Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-12-02
WHAT THE OLD MAN SAID.
The Continuation ofA Night on Girty's
Island.
By PEToNQUETT.

l am a very old man and have outlived
several generations. As think back must
have lived several lives; and my individual
spirit and mind, with continuous recollect-
ion, and without the interruption of childhood
and manhood, have taken up, with merely
restored physical vigor and faculties, the life
sort of transmigration of the old individual
ity into new born body. In fact am
sort of Wandering Jew, invulnerable to ''all
the ills that flesh is heir to" and exempt even
from the scythe of death. Time makes no
impress and l need not heed his running
sands. I have seen generations pass away
and new ones take the place-as the current
in the river is ever moving on and never
lessening the stream. l have no recollection
of childhood and must have been placed up
on the earth with my faculties as fully devel-
oped as they now are.
first came to America with the French
Jesuits. Twas with La Selle when he erect
ed his stockade where Ft. Wayne is now
built, in 1850. We came down the st. Joseph
and the Maumee and erected small stockade
where Maumee city now stands, and trading
point with the Indians was opened there
The double crosses and other silver orna-
ments that are still found in the valley, were
presents made to the Indians by the mission
aries accompanying the Adventures, and
were, in conformity to their custom, buried
with the dead. We passed by this Island at
that time, and what perfect picture of un-
cultivated nature it was, but it was no wilder
than all the country around, exceptthat away
from the immediate course of the river, in
addition to dense forests and tangled under
brush, was perfect swamp. Had any one
at that time predicted the magnificent and
fertile farms which now skirt the river and
fill the map of Henry, the wealth, the COM
fort, the ease and the culture which now
makes the county one of the foremost in the
State, such one had been deemed insane.
1t was long tune before any other white
man ever seen the Maumee. A few pioneers,
or rather hunters, or more correctly still,
refugees from justice, occasionally and at
long intervals, penetrated this far into the
western Ohio then was. Simon Girty was
the first who made any sort of home on the
river. This Island was his retreat, but his
cabin stood on the North bank but short
distance West of the Gum farm house. The
cabin was destroyed by Waynes army in 1884.
But will not weary you with ali account of
Girty's atrocities-these are sufficiently given
in the narratives of those who escaped from
Indian captivity, and are accessible to any
person who is interested in pioneer history.
The time, place and manner of Girty's
death are shrouded in mystery; no two &C.
counts agree and neither are correct. Girty
died on this Island, and died by his own
hand. The accounts of his strong desire foI
liquor are correct, and when under its in.
| fiue nee he was doubly iend, sparing neith
er friend nor foe. After the burning of Col
Crawford, ,Girty seemed to be achanged man
and if he had conscience was certainly tor
tu red by it. He became morose and sough
seclusion, even from his red friends, more
than formerly. Much of his time was spent
in drunken obliviousness, on this his retreat
| and at such times it was worth life to visi
him. Good Indian authority asserted tina
he was pursued by the spirit of the murdered
Crawford, and that during certain moons
SIX eleton of fire exhaling strong fumes o
sulpher land carrying in one hand spit
| could ha saan ,palkipo clouly ouer tho Tclop,
as if in search of some one. This spectr
was never seen except when Girty was here
and he was then never here unless beastly in
toxicated. His shrieks and howls were terri
BILE, frightening from the neighborhood no
on ly the wild and savage game but even tn
more savage Indian. This fact and the sour
ing and increasing brutal disposition of tn
ou tlaw alienated even his uncivilized friend
and made him an outcast from everything
that wore human form. War and blood
shed was his delight, and when the British in
voked the aid of the savage barbarians in tn,
war of 1912 Girty was happy. He joined tn
forces under Tecumseh and fought with him
under Proctor at the Thames in 1918, wher
i. is reported that he was killed. This is
/ mistake; and it was told by Indians who es
capped at that time, that on the night after tn,
battle Girty was seen making his way to
wards his Island home followed by the fir,
skeleton.
After many days and much hardship anG
toll, Girty once more reached his Island, bu
never again left it.
The old mans story will be continued il
further edition of the NORTHWEST.