Ohio History Journal

THE WYANDOT MISSION.

EMIL SCHLUP.

The present generation can scarcely comprehend the hard-

ships and privations the early missionaries had to endure when

the Ohio country was in a wilderness state. But brave men

risked their lives in promulgating the Christian doctrine among

the aboriginals of the forest.

The earliest Protestant denomination to enter the new field

were the Moravians. Christian Frederick Post, who had been

a missionary among the Moravian Indians in New York and

Connecticut from 1743 to 1749, determined on a visit to the

Delawares at Tuscarawas, now Bolivar in Bethlehem ,township,

Stark county. This was in 1761-2, unfortunately at a time when

the French and English were rival claimants for the soil west

of the Alleghanies. Rev. Post built a primitive log cabin on

his donation of land fifty steps square. Suceeding this humble

beginning was established ten years later the Moravian mission

at Schoenbrunn. This branch of the Moravian mission was re-

ceived with great favor by the Delaware Chief Netawotes. Sim-

ilar missions were formed at Gnadenhutten and Salem in the

present Tuscarawas county. During twenty years of apparent

success there was a lurking foe endeavoring to break up the mis-

sions. The Americans were in possession of Fort Pitt and the

British at Detroit placed the missions in a sort of half way

place between the two contending forces. It was at a time too,

when the American soldier killed an Indian with as much

delight as we kill a sheep dog in the present day. This was

fully illustrated by the fiendish massacre of ninety-six Moravian

Christian Indians at Gnadenhutten on March 8, 1782, by a force

of Americans under Col. David Williamson. This rash act was

more far-reaching than was at first supposed. It had a tendency

to cripple the missionary work at the place for a number of

years and called for a desperate revenge by the Delawares on

(163)

The Wyandot Mission.                165

Badger was born at Wilbraham, Mass., in 1757. He served as

a soldier in the Revolutionary War, graduated at Yale College

in 1785 and in 1787 was ordained as a minister of the gospel.

In the war of 1812 he was appointed chaplain by Governor

Meigs to the American army. In 1835 he moved to Plain

township, Wood county, where he died in 1846, aged 89 years.

The Delawares were tenants at will under the Wyandots and

it was a hard matter to civilize or Christianize them until they

were thoroughly conquered and placed on reservations. The

natural love of "fire water" and the vices of degenerate white

men found their morality at a pretty low ebb. The Seneca

prophet at one time pretended to have divine revelation, stating

that it was in consistency with the wishes of the Great Spirit that

the red men should all unite and forever drive the white in-

truder from the hunting grounds of their forefathers. The

Shawnee prophet, brother to the celebrated Tecumseh, followed.

He pretended that he had conversed with the Great Spirit that

the nations should all unite their forces, quit using strong drink

and the Great Manito would lead them to a decided victory.

Both in their turn had a strong following. But their delusions

soon exploded. The day dawned when the true gospel trumpet

was to be sounded and dark heathenism forever banished from

the fair Sandusky plains. The humble instrument chosen was

in the person of John Stewart, a mulatto, who was born in

Powhatan county, Va., in 1786. His youth was spent in ignor-

ance, and when his parents moved to Tennessee they left young

Stewart behind to shift for himself. He learned the trade of

blue-dying. In attempting to join his parents he was robbed

of all his money at Marietta, Ohio. This so depressed him that

he wandered to the Ohio river with suicidal intent. But instead

of ending his life there he chose a longer course by strong drink

and vile dissipation. In the fall of 1814 he became danger-

ously ill, no one expecting him to live. He resolved within

himself that if he ever recovered, he would preach the gospel.

His resolutions were well kept and a powerful impulse directed

him toward the Northwest. At Goshen on the Tuscarawas river

he was informed by some converted Moravian Delawares that they

166       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

had kinsmen on the Sandusky plains that there he could likely

do good. In Nov., 1816, he dropped into Captain Pipe's Dela-

ware village at the mouth of the Brokensword Creek. This Cap-

tain Pipe was the son of the Captain Pipe who was so officious in

the burning of Col. William Crawford. He there learned of

the Indian village of Upper Sandusky. William Walker was

Indian sub-agent and interpreter. Stewart was at first suspected

as a runaway slave. The Delawares of a neighboring tribe were

preparing for a great feast. Jonathan Pointer, who was familiar

with the Indian language, was soon chosen as interpreter. He

was born at Point Pleasant, Va., aid in his youth was cul-

tivating corn in a field with his master, who was shot down by

a band of marauding Indians and Jonathan the colored lad was

carried north and grew up with the Indians. Stewart asked his

new acquaintance to take him along to the Delaware feast. The

Indians got so loud and wild in their demonstrations that this

self-appointed missionary came near being scared out. After

the turbulence had somewhat subsided, Stewart drew forth a

hymn book and with his sweet melodious voice charmed to silence

his savage listeners. When the first hymn was completed, Indian

Johnnycake told him in broken English "sing more." John Stew-

art was regularly licensed as a regular Methodist minister in

March, 1816. Previous to this some missionaries traveling

towards the north noted that Stewart was making progress in

the new work, and was in earnest. They demanded to see his

license to preach. Stewart frankly told them he had none.

He had solemnized marriages and baptized in cases of emergency.

At a session of conference of the Methodist Church at Urbana,

in March, 1816, Stewart received his license to preach. Some

of the red brethren had accompanied him thither and vouched

for his good Christian every-day life. Conference was so well

pleased with the new mission field that they at once took it

under their charge and it was the first-fruits and the beginning

of the great Methodist missionary concern. Colleagues were

chosen to assist in the work, but there was no missionary money

on hand. A collection amounting to $70 was taken. Money

was also expended for furnishing Stewart a horse and pay for

The Wyandot Mission.                167

some clothing he had purchased. In 1820 he thought best

to wed, so he took one of his own color as a companion for life.

He next wished for a home, and Bishop McKendre collected one

hundred dollars, for which sixty acres of land were purchased

on the north bank of the Sandusky river joining the north line

of the Wyandot Reservation in Tymochtee township. A hewed

log cabin a story and a half in height was built on the premises

in 1821. The present land owner, Mr. Adam Walton, still has

the original government land patent, issued through the Dela-

ware land office. The log cabin was standing until a few years

ago. Also a large pear tree by its side. Both have been leveled.

The pear tree made about a cord of stove wood. In 1821 a

school was established for the education of Indian children.

This was on the manual labor system. Stewart had a dozen

Indian children in his charge. When he first arrived there were

but two plows in all the Wyandot Nation. They usually dug

small holes into the ground and planted their maize and vege-

tables. Each family was thus cultivating from two to three

acres, the squaws doing most of the hard labor. Stewart had

now labored six years to moralize and christianize these people.

He had gained full confidence of the Indians and really did

good work. He paved the way for the subsequent missionaries

who thoughtfully and humanely used their influence for the bet-

terment of the red man of the forest. In the fall of 1823

Stewart began to realize his bodily frainties.  Consumption,

brought on by his youthful dissipation and intemperance, was

now at work at his vitals. On Dec. 17, 1823, John Stewart de-

parted this life after a life-span of thirty-seven years.*  His

body was buried in his own garden on his farm. Previous to

the Wyandots' leaving the reservation they gathered his bones

and buried them on the south side of the Wyandot Mission

Church at Upper Sandusky. A suitable marble slab was placed.

over his grave. Vandals carried away the entire tombstone in

1866. At the restoration of the Old Mission Church in 1889 there

* See the Introduction of Methodism in Ohio by Rev. I. F. King,

Volume X, page 195, Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Publica-

tions.

The Wyandot Mission.                169

east from Upper Sandusky, on the east bank of the Sandusky

river.

Among the number were the prominent chiefs Mononcue,

Between-the-logs, John Hicks, and Scutash. Robert Armstrong

and Jonathan Pointer were the interpreters. It was the first

quarterly meeting with the Indians, and the first time Rev.

Finley ever tried to preach through an interpreter. Some of the

English hymns had been translated into the Wyandot language,

and thus they blended their voices in their Great Maker's praise.

He preached to them Christ crucified, how He was scorned and

rejected. He told them about the conversion of the three thou-

sand at Jerusalem after His ascension. At this the Indians ex-

pressed great wonder and the cabin rang with exclamations of sur-

prise, "waugh! waugh!" and shouted "great camp meeting!"

The meeting was kept up all night, and in the morning when

the parting hand was given, sixty of them signified their inten-

tion of always living Christian lives. The question was then

put whether they further desired the labors of the missionaries.

After a number of days and consulting all the chiefs it was

decided in the affirmative. Five of the most prominent of the

nation signed this decision on July 20, 1820. Their names were

Between-the-Logs, John Hicks, Peacock, Squindeghty and Mon-

oncue, chief speaker. It must be remembered that in the pre-

vious year of our government by a treaty at the Maumee Rapids

gave this noted tribe a reservation of about one hundred and forty-

four square miles, the central portion of the present Wyandot

county, the center of which was Fort Ferree, now Upper San-

dusky. Rev. Finley saw by this limitation and by the wild game

growing more scarce that the Indian must soon learn to work

or starve. The numerous deer, bear and turkey, he once tracked

in the snow were fast becoming visions of the past. They ever

acknowledged that the Great Spirit always supplied their wants.

The majority of them cared but little for tomorrow. Rev. Fin-

ley frequently urged upon them the education of their youth on

the manual labor system. It was on about the same working

order as that of the Moravian mission at Goshen on the Tus-

carawas river in 1772. This earnest appeal took place while

The Wyandot Mission.                171

nor supplies for the winter. Rev. Finley had but $200 to the

credit of the mission. He soon had a suitable wagon built and

by Oct. 8, 1821, they were on their way to Upper Sandusky,

drawn by an ox team purchased by Rev. Finley a short time

before. They came from the vicinity of Greene county, Ohio,

and made the trip in eight days. Sixty miles of the road were

very bad. Necessary household goods and some crude farm

implements were carried along. The brave mission family con-

sisted of Rev. James B. Finley and wife, two hired men, one

whose name was George Riley, Harriet Stubbs as teacher, and

Miss Jane Parker, who assisted in the housework.

In the middle of October the mission family arrived at

the place designated as the mission farm. There was no house

nor shelter. Rev. Finley leased the newly built cabin by Lewis

the blacksmith, for his own use. The cabin was without door,

window or chimney. Their reception was greeted with the warm-

est affections. The first Sabbath all repaired to the Indian coun-

cil house for worship. A spot was soon selected on the site of

"Camp Meigs" for the new log mission house. Severe winter

was fast approaching. Rev. Finley and his two hired men began

felling trees for the winter's shelter. The first week one of his

workmen left and shortly after a limb fell on the head of George

Riley, knocking him senseless. Rev. Finley placed him on the

wagon and hauled him home. After bleeding him he was ready

for work in a few days. Rev. Finley had not done any manual

labor for years and every night his hands were blistered from

the use of the ax. But he hardened them by boiling white oak

bark and making frequent application. He was not a little

alarmed at their safety, exposed in an Indian country, far away

from white settlers. He and Riley worked day and night and fin-

ally on the first day of winter completed a cabin twenty by twenty-

three feet, without door, window   or loft. As the good

missionary work was moving along by the industrious Finley,

there must have been times when his strong heart was sorely

tried. There were unprincipled white traders and renegade

Indians who tried to keep the Wyandots in the state of

abject heathenism and drunkenness. At the quarterly conference

held in August, 1822, Rev. Finley was duly appointed superin-

172      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

tendent of the Wyandot Mission. His health and that of his

faithful wife was still bad, but by the latter part of October

they again returned to the mission. Charles Elliot was also

appointed missionary and school teacher. The other two teach-

ers appointed were Wm. Walker, Jr., and Lydia Barstow. The

newly erected log meeting-house was speedily prepared for school

purposes. The Indian youth were to be educated in the Eng-

lish language. A committee was appointed to oversee matters

regarding the school and the conduct of the children. This

committee consisted of five of the best men of the Wyandot So-

ciety, four of whom were chiefs of the Wyandot nation, viz.:

Between-the-Logs, John Hicks, Mononcue, Peacock and Squire

Gray Eyes. The little society soon grew from sixty-five to over

two hundred souls. The heathen party soon began to consider

they were losing ground. One day Bloody Eyes went to the

house of his brother, Between-the-Logs, to kill him because he

abondoned his native religion. He grabbed a firm hold of his hair

and with uplifted tomahawk both stood in momentary suspense.

While the deadly hatchet was suspended in the air and Between-

the-Logs was awaiting his martyrdom, in plaintive accents he

asked if he had done him any harm, or if he was not just as

kind to him as ever. He said if he was killed that minute he

would go straight to heaven. Bloody Eyes finally desisted say-

ing, "I will give you one year to think and turn back." The

would-be excutioner afterward joined the church and it is said

died in great peace. The heathen party still continued its

opposition. One Sabbath Rev. Finley was holding meeting in

the council house, head chief Du-un-quot and his party came

filing in. They were dressed in real Indian style: their head

bands were filled with silver bobs, their head dress consisted

of feathers and painted horse hair. The chief had a half moon

of silver on front of his neck, and several half moons hanging

on his back. He had nose jewels and earrings, and had many

bands of silver about his legs and arms. Around his ankles hung

many buck hoofs which rattled while he walked, to cause attrac-

tion. His party was dressed in similar style. The likeness of va-

rious animals were painted on their breasts and backs, and on

them were marked figures of snakes. The chief walked in with all

The Wyandot Mission.                173

his native dignity, and addressed the congregation with a fine

compliment, drew his pipe, lighted it and began smoking. His

party soon followed his example. Rev. Finley noted at once that

it was all done for an insult. He continued his services and in

his discourse criticized the haughty actions of Du-un-quot and his

heathen followers. After the services were over the proud chief

retorted by saying the Bible was not for the Indian, it was made

by the white man's God, and did not suit the condition of the

Indian. His following stood on tiptoe shouting, "Tough goods,"

meaning that's right or true, seeming to think they had gained

the victory. The frontier ministry was not all sunshine. Still

by remaining steadfast on the part of the missionaries much

good was accomplished among the tribe. The year 1823 was

noted as starting in on the manual labor plan. The Wyandots

had made some improvement, it was essential to them and their

posterity that they learn husbandry in its more progressive nature.

They were scattered over their reservation of 147,840 acres, the

center of which was Fort Ferree, now Upper Sandusky. In

the summer of 1823 about one hundred and forty acres of the

mission farm were under cultivation of corn and vegetables and

what was included in pasture. Fifty acres were in corn and

twelve in potatoes, etc. Sixty children, nearly all Indian and

some from Canada, were housed and boarded at the mission

house. The boys were regularly engaged at work on the mis-

sion farm. The girls were taught house-keeping, sewing and

spinning. An orchard of about four acres was planted about

this time, apparently of the Johnny Appleseed variety.* The

orchard was planted on the west bank of the Sandusky river.

Sixteen of the trees in the bottom land are still bearing fruit.

Heavy wind, storms and decay have cleared the trees standing

on the upland. Some of the living trees are eight feet in cir-

cumference three feet from the ground. They seem to stand out

as silent sentinels of this early mission. Quite a number of the

logs hewed for the log mission house are now doing duty as a

poultry-house for the present owner of the mission farm, Mrs.

* For account of Johnny Appleseed see Volumes VI and IX, Ohio

State Archaeological and Historical Society Publications.

174       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

Barbara Frederick. Her deceased husband, Joseph Frederick,

purchased the property in 1854. A depression in the ground

with brick bats and blue limstone lie scattered about where

the old structure stood. Several rods east on a knoll can be

seen a pit where Rev. Finley burned the lime for the build-

ing, and where he states in his excellent history of the "Wyan-

dot Mission" that while at work he had to frequently take off his

shirt and wring the sweat out. The spring at the foot of the

bluff is still bubbling forth a small stream of limpid water which

in a few rods drops into the Sandusky river.

In the Spring of 1824 Rev. James B. Finley made a tour

east and visited the City of Washington. The Indian congre-

gation had outgrown the seating capacity of the double log

mission house. Rev. Finley had an interview with President

James Monroe. He also had an introduction to Secretary of

War, John C. Calhoun, who at this time was the principal advo-

cate of state supremacy and whose teachings were the outgrowth

of our Civil War. Both gentlemen were well pleased with the

progress of the Wyandot Mission at Upper Sandusky. They

interchanged views for some time and the result was, Rev. Finley

received the government's appropriation, amounting to $1,333.

Rev. Finley wished to know from those officials if the money

could be used for the erection of a new church edifice. Secre-

tary Calhoun at once consented to this. He wished a very dur-

able house of worship built to last for many decades to come.

Rev. Finley returned to the mission with an ideal plan judging

from the well-built walls. Stonemasons were scarce in those

days. The services of John Owens, an Englishman and an assist-

ant, Benjamin Herbert, were finally secured. Quarrying and

hauling blue limestone from the nearby Sandusky river bottom

was at once begun. The material was transported to its place by

the primitive ox team. The size of the building was thirty by

forty feet. Owens and Herbert completed the masonry and plas-

tering by early fall and received $800 for the work. In the year

1825 our government made its first attempt at the removal of the

Wyandots to the far west. The greed of the white man could not

endure them on fertile Sandusky plains. Rev. Finley championed

The Wyandot Mission.                175

the Indians' rights, believing that if the mission was dissolved

that much harm would be done in the good work for the natives.

He was so persistent that some of the government agents secretly

threatened his life. But to no avail. The government had asked

a Mr. Shaw, Indian sub-agent, to resign his position. Rev. Fin-

ley from his natural ability was at once chosen. He was fre-

quently placed in very delicate positions, the result of which

sometimes awakened deep enmity. At the conference this year,

1825, Rev. John C. Brooks and wife were appointed to take

charge of the mission farm and family. Provision was also

made to receive twelve of the largest Indian boys into the circuit

and give them an opportunity of fully acquiring the English

language and learning some mechanical trade. It became Rev.

Finley's duty to transport them to Urbana, Ohio, in an ordinary

wagon, a distance of sixty-five miles, in the severe month of

December. The route was mostly through a gloomy wilderness.

On his first day's return trip the weather was getting very severe

and not being able to reach a house he was obliged to camp out all

night in the open air with but a thin quilt for a bed and cover-

ing. The fire he tried to kindle would not burn. This sainted

missionary came near freezing to death. He arrived at the

mission next day and from this severe exposure his health was

greatly injured. The labors of the mission were now conducted

by his colleague. He also found it necessary to resign his Indian

sub-agency after serving gratis for sixteen months. At the

close of this year and the beginning of 1826 sixty-five Indian

children were under instruction. During the past five years two

hundred and ninety-two had been received on probation; two

hundred and fifty were retained in ten different classes; sixteen

had died and twenty-six were expelled. The funds as reported,

including annual allowance, amounted to $2,454.47. The amount

of disbursement was $2,600. The delinquency amounted to

$145.52. Improvements and all other property about the mis-

sion $10,000. The work at the Wyandot Mission was now at-

tracting universal attention. Early in the spring of 1826, Rev.

Finley received an invitation to visit the eastern cities. A good

deal of the Christian aid and support came from those large

176       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

cities and the people were desirous of seeing some of the fruits

of their labor. Four individuals started on a missionary tour

from the mission farm on June 5: Rev. James B. Finley,

Between-the-Logs, Mononcue, and Samuel Brown, interpreter.

Between-the-Logs and Mononcue were regularly licensed preach-

ers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They were early con-

verted at the mission and were powerful speakers. The object

was to get to New York City by June 14, the anniversary of

the Female Missionary Society. By June 5 all were in readiness

to move. They took the pretty general mode of travel in those

days, on horseback. After arriving at Portland, Ohio, they had

their horses returned to the mission farm. On the 8th they took

passage on a steamboat for Buffalo. The little company every-

where attracted attention. A great many questions were asked

about the Indians who were unused to steam navigation and

became seasick. When they were shown the power of steam in

carrying so much human freight they never showed the least

sign of surprise. It was always considered among the Indians a

great weakness or lack of self-command to be suddenly sur-

prised. After the little mission party arrived at Buffalo Rev.

Finley at once sought passage on a canal boat where there

was no gambling nor any strong drinks sold. The canal boat-

men of the several boats wanted them as passengers and there

was a lively jostle to secure the party. Rev. Finley did not

wish to subject his little band to the sinful enticements held forth

to each canal passenger in those days. They finally boarded a

boat on which religious worship was tolerated. The first Sab-

bath it was agreed that Between-the-Logs should officiate at the

morning service, Rev. Finley at noon, and Mononcue in the even-

ing. The old-time sacred hymn as translated in the Wyandot

language and used in all their services in later years in their

camp meetings and their church was sung.

Yarro-tawsa shre-wan daros

Du-saw-shaw-taw traw-ta war-ta

Di-da-shaw-hoo-saw-ma-gawvah

Dowta-ta ya-tu-haw shu.

178      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

and raised in the woods. That in their early heathenism they

worshipped the Great Spirit with feasts, dances and rattles.

Brown, the interpreter took sick. Between-the-Logs told him

to sit down while he proceeded with a description of the Savior's

crucifixion, mostly by signs. In showing how Jesus prayed for

his enemies he fell down on his knees and with uplifted hands

and streaming eyes looked heavenward. This sign was under-

stood and felt through the whole assembly of perhaps ten thou-

sand people. He then arose and placing his left hand against

the post that supported the stand with his forefinger, he placed

the nail and with his hand closed drove it exclaiming, "Jesus!

Jesus!" He then showed how His feet were nailed to the tree

and looking up to the sun put his finger on one of his eyes and

said, "Now that sun closes his eyes to sleepy this earth trembles

and Jesus the Son of God dies." To close his description of the

scene, this eloquent chief then leaned his head on his left shoulder,

signifying that Christ had now dismissed His spirit. Then he

turned his right side to the congregation and with his left hand

pulled up his vest and with his right hand representing a spear,

he struck his side as though he had pierced to his heart and

drew it back quick with a whizzing noise, as if you heard the

blood streaming and held his hand out as though the blood was

dropping from it as from the point of a spear. The large con-

gregation was enraptured. The speaker next clasped the Bible

in his arms. After making various visits about the city, the lit-

the mission party again returned to the mission farm at Upper

Sandusky, much elated over their eastern trip.

The Moravian Mission in Tuscarawas county was continued

until 1823, a period of sixty-four years. And the people of

that county annually meet at the scene of the Moravian Indian

massacre. The Wyandot Mission continued until July, 1843, a

period of twenty-seven years. The people of Wyandot county

annually meet at the burning ground of Col. William Crawford,

whose death atoned in the savage mind for the former great

wrong. The blue limestone mission church erected in 1824 was

kept in a fair state of preservation until 1860, when it went into

rapid decay. The roof began to tumble down and the walls

began to crumble and soon wild ivy begun covering the eastern

The Wyandot Mission                  179

side of the structure. For nearly thirty years it stood in a dilapi-

dated condition, exposed to the inevitable relic hunter and van-

dals. Congress was asked to appropriate money for rebuilding

the memorable house but to no avail. Early in 1889 the General

Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church donated $2,000

for the work and matters were pushed briskly along. On May 23,

1889, the corner-stone of the reconstructed building was laid

with imposing ceremonies. On the north side is the inscription:

BUILT 1824.

REV. J. B. FINLEY,

MISSIONARY AND ARCHITECT.

JOHN OWENS, BUILDER.

BENJ. HERBERT, ASSISTANT.

Inscription on west side of corner-stone reads:

REBUILT 1889.

REV. N. B. C. LOVE,

REV. L. A. BELT, D. D.,  General

Conference

JACOB JUVINAL,

H. W. PETERS,         Committee

FRANK JONAS, Mayor.

OWEN ST. CLAIR & CO., Carpenters.

S. L. WALTER & SON, Builders.

A neat slate roof took the place of the primitive clapboard

roof and in the west side of the roof in colored slate is the in-

scription:

1824

WYANDOT MISSION

1889

Instead of two south windows white marble tablets 36 by 70

inches have been inserted with the following inscriptions: