Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-08-17

Judge LelIils great STinuidIneE. was
born i'm the city of Lcith, Scotland. and
Leith. his son, moved to South Carolina.
and settled OH the Pcdec River. where
he died many years ago. John Leith.
the subject of this little work. and grand
father of Judge Leith. being of 4 rowing
and detremined disposition, left South
Carolina when an orphan boy. Journey
ing northward. He spent some time ut
Little York, Pa. but not contented lie
sought further the real wilds of the will
derness. ana soon found himself. at the
early age OF fifteen years. at Fort PITT,
west of the Allsghepies. and there hired
himself to an IhdianI Trader. who pene-
trated far into the wilderness north
Of the Ohio. to trade with the Indians.
For this trader he acted as clerk. He
arrived where now stands the city Of
Lancaster; ohio. Early in the same
year that Dnhiiiore came from Virginia
with his army to chastise the Indians of
along the Ohio River. or Duhriore's
Expedition the Indians were apprised.
and knew when ahd where the attack
would be made.
John Lcith, then but a youth, and clerk
OF an Indian trader. was aware that
something was about to transpire of an
unusual character. from the actions of the
Indians; and being white boy, in
struggle between Whites and Indians,
he. as white boy, had little to hope for.
But the Indian character has some fea-
lures of the humane in its composition.
and, thereby, sometimes springs up
liking even for an enemy. Such WAS the
case with John Leith. The great Indian
Chief was his friend and when he knew
that llunmore WAS moving for their
| towns OH the Scioto. and was not far
distant he cane to this white boy, then
by the order of this Chief, If he so said.
in the valley and shadow OF death. and
said to him, John. do you know your
people are on the war path and will soon
be here - OF course this WAS sail i'm the
Indian tongue and was news to John,
who then regretted that he had not left
for SOth Carolina again. as was lis in
tentiOn 70 DO some tin,e before ard be-
fore he consented t. remain IN charge
OF his employers goods while he returned
To Fort Pitt, To repleniSh his stock: but
now it VAS too late and the door was
closed His color and race were. against
hin. in that hour when the white men
were on the war path. against thVse, in
whose power he then was, and the re-
suit with him was, in one sense uncer-
tain, but in another. certain. go,
To the Chiefs question do you know
that your people have crossed the Ohio
river to attack u.s." he replied mo, as
am not responsible for their acts | hope
no harm will come to me-" The Chief
then commanded him to rise up and
stand before him. (which did with the
fearful expectation that to the blood
stained tomahawk too must fall vic
tim, but to my surprise he took me by
the hand and said, your father has risen
to protect you and your mother has risen
fn I'M inn n
and your Indian name shall be John
Tit. Iou are how adopted into our
family and the son of a Chief, anu eX-
pecteu to behave like man and you TOO
shall soon be Il Chief. If you do this it
will be well, but il you attempt to escape
death will be your certain doom. You
are now according to our customs an In
dian" Ceremonies can not chanSe the
nature OF man. but life, dear alike TO all,
wheii endangered. may prompt man To
become for Il while, what. by nature and
education lie is not. So in this case
Alone in the forest, surrounded by saw
ages now about to be attacked by men
OF his own race and color. John Leitl
preferred to become John Till, rather than
ule by the tomahawk and seal ping
knives in the wildS of the west and far
| from home.
He consented to become John Tit
Ine Oiu CElet tnCn Threw Ills arms
arOunds him and kissed him; the old
Chiefs Squaw did lik ewise, and then the
warriors marched around him, shook
hands with him yelling the war whoop.
anu greeted him us one of thei' own peo
Pile. After the warriors came the wo-
Men and children, greeting him in like
manner.
His clothing was then removed ard he
was dressed in true indian style. The
moccasins, leggings, breech clout and
hunting shirt, if they did not change the
inner man, did change the outer ap-
pearance, and he Was no longer the
Seotehman that he was but truly, John
Tit, the Indian.
The Chief then gave him a gun. one
pound ofIead, half pound OF powder and
| blanket, with which to commence his
new life, and gave him to understand
that he must now work his own way
anu meet his own wants, and said to
him 'go now, be man, do business tor
yourself This all done. a committee
OF warriors were chosen to take posses
sion of the store, to divide the goods Us
directed. and thus wind up" the effects
of the trader who was then, fortunately
for his skin and scalp, at Fort Pitt. and
ioc whom john Leith was no more clerk
with this work commenced the reyelry
yelling, whooping. shouting and dane
cling of the whole tribe.
All this accomplished it was not long
Def re all effects were collected and tn,
tribe LETT for point Iartler west. on the
Waters OF tile Miami, and he with them