BUTLER COUNTY OHIO ****************************************************************************** Contributed to the Butler Co., OH Biographies Project with permission of the Butler County OHGenWeb coordinator Nancy Sween & the submitter. Butler County OHGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohbutler ****************************************************************************** File contributed to Ohio Biographies Project by: Tina Hursh frog158@juno.com 1 March 2000 ****************************************************************************** A History and Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County Ohio, With Illustrations and Sketches of its Representative Men and Pioneers Cincinnati Ohio. Western Biographical Publishing Company, 1882. THOMAS IRWIN. This name should be preserved as that of one of the earliest pioneers. Thomas IRWIN was born in the county of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Land was held so cheaply there that any one could get it, and Mr. IRWIN took up a tract near Washington, Washington County, Pennsylvania. The boy aided his father in clearing up the farm there purchased, and remained with him until he was twenty-one years of age, when he set out for the West. In company with James BURNS and another neighbor, he journeyed to Pittsburg, where a small flat-boat was bought, in which the party intended floating down the Ohio River. They set out on their voyage on the last week in March, 1789, and at Wheeling were joined by a family which had intended going on to Kentucky with them. Becoming frightened, however, they refused to proceed, and Mr. IRWIN and his companions went on without them. They had reason for apprehension. The Indians were in the habit of shooting at the travelers, which they could do with impunity, as the boats offered a very distinct mark, and those who fired at them did so under the shelter of the trees and bushes on the shore. Two of those who had started with IRWIN left him at Limestone, and he and BURNS proceeded on their voyage down the stream. Arrived at Columbia, they spent some time in examining the place, which had just then begun. There were a number of families living there, in a very exposed situation, scattered over a wide extent. Eight miles further down there was another small settlement, opposite the mouth of the Licking River, but offering no superior advantages. As they wished to see it, they took their guns and went overland, through bushes and thickets, till they reached a double shanty, occupied by seven men, most of whom had been employed the previous Winter in surveying SYMMES's purchase. This was the first improvement made in Cincinnati, and these persons were the first settlers of Cincinnati. Joel WILLIAMS, an agent of the owners, was also there, and he encouraged the two young men to stay and become residents of the place, which they determined to do. Both BURNS and IRWIN purchased lots. The first hewed log-house was erected by Robert BENHAM, and IRWIN and all the men in the settlement helped to put it up. It was situated near Front and Main. The settlers at that time had to depend chiefly upon the hunters for their meat. IRWIN went frequently on these excursions, and much improved his knowledge of hunting thereby. No Indians were visible at this time. Mr. IRWIN, three months after arrival, accompanied one of the settlers, Mr. KITCHELL, up stream, in a boat which had been built at the infant settlement, after a tedious time arriving at Wheeling, and then going to his father's house in Pennsylvania, where he remained until the following year. In the Summer of 1789 Major DOUGHTY descended the Ohio River from Fort Harmar, at the mouth of the Muskingum, with one hundred and forty men, and began the construction of a fort at the settlement opposite the mouth of the Licking. This structure, known as Fort Washington, was one of the best forts of wood ever built in the West. Josiah HARMAR, who had borne arms with credit as a colonel during the Revolutionary War, was commissioned as brigadier-general, and assigned to the command of the Western army, in 1789. He arrived at Fort Washington with three hundred men, on the twenty-ninth day of December in that year. The continuance of Indian hostilities and depredations on the infant settlements of the West determined the general government to make an effort to terminate the war by marching an army into the Indian country, and attacking the enemy on their own ground. A call for volunteers and a requisition or draft of militia from the States of Pennsylvania and Kentucky were made for the contemplated expedition, under the command of General HARMAR, against the Indians. Major James PAUL, of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, raised a battalion of volunteers, which was joined by Thomas IRWIN. He belonged to the company under the command of Captain FAULKNER, who had been an officer in the War of the Revolution. Mr. IRWIN was elected ensign, and Mr. HUESTON lieutenant. They descended the Ohio River in boats, in December, 1790, landing at Fort Washington on the 19th. The principal object of the expedition was to destroy the Indian villages at and near the confluence of the St. Joseph River and St. Mary's River, where they unite and form the Maumee, near where Fort Wayne was afterward built. Colonel HARDIN took the advance, and marched to Turtle Creek, a short distance west of where the town of Lebanon now is, and there encamped, General HARMAR following with the main body, four days later. His force consisted of three hundred and twenty soldiers of the regular army, forming two battalions, commanded respectively by Majors WYLLYS and DOUGHTY, and a company of artillery under the command of Captain FERGUSON, with three brass pieces, and eight hundred and thirty-three volunteers and militia from Pennsylvania and Kentucky. The army followed the trace made by General George Rogers CLARK with his army in his expedition against the Indian towns in October, 1782, as far as the Piqua towns. The route pursued was through what is now the northeast part of Hamilton County, then by Lebanon, Xenia, and Mad River. The expedition was successful in one of its objects, that of burning the Indian town at the forks of the Maumee, and after this began sending out small parties to harass the Indians. But a different fate awaited some of them. On the 18th of October a detachment of three hundred men was sent out with a view of seeing what discoveries they could make. Ensign IRWIN was with this body, as was also Captain John ARMSTRONG, afterward commandant at Fort Hamilton. They returned at sunset. The next morning the same troops were ordered out, and were placed under the command of Colonel HARDIN. During the day they found numerous fresh tracks of Indians, who appeared to have been making a hasty retreat. Colonel HARDIN was so eager for pursuit that he immediately started out with the principal portion of his troops, in such a hurry that he neglected to communicate his movements to Captain FAULKNER, who was stationed at one side, and out of sight of the others. The captain, however, discovered it soon, and followed. They had not gone far before they met Major FONTAINE, who had returned to inform them of Colonel HARDIN's movements. They were moved on at a quick pace, but in a short time met two of the mounted men, riding at full speed, having each a wounded man behind him. They called out "Retreat! retreat! The main body in front is entirely defeated, and there are Indians enough to eat us all up." Captain FAULKNER and his men, however, moved on until they gained an elevated piece of ground, when they discovered our troops in rapid retreat, the Indians in close pursuit, shouting and yelling like demons. The party to which Ensign IRWIN belonged halted and formed a line on each side of the trace, and secreted themselves behind trees, intending to give the Indians a fire when they came up. The officers of the defeated party stopped when they reached where Captain FAULKNER was and remained in that position until all the retreating troops had passed by. When the Indians came up, the small party on either side of the trace gave them a fire, which checked them for a moment, and the detachment then slowly retreated, covering the fugitives. The latter continued coming into camp until twelve or one o'clock at night. It seemed that the Indians had set a trap for our troops, and we were caught in it. After destroying every thing practicable, the army set out on its return march on the 21st of October. A few men were left to watch the proceedings of the Indians. They reported to Colonel HARDIN the same night and said that the Indians had returned to their camp, and were engaged in hunting for buried provisions. Colonel HARDIN, inflamed with a desire to allow his troops to distinguish themselves, and wipe off the stigma they had incurred a few days before, determined to attack the Indians. Ensign IRWIN and seven men volunteered from Captain FAULKNER's company. The troops were divided into two parties. Major FONTAINE, who was in advance, stumbled upon a small number of men, who shot him as he sat upon his horse. This gave the alarm. The fight soon became general; the Indians fought with the greatest bravery and resolution, and stubbornly maintained their ground. At length, however, they yielded, and retreated. Our loss was great, but if the forces had been larger, it was the general opinion we should have inflicted upon them a lasting chastisement. In this engagement there were killed, on the American side, one hundred and seventy-eight, and twenty-one were wounded. The number of Indians killed could never be ascertained, but Mr. IRWIN was of opinion that their loss was very heavy. A affecting incident occurred at the place of crossing the river. A young Indian, with his father and brother, was crossing the river, when a ball from the rifle of a white man passed through the body of the young Indian. The old man, seeing his boy fall, dropped his gun, and attempted to raise his son, in order to carry him beyond reach. At this moment his other son was also shot at his side. The old man drew them both to the shore, and then sat down between them, and with fearless composure awaited the approach of the pursuing foe, who soon came up, and killed him also. Duncan MCARTHUR, formerly governor of the State of Ohio, who was in this battle, relates the following circumstance, which tends to show the cool, undaunted courage of Mr. IRWIN. While his company was covering the retreat of the troops, and slowly retiring before the fire of the enemy, the strap which held his powder-horn was cut from his shoulder by a ball. As soon as he missed it, he turned about, ran back several paces in the full face of the considerable body of the enemy, secured his powderhorn, and then again joined his companions in their retreat. He was soon again observed to halt and commence picking the flint of his gun. McARTHUR, who was close by him at the time, addressing him, said: "Damn it, come along; the Indians are upon us." IRWIN coolly replied: "I want to get one more shot before I leave them." The army took up its line of march for Fort Washington the day after the battle, arriving on the third day of November. The Indians pursued them, in sight of the army, almost the whole distance, without, however, committing any serious depredations. As soon as the army arrived at the fort, the militia were disbanded and dismissed, and General HARMAR left soon afterward for Philadelphia, the seat of government. After the disbandment, Mr. IRWIN remained in Cincinnati during the ensuing Winter and Summer. While in that city, an attack was made upon the settlers at Dunlap's Station. Two or three hundred Indians surrounded the fort, and began firing at those within. COX, afterward one of the first to take up lands in Union Township, happened to be out hunting in that neighborhood, and being satisfied in his own mind as to the cause, went to Cincinnati, and informed Governor. St CLAIR. A volunteer force of twenty-five or thirty men, of whom IRWIN was one (being in Cincinnati at the time), turned out immediately. The same number of men were taken from the regulars, the whole being placed under the command of Captain TRUMAN; and about twenty volunteered to go from Columbia the next morning. The Indians had, however, left before the troops reached the station. Two of the savages were found lying dead, as well as a white man, named HUNT, whom they had captured the day before. About the 1st of September, 1791, Thomas IRWIN joined. StCLAIR's army. He was engaged as one of the wagoners who had charge of the gun-carriages for transporting the cannon. The army moved from Ludlow's Station on the 17th of September, and marched, under the command of Colonel William DARKE, to the Great Miami River striking it about half a mile below where the court-house now is, in the city of Hamilton. There were two companies that had charge of the artillery wagons, Mr. IRWIN belonging to one of these companies. They lay at this camp until the fort was built, or at least so far completed as to be in a condition to receive a garrison. We have sufficiently described the events of the campaign elsewhere, and shall only mention those matters which particularly concerned Mr. IRWIN. At the disastrous defeat he was posted near the artillery, which was in the center of each wing, and against which the great weight of the attack was directed. The enemy, impelled to vigorous exertions by all the motives which operate on the savage mind, rushed up boldly, tomahawks in hand, to the very mouths of the cannon, and fought with the daring courage of men whose trade is war. The artillerymen were driven from their posts with great slaughter, and two pieces were captured by the enemy Shortly after, Colonel DARKE charged the Indians with bayonets, and drove them out of their coverts with consternation. The artillery was retaken, and the Indians driven across the creek out of sight, when the colonel gave the order to march back. This they did through the mass of Indians, those they had driven back following and keeping up a deadly fire in their rear. When they arrived where the artillery and baggage-wagons stood, they found them in the possession of the Indians, and surrounded by them in great numbers. By this time there were not more than thirty or forty of Colonel DARKE's command left standing the rest had been shot down, and were either killed or wounded. To avoid this fate for the remainder of the men, the little band charged again, and at the same time a charge was made on the other side by the battalions commanded by Majors BUTLER and CLARK. It was successful, and the artillery was again retaken. General St. CLAIR ordered up the whole train of artillery in order to sweep the bushes with grapeshot; but the horses and artillerymen were soon destroyed by the terrible fire of the enemy before any effect could be produced. As fast as the artillerymen were shot down they were replaced by men from the infantry, but with no avail. The men fell in every portion of the camp. No more hotly contested action was ever fought. The ground was covered with the bodies of the dead and dying; the freshly scalped heads were reeking with smoke, and in the heavy morning frost (as one who was present expressed himself) looked like so many pumpkins in a cornfield in December. The little ravine that led to the creek was literally running with blood. The men were evidently disheartened. Under these circumstances, General ST. CLAIR determined to save the lives of the survivors, if possible. The troops were massed, and by a charge regained the road from which they had previously been cut off Thomas IRWIN was near the front when the retreat began, but for some reason was delayed, and fell nearly in the rear. The savages were in full chase, and scarcely twenty yards behind him. He exerted himself to place a more respectable distance between himself and the pursuing foe, although it required considerable caution to avoid the bayonets of the guns which the men had thrown off in their retreat, with the sharp points toward the pursuers, great numbers of men having thrown away their arms, running with all their might. The Indians pursued them about four miles. The battle began half an hour before sunrise, and the retreat commenced about ten o'clock. They reached Fort Jefferson a little before dark. In the month of December following, Mr. IRWIN having received his discharge, left Cincinnati, and returned to his father's residence in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The next April Mr. IRWIN again descended the Ohio River to Cincinnati, and in January, 1793, was married in Cincinnati, by Justice William McMILLAN, to Miss Ann LARIMORE. He remained there a few years, when he removed to this county, buying land in the neighborhood of Blue Ball, Lemon Township, where he resided until the time of his death. As the country was entirely new, he had much work in clearing up the trees, and erecting the necessary buildings. In the war of 1812 he served a tour of duty of six months as a major in the Ohio militia, under the command of General John S. GANO. The regiment in which Major IRWIN served was commanded by Colonel Henry TUMALT. After the expiration of his term of service he returned to his home, in March, 1814. This closed his active military career, but shortly after he was elected a colonel, and commanded a regiment of militia, which gave him the title of colonel, by which he was uniformly called. In October, 1808, Mr. IRWIN was elected a member of the State Senate of Ohio, to which he was successively reelected until his whole term of service was twelve years, or until the year 1820. In the Fall of 1824 he was chosen to the Lower House of the Legislature from Butler County, and served in that body one session. In 1823 he was elected a justice of the peace for Lemon Township, holding the position for nineteen years. He always discouraged strife, and invariably counseled a peaceful settlement of any matter brought before him. Colonel Thomas IRWIN died on Sunday evening, October 3, 1847, aged eighty-one years. On the succeeding Tuesday his remains were interred with military honors by the Monroe Guards, in the burying-ground of Mount Pleasant, a little north of Monroe. He died a consistent Christian, having been an elder in the Associate Reformed Church from 1805. He was a man of exemplary habits, an affectionate father, and an irreproachable citizen.