveland, with company Of his Surveyors,
under the lead Of Augustus Porter, entered the
mouth Of the Cuyahog1 river. They We're then
engaged in making the traverse of the Lake,
and continued on TO Sandusky Bay.
now take the language Of Judge Porter as
used in his letter to Mr. Barr
"We returned To the mouth of the CuyahOga
where we found Stiles and his family, Tinker,
and some eight or ten persons mere, belonging
to our marty. They had come on with boat,
with provisions, and had commenced the build
ing of log-hOuse for the storage of provisions,
DC. The site Of this house was, as nearly as
now reeollect, about half or two thirds of the
way from the top Of the bank TO the shore Of the
river, short distance North of what Is now
called MAIN street of the City of Cleveland
The house was placed upon the level part of a
"slide," and fine spring came out of the bank
a little above the slide-which had, no doubt,
caused the slide Mr.. Tinker with his boat and
hands, being at leisure, was directed to ascend
the river, to ascertain its capacity for naviga-
a. Il Il.
creek that falls into the river from the East
which we named "Tinker's Creek" and which,
understand, still retains that name. Iremain-
ed at the mouth of the river for some time, per-
haps two or three weeks, and SURVEYED the out
lines of piece of land designed for the town.
Its dimensions l do not Iecollect-probably
equal TO about mile square, bounding West on
the river and North on the lake. l made plat
of this ground and laid it off into streets and
lots. Most or all the streets surveyed myself,
when left 1t in charge of Mr.. Holley to com
plete the survey Of the LOTS
Who that reads this narrative, made by one
of the principal actors in the work, and turns
his eye upon the gOodly city of which the sur
vey Of Mr.. Porter was the germ" but will
cease to wonder at the story of aladdin and
his Lamp"
Only sixty-two years ago, he surveyed the
outlines of a piece Of land designed for the
town ~ That piece of land" is now the
centre of magnificent city, having ten thous-
and houses and fifty thousand inhabitants 4! I!
'Learn'd men OF gree ily pursue
II ings that are rather r0rlertHi han fTae,
10 make their own discoveries strange Hs1J"
But here we have the truth and, verify, a
truth +" stranger than fiction"
The town was called - Cleaveland, A." IN honor
of the enterprising and distinguished gentleman
who was the superintendent Of the expedition.
The orthography of the name was changed,
some five and twenty years ago, when Madison
Kelley procured, from the East, stereotyped
a. heading for the " Cleveland Advertiser
weekly newspaper which he then published.
Il is said that his " form" was not of sufficient
width to contain all the letters that made up
the good old fashioned, Canterbury name Of
" CLEAvELAND," and he therefore struck out the
letter "AH from first syllable, as surplusage.
The fable says that certain influential fox,
having lost his tail in a trap, persuaded the
whole family of foxes to believe It was The fash
ioa to dispense with that apPendage, and they
parted with their tails accordingly.
The application of this fable is often seen IN
the affairs Of men-sOmetimes in those of wO-
meR.
1t would seem proper that something more
than passing notice should be taken on an Oe-
ession ike the present, Of the leading adventu-
rer in that adventurous band who, in the face Of
difficulties and dangers at which the modern
voyager would pale led the way to the settle
ment of the interesting country in which it is
our privilege to live, and who was so greatly in-
strumental in founding the city which Is the
boast Of its people and the pride Of the State.
Moses Cleaveland was born in the town of
Canterbury in the county of Windham and State
Of Connecticut somewhere about the year 1855.
He was literally educated and practiced law in
his native town for many years. He was q
Brigadier General in the militia Of Connecticut,
and often represented the town of Canterbury
in the Legislature of that State. In person he
was Of medium stature, thick set and Portly,
and of Bsry dark complexion.
1t is said of him that, some years after he left
college, he attended an annual Commencement
at New Haven, where he met certain members
Of his own class with whom he was examining
the triennial catalogue that had them Just issued
from the press. Il is usual, in this cata.ogue,
TO print the names of such of the graduates as
have studied theology, IN italics. Gen. Cleave-
land, in running his eye over the names of bis
classmates, CHANGED TO find the name Of one
then present, who made no great pretensiOns to
piety, printed in the form TO denote a clergy
man Fond OF humor and ready at joke. he
snatchei pen and wrote against the name Of
bis friend Settled at Mohegan ;" which was
then and is now small Indian settlement on
the bank Of the Thames between Norwich and
New London. The catalogue thus amended
was passed around the company, amid roars oi
laughter, until It came into the hands of the in
nocent subject of their mirth, when he, with
easy facility and ready wit, TetoIted upon OuI
hero by writing against his name" Born al
Mohegan."
In connection with this subject place an an
ecdote borrowed from the letter Of Judge Por
ter, already cited, / trust, with as much pert
neney as freedom He says
q During our absence from Conneaut, Gene
70! Cleveland had assembled there small party
af Indians residing few miles up the Conneau
creek-had held council with them, made then
some presents and established a friendly inter
course with them. The General had Furnished
himself with an Indian dress, and, being o.
swarthy complexion, afforded an excellent ike
ness Of an Indian Chief, and was hOnOred there
after, by the party. with the name of PAQUA
the name Of the Chief of the tribe referred
TO-"
General Cleaveland makes mention in his dia
", of this talk" and says he was presented
with the calumet, or pipe of peace, that wa
smoked, by all parties, on the occasion, anC
adds" It is curious one indeed"
This identical pipe is now in the possession
of the Generals daughter, Mrs. Morgan, at Nor
wich, Conn, and may probably be forthcoming
at some future meeting Of the Society.
General Ceaveland closed his eventfu life, at thl
pace Of his birth, in the year lsO6.
1t will be recol eeted that Judge Porter has said
in respect TO the survey Of Cleveland he "ef it il
charge Of Mr. Holley to complete the survey Of th,
lots"
In J. Milton HOIey's Journal is found the follow
ing entry;
ssTuesday, Oct. 18th. I796.-We left Cuyahog,