Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-04-03
OHIO HISTORY.
Newly Discovered Documents
as to the Early Settlement
of the 6tate-The First Set
t'er,ent Not Made at Mari
eta. eff ffN

1 u
We find the following interesting ar-
ticle in relation to the early settlement
of Ohio in the Bucyrus Journal of Feb
ruary. 18th. If It is true, as stated, that
the first settlement was made in our
State as early as 1884, then will Mariet-
ia lose the honor she has so long enjoy
ed of being the point where the first
white settlement was made in Ohio
We commend the consideration of this
subject to those in our city who have
made the early history of Ohio a study:
A most valuable discovery of histori-
cal manuscripts has recently been made
by the Western Reserve Historical So
ciety of Cleveland, Ohio. The papers,
which had accumulated iuring the Con-
federation -17s3 to 17s9-and which
were deposited in the Department of
State, were always thought to have been
burned by the British in 1914, when the
Capitol and other public buildings were
razed to the ground. 1t having recent
ly been determined to erect a new builG-
ing for the State Department, it became
necessary to remove the archives, which
had accumulated for many years. By
this means the Historical Society ascer-
tained that there were many papers of
great value, heretofore considered lost,
relating to the Ohio country during the
years before mentioned. h5
These papers form new and import
ant chapter relating to the pre-territo-
rial history of Ohio. From them we
ascertain that as early as 1884 there
were various settlements of white peo-
pie northwest Of the river Ohio. There
were towns at the Muskingum, the Scio-
to, Mama, and along the Ohio. This is
established beyond preadventure, as we
have not only the names of the towns,
but those Of the principal residents. As
to the number of inhabitants in each
town, there is not full information, ex-
cept at Hooking, there were about three
hundred families, ard the same at the
MIskingum town. There was large
place opposite Wheeling, on the aMingo
Bottoms" and others at various points
containing more or less families.
When George Rogers Clarke, Rich
land Butler and Arthur Lee, Commits
sioners for Indian Affairs in the West,
arrived at Fort Mcintosh, in January
1885, to treat with the Ohio Indians,
they found nothing could be done in
the way of their mission unlessthe lands
west of the Ohio were cleared of all
white persons who settled there. The
Indians were emphatic on that point.
On the oath of January, 1876, the
Commissioners ordered Col. Harmar to
drive off the settlers. snoTsaq
On the 29th of March following, En-
sign John Armstrong was dispatched
with a competent force to disperse the
intruders. This was only partially ae-
complished, and with considerable diff
ficulty. We have before us Armstrong;
report to Col. Harmar on the subject. It
detailed his march, and the occurrences
which took place in discharging the du-
ty assigned him. I.iose settlers whom
Armstrong could not reach were forced
of. by the direction of the Commission
ers, by Delaware and Wyandot Indians,
but not until they had received, and
refused to 4disperse, written notice
from Col. Harmar.
, Among the papers received in the So
ciety are petitions from settlers, show
ing the distressed condition, and ap-
pealing for time TO select locations and
make settlements east of Ohio. Har.
mars answer to those and other COM
relating to the subject are
documents.
At some future time the Historical
Society hope to prepare these MANN
scripts for publication. Through the
kindness of. Hon. Hamilton Fish, Sec
retary of State, the Society was per-
mitted, free of expense, to take copies
of all the papers in the Department re-
lating to the Ohio country and the West
during the Confederation. This yalua-
BILE acquisition to the material for a his
tory of Ohio will be appi ,ciated by
every intelligent citizen.