The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-07-29
Defiance seventy Yenrs Ago.

lF5om the Defiance Dcmocratl
A sketch we gave last week Of Defiance,
rs it was forty years ago was read with
interest, giving interesting "reminiscences
oi the town. and valley vt the first beginning
OF the settlement here of the whites. We
now give description of the site of tho
town and its inhabitants as they were thirty
years before, when the Wyandots, Ottawas,
Shawnees and pottawotomies were the sole
owners and occupicrs of the soil. This is
from Spcnccrs account of his captivity
among the Indians, and describes Defiance,
rs he saw ii in 1892, seventy years ago.
"On this high ground. (since the site of
Fort Defiance, erected 10y General Wayne,
in l19l) extending from the Maumco quar-
ter of mile up the Auglaizc, about two
hundred yards IN width, was an open space
on the west and south ot which were oak
woods. with hazel underground. Within
this point, on the steep high bank of tho
Auglaize. were five or six cabins and log
houses, inhabited principally by Indian trad
crs, The most northerly, a large hewed log
house, divided below into three apartments,
was occupied as a warehouse, store and
dwelling, 10y George lronside the most iu-
iiucntial trader on the point. Next to his
were tue houses of Plrault, (pro,) a French
baker, and Mckenzie, Scot, who, in aldi-
tion to the merchandising, followed the oc-
Cupation OF u silvcrsmith, exchanging with
the Indians his brooches, car-drOps and
other silver ornaments at an enormous
proht, Tor skins and turs. still farther up
were several other families French and Eng
lish and two American prisoners, Henry
Ball, u soldier taken at ST. Clair's defeat,
and his wife, Polly Meadows. captured at
the same time, were allowed to live here,
aud Ivy labor to pay their master the price
of their ransom; he by boating to the rap
ids OF the Maumee and she by washing
and sewing. Fronting the house Of lrou-
| side, and about fifty yards from the bank,
was small stockade, enclosing two hewed
log houses, one of which was occupied by
James Girty, (brother of Simon) the other,
occasionally, by Mckee and Elliott, Brit
ish Indian Agents, living at Detroit
From this station | had II fine view of
the large village more than n mile south, on
the east side of the Auglaize, of Blue Jack
cts town. and the Maumec River several
miles below, and of the extensive prairie
| covered with corn, directly opposite, aud
| forming together very handsome land
sCape.'
We have been told by those acquainted
with early traders, boatmen and hunters,
| familiar with this section, that about the
time above referred to, and for some years
afterwards, there was almost as much
cleared land in sight of Defiance as at pre-
sent. And that it was no uncommon sight
to see & thousand acres planted in corn,
and beans pumpkins, &C. by the Indians
and their trading and hunting companions.
This would comprehend the Evans farms,
the bottom point opposite the Fort, the
Shirley, and Phillips and lIolgatc bottoms,
besides a large scope back of the Fort after
wards covered over with n seCond-growth
OF timber. Defiance was, before Wayne's
time and for some timo after, a place for
| Indian consultations and payments and was
to them place of great Importance. 1t was
held by the British, down nearly to the War
of 1872, and it was here that they made
much mischief 10y their tampermg with semi
hostile tribes. We have heard it stated
| that at one of the Indian gatherings, about
| the year lSlO, that rs many rs fifty traders
were here, having temporary stores or
booths coming from Canada and Detriot.
There was something of the fortitiCation
kind on the high bank, ON the north side of
| the Maumcc, overlooking the point and an
other, rs Spencer says, on the bank of the
Aulgia2e above the point these were Brit
ish and before Wayne. There was no fort
at the point until built i'll 1894 by Gen.
Wayne.
The Wyandot name for Defiance "Tu-en-
da-wic,' sgniiying junction of two rivers
that of the Shawnccs was En-sa- -woC-sa
having much the same meaning. The namo
Defiance was given by Gen. Wayne when
the Fort was built.