Ohio History Journal

EDITORIALANA.

BIG BOTTOM MASSACRE DEDICATION. It is one hundred and fifteen years since the little band of pioneers were massacred in their fort at Big Bottom on the Muskingum. This settlement was an off-shoot of the one at Marietta. It was the remotest outpost of the Ohio Company. Scarcely had Mari-

etta been settled when there pushed out from the protecting walls of Fort Harmar small bands of settlers , to build homes and clear the fields in other favorable locations. Belpre on the Ohio and Water- ford on the Muskingum were soon begun. In the fall of 1790 thirty-six men departed from Marietta and built a blockhouse on the east side of the Mus- kingum along the line of the Monongahela trail, about a mile and a half below the present village of Stockport, Morgan county. The winter that fol- lowed was a very cold one. Since the Indians were not so apt to go on their predatory raids in winter as at other times, the usual severity of the season disarmed the vigilance of the inmates of the block-

house. In fact the fort had hardly been completed. Already cabins had been erected and preparations for the spring planting were being made.  In this apparent security the work of clearing and building continued. On the second of January, 1791, along the high ridge on the oppo- site side of the river, unnoticed by the inhabitants of the fort, a band of Indians saw the settlement. During the day they continued their watch. They noted the unprotected condition of the blockhouse and the prob- able number of occupants. Early in the evening they crossed the river on the ice and fell upon the unguarded frontiersmen. The deadly work was soon accomplished. Several pioneers escaped and ran through the woods to the settlement at Wolf's Creek. No memorial of any kind had heretofore been erected to show the passer-by that the place was historic. But now, thanks to Mr. Obadiah Brokaw, who owns the land upon which the blockhouse stood, there is a suitable and imposing monument that tells the story of that winter day's massacre. The monument consists of a marble shaft whose apex is Vol. XIV.- 30.           (465)

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466        Ohio. Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

twelve feet above the ground. The shaft is an octagon, seven and a half

feet high. On one of the faces are inscribed these words: "Erected by

Obadiah Brokaw, 1905."  The shaft stands on a limestone base, which

in turn rests on another base of concrete. On the front of the lime-

stone base is carved, "Site of Big Bottom Massacre, Winter of 1790."

On the two sides are to be found the names of those killed, as follows:

"James Couch, Wm. Jones, Joseph Clark, Isaac Meeks, his wife and two

children, John Stacey, Zebulon Troop, Ezra Putnam, John Camp and

Jonathan Farewell."  On the rear of the base are the names of those

who escaped, "Asa Bullard, Eleazer Bullard and Philip Stacey." The

monument displays excellent workmanship.   It stands in a beautiful

meadow near the public road, and only a few rods from the bank of

the river. It is plainly visible to the passengers on the passing boats.

Mr. Brokaw, the patriotic possessor of the historic site upon which

this monument was erected, desired to make sure that it would be perma-

nently cared for and preserved.

This matter having been brought by Mr. Brokaw to the attention

of Trustee C. L. Martzolff, the latter visited Mr. Brokaw at Stockport

and broached the subject of the transfer of the monument property to

the society.  Subsequently, on August 17th, Professor Martzolff and

Secretary Randall, accompanied by Mr. C. L. Bozman of McConnelsville,

who designed and executed the monument, visited Mr. Brokaw who

finally consented to transfer by deed the monument and two acres of

surrounding land to the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical So-

ciety, upon the condition that the society elect Mr. Brokaw a Life mem-

ber, and further that the society provide for the proper care of the

monument and land transferred as an historic park and monument, keep-

ing said property properly enclosed and protected from destruction and

injury by the public and maintain the same as a free public park. The

negotiations by Messrs. Martzolff and Randall with Mr. Brokaw were

approved and accepted by the Executive Committee at its meeting on

August 28th, 1905.

On Saturday, September 30th, the Society held dedicatory exercises

commemorative of the historic event which the monument marks and

celebrated the donation of the property by Mr. Brokaw. The Executive

Committee of the Trustees of the Society had appointed a Committee on

Arrangements, of which Prof. Martzolff was chairman. This committee

arranged for a most interesting program, which was successfully car-

ried out. The day proved to be one of almost perfect weather condi-

tions and an audience of some four thousand people from the surround-

ing country gathered to participate in the ceremonies. Secretary Randall

acted as chairman and addresses were delivered by President Brinker-

hoff, Trustees Martzolff, Ryan, Andrews, and Hunter, Hon. William B.

Crew of the Ohio Supreme Court, and Hon. Tod B. Galloway, Secretary

to the Governor. The program was most properly closed by an original

poem written and read by Dr. James Ball Naylor, the poet and historical

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Editorialana.                                                 467

 

novelist.  The Stockport Brass Band interspersed the program                          with

musical selections.

It was a unique and interesting event in the history of the society

as this is the first time that the society has come into the possession

of a purely historic site. The proceedings with the speeches in detail will

be published in the January Quarterly of the society.

The society will proceed without delay to protect the site with a

fitting enclosure, making it an attractive place of resort for all who may

care to visit this memorable spot.

Mr. Brokaw has certainly earned the gratitude of all lovers of early

pioneer history by the timely erection of this stone. It will stand as a

constant memorial to one of the gruesome chapters of the early history

of Ohio. It will be a reminder to the coming generations of what it

meant to plant settlements in the forests of the west. It will not only

be a tribute to those who perished on that January day over a century

ago, but it will be an ever present testimonial of the opportune thought-

fulness and the generosity of the man who has erected it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

OHIO IN THE CHINESE UPRISING.

We have been frequently asked the question whether it be true, as

often reported in the public press, that the American troops were the

first to enter the city of Peking at the time of the invasion by the allied

nations, and that Ohio soldiers were the first within the gates of the

Tartar City.  In response to our inquiry, we received the following

from Colonel Webb. C. Hayes, who at the time was upon the staff of

General Chaffee:

WASHINGTON, February 1, 1905.

MR. E. O. RANDALL, Columbus, Ohio.

DEAR SIR:- The allied troops who marched to the relief

of Peking from Tien Tsin in 1900 consisted approximately

of 2,000 Americans, 2,000 British, 4,000 Russians and 8,000

Japanese. There were no German nor Italians in this column.

The Japanese headed the column all the way and did more

of the fighting than any other one of the allies. Peking con-

sists really of two cities side by side, enclosed by high walls -

The Tartar City and the Chinese City.

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