An Old Settler - Robert Shirley Sr. - PART ONE/ The Trek to Defiance

 

An Old Settler in Defiance - Robert Shirley, Sr.

The story that follows appeared in The History of Defiance County 1883 and again in the Crescent-News on August 23, 1915. The story of Robert Shirley was presented by his daughter, Mrs. Ruth Austin, who was deceased by 1915 when it appeared in the newspaper. The old Fort Defiance referred to, actually Fort Winchester, was standing when they came to Defiance in 1821, and the Shirley family moved in there. They were one of the last families to live in one of the block houses.

"LIVED IN THE OLD FORT BLOCK HOUSES

Said Mrs. Ruth Austin, Deceased, Who Came to Defiance in 1822.

My father, Mr. Robert Shirley, Sr., moved with his family from Ross county, near Chillicothe, Ohio, to Fort Defiance in the spring of 1821. Our family numbered nine persons, namely my parents, Mr. Robert Shirley, Sr. and Mrs. Rachel Shirley, Sr., my brother(s) James, Elias and Robert; my sisters Mary and Nancy, myself (Ruth) and my baby brother, John Gilbert. My brother Nathan, the eldest of the family was at that time married and settled in Ross county. At the time of our removal, I was eleven years of age. I have a vivid recollection of the journey and of the wild appearance of the country.

Tecumseh, Shawnee chief

We started for Defiance in March, 1822, and arrived at our destination in April, having been three weeks on the way. The first place we saw Indians was at Wapakoneta. They were Shawnees and partly civilized. Mr. John Johnson was the Indian agent. Through his influence, the government established a blacksmith shop, and a store to supply the Indians, and appointed Mr. Broadax to superintend the work of teaching the Indians agricultural and mechanical pursuits. Some of the Indians lived in log cabins."

The family next came to Fort Amanda and then to Fort Jennings. Ruth did not remember any buildings being at either place. They were entertained by a white family who lived at Fort Jennings, and, as she recalled, they were the last white people the family encountered until Fort Defiance.

"We were now truly in the wilderness. On one side was the river Auglaize, on the other, a vast wooded country with no road, only an Indian trail along the river. It required a man to go ahead with an ax in order to cut away trees that had fallen across the trail and to blaze the trees and often to cut through brush some distance in order to get a place to ford the streams tributary to the Auglaize.  The weather was unusually fine, so the family did not suffer much inconvenience in camping out."

Robert Shirley and two of his friends had originally planned to live at Fort Finley, so the previous summer in 1821, they took provisions there, including plows and seed corn and potatoes. Two older brothers, James and Elias, cleared some land there before returning home. James' horse got away and returned home without him, worrying the Shirley family greatly. James decided to visit Fort Defiance before going home and, "was so captivated by it... he persuaded his father to change the location of their home" to Fort Defiance. Now, on the journey to Fort Defiance, James was sent back to Finley to bring back the stored goods.

Pontiac, Ottawa chief

"Nothing of interest transpired after James left us for Fort Finley, until we came to Okonokee's village on the Auglaize, thirteen mlles above Fort Defiance, where Charloe now stands. These Indians were of the Ottawa nation, called by the whites, Tawas. They had here a reservation seven miles square. 

Okonokaee was chief, and the village was named after him. The Indians were all at home, it being the close of the hunting and sugar-making seasons. Many came out to see us. They were civil and manifested a curiosity to see the big horses and the big wigwam on wheels....

This was a great day with them, being the day of their yearly feast and dance to celebrate... The next morning, we started early in the hope of finding fire, but were disappointed; so at noon we stopped and unloaded the wagon until we reached the chest and got the flints when we soon had a fire made.

My eldest sister quickly prepared nourishing food for our dear mother, who was almost overcome by her fast of thirty hours and her care of her nursing baby, ten months old. After we were all refreshed by a good dinner, we started on. When the sun was getting low, we came to a little stream that was difficult to cross."

About that time an Indian came down the path on foot and helped them cross safely and get back to the trail. There they camped for the night and invited the Indian to dine with them. He warned them of the wolves and the rain to come. "He then took a brand of fire and, making a circuit, set fire to several dry logs to protect us from wolves, and then left for his village." At that point, the Shirleys were only three miles from the end of the journey which they reached the next forenoon.

Their son, Robert Jr., had been there several days ,waiting on them at Fort Defiance.

To be continued...

Dianne Kline, Researcher