Ohio History Journal
WILLIAM ALLEN
TRIMBLE.
UNITED STATES
SENATOR FROM OHIO.
MARY MCARTHUR THOMPSON TUTTLE.
A woman's way of writing History,
differs essentially from
the conventional style and methods
approved by great historians.
It is well that this is so, for the
student of history obtains thus
now and then, a lighter, more
transparent atmosphere; a more
sympathetic view of a life, than could
be presented by the mas-
sive outlines of the great scholars, who
strive for the philosophy
of life as well as the presentation of
facts.
Several years ago while in Washington
City visiting, we
were taken by our kind hostess to the
National Cemetery as we
had expressed a wish to find the grave
of our great uncle,
William Allen Trimble. It was found to
be near the entrance
marked by a generously proportioned gray
slab, whether sup-
ported by a low brick foundation or four
short pedestals, we
cannot now recall. The inscription was
still clear and easily
read-as clear as the inscription we find
to-day in the old
Trimble Bible, - written by Jane Allen
Trimble, the noble pio-
neer mother of this worthy son. She
wrote in honest Conti-
nental chirography "William A.
Trimble, born April 4th, 1786,
departed this life on the 12th day of
December, 1821, at the
City of Washington. His death was
occasioned by a wound
he received in the lungs during the late
war from which he
never recovered. He was in the 36th year
of his age."
Just above one reads in this same record
in the same hand
writing, "James Trimble, our
honored and beloved husband died
on the Lord's day at 1 o'clock October 14th,
1804."
Captain
James Trimble, father of William Allen
Trimble, had been a
soldier of the Virginia line in 1776,
who, after the Revolutionary
war removed to Kentucky and settled in
Woodford county in
1784. He had participated in the battle
of Point Pleasant,
Vol. XIV.-15. (225)
226 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
(1774), and was a captain in the
Revolutionary war. His father,
John Trimble, was killed in the
Mountains of Virginia by the
Indians. John Trimble with three
brothers emigrated from the
north of Ireland to America in the early
part of the 17th century.
Their ancestors were of Scotch descent,
disciples of the great
reformer, John Knox. This John Trimble
settled in Virginia,
the other brothers in Pennsylvania. The ancestors were of
Scotch-Irish descent also on the
maternal side, Allens, Ander-
son, Christies; Trimble, Trumbull,
Turnbull and Pringle, on the
father's side.*
The parents of William Allen Trimble
lived near Staunton
until 1784, when, as we have
stated, they removed to Kentucky
where they liberated their slaves. The
woman who inscribed
so carefully in her Bible the inevitable
facts of her family his-
tory, was the oldest daughter of James
and Peggy Allen. Her
father had two brothers, John, the
eldest was in the Virginia
regiment that marched under General
Washington in 1758,
against the French and Indians, at Fort
Duquesne, now Fort
Pitt. In the battle called "Grant's
Defeat," fought near this
place, John Allen was killed. Hugh Allen
the younger brother,
fell at the bloody battle fought at the
mouth of the Great Ka-
nawha, now Point Pleasant. The Virginia
detachment was led
by General Lewis, and the Wyandot
Indians, by that celebrated
warrior, - Cornstalk. She thus knew how
much fortitude, en-
ergy, and endurance, how much industry
and economy the
life the pioneers had undertaken,
required; and as one of a
party of five hundred emigrants, from
Virginia and North Caro-
lina to Kentucky, she consented to
travel on horseback, with
one child wrapped in homespun blanket,
clasped in her arms
and another placed on a
"pillion" holding fast to her waist, Mrs.
Erwin carried two negro children in a
wallet thrown over her
horse. These were washed away by the
force of the current in
Clinch river. Mrs. Trimble now in the
midst of this "deep
and dashing" stream, showed a
decision which characterized her
and her family. She turned her horse,
but gave him the rein,
* The motto on the coat of arms is
Servavi Regem - heads of ani-
mals and helmet. A young Yeoman turned
the head of the animal who
was about to gore the King.- Turnbull.
|
William Allen Trimble. 227 -then grasping firmly the bridle, and mane with her right hand, holding her infant son Allen in her left arm, and calling to her little boy behind to take sure hold, she committed herself to God's mercy.* When she struck the opposite shore loud shouts went up from all who had beheld the danger. General |
|
|
|
Knox called out "henceforth she should be his Aid-de-Camp, and lead the women, as Captain Trimble led the men." Allen Trimble always called himself a child of Providence, because of this incident, and William Allen Trimble the subject * See Life of Jane Allen Trimble, by Rev. J. M. Trimble. |
228 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
of this sketch, who was born two years
later often heard
through his boyhood of the perilous
experiences of both father
and mother. They gave their son William
a liberal education
at Transylvania College, Lexington,
Kentucky, and allowed him
to study law at Paris, Ky., under the
late Judge Robert Trimble,
United States Supreme Court, then one of
the leading lawyers
of the State.
John the oldest son died soon after the
arrival in Kentucky.
In 1805
the Trimble family moved to Ohio,-at which
time "William" was about
nineteen years of age. He and his
elder brother, Allen, had made a
previous trip to Ohio, on horse-
back, toward Yellow Springs. As they
journeyed through Cin-
cinnati the beautiful black Kentucky
horses upon which they
rode, were observed, and Allen was
offered the city lot where
stood later Judge Burnet's home, for one
of these horses, but
he deliberately declined what would
afterward have made for
him a splendid speculation in real
estate. As Captain James
Trimble the father, died in 1804, just
after his reconnoitering
trip to Ohio, where he purchased land,
and determined to bring
his family,-the care of the family now
fell upon Allen, the
oldest son. William, the subject of this
sketch, had aided his
brother in opening up a farm near
Hillsboro, Highland county,
Ohio,-before settling as he did, in
Chillicothe, then the cap-
ital of the State, where he entered the
law office of Hon. William
H. Creighton, member of Congress from
that district.
In the summer of the year 1810, a Swiss
gentleman at the
head of a large boarding school,--Major
Joseph Neef,--in-
vited him to be his assistant. The
school was situated at the
Falls of the Schuylkill near Philadelphia.
Two of his younger
brothers "Cary Allen," and
"John Allen," aged fifteen and nine,*
accompanied him "crossing the
mountains in a strong single
gig,-constructed for the rough and
fatiguing journey of five
hundred miles." He remained one year with Mr. Neef, and
then visited Litchfield, Connecticut, to
complete his law studies,
under Judge Story. He there met the late
Judge Storer of
Ohio-as a classmate. The brothers, Cary
and John, remained
* The mother named the youngest son John
in memory of the son
who died.
William Allen Trimble. 229
at Mr. Neef's school. He wrote to Carey,
the older, "to ascer-
tain if he did not desire to study
Medicine." He replied: "It
may sound louder to be a Doctor, but I
have about decided to
be a School-master. The school here is
flourishing, thirty-one
pupils. The system is approved by the
most literary people.
Governor Clairborn has promised to lay a
bill before the Legis-
lature of Louisiana, to send ten boys of
good capacity at the
expense of the State and have them
educated as teachers for
that country. If similar plans were
adopted by the several states
of the Union it would be a means of
establishing a system that
would be of infinite importance. If I
have it in my power I
shall establish a school in the Western
country on the same
principles. It will be a great pleasure
to help some of my hardy
countrymen up the hill of
Science." Falls of Schuylkill,
1811.
Like all young men the recital in
letters to their brothers
was not confined to the facts that they
were learning French,
Science and Mathematics, but the
tailors' bills, and the watches,
etc. had to be written of, and the bills
reported. Boots, $12.00;
Vests, $5.00; Coat, $28.00; Hat, $10.00;
Watch, $40.00; the
watch had to be purchased Carey
remarked, because he was
asked to assist Mr. Neef, and he must
have a watch, and a seal
and key, $15.00 extra. John stood high
in his classes, and be-
came later in life the Historian of the
family. Carey was musi-
cal, played the flute, spoke French, was
very handsome, chestnut
hair and brown eyes and a great
favorite. When thinking of
establishing a school, on the
Pestalozzian system as soon as he
could learn the value of his property in
Ohio, he heard that his
brothers, William and Allen, were in
Military service, - and he
writes from Falls of Schuylkill, July
7th, 1812:- Dear Brother:
I received your letter dated Fort
McArthur, which confirmed
the report I had heard that you on your
return to Ohio joined
the Army. It was mentioned in the papers
that a William Trim-
ble was appoined Major in the
neighborhood of Chillicothe. Pub-
lic sentiment seems to be much divided
in the North Eastern
States, concerning the late measures of
government, the people
called federalists, (but who do not
deserve the name), are loudly
declaiming against the government, and
late accounts say that
the governors of Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, here refused to
230 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
raise the quota of Militia required
from their states. Great
enconiums are passed on the people of
Ohio, for their patriot-
ism." Later, Sept. 27th, 1812, "The surrender of Hull has
caused considerable anxiety. Popular opinion is very much
divided some impute it to cowardice, others to treachery, - yet,
it seems to have been because of bad
management. Many are ask-
ing me what you write on the
subject?" -"I say, nothing at
all." But young Carey did not know
that his brother William
had kept his oldest brother, Allen, informed
of all his opinions
and movements."
FOOT OF THE RAPIDS, HEAD QUARTERS, July
1st, 1812.
DEAR BROTHER ALLEN: -
The Army arrived here day before
yesterday evening, having opened
a road from Maiden block house and built
three block houses. General
Hull has chartered a small Schooner to
take the heavy baggage round
by water. The Army commences the March
for Detroit, by land, in ten
minutes, leaving twenty-five men at this
place to build a blockhouse.
General Hull received letters from
Detroit, dated the 29th inst. The
Indians are assembled at Maiden, to the
number of about two thousand.
They draw rations and every necessary
accoutrements from the British.
The British force is not accurately
known. If we do not have a fight,
we will get to Detroit about the 7th
inst. Captain Barrerer and Captain
Jones' companies are more healthy than
any in the Regiment. I have
tolerable health and much fatigue.
Your affectionate brother,
WILLIAM A. TRIMBLE.
General Harrison's orders for raising a
Company of mount-
ed volunteers , 21st of September, 1812 (St. Mary's),
addressed
to Major William Allen Trimble, reads:
"You are hereby requested to
proceed through that part of the State
of Ohio lying in the direction of the
mouth of Scioto and endeavor to
prevail upon some of the organized
Companies of Militia in that part of
the State to join me as mounted
Volunteers, with as much expedition
as possible under the permission
heretofore given by Governor Meigs.
Companies serving during the Expedition,
which is not calculated to ex-
ceed 30 days and will not extend beyond
40, will be considered as hav-
ing performed a tour of duty."
I am respectfully,
Your Humble Servant,
WM. H. HARRISON.
William Allen Trimble. 231
POSTSCRIPT - Those who have any
disposition to accept the very
favorable proposition contained in
General Harrison's letter, will meet at
Hillsborough on Monday the 28th inst.,
prepared to March to St. Mary's,
where they will be supplied with bread,
fresh provision, and forage, each
man will carry as much bacon or salted
meat as will last the Campaign,
clothing, blankets, etc. Those who
cannot conveniently furnish them-
selves with rifles, can draw market at
Dayton or Urbana, Horses, guns,
and equipage, and will be appraised and
paid for at the rate of 50 cents
per day for each horse. WM. A. TRIMBLE."
The men in Hillsboro doubtless
remembered how Major
Trimble had left his other ambitions on
his return from Litchfield,
Conn., in 1811, and while on this
trip to attend Court in West
Union, met the first rider, the herald,
with an order from General
McArthur, calling on Highland County for
a quota of one hun-
dred volunteers; how he turned aside
from his cherished profes-
sion, the law, and turning his horse
toward Hillsboro, made his
first speech the next day, in the public
square. In two days two
full companies were raised. That little
army of the 4th United
States Infantry with the brigade of
General Finley, took up its
toilsome march through the dense forests
of four hundred miles
through Ohio and Michigan, and shared
the inglorious fortunes
of Hull in his surrender of four
thousand men to General Brock,
at Detroit. Major Trimble as a prisoner
of war, was paroled and
returned to Ohio. He was ordered to
attend the Court-martial
for the trial of General Hull, at
Albany. General Henry Dear-
born as president of that Court. Major
Trimble returned by way
of Washington City, soliciting and
procuring the appointment
of Major for the 26th Infantry to be
recruited in Ohio.* His
younger brother, Carey, from whose
letters we have quoted, then
seventeen years of age, received the
appointment of Lieutenant in
the same Regiment. This young brother
writes from near Fort
George, Deputy's House, 9th of January,
1814, "I was taken
on the morning of the surrender of Fort
Niagara in attempting
to make my escape from the garrison. I
saved nothing except
some money, which I luckily tied in my
cravat; all my clothing
and other luggage was taken. The
garrison was completely sur-
prised, was not in a state of defense,
and its commandant absent,
*See Biographical Encyclopedia Ohio.
232 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
which I hope, the U. S. will bring him
to strict account." Then
the particulars are given with great
care, and a postscript added,
"The General will please seal this
and send it by the first flag, to
the United States and oblige
Your obedient servant,
CAREY ALLEN TRIMBLE."
But to return to the record of William
Allen Trimble: In
the Spring of 1813, he was
superintending the recruiting depart-
ment, while General Harrison was at
Dayton, Ohio, making prep-
aration for a campaign to recover
Detroit, and obliterate the in-
glorious Hull's surrender. Major Trimble
was not yet ex-
changed as prisoner and was not eligible
to active duties in the
field against the British. At Dayton, he
waited on General Har-
rison, and procured for his brother
Allen Trimble, a commission
of Colonel. Allen Trimble was to raise a
battalion of five hundred
mounted men, armed, equipped for the
relief of Fort Wayne, on
the Maumee, then besieged by the
Indians, under Tecumseh.
Major Trimble gave the pledge and riding
all night, fifty miles
to Hillsboro, handed his brother the
commission, and instruction
from General Harrison. The march of
Harrison to Fort Meigs,
was protected by these brave Spartans,
-the Indians were dis-
persed. Allen Trimble, later twice
Governor of the State of Ohio,
before starting on this trip, went into
the "loom room," above the
spring-house, where yards and yards of
blanketing hung on ropes,
woven by the weaver employed by him for
such work. He cut off
yard after yard and handed to the men,
and then went down
into the room of the spring-house, where
on a swinging-shelf
was placed some twenty cheese, the
product of his wife's indus-
try. He quartered these, giving
one-fourth to each man, then bade
his wife farewell, handing her one
hundred and fifty dollars.
When he returned she handed him two
hundred and seventy-five
dollars, as she was appointed Clerk of
the Court, regularly sworn
in-the young man fell ill who had been
appointed-there being
no one left to fill the office. This
woman was Rachel Woodrow
Trimble, different, as we shall see,
from Jane Allen Trimble, but
each perfect in type and nobility.
Rachel W. Trimble was an
ideal wife, mother, and daughter-in-law.
She had charming
William Allen Trimble. 233
tastes and was known throughout Governor
Trimble's public
career, as the beautiful home-keeper.
Thomas McArthur Anderson said in his
Ohio Centennial ad-
dress on the Military History of Ohio:
"Hull was fifty-nine years
of age at the time of his surrender. His
age and Revolutionary
service saved him a sad fate. He was the
same age as Major
Robert Anderson, when he defended Fort
Sumpter. He was just
the age of Admiral Dewey, when he sank
the Spanish fleet, in
Manila Bay."
When McArthur, Major General of the Ohio
Militia, was
directed by Governor Meigs, to call out
all men capable of bear-
ing arms, under the flag, of thirteen
stripes and seven stars,-the
last star being that of Ohio, - which
from that time on, has led
men of the Buckeye State from victory to
victory.
We have before us letters from General
Harrison to Col.
Allen Trimble, Commander of the Ohio
Volunteers, St. Mary's,
one dated Head Quarters Fort Mary's, 6th
Oct., 1812. Another
from Franklinton, Nov. 18th, 1812, and one from Brig. Gen'l
Foos, 4th Brgd, & Commandment of the
2d Division Ohio
Militia; General Harrison says:
"Your exertions on this occas-
ion, Sir, as well as those belonging to
your Command who were
willing to do their duty, merit my
thanks, and I beg you to
communicate it to them in such manner as
you may see proper."
In fact they had not the least reason to
complain against Major
Trimble. They fared as well in every
respect, as the six and
twelve month Dragoons of the Army."
With great regard and respect,
I am, Sir,
Your Hum. Servant,
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON.
Again in a letter of October 6th,
"proceed immediately from
Fort Wayne to the Potawatimee Towns
about seventy-five or
eighty miles beyond and about twenty or
thirty beyond the towns
on Elk Hart, lately destroyed by a
Detachment of the Army
under my command," etc., etc.,
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON.
234 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
In the Spring of 1814, Major William A.
Trimble received
his exchange and joined his regiment,
which had consolidated
with another and was the 19th, known so
well at Chippewa,
Lundy's Lane and Niagara. He commanded
at the post of Buf-
falo and Black Rock, both considered
very important.
On the Canadian side, General Gaines
occupied the defense
of old Fort Erie. The night of the 14th,
1814, history gives the
following facts: "Under General
Gaines, the whole British
Army assaulted the American forces.
Major Trimble, antici-
pating a battle, waited upon General
Gaines and was permitted to
take the command at Buffalo and his own
regiment, the 19th, was
taken charge of by another officer
stationed in the bastions and
block-houses of the fort. Major Trimble
examined by lamp-
light all the positions of his regiment,
and its exposed situation.
The night was stormy. The enemy's
veterans, led by Col. Drum-
mond and Scott, approached the parapets
of the Fort, and with
scaling ladders and great charge of
bayonets, they carried the
principal batteries of the Townson and
Douglas, then pushed for-
ward toward the 19th, under Major
Trimble. Drummond start-
ed the watchword, which in these days of
Arbitration and Peace,
we decline to repeat. Drummond fell
within six feet of Major
Trimble, Col. Scott, of the 103rd Royal
Regiment was also killed
and his sword, a fine Damascus blade,
Col. Trimble secured and
wore during his subsequent military
career."
General Brown took command of the army.
Fort Erie was
commanded by the British position, but
on the 17th, the in-
trenched camp was assaulted. Major
Trimble was in Miller's
brigade and in the advance and after
storming and carrying two
redoubts, fell mortally wounded it was
thought, within the Brit-
ish lines, shot through the lungs.
At the kind home of his friend, General
Peter B. Porter, of
Black Rock, he was cared for, for many
weeks-after, he was re-
moved from Fort Erie and the following
letter to his brother,
Col. Allen Trimble, tells of his wound
in his own dignified, sim-
ple language:
DEAR BROTHER: BUFFALO, 18 Oct., 1814.
"After storming the Center Battery,
of the enemy, on the 17th ultimo
and near the close of the action, I
received a musket ball under my left
William Allen Trimble. 235
arm which passed out near by back bone,
where it fractured a rib. After
dressing my wound bled freely, which in
addition to about a gallon of
blood the Surgeons drew from me, reduced
me very low. I have now
been some time on the recovery, have had
a good appetite and am gaining
strength as fast as could be expected.
I can walk about my room and my surgeon
tell me I am out of
danger. I am now situated with a very
agreeable family, who take very
good care of me, and William has always
been very attentive.
(This was Bill Hackett, the colored man,
in his service as body-
guard many years. The surgeons thought
he saved the life of Col. Trim-
ble, for seeing there was no time to be
lost, he drew a ram-rod from the
Colonel's musket, and wrapping it with a
large silk handkerchief, probed
the wound, thus relieving it of the clot
of blood.)
"You can hardly imagine the
pleasure I enjoy in meeting brother
Carey, whom I had not seen for more than
a year. He stayed with me
two days and then went back, took
command of the 19th Regiment,
with which there was in consequence of
wounds, sickness, resignation, etc.,
no officer but Lieut. Nixon. Gen.
Izard's army arrived here on the
12th, and crossed the Niagara at Black
Rock, on the 13th, where it was
joined by the left Division under
General Brown, the whole proceeded
that evening toward Chippeway. From the
lateness of the season and
some other reasons which I shall not now
explain, I do not expect much
will be done. The army amounts to more
than 7,000 effective men and
is perhaps the handsomest that was ever
formed in the United States.
"The Army had not crossed the
Chippeway on yesterday. On yes-
terday evening I heard from brother
Carey who is with the Army. He
desired his respects might be presented
to the family.
"Tell Mother when I was not
expected to live an hour that I was
not afraid but perfectly willing to die.
Give my respects to all the family.
Your affectionate brother,
WILLIAM A. TRIMBLE.
The paper upon which this letter was
written, now ninety-
one years ago, has turned almost as
yellow in hue as the cloth
waist-coat, through which the dreadful
bullet went, on that
awful night, at Lake Erie. It was our
duty not long ago to
destroy the time-honored waist-coat. Removing the buttons,
and putting them aside as a memento, the
white cloth vest, so
yellowed by time, had finally found
"the moths to corrupt." It
lay in the trunk, covered with
sheepskin, and fastened with brass
tacks, amid other relics, of the War of
1812-1813,-- but the
day for the burial came; and the fumes which went up from its
ashes were, indeed, solemn to our minds.
We turned in con-
236 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
templation to the portrait of the
handsome face, regular features,
olive complexion, dignity of pose,
brilliant epaulettes, dark blue
uniform, -and we promised ourselves to
make a copy of the
portrait for our own especial
collection; but instead of the
brush, the pen has been at work building
up the life again from
fragmentary MSS.
ERIE PENNSYLVANIA 4th October, 1814.
DEAR BROTHER ALLEN:
Brother William left Buffalo about the
17th November for Wash-
ington City. His wound has not yet
healed on one side, but he intended
travelling only in good weather by very
easy journeys. He will go as
far as Albany on horseback, from where
he will go principally by water.
I expect to be ordered on to Albany, or
New York.
Yours,
CARY A. TRIMBLE.
Perhaps the digression can be made here
as well as else-
where to the import that Jane Allen
Trimble had seven sons, and
two daughters, the oldest son died
young, the others were Allen,
William, James, Cyrus, Cary, John, -
daughters, Mary and Mar-
garet, (Mrs. Nelson and Mrs. McCue).
Allen was not only a
statesman, but an Agriculturist; William
not only a Soldier,
but a Senator; James an owner and
cultivator of land; Cyrus a
Doctor; Cary a Soldier; John a historian
and merchant. It was
to the Hillsboro home that they all
returned at intervals of time,
-the mother lived to the age of
eighty-seven, respected and be-
loved; the father, as we have seen, died
in 1804. The Trimbles
were men of integrity, industry,
intelligence, and sobriety.
Major William A. Trimble, after his
recovery, which was a
great surprise to his Surgeon, Dr.
Trowbridge, "was restored to
active duties in the field." His friend and comrade, in the sortie
at Lake Erie, General Peter B. Porter of
Black Rock," was
sorry indeed, to have him leave his
home. In 1814, Sept. 17th,
he was breveted to the rank of
Lieutenant-Colonel for his gallant
services and was retained in the Army
with the same rank in
the 8th Infantry, Colonel Nichols of
Kentucky. A short letter
from Cary A. Trimble of the 26th
Infantry written from Beau-
post, "a village in full view of
Quebec," March 27th, 1814, says,
"he, Cary, had the choice of
remaining at Montreal or coming to
William Allen Trimble. 237
Quebec, when the general exchange took
place; he had located
himself in a French family to learn
still more of the language,
had subscribed to a circulating library
in Quebec and so on.
When Fort Erie was demolished by our
troops, he remarks,
the Batteries blew up with a terrible
explosion. General Q's
division was encamped on the sand beach
opposite. All the move-
ments of this great last man of the
Alphabet show an unpardon-
able want of energy."
In 1815 Cary writes from Philadelphia to
his brother Allen,
-"Western paper is at 7% discount. Baltimore at 31/2, Vir-
ginia and District of Columbia notes at
4 below par. There
are many brokers who will not discount
Western notes at any
price, Silver fell from 17½ to 7, on the
receipt of the news of
Bonaparte's fall. Feb. l0th, 1806, he
advises his brother Allen,
"as to the Militia claims, not to
purchase any more until it is
ascertained the appropriations will be
made this session for pay-
ing them off. They are pretty hard
pushed for funds at Wash-
ington, and the Militia will always be
served last."
Lieut. Col. William Trimble had been
with his regiment in
1815 in St. Louis, Missouri, and had
established the post at
Fort Des Moines. He had also ascended
the Red River in keel-
boats and barges, with his men when
ordered to Natches.
On the 30th April, 1817, he writes from
there to Allen Trimble;
"The first regiment of Infantry is
at Baton Rouge; the 8th, is
at Pass Christian. In a most business
like letter to his brothers,
interested in the purchase of goods, he
says: " I have taken
the liberty of forwarding two crates of
queensware assorted and
500 bls. of copperas, - invoices will be
forwarded by next mail.
I have made arrangements with Barbour
Dent and McClelland,
commission merchants of this city, to
furnish you with anything
you may want from this quarter, which
you may obtain by
writing to them at any time. These
gentlemen have sent a quan-
tity of British Iron to Sumati
Limestone. It will be delivered
at that place to about 185 dollars per
Ton french weight. They
sold the Iron here at 10 dollars per Ton, and engaged the
freight at 31/2 cents per pound. I
agreed for two Tons, but as
the Iron had been put on board the boat
and could not be con-
veniently assorted and weighed they say
that when the Iron
238 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
arrives at Limestone you may have any
quantity you want at
11O dollars, per Ton, and
carriage. This arrangement will be to
your advantage as you will be at no risk
in the freight.
There are some vessels in the river
loaded with coffee should
it sell low I can send you two or three
barrels. Coffee of first
quality is not easy to obtain and sells
for 31 cents, - Sugar is
from 11 to 121/2 cents and cotton has
fallen from 32 to 27 cents
and will probably fall to 25 cents.
There is now no demand for
the produce of the western country;
tobacco, beef, pork ex-
cepted, and beef and pork are so badly
put up, and brought in
such wretched order to this market that
the sales are very much
injured. Flour cannot be sold for six
dollars. From the best
information I can obtain beef and pork,
if properly put up are
the best articles which can be brought
to this market. In my
next letters I shall inform you how salt
may be clarified. Pure
salt is of the utmost importance to
preserve from putrefaction
of animal and vegetable substances. The
Salt manufactured in
the Western country is very impure. Give
my love to the family
and remember me to my friends.
WILLIAM A. TRIMBLE.
This letter shows the unselfishness of
his life: always
trying to help his brothers. From the
time he rose before break-
fast, at the school where Cary and John
were taken, by him-
self, to be educated, in order to aid
them in acquiring their
lessons, that they might succeed the
better, and so on, until the
night he rode without rest to carry to
his brother Allen - Gen-
eral Harrison's Commission,-- nobility
of purpose, was ever
present with this man. His brother Cyrus
wrote from No.
201 Walnut
Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 25th,
1818: "I have just been admitted a member of the Phila-
delphia Medical Society, to which all
the first Medical men, in
the United States belong, and of which
Dr. Chapman is President.
In 1818, Col. Trimble co-operated
with General Jackson in
the celebrated Florida campaign and the
capture of St. Marks
and Pensacola. But although only now
thirty-two years of age,
he became weary of the life of the army,
in times of Peace, and
decided to resign and return to
Hillsborough, Highland county,
William Allen Trimble. 239
Ohio an ascending series in its
arrangement of names; town,
county, state were rising.
The Trimbles had located much land in
this part of the
state, and the land Warrants on
Parchment, signed by the early
Presidents, remain to this day relics of
interest in Governor Allen
Trimbles' old Secretary, where all of
his important letters and
papers were carefully filed away.
The Senatorial Contest, was on when Col.
Trimble returned
to Highland county. A letter dated Nov.
25th, 1818, from an
influential man in Washington City
says:--"Col. Jessup is in
the City, and I have had a conversation
with him. The Claims
of William Allen Trimble are superior to
any man's in your
State; all things
considered, and I am almost sure,
would be
elected. You may rest assured, that the
members of your state,
would be glad to have him associated
with them here. If he
can name any office which is at the
disposal of the Executive,
I am sure he could get it.- Because it is
impossible for him to
stand better than he does at Head
Quarters, or be more respected
than he is already. While others were
working for him, he was
acting the same unselfish part towards
his brothers; to Dr.
Cyrus Washington Trimble, at this date
he desires his "regards
to the ladies of Philadelphia, of their
acquaintance in closing
his letter, he remarks, 'that his
brother Allen has gone to Rich-
mond, Va. to purchase land. James will
purchase 100 Spanish
hides, at Philadelphia, but best Buenos
Ayrean would be preferred.
I enclose copies of the entries in the
name of Samuel Bradford,
No. 260 for 900 acres. Nine warrants of
the Virginia state line.
I was pleased to read in the National
Intelligence Doctor
Mitchel's address to the Agricultural
Society, in which he recom-
mends an investigation of the Medical
properties of indigenous
plants.
The Senatorial Contest was full of
mettle, high-spirited and
animated, for Governor
Worthington and his adherents and
friends, desired to see him continued in
office; a man who had
served his State so ably and was so highly informed on all the
internal issues of the day, so that the
success of Col. Trimble was
the more surprising. The Civil Service idea had not permeated
the minds of the people to the same degree it now
has; they felt
240 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
that although Governor Worthington was
undoubtedly highly in-
formed about the interests of the State
of Ohio, yet Chillicothe
had had sufficient eclat and
Hillsborough would now like to see
one of her worthy sons brought
forward. Personally, Col.
Trimble was greatly admired and trusted,
he had served his coun-
try more, perhaps, than his State, but
for this very reason, Wash-
ington City would receive him gladly-so
unselfish a man in his
personal interests as he ! so gallant a
soldier !
We find among his papers a small package
of visiting cards,
from the following gentlemen: Mr.
Stratford Canning, "His
Britannic Majesty's Envoy
Extraordinary," etc., "The Minister
Plenipotentiary de La Majeste tres
Chretienne," the Russian En-
voy's card, Le Baron de Mallitz, the
Secretary of the Russian
Embassy; cards of all the
representatives of the French Embassy,
and the Consul General of France, Mr.
Petry, General Jesup,
George Towers, Eugine Vail, Mr. Ogle
Tayloe, W. A. Duer, S.
Ruggold; with many others and
invitations, one of which reads
as follows:
"Gen. Van Renssalaer, requests the
Honor of Col. Trimbles' Company
to Dinner on Monday next at 4 o'clock.
"Saturday, 27."
These are all addressed to Col. Trimble,
66 Broadway, and
with them is placed the receipted bills
for board at Mrs. Peyton's,
$12.00 per week, with extra charges for coach and horses.
While we are on the social side of life
in Washington, 1820,
an extract from one of Col. Trimble's
letters will be of interest:
"We have lost James Burrel Jr. from
Rhode Island- in my opinion
one of the most able and useful members
of the Senate. The question of
relative rank in Society, seems to be of
great importance. If I were
competent to decide this question I
should decline to engage in it. I claim
only the position of a stranger glad to
receive calls, rather reluctant to
make them."
General Jessup tells him in a letter
while he is absent from Wash-
ington for a few weeks, that gossip
says, he is engaged to a certain lady
whose name he does not give.
The family had evidently persuaded him
about this time to have their
cousin, Mr. Matthew Jewett, of
Lexington, Ky., paint his portrait, for he
says, Dec. 23, 1820: "I have sent
Jewett one hundred dollars for my
portrait."
William Allen Trimble. 241
There are letters to Col. Thos.
Aspinwall, U. S. Consul, and replies
dated from Bishop Gate Church Yards,
21st Feb. 1820, London, England.:
"We have sent the Maine and
Missouri bill to the other house," Col.
Trimble writes to his brother on the
21st Feb., 1820, "where it has been
postponed until tomorrow. I suspect the
Amendment of the Senate will
be struck out and the bill for the
admission of Maine sent back to the
Senate, where it will be rejected. The
Southern people are determined
if possible to prevent the admission of
Maine without Missouri is admitted
at the same time without restriction.
The Amendment attached to the
Bill to prohibit slavery in the
Territory North of Latitude 36" 30' I con-
sider of little importance-because
without any probability very few slaves
would be taken North of that line. If
the Senators of Indiana and Illi-
nois would concur, slavery could easily
be prohibited in the uninhabited
territory of the United States. My time
is so entirely occupied in my
official duties and in attending to the
private business of numerous cor-
respondents that I have seldom a chance
to write to you. It is reported
here that the Spanish Government has
refused to receive a note from
Mr. Forsythe our Minister.
Your affectionate brother,
WILLIAM A. TRIMBLE.
GENERAL ALLEN TRIMBLE.
Later: "There will probably be a compromise to admit
Missouri
without restriction and prohibit slavery
in the whole or much the largest
part of the territory. I shall not vote
for the Bill in any shape while
connected with Maine.
12 FEB., 1820.
I have succeeded in getting an able
Canal Committee appointed in
the Senate on Roads, etc. He writes in
Jan. 1821, from the Senate Cham-
ber:-"My health continutes
delicate, but I have not missed one day in
attending to my duty in the Senate. The
Canal bill came up when I was
much indisposed. I defended it while I
was able to speak, and I hope
not without success. The Sketch of the
debate in The Intelligencer does
not by any means do justice to my
remarks or even to ground upon
which I supported the bill. Its fate in
the Senate will probably be de-
cided day after to-morrow." He
sends a printed copy to Governor E. A.
Brown, of the bill reported by Mr. King
of New York, twice read by
unanimous consent in the Senate--the
bill to authorize the appointment
of Commissioners to lay out a Canal in
the State of Ohio. April 22,
1820. We got the bill through the Senate
with great difficulty, giving the
State the right of premption, a quarter
Section of land in each of the new
counties.
3rd MAY, 1820.
The Senate has just passed to a third
reading by a large majority a
bill for laying out a road through the
states of Ohio, Indiana, and Illi-
Vol. XIV.- 16. (241)
242 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
nois, and the committee of roads and
canals of the Senate have just
reported a bill to provide for laying
out a canal through the lands of the
United States, from Lake Erie to the
navigable waters of the Scioto, or
great Miami of Ohio. You can have no
idea of the envy of the At-
lantic and Southern countries of the
rising prosperity of the North-western
states. We shall probably have to rely
upon our own resources and
expect little from the federal
government.
"A joint resolution has just passed
both houses to adjourn on the
15th. The Tariff was reported this
morning by the committee--with
some amendments to reduce the duties on
iron, hemp, and some other
articles.
Three letters from Gov. Lewis Cass,
dated March 31st, 1821, May
26th, and June 17th, to Senator Trimble
containing earnest invitations
for him to attend the treaty with the
Indians. "The jaunt would be
pleasant and useful to you, and through
your exertions useful to the
Community."
The time of holding the treaty shall be
regulated as much as possible
by your convenience. A journey on
horse-back to the mouth of the
Sandusky Bay is nothing. Five days from
Chillicothe in Steam boat
will bring you here. I trust you will
come to my house and stay with
me until your departure.
Ever your friend,
LEWIS CASS.
MAY 26th.
We have fixed upon Chicago as the place
and upon the (15.), fifteenth
of August. I shall be greatly
disappointed if anything prevents your at-
tending. I am, my dear sir,
Ever your friend,
LEWIS CASS.
JUNE 17th.
The Steamboat will touch Sandusky the
5th of August,-the treaty
is fixed for the 15th. I shall give such
instruction at Fort Wayne, as will
ensure you a companionable escort, in
case you should travel the whole
distance by land. I hope nothing will
occur to prevent you from coming.
I am my dear sir,
Ever your friend
LEWIS CASS.
There is a brightness to these letters
because of the big red
seal, and they look remarkably well
cared for-the Governor
wrote a fine hand, which is still
beautiful. Col. Trimble writes
to his brother Allen as usual, telling
him how well the journey
William Allen Trimble. 243
went. The Indian agent, Mr. Hayes,
furnished me with a guide
at Fort Wayne. If you go to Kentucky
soon, I will join you
in the purchase of some of Mr. Mason's
sheep and Clay cattle.
Remember me to Mr. Clay and all my
friends. Chicago is a flat
Village one hundred and sixty-five miles
from Ft. Wayne. It
is built around a basin, in the rear of
which a bluff rises abruptly
on the summit of which stands old Fort
Mitchel, - recently re-
paired, - from this we get a prospect of
the whole Island. The
surface is Limestone and gravel. Chicago is a small Indian
Village. The white fish are said to
appear in going down the
Lake.
Mr. Stuart gave us a horse-back ride,
-The Indians as-
sembled in Council about One o'clock.
Governor Cass told them
that they had been invited to assemble
at this place to receive
a message from the Great Father, the
President of the United
States, which message would be delivered
to them tomorrow;
that Mr. Sibley had been associated with
him, and that I was a
member of their father's council. The
next day they assembled
and the commissioners delivered their
message: that their Great
Father desired to purchase the St.
Joseph country, for which
he would give them in goods which would
be worth more to
them than all the lands and game. One of
the war chiefs, Mitia,
answered for them, that they had sold to
their Great Father
the greater part of their lands and that
they had reserved little
upon which to lay the bones of their
fathers, and that it was
necessary to support their chief's women
and children, and that
they did not expect their Great Father
would have asked them
to sell."
"After this we took quarters with
Mr. Ramsey and A. D.
Stuart, Esq. the Collector. Many more
details are given in this
letter.
In September, sad news, indeed, reached
Col. Trimble. His
brother, Lieut. Cary A. Trimble, so much
beloved by the entire
family, now just 28 years of age,
accomplished as a Flutist, as
Linguist, as Soldier, betrothed to one
of the loveliest young
women in Philadelphia society, fell ill
and suddenly died at
Hillsboro, September 10th, 1821.
244 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Senator Trimble evidently tried to
distract his mind from
this grief, for on his return trip to
Washington, in October, he
writes:- "I stopped at General
Porter's at Black Rock. The
Breckenridges were there, Robert, the
son, and the Mother.
Then I went to Niagara Falls, Lewiston,
Rochester, Auburn,
and seven miles north to Weeds basin on
the Grand Canal now
completed from Utica as far West as
Montaganna, on Cayuga
Lake. They leave Weeds Basin 8 A. M.,
arrive at Ithaca the
same hour next morning, (92 miles), I
also went to Schenectady,
Albany, West Point. But the week at Saratoga did not agree
with me. I have not been well since
my return. I took cold
on the return trip from Chicago. This
little Indian bowl I send,
is for Eliza.
It was a year of great anxiety for the
Trimble family,-
General Allen Trimble who had been
Speaker of the House, at
Columbus, now since 1818, began to feel
that not alone must he
experience the grief of his brother
Cary's death, but that Will-
iam's health was fast failing.
Letter addressed to Dr. Cyrus W.
Trimble, by Dr. Powell,
of Washington, D. C.
WASHINGTON CITY, 15th Dec'r., 1825.
MY DEAR FRIEND:-
You no doubt have heard ere this, of the
death of your gallant and
accomplished brother. His decline was
gradual, and steady, and he was
conscious long before his confinement,
that his death was not far distant.
He looked forward to his approaching
dissolution, with all the firmness
of a hero, and calmness of a
philosopher: and during the whole course
of his confinement, not a sigh, or
murmur escaped his lips.
The funeral Ceremonies were grand, and
imposing beyond de-
scription. The body was removed from
Mrs. Payton's, the late resi-
dence of the deceased, by the Committee
of Arrangements, and placed in
the Senate Chamber, directly fronting
the President's Chair. The House
of Representatives then entered the
Senate Chamber; -preceding them,
Speaker, Mr. Ryland, the Chaplain to the
Senate, then raised his voice
and in a peculiarly eloquent and
pathetic manner, delivered an address
upon the occasion and concluded by an
affectionate appeal to the rela-
tives of the deceased.
The body was then conveyed from the
Senate and placed upon the
Hearse, which was drawn by four elegant
black horses. His coffin was
covered with fine black velvet,
elegantly trimmed with silver. From one
side to the other was a plate handsomely
formed, placed directly over the
William Allen Trimble.
245
breast, on which his name, age, and time
of decease, were engraven. He
was buried with the honors of war which
were eminently due to so gallant
and distinguished an Officer.
The Procession then moved. It as
exceedingly splendid, and solemn.
There were at least One hundred private
Carriages,-besides an im-
mense concourse of citizens and
strangers. The Marine Corps, com-
manded by Gen. Henderson, marched in
front of the Procession, with
full band playing those melancholy airs,
which are calculated to suffuse
cheeks with tears. Next came the
Senators and Representatives from
Ohio, as Mourners: then the Senate,
preceded by their Sergeant-at-Arms:
next the head of departments, foreign
ministers, etc. The Procession
then closed with a prodigious concourse
of Citizens and strangers suc-
ceeded by a long line of two-hundred
splendid carriages. When the body
of the gallant man was consigned to the
silent tomb, solemn silence reigned
throughout this innumerable multitude,
and the bosom of every individual
seemed to heave with a sigh of regret
for his untimely fate. To close
the scene, the neighboring hills were
made to reverberate by the marine
corps firing volleys of funeral salutes
with double charged cartridges,
which at every heavy discharge seemed to
say: "This tells the knell of a
Hero!"
I beg you to believe that I sincerely
sympathize with you upon the
heavy sorrow which you have sustained.
Your brother's friends here are very numerous.
In fact, he had
no enemies, except they were enemies to
his sterling honor, and integrity
of character. Yours most affectionately,
WM. L. POWELL.
To Dr. Cyrus W. Trimble.
THE FUNERAL OF COL. TRIMBLE.
Late of the Senate of the United States
from the State of Ohio.-
(Detroit.)
His body they bore to a warrior's grave-
The morning sun splendidly beaming;
The hearse mov'd slow, and the
War-plumes wav'd,
And sabers and muskets were gleaming.
The cold winds blew, but he heeded them
not-
The sleep of the grave he was sleeping;
The wise and the great of the Nation
were there,
And his country around him was weeping.
The trumpets peal'd loud, and the
death-drums beat-
And the March was the March of devotion;
And deep as the musketry roll'd o'er his
grave,
Not a heart but throbb'd high
with emotion.
246 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
For, Oh! he died in the glow of his
years,
In the pride and the bloom of his glory;
But long shall his memory emblazon with
fame,
The bright pages of our martial story.
The winter shall pass, and the
Spring-flowers bloom,
By the banks and the groves of his own
native river,-
Weep, Parent of Trimble! He ne'er shall
return!
By the wave of Potomac he's sleeping
forever.
But he sleeps with the great; and sweet
be his sleep,
And hush'd be the requiem of sorrow;
His star has gone down, like the Sun hid
in storms,
To arise in new glory to-morrow.
In Ohio's Centennial address of "Ohio
in the Senate,"
by the Hon. J. B. Foraker, the following
reference was made
to Col. William A. Trimble.
"Harrison and Garfield," said Mr.
Foraker "were so conspicuous as
soldiers that all are familiar
with their achievements in that respect,
while Trimble was noted
among the men of his time for chivalric
deportment and daunt-
less bravery. He died, when he had only
fairly entered on what
promised to be a most brilliant and
distinguished career in the
Senate, from the effects of a wound
received in action at Fort
Erie. He was the only one of all Ohio's
Senators who died while
holding office. He was buried in the
Congressional Cemetery
at Washington, and his untimely death
was mourned universally
by the people of Ohio and all his
colleagues in public life."