pected by all who knew him; although a perfect Indian in habits and manners. He spoke Indian and French fluently, and the English intelligibly, and was often employed as interpreter by the Americans.

CHAPTER XIII.

Murder of Drake-Seneca township-Berwick-Hopewell townshipBascom-Loudon township - Rome - Risdon-Liberty townshipBettsville-Jackson township.

It has been stated that at the time of establishing the first post-office at Oakley, there was but one mail-route through the county, leading from Lower Sandusky to Columbus. Many years ago, the mail was carried along this route, by a young man, (a son of Judge Drake, of Marion,) who was killed, as was supposed at that time, by an Indian. He was found, torn by the wolves; and there were marks of a knife also discovered upon his body.

In 1830, Judge Drake came to this county to find out, if possible, who the murderer of his son was; or to what tribe he belonged. He called upon Mr. Brish, then agent of the Senecas; and, in company with the latter, proceeded to the residence of Jacob Nicely or "the Crow." The interpreter employed, was Martin Lane. Upon being interrogated, the Crow stated that the son of Judge Drake was killed by an Indian whose name was "Big Kettles," and that, as soon as he committed the murder, he fled to Canada. The judge returnmurdered by a Cana

ed home, fully satisfied that his son was dian Indian. But such was not the fact. Mr. Brish, some time subsequently, asked George Herrin what Indian was called "Big Kettles." The reply was, that it was Spicer, the white man who lived upon the banks of the Sandusky.

It appears that the young man had passed over to the east side of the river; and, when near Spicer's residence, was met by him and accompanied to the place where he was to cross back to the west side of the river. Spicer mounted the horse behind him; and as soon as they had reached the opposite bank, he drew his knife, and reaching around the young man, with one effort cut him nearly in twain!

He then dragged him behind an old log near a spring, which is just below the dam of John Keller, on the Sandusky river. As soon as this was done, he proceeded to Crow's house, who, observing that he was covered with blood, inquired if he had killed a deer. Spicer replied, that he had killed a white man, whereupon Crow ordered him to be gone, as, in all probability, he would be pursued; and if traced to his (Crow's) residence, they might suspect him as being accessory to the murder. Spicer fled to Canada, but after a while returned. These particulars, until related to Mr. Brish, were kept a profound se

cret.

Soon after the Senecas concentrated upon the Sandusky, they erected their first council house upon the river bank on the farm at present owned and occupied by General Treat, in what is now Sandusky county. This tribe had several buryinggrounds, the principal of which was at the old council house, and contained, about 20 acres of land within the enclosure. The majority of the Seneca Indians lived in log cabins, while the chiefs, generally resided in good comfortable houses. They usually hunted over all this section of country-on the Maumee, and sometimes around the marshes near New Haven.

But now these sons of the forest are gone; and truly can the early settlers of this county exclaim that, we are now surrounded by a new race of inhabitants. The almost unprecedented influx of population which has poured in upon us from the east, and the south, has gathered around us a new genera

tion, so that we of the "olden time," seem now to live in the midst of strangers! The red men of the forest have disappeared the pioneer, shunning the society of the refined and intelligent, has gone to the ultima thule or the "far west," and the squatter has followed his footsteps!

On the 8th day of May, 1820, the commissioners of Sandusky county set off a township, in this county, which included all of the land west of a line drawn south to the base-line from the south-east corner of the Seneca reservation, and to which they gave the name of Seneca.

Portions have been taken from this township at various times, to form new ones, so that at present it comprehends the original surveyed township No. 1, in the 14th range, only. The land included within its present limits was surveyed into sections and quarter sections by J. T. Worthington in 1820.

The first election for township officers was held on Monday, the 1st day of June, 1820. At the next annual election the following officers were chosen: W. Barney, John Lay, and David Risdon, trustees; John Eaton, clerk; Benjamin Barney, treasurer; Joseph Keller and David Rice, overseers of the poor; James Montgomery, Erastus Bowe, and Joel Chaf fin, supervisors; P. Wilson, lister; Asa Pike, appraiser; Thomas Nicholson, and Abner Pike, fence-viewers; John Boughton, and Joel Lee, constables. At the state election in the fall of the same year, the whole number of votes polled in Seneca township, which comprehended at that time about threefourths of the whole county, was twenty-six !

In 1830 the population of this township was 369. In 1840, it had augmented to 1,393. It has since steadily and rapidly increased in population and in wealth-numbering among its enterpising farmers, Hon. Henry St. John, Wm. McCormick, Alexander Bowland, John Galbreth, Peter Wickert, Joseph Conaghan, William Kerr, Caleb Brundage, Daniel Hoffman,

John Yambert, David Foght, William Harmon, Jacob Steib, Benjamin Harmon, John Blair, George Heck, Jacob Wolfe, John Waggoner, James Aiken, James Brinkerhoff, John Crocker, Jacob Kroh, and many others.

In addition to the other Indian grants made at the treaty held at the foot of the rapids of the Miami of Lake Erie, in 1817, there was likewise granted to Catharine Walker, a Wyandot woman, and to John B. Walker, her son, who was wounded in the service of the United States, a section of 640 acres of land, lying mostly within the present limits of this township, and directly west of, and adjoining the tract in Eden township, granted to John Vanmeter, which is owned by Lloyd Norris.

On the 15th day of April, 1845, Henry F. Kastner, William Brinkerhoff, and John Campbell, caused to be surveyed on section nineteen, in this township, a town, to which was given the name of Berwick. It was surveyed and platted by Thomas Heming. It contains nine dwellings, two stores, one tavern, one steam saw-mill, one wagon-shop, one shoe-shop, one tailorshop, and one blacksmith's-shop. Its population is seventy.

Berwick is situated on the Tiffin and Findlay, and on the Bucyrus and Perrysburg state road. It is located also upon the Mad River and Lake Erie Rail-road, nine miles from Tiffin, the county seat of the county.

On the 7th day of December, 1824, the original surveyed township, No. 2, in the 14th range, was constituted a legal township, and received the name of Hopewell. The first election for township officers was held on Christmas-day of the same year, at the house of Joseph Pool.*

This township was surveyed into sections and quarter sections by J. T. Worthington, in the year 1820. Among the

* There were chosen at this election the following officers: John Rosenberger, John Stoner, and Nathan Cadwallader, trustees; James Gordon, clerk; John Stoner,

treasurer.