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Brief reminiscences of scenes from 1809 to 1817--Events
preliminary to a knowledge of western life--Embarkation on the
source of the Alleghany River--Descent to Pittsburgh--Valley of the
Monongahela; its coal and iron--Descent of the Ohio in an
ark--Scenes and incidents by the way--Cincinnati--Some personal
incidents which happened there.
Late in the autumn of 1809, being then in my seventeenth year, I
quitted the village of Hamilton, Albany County (a county in which my
family had lived from an early part of the reign of George II.),
and, after a pleasant drive of half a day through the PINE PLAINS,
accompanied by some friends, reached the city of Schenectady, and
from thence took the western stage line, up the Valley of the
Mohawk, to the village of Utica, where we arrived, I think, on the
third day, the roads being heavy. The next day I proceeded to
Vernon, the site of a busy and thriving village, where my father had
recently engaged in the superintendency of extensive manufacturing
operations. I was here within a few miles of Oneida Castle, then the
residence of the ancient Oneida tribe of Iroquois. There was, also,
in this town, a remnant of the old Mohigans, who, under the name of
Stockbridges, had, soon after the Revolutionary War, removed from
the Valley of the Housatonic, in Massachusetts, to Oneida. Throngs
of both tribes were daily in the village, and I was thus first
brought to notice their manners and customs; not dreaming, however,
that it was to be my lot to pass so many of the subsequent years of
my life as an observer of the Indian race.
Early in the spring of 1810, I accompanied Mr. Alexander Bryan
Johnson, of Utica, a gentleman of wealth, intelligence, and
enterprise, to the area of the Genesee country, for the purpose of
superintending a manufactory for a company incorporated by the State
Legislature. After visiting Sodus Bay, on Lake Ontario, it was
finally resolved to locate this company's works near Geneva, on the
banks of Seneca Lake.
During my residence here, the War of 1812 broke out; the events of
which fell with severity on this frontier, particularly on the lines
included between the Niagara and Lake Champlain, where contending
armies and navies operated. While these scenes of alarm and turmoil
were enacting, and our trade with Great Britain was cut off, an
intense interest arose for manufactures of first necessity, needed
by the country, particularly for that indispensable article of new
settlements, window glass. In directing the foreign artisans
employed in the making of this product of skill, my father, Col.
Lawrence Schoolcraft, had, from an early period after the American
Revolution, acquired celebrity, by the general superintendency of
the noted works of this kind near Albany, and afterwards in Oneida
County.
Under his auspices, I directed the erection of similar works in
Western New York and in the States of Vermont and New Hampshire.
While in Vermont, I received a salary of eighteen hundred dollars
per annum, which enabled me to pursue my studies, ex academia, at
Middlebury College. In conversation with President Davis, I learned
that this was the highest salary paid in the State, he himself
receiving eleven hundred, and the Governor of the State but eight
hundred.
The extensive and interesting journeys connected with the
manufacturing impulse of these engagements, reaching over a varied
surface of several hundred miles, opened up scenes of life and
adventure which gave me a foretaste of, and preparedness for, the
deeper experiences of the western wilderness; and the war with
England was no sooner closed than I made ready to share in the
exploration of the FAR WEST. The wonderful accounts brought from the
Mississippi valley--its fertility, extent, and resources--inspired a
wish to see it for myself, and to this end I made some preliminary
explorations in Western New York, in 1816 and 1817. I reached Olean,
on the source of the Alleghany River, early in 1818, while the snow
was yet upon the ground, and had to wait several weeks for the
opening of that stream. I was surprised to see the crowd of persons,
from various quarters, who had pressed to this point, waiting the
opening of the navigation.
It was a period of general migration from the East to the West.
Commerce had been checked for several years by the war with Great
Britain. Agriculture had been hindered by the raising of armies, and
a harassing warfare both on the seaboard and the frontiers; and
manufactures had been stimulated to an unnatural growth, only to be
crushed by the peace. Speculation had also been rife in some places,
and hurried many gentlemen of property into ruin. Banks exploded,
and paper money flooded the country.
The fiscal crisis was indeed very striking. The very elements seemed
leagued against the interests of agriculture in the Atlantic States,
where a series of early and late frosts, in 1816 and 1817, had
created quite a panic, which helped to settle the West.
I mingled in this crowd, and, while listening to the anticipations
indulged in, it seemed to me that the war had not, in reality, been
fought for "free trade and sailors' rights" where it commenced, but
to gain a knowledge of the world beyond the Alleghanies.
Many came with their household stuff, which was to be embarked in
arks and flat boats. The children of Israel could scarcely have
presented a more motley array of men and women, with their "kneading
troughs" on their backs, and their "little ones," than were there
assembled, on their way to the new land of promise.
To judge by the tone of general conversation, they meant, in their
generation, to plough the Mississippi Valley from its head to its
foot. There was not an idea short of it. What a world of golden
dreams was there!
I took passage in the first ark that attempted the descent for the
season. This ark was built of stout planks, with the lower seams
caulked, forming a perfectly flat basis on the water. It was about
thirty feet wide and sixty long, with gunwales of some eighteen
inches. Upon this was raised a structure of posts and boards about
eight feet high, divided into rooms for cooking and sleeping,
leaving a few feet space in front and rear, to row and steer. The
whole was covered by a flat roof, which formed a promenade, and near
the front part of this deck were two long "sweeps," a species of
gigantic oars, which were occasionally resorted to in order to keep
the unwieldy vessel from running against islands or dangerous
shores.
We went on swimmingly, passing through the Seneca reservation, where
the picturesque costume of the Indians seen on shore served to give
additional interest to scenes of the deepest and wildest character.
Every night we tied our ark to a tree, and built a fire on shore.
Sometimes we narrowly escaped going over falls, and once encountered
a world of labor and trouble by getting into a wrong channel. I made
myself as useful and agreeable as possible to all. I had learned to
row a skiff with dexterity during my residence on Lake Dunmore, and
turned this art to account by taking the ladies ashore, as we
floated on with our ark, and picked up specimens while they culled
shrubs and flowers. In this way, and by lending a ready hand at the
"sweeps" and at the oars whenever there was a pinch, I made myself
agreeable. The worst thing we encountered was rain, against which
our rude carpentry was but a poor defence. We landed at everything
like a town, and bought milk, and eggs, and butter. Sometimes the
Seneca Indians were passed, coming up stream in their immensely long
pine canoes. There was perpetual novelty and freshness in this mode
of wayfaring. The scenery was most enchanting. The river ran high,
with a strong spring current, and the hills frequently rose in most
picturesque cliffs.
1818. I do not recollect the time consumed in this descent. We had
gone about three hundred miles, when we reached Pittsburgh. It was
the 28th of March when we landed at this place, which I remember
because it was my birthday. And I here bid adieu to the kind and
excellent proprietor of the ark, L. Pettiborne, Esq., who refused to
receive any compensation for my passage, saying, prettily, that he
did not know how they could have got along without me.
I stopped at one of the best hotels, kept by a Mrs. McCullough, and,
after visiting the manufactories and coal mines, hired a horse, and
went up the Monongahela Valley, to explore its geology as high as
Williamsport. The rich coal and iron beds of this part of the
country interested me greatly; I was impressed with their extent,
and value, and the importance which they must eventually give to
Pittsburgh. After returning from this trip, I completed my visits to
the various workshops and foundries, and to the large glassworks of
Bakewell and of O'Hara.
I was now at the head of the Ohio River, which is formed by the
junction of the Alleghany and Monongahela. My next step was to
descend this stream; and, while in search of an ark on the borders
of the Monongahela, I fell in with a Mr. Brigham, a worthy person
from Massachusetts, who had sallied out with the same view. We took
passage together on one of these floating houses, with the
arrangements of which I had now become familiar. I was charmed with
the Ohio; with its scenery, which was every moment shifting to the
eye; and with the incidents of such a novel voyage. Off Wheeling we
made fast to another ark, from the Monongahela, in charge of Capt.
Hutchinson, an intelligent man. There were a number of passengers,
who, together with this commander, added to our social circle, and
made it more agreeable: among these, the chief person was Dr.
Selman, of Cincinnati, who had been a surgeon in Wayne's army, and
who had a fund of information of this era. My acquaintance with
subjects of chemistry and mineralogy enabled me to make my
conversation agreeable, which was afterwards of some advantage to
me.
We came to at Grave Creek Fleets, and all went up to see the Great
Mound, the apex of which had a depression, with a large tree growing
in it having the names and dates of visit of several persons carved
on its trunk. One of the dates was, I think, as early as 1730. We
also stopped at Gallipolis--the site of a French colony of some
notoriety. The river was constantly enlarging; the spring was
rapidly advancing, and making its borders more beautiful; and the
scenery could scarcely have been more interesting. There was often,
it is true, a state of newness and rudeness in the towns, and
villages, and farms, but it was ever accompanied with the most
pleasing anticipations of improvement and progress. We had seldom to
look at old things, save the Indian antiquities. The most striking
works of this kind were at Marietta, at the junction of the
Muskingum. This was, I believe, the earliest point of settlement of
the State of Ohio. But to us, it had a far more interesting point of
attraction in the very striking antique works named, for which it is
known. We visited the elevated square and the mound. We gazed and
wondered as others have done, and without fancying that we were
wiser than our predecessors had been.
At Marietta, a third ark from the waters of the Muskingum was added
to our number, and making quite a flotilla. This turned out to be
the property of Hon. J.B. Thomas, of Illinois, a Senator in
Congress, a gentleman of great urbanity of manners and intelligence.
By this addition of deck, our promenade was now ample. And it would
be difficult to imagine a journey embracing a greater number of
pleasing incidents and prospects.
When a little below Parkersburgh, we passed Blennerhasset's Island,
which recalled for a moment the name of Aaron Burr, and the eloquent
language of Mr. Wirt on the treasonable schemes of that bold,
talented, but unchastened politician. All was now ruin and
devastation on the site of forsaken gardens, into the shaded
recesses of which a basilisk had once entered. Some stacks of
chimneys were all that was left to tell the tale. It seemed
remarkable that twelve short years should have worked so complete a
desolation. It would appear as if half a century had intervened, so
thorough had been the physical revolution of the island.
One night we had lain with our flotilla on the Virginia coast. It
was perceived, at early daylight, that the inner ark, which was Mr.
Thomas's, and which was loaded with valuable machinery, was partly
sunk, being pressed against the bank by the other arks, and the
water was found to be flowing in above the caulked seams. A short
time must have carried the whole down. After a good deal of exertion
to save the boat, it was cut loose and abandoned. It occurred to me
that two men, rapidly bailing, would be able to throw out a larger
quantity of water than flowed through the seams. Willing to make
myself useful, I told my friend Brigham that I thought we could save
the boat, if he would join in the attempt. My theory proved correct.
We succeeded, by a relief of hands, in the effort, and saved the
whole machinery unwetted. This little affair proved gratifying to me
from the share I had in it. Mr. Thomas was so pleased that he
ordered a sumptuous breakfast at a neighboring house for all. We had
an abundance of hot coffee, chickens, and toast, which to voyagers
in an ark was quite a treat; but it was still less gratifying than
the opportunity we had felt of doing a good act. This little
incident had a pleasing effect on the rest of the voyage, and made
Thomas my friend.
But the voyage itself was now drawing to a close. When we reached
Cincinnati, the flotilla broke up. We were now five hundred miles
below Pittsburgh, and the Valley of the Ohio was, if possible, every
day becoming an object of more striking physical interest. By the
advice of Dr. Sellman, who invited me to dine with a large company
of gentlemen, I got a good boarding-house, and I spent several weeks
very pleasantly in this city and its immediate environs. Among the
boarders were Dr. Moorhead (Dr. S.'s partner), and John C.S.
Harrison (the eldest son of Gen. Harrison), with several other young
gentlemen, whose names are pleasingly associated in my memory. It
was customary, after dinner, to sit on a wooden settle, or long
bench, in front of the house, facing the open esplanade on the high
banks of the river, at the foot of which boats and arks were
momentarily arriving. One afternoon, while engaged in earnest
conversation with Harrison, I observed a tall, gawky youth, with
white hair, and a few stray patches just appearing on his chin, as
precursors of a beard, approach furtively, and assume a listening
attitude. He had evidently just landed, and had put on his best
clothes, to go up and see the town. The moment he stopped to listen,
I assumed a tone of earnest badinage. Harrison, instantly seeing our
intrusive and raw guest, and humoring the joke, responded in a like
style. In effect we had a high controversy, which could only be
settled by a duel, in which our raw friend must act as second. He
was strongly appealed to, and told that his position as a gentleman
required it. So far all was well. We adjourned to an upper room; the
pistols were charged with powder, and shots were exchanged between
Harrison and myself, while the eyeballs of young Jonathan seemed
ready to start from their sockets. But no sooner were the shots
fired than an undue advantage was instantly alleged, which involved
the responsibility of my antagonist's friend; and thus the poor
fellow, who had himself been inveigled in a scrape, was peppered
with powder, in a second exchange of shots, while all but himself
were ready to die with smothered laughter; and he was at last glad
to escape from the house with his life, and made the best of his way
back to his ark.
This settle, in front of the door, was a capital point to perpetrate
tricks on the constantly arriving throngs from the East, who, with
characteristic enterprise, often stopped to inquire for employment.
A few days after the sham duel, Harrison determined to play a trick
on another emigrant, a shrewd, tolerably well-informed young man,
who had evinced a great deal of self-complacency and immodest
pertinacity. He told the pertinacious emigrant, who inquired for a
place, that he had not, himself, anything that could engage his
attention, but that he had a friend (alluding to me) who was now in
town, who was extensively engaged in milling and merchandizing on
the Little Miami, and was in want of a competent, responsible clerk.
He added that, if he would call in the evening, his friend would be
in, and he would introduce him. Meantime, I was informed of the
character I was to play in rebuking assumption. The man came,
punctual to his appointment, in the evening, and was formally
introduced. I stated the duties and the peculiar requisites and
responsibilities of the trust. These he found but little difficulty
in meeting. Other difficulties were stated. These, with a little
thought, he also met. He had evidently scarcely any other quality
than presumption. I told him at last that, from the inhabitants in
the vicinity, it was necessary that he should speak Dutch. This
seemed a poser, but, after some hesitancy and hemming, and the
re-mustering of his cardinal presumption, he thought he could
shortly render himself qualified to speak. I admired the very
presumption of the theory, and finally told him to call the next day
on my agent, Mr. Schenck, at such a number (Martin Baum's) in Maine
Street, to whom, in the mean time, I transferred the hoax, and duly
informing Schenck of the affair; and I do not recollect, at this
time, how he shuffled him off.
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Personal Memoirs of a Residence of Thirty Years with the
Indian Tribes on the American Frontiers, 1851
Thirty
Years with the Indians
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