Philip Seymour; Or, Pioneer Life in Richland County, Ohio; Founded on Facts James F
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University of North Dakota UND Scholarly Commons Settler Literature Archive Department of English 1902 Philip Seymour; or, Pioneer life in Richland county, Ohio; founded on facts James F. M'Gaw Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.und.edu/settler-literature Recommended Citation M'Gaw, James F., "Philip Seymour; or, Pioneer life in Richland county, Ohio; founded on facts" (1902). Settler Literature Archive. 29. https://commons.und.edu/settler-literature/29 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of English at UND Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Settler Literature Archive by an authorized administrator of UND Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PhilipSeymour JamesFrancisM'Gaw,AbrahamJ.Baughman,RoeliffBrinkerhoff This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. https://books.google.com THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY ASTOR, LENOX riJLDEN FOUNDATIONS PHILIP SEYMOUR OR PIONEER LIFE IN RICHLAND COUNTY, OHIO FOUNDED ON FACTS BY REV. JAMES F. IVTGAW Author of " THE IMPRESSED SEAMAN," ETC. WITH HISTORICAL ADDENDA BY A. J. BAUGHMAN Secretary RICHLAND COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY THIRD EDITION A. J. BAUGHMAN MANSFIELD, OHIO 1902 THE NEW YC> ,.! ASTOR, LItNOX ,' N D TILDEN FOUNDATIONS , R 1919 L COPYRIGHT Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1883, by R. BRINKERHOFF In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. ASSIGNMENT OF COPYRIGHT The Copyright of this book was assigned by Gen. R. Brinkerhoff to A. J. Baughman, September 6, 1901, and the Assignment was recorded by the Librarian of Congress, in conformity with the Laws of the United States, respecting copyright, on the gth day of Sept., 1901. To Gen. R. Brinkerhoff, my friend and co-worker in Historical and Literary pursuits, this volume is respectfully inscribed. A. J. BAUGHMAN. PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION. In publishing this edition of " Philip Seymour, or Pioneer Life in Richland County, Ohio," I am but comply ing with the law of demand and supply. The former editions are exhausted, and the demand for the work not only continues but seems to increase as year by year we are further removed from the pioneer period — the most interesting epoch in the history of the county. Ninety years have come and gone since the incidents in the Philip Seymour story transpired. The changes, inven tions and improvements in those years have been the most wonderful and remarkable in the history of the world Tennyson wrote, " The old order changeth, yielding place to new." And in this new order, man has made the forces of steam and electricity the creatures of his will. Even Niagara no longer pours its mighty flood in sullen roar of idleness. Its powerful force has been conquered and made to turn the wheels of industry and to send along lightning-laden wires the subtle force that moves the wheels of traffic, and burst ing forth into light, turn night into day. While we congratulate ourselves that we live in an age of improved utilities, let us never forget the struggles and hardships of the pioneers, whose work was so effective in the advancements which followed, and whose love of home and of country strengthen our faith in human character, and unselfish purpose. The plot of the Philip Seymour story was the concep tion of the late Rev. James McGaw, a writer of historical romances, founded on facts, who lived at Washington vil lage, this county, but is now deceased. The story is so (v) vi PREFACE. entertainingly told that the book has held a high place in pioneer literature for half a century. Questions have often been asked what became of the leading characters of the book. Mr. McGaw used the name "Seymour," which he Americanized from " Zeimer," a German name of Swiss origin. In 1799 Frederick Zeimer, a native of Germany, came with his family — wife and seven children — from Maryland and entered one-half of section 27 in Washington township, Pickaway county, Ohio. He was a man of means, and after getting considerable land, upon which he established his married sons, he removed to Richland county, with his wife, youngest son, Philip, and daughter Kate, and entered a quarter section of land in the Black Fork valley, where the terrible tragedy occurred, September 10, 1812. At the close of the war of 1812, Philip returned to his former home in Pickaway county, and later sold the Richland land to Michael Culler. The deed was executed May 1, 1815, before Thomas Mace, a justice of the peace in and for Pickaway county, Ohio. On the second day of April, 1815, Philip Zeimer was married to a Pickaway county girl named Betsy Valentine, whose family was a prominent and numerous one of that county. Their marriage is recorded in the probate court records among the earliest marriages in that county. Philip and Betsy Zeimer were the parents of five children — three sons and two daughters — all now deceased. Philip's wife died in 1836, aged forty-eight years and seven months. Philip died August 8, 1850, aged sixty-five years. For the above facts we are indebted to Noah Zeimer, a kinsman of Philip, and to ex-Senator A. R. Van Cleaf, of Circleville. The man who was said to be engaged to Kate Zeimer was Jedediah Smith, who came and entered land in Washington township, this county, in 1812. Mr. Smith, in looking for land, was directed to the Zeimer cabin, where he met and fell in love with Kate. He was at his old home in Wash PREFACE. vii ington county, Pennsylvania, when the Zeimers were killed by the Indians, and did not return to Ohio until 1816. He did not marry until several years after Kate's death. " Billy Bunting" was Levi Bargahiser, who became a wealthy farmer in Sharon township, this county, where he died December 26, 1868, aged seventy-seven years. While he may have had some peculiarity of speech, he did not lisp, as represented. And he did not marry an Indian as stated by McGaw. His wife's maiden name was Susanna Eshelman, whose people lived in Licking county. Concerning other personages mentioned in the work, the reader should remember that while the book deals with historical facts, it is also embellished with touches of fiction. A. J. BAUGHMAN. Mansfield, Ohio, December 1, 1902. CONTENTS. PAGE Biographical b xlil Introductory xvll CHAPTER I. Adventure of Philip Seymour with Kanotche and the Bears. 1 CHAPTER II. Henry Monroe — Adventure with Indians — Johnny Apple- seed 5 CHAPTER III. Biographical Sketch of Jonnny Appleseed 11 CHAPTER IV. Departure of Henry Monroe — Adventure with Ruffner 18 CHAPTER V. Martin Ruffner '. 20 CHAPTER VI. The Murder of Gibbs and Buel 26 CHAPTER VII. Ruffner's Adventure with Wolves 30 CHAPTER VIII. Hunting Excursion 34 CHAPTER IX. Adventure with Snakes 39 CHAPTER X. Hunting Excursion — Indian Cabin — An Adventure 44 CHAPTER XI. The Chieftan and His Daughter — Eagle's Nest — Thunder storm — Hemlock Falls 52 CHAPTER XII. Hemlock Falls — The Chieftain and His Daughter 59 CHAPTER XIII. Captain Pipe 66 CHAPTER XIV. Home Scenes 74 CHAPTER XV. Captain Pipe — Burning of Crawford — Lily Pipe 79 x CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER XVI. Philip in Love 82 CHAPTER XVII. Captain Pipe at Home 86 CHAPTER XVIII. War with Great Britain— The Copus Settlement — Village of Greentown 96 CHAPTER XIX. Capture and Burning of Greentown 100 CHAPTER XX. Murder of the Seymour Family— Death of the Heroic Ruff- ner 106 CHAPTER XXI. Philip Discovering the Dead Bodies of His Parents, Sister and Ruffner 116 CHAPTER XXII. The Copus Battle 119 CHAPTER XXIII. Philip and Alfred Bradley — Encounter with Indians — Pipe's Cavern 129 CHAPTER XXIV. Disappearance of Lily Pipe — The Chieftain's Story — The Hap py Hunting Grounds 139 CHAPTER XXV. Adventure with Indians 145 CHAPTER XXVI. History of Bunty Billy's Adventure Since the Murder of Martin Ruffner — Fight with Wolves — Unexpected Meet ing with Indians — They Prove Friendly 150 CHAPTER XXVII. Biographical Sketch of Black Hoof, the Distinguished Sha- wa-noes Chief 160 CHAPTER XXVIII. Philip and His Companions Resume their Journey — Meet ing with Indians in the Black Hand Narrows — A Com pany of Scouts 163 CHAPTER XXIX. A Brief Sketch of the Murdered Indians — Heroic Act of Alexander McConnel 170 CHAPTER XXX. Black Hoof's Visit to Captain Pipe — A Joyful Meeting — Beaver, the Young Delaware Warrior, Volunteers His Services in the Recovery of Lily Pipe — Biographical aketch of Beaver 174 CONTENTS. xi PAGE CHAPTER XXXI. Blue Jacket Proposes to Give an Exhibition of Indian Sports — Billy Accepts — An Exciting Game — Billy Wins the Prize— His Disposal of It 180 CHAPTER XXXII. Philip and Party Arrive at the Cave of Captain Pipe — No News of Lily — Philip Relates His Adventure with the Indians in the Narrows — Philip's Dream 184 CHAPTER XXXIII. Visit of Beaver to the Wabash— Battle with Indians- News of Lily — Philip Visits General Harrison — Another Adventure — Philip and His Party Taken Prisoners — .uily Found 191 CHAPTER XXXIV. Interview with Lily Pipe — Plans for Escape 200 CHAPTER XXXV. Escape from Maiden — Battle with Indians 205 CHAPTER XXXVI. Beaver's Battle with Indians — Death of Kanotche 211 CHAPTER XXXVII. Captain Pipe Meets with His Daughter — Expected Attack of the British 215 CHAPTER XXXVIII. Attack on Fort Meigs — Massacre of Colonel Dudley's Com pany 220 CHAPTER XXXIX. Captain Montour Surprised at Lily's Escape — Another At tack on Fort Meigs 227 CHAPTER XL. General Harrison Invades Canada — Death of Tecumseh 232 CHAPTER XLI.