Ohio History Journal

40        Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.  [VOL. 3

 

 

MAJOR JOHN BURNHAM AND HIS COMPANY.

Mr. Barlow had written Colonel Duer early in December,

1789, that huts must be built on land opposite the mouth of the

Great Kanawha to accommodate at least one hundred persons.

The cost of these huts was to be paid by the agent of the immi-

grants upon their arrival. In March, 1790, General Rufus Put-

nam, as agent for the Trustees for the Scioto Associates, em-

ployed John Burnham of Essex, Massachusetts, to enlist in New

England a company of fifty young men who were expert wood-

men and who would submit to military discipline. They were

to be employed for six months and were to build the huts on the

site selected for the city of Gallipolis, to assist in clearing the

lands adjacent, to act as hunters when required and to keep such

guard as might be necessary. There was peace along the border,

but it was an "Indian peace," and the frontier was infested by

marauders, white, red and black. No better leader for such a

party than John Burnham could have been found. He had

served as an officer of the line through the war of the Revolu-

tion and was present at every important battle from Bunker Hill

to Yorktown. The company he commanded in the eighth Mas-

sachusetts regimiment was, in 1782, complimented in general

orders by General Washington himself for its "soldier-like and

military appearance." He quickly enlisted the company and on

the twenty-ninth of May, 1790, reported to Gen. Putnam at

Wellsburg, on the Ohio river with thirty-six men. Of the fifty

whose services had been engaged ten had not yot joined and four

had deserted. The following is the roll, omitting the names of

the deserters:



• 1
 

Major John Burnham and His Company.         41   "SUBSISTENCE ROLL FOR A COMPANY OF MEN ENGAGED IN THE SERVICE OF THE SCIOTO COMPANY TO MAKE A NEW SETTLEMENT ON THE BANKS OF OHIO FROM THE TIME THEY LEFT THEIR SEV- ERAL HOMES 'TILL THEY ARRIVED AT YOUHIOGY.

• 2
 

42        Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.  [VOL. 3   "WELLS BURG, May 29, 1790. "I hereby certifie that the within Subsistance roll is just and true and that the moneys paid to Deserters, sick, left sick on the way or not joined I will endevor to recover, and if recovered or any part thereof I will repay the same to. Rufus Putnam or his ordor. JOHN BURNHAM."

From Wellsburg the party proceeded by water to Marietta, where General Putnam gave to Major Burnham the following letter of instructions: "MARIETTA, June 4th, 1790. "Dear Sir: "You will please to proceed with the people engaged in the service of the trustees of the Scioto proprietors, in consequence of my letters to you of the-  day of March last, to a place on the Ohio [river] next Chickamaga creek, which will be marked out and shown to you by Col. [R. J.] Meigs, [Sr.,] where you will begin your operations and prosecute the business

• 3
 

Major John Burnham and His Company.         43

 

in the best manner you can for the interest of your employers

and safety to yourself and people. The object is to erect four

block [houses] and a number of low huts, agreeably to the plan

which you will have with you, and clear the lands. Your own

knowledge of hut building, the block house of round logs which

you have will have an opportunity to observe at Belleprie,

together with the plan so clearly explained, renders it unneces-

sary to be very particular; however, you will remember that I

don't expect you will lay any floors except for your own con-

venience, nor put in any sleeper or joyce for the lower floors;

plank for the doors must be split and hewed and the doors hung

with wooden hinges; as I don't expect you will obtain any stone

for the backs of your chimneys, they must be made of clay first,

moulded into tile and dried in manner you will be shown an

example at Belleprie.

When Col. Meigs has assigned the spot and set the stakes

for the center of the four block houses, you will first clear a spot

(which will be pointed out) and throw up a work, which must

be as near the place marked on the plan as you can find a con-

venient or the best landing, where you will erect a temporary or

stone house and a cover to keep you men dry till the block

houses are completed, which should be your next object and

after that proceed to building huts. In clearing the lands, what-

ever timber is useful for your building, should be cut and select-

ed for the purpose as you go along and the rest cleared and

burned entirely off. Your clearing must be in one continued

body and extended up and down the river equally from your

work as well as from the river. Supply yourself and party with

whatever you find necessary and reasonable and take care that

the provisions are used with economy. I wish you to inform

yourself with respect to a supply of beef at Kanawha and let me

know by Col. Meigs what may be depended on that I may, if

necessary, send you beef from some other quarter.

You will pay no wages to the carpenters, Smith Brown and

son, nor to John Gardiner, as the carpenters will be paid by

myself or Col. Meigs and I am bound for Gardiner for more

than three months full pay. The pay of your men must com-

mence on their arrival at Youghioganee, deducting four days for

• 4
 

44        Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.  [VOL. 3   their passage to Muskingum. If anything more should occur which it may be necessary to communicate to you, I will endeavor to inform you by letter. Wishing you a prosperous voyage and successful campaign, I am, with the most perfect sentiment of esteem, Your humble servant, RUFUS PUTNAM." The party reached its destination on the 8th of June. In November, at the expiration of the six months' term for which the men were engaged, most of them re-entered the service of the Scioto Associates, under Captain Isaac Guion, who had suc- ceeded General Putnam in charge of their affairs in the West. Two, Isaac Choate and Asa Bullard, joined the party that estab- lished the settlement at Big Bottom. In the attack by the In- dians upon that post, on the second of January 1791, Choate was captured and Bullard escaped. Major Burnham returned to his home in New England, after a long delay in securing a set- tlement of his accounts. The total cost to the Scioto Associates of Burnham's party during his command of it was $3,243.02. E. C. DAWES.

• 5