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:

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