Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/133

 �the old Indian town of Piqua, the ancient Piqua of the Shawanees, on the north side of Mad River, about five miles west of Springfield. The town was destroyed by the Kentucky Rangers under Gen. George Rogers Clarke in 1780, at the same time he destroyed " Old Chillicothe." Immense fields of standing corn about both towns were cut down, compelling the Indians to resort to the hunt with more than ordinary vigor, to sustain them- selves and their wives and children. This search insured safety for some time on the borders. The site of Cadiz, in Harrison County, was settled in April, 1799, by Alexander Henderson and his family, from Washington County, Penn. When they amved, they found neighbors in the persons of Daniel Peterson and his family, who lived near the forks of Short Creek, and who had preceded them but a very short time. The next year, emi- grants began to cross the Ohio in great numbers, and in five or six years large settlements could be seen in this part of the State. The county was erected in 1814, and Cadiz, laid out in 1803, made the county seat.

While the settlers were locating in and about Cadiz, a few families came to what is now Monroe County, and settled near the present town of Beallsville. Shortly after, a few persons settled on the Clear Fork of the Little IMuskingum, and a few others on the east fork of Duck Creek. The

��next season all these settlements received addi- tions and a few other localities were also occupied. Before long the town of Beallsville was laid out, and in time became quite populous. The county was not erected until 1813, and in 1815 Woodsfield was laid out and made the seat of justice.

The opening of the season of 1800 — the dawn of a new century — saw a vast emigTation west ward. Old settlements in Ohio received immense increase of emigrants, while, branching out in all directions like the rndii of a circle, other settle- ments were constantly formed until, in a few years, all parts of the State knew the presence of the white man.

Towns sprang into existence here and there ; mills and factories were erected; post oflBces and post-routes were established, and the comforts and conveniences of life began to appear.

With this came the desire, so potent to the mind of all American citizens, to rule themselves through representatives chosen by their own votes. Hith- erto, they had been ruled by a Governor and Judges appointed by the President, who, in turn, appointed county and judicial ofl&cers. The arbitrary rulings of the Governor, St. Clair, had arrayed the mass of the people against him, and made the desire for the second grade of government stronger, and finally led to its creation.

��CHAPTER X.

��FORMATION OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT— OHIO A STATE— THE STATE CAPITALS— LEGIS- LATION— THE "SWEEPING RESOLUTIONS"— TERRITORIAL AND STATE GOVERNORS.

��SETTLEMENTS increased so rapidly in that part of the Northwest Territory included in Ohio, during the decade from 1788 to 1798, despite the Indian war, that the demand for an election of a Territorial Assembly could not be ignored by Gov. St. Clair, who, having ascertained that 5,000 free males resided within the limits of the Territory, issued his proclamation October 29, 1798, directing the electors to elect representatives to a General Assembly. He ordered the election

his home with them. He was most active in the war of 1812 against the Americans, and from the time he hepran his work to unite the tribes, his history is so closely ide:ititic(l therewith that the reader is referred to the history of that war in succeeding pages. It may notbe amiss to sav that all stones regarding the manner of his death are Considered erruneous. He was undoubtedly killed in the outset of the battle of the Thames In Canada in 1814, and his body secretly buried by the Indians.

��to be held on the third Monday in December, and directed the representatives to meet in Cincinnati January 22, 1799.

On the day designated, the representatives * assembled at Cincinnati, nominated ten persons, whose names were sent to the President, who selected five to constitute the Legislative Council,

��* Those elected were : from Washington County, Return Jona- than Meigs and Paul Fearing; from Hamilton County, William Goforth, William McMillan, John Smith, John Ludlow, Robert Benham, Aaron Caldw-U and Isaac Martin; trora St. Clair County (Illinois"), Shiidrach Bond; from Knox County (Indiana), John Small; from Randolph County (Illinois), John Edgar; from Wayne County, So'omon Sibley, Jac.'b Visgar and Charles F. Chabart de Joncavie; from Adams County, Joseph Darlington and Nathaniel Massie; from Jefferson County, James Pritchard; from Ross County, Thomas Wo thingt^n, Elias Langhani,S»muel Findley and Edward Tiffin. The five gentlemen cliosi n as the Upper House were all from counties afterward included in Ohio.

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