Once upon a time in Ada
Things you didn’t know about your own hometown
By Lee Crouse
[email protected]
THE ADA RECORD ADA, OHIO- AUG. 22, 1900
A PIONEER STORY
An incident in the Early History of Hardin County by Agnew Welsh
The first white man who settled north of Springfield, Ohio, was rather a singular character who we will name Smith. Having become tired of civilization he concluded to push out into Northern Ohio, and being a Kentuckian, fearless of danger, he with his wife and daughter, crossed the Ohio river and wandered through the wilderness until reaching the village of the Roundhead Indians, situated on the Scioto river near the head of this stream. Here they procured some Indian corn, wild meat, stc, of the Indians and then made their way up the river about three miles west of the village to the edge of the prairie, at the head of the river where the mule was unloaded as all their goods were packed on an old mule the man and his wife walking and the daughter riding on the pack.
They chose as a location a place on the north bank of the river, near what is now the line between Hardin and Auglaize counties, where they erected a small cabin. It being late in the Fall of the year it became necessary for Smith to procure something for the use of his family during the Winter. Taking his old mule he started for the nearest settlement, which was at Dayton, Ohio, where he purchased a supply of goods, packed them on his mule and started on his return to his family in the wilderness.
He had proceeded on his way as far as the old McNary blockhouse, three miles northwest of where Bellefontaine now stands, when to his surprise he was stopped by some Cherokee Indians and conducted to their village, on Cherokee creek, they not knowing at the time that there was a white settler within fifty miles of them.
The white man told them that he had built a wigwam on the Scioto river, near the village of Roundhead, where his squaw and papoose were awaiting his return. They said to him "Maybe white man lie: me send to Roundhead see if white man tell truth; if white squaw and papoose there then he go to em; if not no go."
A young brave was sent to Roundhead, who soon returned and with him an Indian from that village stating that the white man’s squaw and papoose were in the wigwam close by the Indian town. The Cherokees packed three ponies with Indian corn, potatoes and venison and sent them with the white man to his family.
Winter was now near at hand and as the white man’s wife was in delicate health they were persuaded by the Roundhead Indians to pass the winter in their village.
During the Winter the white man returned to Kentucky where he had secreted a set of blacksmith tools previous to starting for the wilderness. He procured the tools and by the help of the Indians he brought them up the Miami river in canoes as fad as the Lewistown lake, then managed to get them to his cabin in some way.
During the winte Smith erected a smith house. Early in the Spring Mrs. Smith’s health had improved very much and they went back to their cabin where Smith commenced to make butcher knives, tomahawks and spears for the Indians, also spears in which to spear fish in the Lewistown lake. He also repaired their guns and as this was the hunting grounds of the Wyandots, Cherokees, Lewistowns, Solomontown and Roundhead Indians. Smith was kept very busy every day. At night not fearing to be interrupted he manufactured-don’t be in a hurry; we will tell you what it was a little later on.
Smith received his pay from the Indians in Indian corn, potatoes, wild meat and fur pelts. The latter he managed to convey to Dayton where they were sold for a good price. In this way Smith lived for some years uninterrupted by any white settlers.
Early one morning Smith heard a report of a gun near his cabin and in a few moments he heard a cry for help from someone who seemed to be in great distress. Smith went out and found the cause of the noise, an Indian of the Lewistown tribe had shot a very large buck and felled him to the earth; dropping his gun and drawing his butcher knife he started to the buck to cut his throat. On reaching the buck it jumped up and with head down made for the Indian when a free for all fight commenced, and as the buck had very large antlers the Indian got hold of them but as the deer had been only stunned by the shot he was very furious.
In the shuffle the Indian had dropped his knife and could only hold the buck by the horns and was near giving up the struggle when Smith came to his rescue. He had his gun in his hand and coming up shot the deer and liberated the Indian, who was then almost dead. Carrying the wounded man to his cabin he laid him down, remarking to his wife that he would soon be dead. Mrs. Smith commenced to dress his wounds and while so doing she found a birthmark on his left shoulder: it was the shape of an apple on the twig. Mrs. Smith was amazed and said to Smith, “This must be my neighbor’s son who was stolen from Kentucky by a band of the Canadian Indians when but six months old.”
The man grew worse and called for his mother. They dispatched an Indian from Roundhead to Lewistown for his mother. On her arrival she found him growing very weak. Mrs. Smith asked her if that was her son. “Yes” said she, “him not born mine; me buy him from Canada Indians; me give pony for him when he six months old; him very little papoose, his white mamma live in Kentucky.” “What was his name?” asked Mrs. S. “Don’t know; me call him “pale face.”
The Indian squaw thought he would die and she told him he was a white man-no Indian blood in him. It was some months before the young man was able to be about but the Indian mother had been with him during his illness, had nursed him and doctored him until he recovered. Then she told him that she was not her mother, but that she had bought him when he was a papoose, and that he was a white man.
Smith’s daughter, who was now verging into womanhood, had taken a great interest in the Indian and was ever ready to comfort and teach him the ways of the whites. Mrs. Smith was a neighbor of his parents when he was born and therefore knew the birth mark on his back and that he had been stolen by the Indians, she therefore gave him the name his parents had given him-Luther Lenox. As he grew better he said to Smith that he wanted to work in the shop. Smith agreed that he should and in a short time he was an efficient workman.
After working together for some time and gaining confidence of the young man Smith again took up his nightly occupation, it being the most lucrative part of the business. It was said in after years (but with what truth we know not) that he had left Kentucky for fear of being detected in passing his own coin, and that this was his present occupation; he had dies for making silver dollars and all the smaller coins of the United States. How he had obtained the dies was a mystery which was thus explained: they were government dies and had been used as such until it became necessary for a new design, where Smith had in some way obtained them and was running a government mint of his own.
He bought all of the Indians’ furs, paying them in his own coin which was not counterfeit in every sense of the word, yet was rather spurious. He would send his furs to some trading point where they were disposed of for such articles as his family might need. In this way he managed to live for several years.
Smith’s daughter, Leona, was now a young lady of seventeen years old although being isolated from all white society and without any of the finery which adorns the ladies of today, yet she was beautiful, with black eyes, black hair, fair complexion and straight as an Indian’s arrow. Being thus beautiful Lenox could but admire her and she became greatly attracted to him.
While at work one day Lenox asked Smith for his daughter. Smith had been expecting this for some time and answered him thus: “When Leona is eighteen years old and she wishes to become your wife, be it so.”
Some weeks after this a few of the northern Indians stopped at the shop to have some spears made as they were going across the lakes on a big hunt. Seeing Leona one of them said to his commander, “Pretty white squaw; me like to take to my wigwam; me steal her-me no get her without; me big Injun-carry her all the way cross big lake then white man no get her” this was said in a low tone yet Lenox had heard it.
After the Indians had left he told Smith what he had heard the Indians say, and advised him to be on his guard as perhaps he might put the threats into execution. After this they secreted their guns in the shop ready for use should it become necessary.
For a few weeks everything went along quietly. Lenox had gone to Lewistown to visit his mother and as he had two Indian brothers he told them that in twelve moons he was to have Leona Smith for his squaw; he also told them that a northern Indian had said that he would have her if he had to steal her.
Lenox remained in Lewistown for several days and upon his returning home his two Indian brothers accompanied him. They found that a few of the northern Indians had brought their furs to Smith and that while they were trading the cabin had been entered (it being dark) and they had carried Leona away.
Upon going to the Indian camp they told Smith and Lenox that a Ute Indian, from beyond the great lakes had accompanied them on their previous visit to Smith’s; that he had seen Leona and had said to one of their young men that he would steal her and take her to his wigwam across the big lakes, “then white man no get her again”, and that he had staid at their village, was there when they came away and he must have followed them and while they were trading with Smith and his wife had entered the cabin and stolen the young squaw.
It was now about the middle of the night, it being so dark in the forest that they had to await the coming of daylight before the trail of the Indian could be followed. When it was daylight they discovered the track of an Indian not far from the cabin and as they were going north Lenox supposed that they were on the right trail. “Now,” said the Indians that were encamped by Smith’s, “take our ponies and blankets, follow the trail, catch bad Ute Indian; we stay here till you come back.”
Lenox needed no second invitation to take their ponies and mounting them Lenox and his brothers struck the trail, but there having been a shower of rain in the fore part of the night, it was very difficult to keep the trail; neither were they positive that the Indian they were trailing was the right one for as yet they had seen only the track of the Indian. After going about three miles they came to where Leona had been set down that her captor might rest, he having carried her in his arms. After resting he had started on his way.
His pursuers now knowing that were on the right trail pushed on more rapidly. Reaching the Scioto marsh they lost the trail, as the Indian had entered the marsh to baffle his pursuers, knowing that he would be followed and shot if caught. Lenox waded out into the water, but in the water no trail was made. The only method now was to make their way around the west side of the marsh and strike the trail on the other side.
With this idea thet started, but before reaching the present site of Alger night had set in and they had to await the coming of another day. Not so with him they were following; he had not gone far into the marsh, and as Leona was quite a hindrance to his speed, and finding that he could not carry her through the swamp had come out soon after Lenox had started around it. Here he put Leona down and led her a short distance, then taking her up again traveled north until he came where he had left his pony secreted when on his way to Smith’s; here he had placed his captive upon the pony, and about high twelve he crossed Hog Creek. This was on the lands afterwards owned by our venerable John Tressel, and where he resided.
Lenox and his brothers did not proceed around the marsh, thinking it best to retrace their way back to where the Indian had entered the swamp. Before reaching that place, however, they struck the trail, then followed it to where Leona was placed upon the pony, the trail now being plain was easily followed. Pushing forward across Hog Creek and when ascending an eminence they espied the Indian sitting with his back against a tree and Leona laying some distance to the left. Lenox and his brothers had not yet been discovered by the Indian. Lenox was for shooting him then and there, but his brother said “No, we take him to Lewistown, make him run gauntlet, make sport for squaws and papooses then bring him to Smith’s, let Leona cut head off.”
The Indian being very tired had not observed them until his pony made a noise when he jumped up and looking around espied them; snatching his tomahawk from his belt would have sunk it into the skull of his captive, but his pursuers were too quick for him as three rifles were discharged with but the report of one, when three balls were placed in his breast within a radius of two inches.
At the report of the rifles Leona fainted away. Lenox obtained some water and bathing her face, she came to, being more dead than alive. A couch was prepared for her with the blankets they had brought; they also gave her something to eat, after which she lay down and slept until the following morning, when she awoke greatly refreshed. After eating a lunch they placed Leona upon the dead Indian’s pony and started for Smith’s cabin; it was high 12 when they arrived. The Indians that they had left at Smith’s were yet there and awaiting their return. Lenox had told them that they shot the-captor on Leona and had left him where he fell.
Said they, “we no dig hole for bad Indian-him no good- Good Spirit no have him-devil got him.” After thanking the Indians for the use of their ponies they gave Leona the pony her captor had ridden. Quiet was restored at the home of the Smith’s and the months rolled by as they are in the habit of doing until Leona was 18 years old when Lenox said to Smith, :your daughter is now of age and we are of the opinion we were year ago. Can we have your consent now for the union?” “Yes,” said Smith, “but there is not a minister or justice here to marry you; you must go to the settlement, obtain a license and be married according to law. We will all go to Kentucky, my wife and I to visit friends, you and Leona to be married.” Getting some ponies of the Lewistown Indians they started for Kentucky. On their way Smith’s wife said to him “When we cross the Ohio River the first place we stop must be at Mrs. Lenox’s and ascertain beyond a doubt that Lenox is her son.” Arriving at the desired place and received a most hearty welcome. After quite a lengthy conversation Mrs. Smith said to her old neighbor; “Have you ever heard anything from your little boy that was stolen from you years ago?”
“Never a word have we heard and his father and I are mourning for him yet, and will as long as we live. He was the only child and we have become wealthy in this world’s goods and we have no one to leave it to.” Mrs. Smith said “If a man was to come in and claim you as his mother, how could you recognize him as your son; could he not deceive you?”
“That would be impossible,” she said, “for my son had a birth mark on his left shoulder, it was a blue mark, the exact shape of an apple.”
After supper they were all seated in the sitting room when Mrs. Smith, observed to Lenox: “Will you please let the lady see the mark on your left shoulder?”
“With pleasure, Madame” said he; rolling down his collar he exposed to view the print of an apple. Upon examining it the lady exclaimed, “This is indeed my long lost son, who was lost but is found, was dead yet liveth again!” To say that Lenox was surprised would be unnecessary, for he never had thought of seeing his own mother and yet he had found her.
Mrs. Smith related how they had found Lenox, his combat with the buck, his illness, his entering the shop with Smith, his attachment to Leona, how she had been stolen and rescued by Lenox, and that also that upon dressing his wounds she had seen the mark upon his shoulder and had told Smith that he was the son of our old neighbor, but that she had never told Lenox or Leona a word about it bur kept it with Smith and herself. A runner was immediately dispatched for Lenox’s father, he being at the United States Capital as Congressman from the state. On receiving the news that his son was found he hurried home as fast as possible, but it took him some time as there were no railroads at that time, all traveling being done on horse back. Upon arriving at home Mr. Lenox found what he never expected to see, his long lost son. After a few days there was a grand wedding at Mr. Lenox’s and a great feast in honor of his long lost son. Lenox and his wife staid with his parents where they were educated, introduced and honored among the best society, so much so that in after years Lenox was called to full the highest office in the state. After visiting their friends Smith and his wife returned to their cabin in the wilderness; here they resided a few years and then removed to the Roundhead village where Smith died and was interred in said village near the grave of old Chief Roundhead on a lot now owned by Edward Mertz.
