Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/287

 HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY

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��cominuiid from Knox Couiitv. His soldiers were scattered about the vicinity. Iniilding hloelv-liouses and doing garrison duty. One company, under command of Capt. ]\Iartin, was stationed at the block-house at Beam's ]Mill. In 8epteml)er. Col. Kratzer sent a company- of soldiers, under Capt. Douglas, to bring the Grreentown Indians to Mansfield. It was a del- icate and disagreeable duty. When Douglas arrived at the village and reported his mission to the chief. Capt. Armstrong hesitated a])out obeying the order. He had eighty fighting men under his command, and could ha^•e made a vigorous resistance. It seemed cruel to remove these people from their homes, w^here they Avere living quietly, attending to their own business, molesting no one. living mostly in comfortable cabins, and surrounded by their families and the comforts of life : in a country wonderfully beautiful, wdiicli they had always called their own. What wonder is it that they hesitated to obey this peremptory- order ? These Indians were in a great degree under the influ- ence of Christianity. 3Iissionaries had visited them regularl}- for j-ears, and preached in their council-house. The}- traded freeh* with the whites, and were more intelligent and fui'ther on the road to ciA^lization than most other tribes. Their village site had been selected for the romantic beauty of its scenery ; it is said by those who visited it at that period that no more lovely spot could be found : 3-et they must leave all this at the bidding of destim*. It seems as if it was ordained that this race should be ground to powder under the heel of civilization.

" Let them take the last look at the grass-covered grave, Where rest the remains of their forefathers brave : The hills and the valleys, the dark, waving woods, The murmuring brooks and broad, rolling floods : The bold, massive rocks which environ the shore Where the bright waters dance and the wild torrents

roar — Bid a lasting farewell to each family spot, And march to where destiny fixes their lot."

��The Indians were thrown into a violent state of excitement upon the appearance of the sol- diers for their removal. Capt. Armstrong trem- bled with suppressed emotion ; so much so that he could hardly reply to Capt. Douglas. The camp w^as like a powder magazine — a spark would have caused an explosion — a word would have brought on a desperate struggle. Doug- las, finding he would have some difficulty, con- cluded to go to Mr. James Copus, for his advice and assistance, desiring, if possible, to avoid bloodshed.

James Copus was the first settler in Mifflin Township. He was born in (ireene Count}-, Penn., about the year 1775 ; married in his native county in 1796 ; emigrated to Kich- land County, in March, 1809, and settled on the Black Fork of the Mohican. He first located about three miles east of the present site of Charles' Mill, on what has since been called 8eymore"s Run, where he erected a camp cabin of poles. In this cabin he lived eighteen months, when he moved down nearer to Black Fork, about three-fourths of a mile from that stream, where a beautiful spring gushes from the foot of a high rocky ridge or blufl'. Here he built a permanent cabin on land he had selected, and began clearing off a farm. Mean- while, he had become well known to the Clreen- town Indians ; was on the most friendly terms with them, and was much respected liy them. He was a man of strong religious convictions — a Methodist, and frequently preached for them in their council-house. He was a stout, fearless, industrious Cxerman, and soon had a small patch cleared about his cabin, fenced with brush and logs, and planted in corn. He possessed a yoke of oxen and a cow or two. A few white neigh- l)ors soon gathered around him, among whom w-ere James Cunningham. Andrew Craig, David and Samuel Hill and Mr. Lambright. The set- tlement came to be known as the Black Fork or Copus settlement. The Indians soon learned to trust Mr. Copus, to believe in his honesty

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