Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-03-12
Pioneer "reminiscences.
BY j. E. CowDRIcK.

AbOuI ADitl Aols AODAY OOSCPil SON-
drick and wife with four children, left
Cedar Creek. Ocean County, New Jer-
sey, for the Maumee-then the far west.
With their household effects loaded on
three horse covered wagon, travel
ing as was the custom then-bunking
on the fioor( r(using our own bedding)at
the taverns along the road, doing our
cooking, etc. The journey occupied
about one months time. We emerged
from the Black Swamp, landing at Per-
rysburgh, May 5th, 1881.
The appearance was most beautiful
We crossed the Maumee over to Mau
NEE City and proceeded up the river to
/ Presque Isle and got permission to stay
short time with an old man by the
name of Parsons, who was living alone.
The streets of Maumee seemed alive
with Indians, in every conceivable
style of attire, some extremely gay and
rich, othes just the opposite. The flats
along the river were dotted with fish
shanties, the fishermen spreading their
seins to dry; the piles of undressed
fish shining in the sun on the one
hand, and the young corn with back
ground of forest on the other, formed a
scene on that beautiful May morning
that was very picturesque, il not en-
chanting, and which made alastingim-
preston on the memory. In a short
time we moved up to Waterville where
my father worked at wagon-making
with Mr.. Eberly, who is now living at
Portage, Wood County, this state.
About three years since at q meeting
of the pioneers at the Fallen Timbers
battle ground, q man said that he rode
horse through the river along in the
thirties and that the fish were so num-
erous in these ripples that his horse
stepped on and killed many, the fish
being so crowded in the shallow water
that they could not get away. This
was referred to few days later in Ma
poleon as capital fish story. Another
citizen present, we'll known, averred
that along about 1840 he was passen-
ger on sidewheel steamer and that
near the mouth of the river she en-
countered school of fish so thick as
to stop the action of the paddle-wheels
and the steamer could not move until
the fish had scattered. The gentleman
no doubt is ready to verify it if called
upon to do so.
The Indians were quite an interest
ing study for the new conner and an
important factor in the fur trade, The
Ottawas had village about ten miles
up the river from Maumee City on
their 12-miles square reservation, where
they stayed in Summer and early
Fall, raising corn and drying sufficient
for their winters huuting expedition.
With fishing, selling baskets, berries
and honey to the white settlers; some
on the trail to and from Maumee, they
all seemed to be full of business. They
would always, either going or return
ing, stop at Turkeyfoot Rock on what
is known as Wayne's Battle Ground
and offer their homage to the Indian
Chief. Turkeyfoot, who was shot in
the battle with Mad Anthony Wayne
and expired while leaning on this rock
cheering his braves to the last. They
would put whisRey and tobacco around
the rock and cry the most freely wher
the most drunken.
About the first of October, the In
dians would leave their villages alons
the river for the hunting grounds-the
great unbroken forest westward along
the banks of the Turkeyfoot. They
took nothing along for horse feed as the
ponies could we'll subsist. on the rict
heritage of the valley; as for the In
dians themselves, the dried corn wa!
their bread and the wild game theil
meat. In the Spring the Indians
would come from the hunting grounds
to their sugar camps along the rivers
and creeks. Here they would make
maple sugar, using bark peeled from
trees for troughs; they would also con
struct some very beautiful canoes from
the same kind of material. each fam
lily occupying one canoe when travel
ing. In the larger boats cargoes of fur
and sugar were taken even as far nortl
as Detroit where they found ready
market. Indian syrup was supposed
to be we'll cleansed, as they boiled th Ell
game in the sap and small bones wer,
frequently found in the sugar. At ont
time land seeker at tavern while a
the table removed, with not little dis
gust, the skull of a chip-munk from
the sugar bowl with his spoon!
In the spring time these fleets of bari
canoes, which would run the rapid
safely, with their rich cargoes and hap
by occupants, returning to their villag
es about the different rapids with thei
apple trees, (these trees were suppOse
to have been planted by Johnny Apple
seed, as well as the groves Of will,
plum, the season of fish and berries
. and honey and basket making, for bal
ter with the whites. With the India
the apple was considered marketable a
soon as the seeds were formed.
Spring and Summer were the time!
/, of festivities with the Tamways. Thei
l dances were to them great events. Ol
| these occasions some of their fieetes
ponies were used to go to Maumee fo
whisky, and if the case was very urgen
/: two Indians would occupy one pony
one to navigate the horse, the other t
carry the skins containing the whisky
: The animals We're urged through til
ten miles and return at a rate of spec
which proved them to have both spec
4 and endurance.
At this time the Indians, all mem
/: bers of the several families, includin
dogs, went about the 1st of June eac
year to Maiden, Canada, and receive
an annuity or pension, granted them a
allies of the Canadians in the war @
) 1872, between the United States an
. Great Britain, consisting of fcamp equiv
/, ments, blankets, guns, and silver trinB
cts of various kinds. One thing anon
these, very conspicuous, was plug ha
with many silver bands around 1t; thi
was worn exclusively by the aristocral
ic squaws. One never saw an India
L. t.. Il