CHAPTER VI.

THE failure of the expedition to select the situation of a town on the Scioto river, as related in the last chapter, did not deter Massie from making a further attempt. About the last of February or first of March, 1796, a party was again collected at Manchester. Some of the party went by water up the Ohio and Scioto, and others by land, and met at the mouth of Paint creek, at a place afterwards known as the "Station prairie." The party who arrived by water, brought in their boats, besides a few of the necessaries of life, farming utensils, and other articles necessary to make a permanent settlement.

On the first day of April of that year, they landed their goods, commenced the construction of their cabins, and prepared for planting corn. Three hundred acres of rich prairie were quickly turned up by thirty ploughs; and the land for the first time resounded with the cheerful sound of the plowman's voice.

That season was attended by great prosperity to the settlers. Although they suffered, at one time, greatly for the want of some of the necessaries of life, yet in this they were soon relieved by the luxuriant crops of their plantation. No disturbance ensued from the Indians, who mixed with the whites in the most friendly manner, showing every disposition to preserve inviolate, the conditions of their treaty of peace. Indeed, the behavior of the Indians was entirely peaceful for many years, unless they were excited by the cupidity of the whites, in selling them ardent spirits.

While these things were transpiring at the settlement, Massie was engaged in making a selection for the site of a town, which was at last located on the Scioto river. That stream (the greater part of it) runs in very regular

channel from the north almost due south. About four or five miles, however, above the mouth of Paint creek, the river suddenly makes a bend, and runs a short distance east, thence southeast to the mouth of Paint creek. That stream, the largest tributary of the Scioto, for four or five miles above its mouth, runs almost parallel with the Scioto. Between these two streams there is a large and beautiful bottom, four or five miles in length, and varying from one to two miles in breadth, and contains within the space upwards of three thousand acres. This bottom, (as also the bottoms of the Scioto and Paint creek generally,) is very fertile; the loam, of alluvial formation, being from three to ten feet in depth. These bottoms, when first settled, were generally covered by a heavy growth of timber, such as black walnut, sugar tree, cherry, buckeye, hackberry, and other trees which denote a rich soil. A portion of them, however, were found destitute of timber, and formed beautiful prairies, clothed with blue grass and blue sedge-grass, which grew to the height of from four to eight feet, and furnished a bountiful supply of pasture in summer and hay in winter, for the live stock of the settlers. The outer edges of these prairies were beautifully fringed around with the plum tree, the red and black haw, the mulberry and crab apple. In the month of May, when these nurseries of nature's God were in full bloom, the sight was completely gratified, while the fragrant and delicious perfume, which filled the surrounding atmosphere, was sufficient to fill and lull the soul with ecstasies of pleasure.

The western boundary of this valley, between the two streams, is a hill, two or three hundred feet in height. Its base to the south is closely washed by Paint creek, and when this stream first enters the valley, it terminates in an abrupt point, and then extends up the valley of the Scioto, in a north-west and north course, for many miles, and forms the western boundary of the bottoms along

that stream. From the point where the hill abruptly terminates at Paint creek, running north-north-east, at the distance of about one mile across the valley, you reach the bank of the Scioto, at the sudden bend it makes to the east. The valley between this bend of the Scioto and Paint creek, immediately below the point of the hill, was selected as a site for the town. This part of the valley was chosen, as it consisted of high and dry land, not subject to the floods of the river, which frequently inundated the valley towards the mouth of Paint creek.

The town was laid out on a large tract of land owned by General Massie, and contained two hundred and eighty-seven in-lots, and one hundred and sixty-nine outlots. The in-lots were six poles in width in front on the street, and ran back twelve poles to the alleys; except the in-lots on Market or Front street, which ran with the river, and extended back irregularly. The out-lots adjoined the in-lots, and contained four acres, almost in a square. The streets were laid out of uncommon width, two of them being six poles wide; two, five poles; and the others, four poles.

After the necessary steps had been taken to run off the lots, streets, and alleys of the town, by blazing and marking the trees of the thick woods, the proprietor held a consultation with his friends, and gave to the town the name of Chillicothe. This name was derived from among the many names, given by the aborigines of our country to different objects. general name for "town." alone by this general name; north fork of Paint creek, and "New Chillicothe, or Town," on the head of the Little Miami river.

In their language, it was a They had two towns, called "The Old Town," on the

One hundred in and out-lots in the town, were chosen by lot, by the first one hundred settlers, as a donation, according to the original proposition of the proprietor. A number of in and out-lots were also sold to other per

sons, desiring to settle in the town. The first choice of in-lots were disposed of for the moderate sum of ten dollars each. The town increased rapidly, and before the winter of 1796, it had in it several stores, taverns, and shops for mechanics. The arts of civilized life soon began to unfold their power and influence in a more systematic manner, than had ever been witnessed by many of its inhabitants, especially those who were born and raised in the frontier settlements, where neither law nor gospel were understood or attended to.

In the sales of lands, his policy showed great foresight in reference to the rapid and permanent settlement of the country, which seemed to be his constant aim. He divided off large bodies of land into small tracts of one and two hundred acres each, and by low prices, and liberal terms of payment, every one, as well those with, as those without the means, were induced to purchase, as time was granted them to pay for their land by means of their own industry. In the settlement of a new country, no other course pursued in the disposal of lands will induce a rapid settlement. Every farm in a new country, always enhances in value, in proportion to its actual improvement, and the value is sometimes more than tenfold the cost of the original purchase. Besides this, farms of small dimensions, in a free country, are always cultivated with more care, neatness, and actual profit, than large farms, and add far more to the population and intrinsic wealth of a country. This observation can be made by any one who will look at the situation of our country. In those parts where the land is divided into small and well cultivated farms, the prosperity of the inhabitants is greater, and the country more intrinsically rich, than where the land is held in large bodies.

Large quantities of fine bottom land, on the Scioto river and Paint creek, were sold by General Massie, at the sum of one and two dollars per acre.

These lands

quickly rose in value, and at this time, not quite forty years since first sold, the owners would be unwilling to dispose of them at forty dollars per acre. Such has been the unparalleled prosperity of our country!

Gen. St. Clair, governor of the northwestern territory, placed great confidence in General Massie, and through him transacted most of the business with the settlements above the little Miami. Through him, as Colonel Massie, the militia of that part of the northwestern territory were first organized.

In the year 1800, General Massie was married to a daughter of Colonel David Meade of Kentucky, formerly of Virginia. In 1802, Congress passed a law, authorizing the people of that portion of the northwestern territory, comprising the state of Ohio, to form a constitution and state government. Members were elected to compose that convention, which met at Chillicothe, on the first day of November 1802, and after a session of about three weeks, the present constitution of our state was formed. General Massie was a very efficient member of this convention. He was elected a member with great unanimity, as he was by far the most popular man between Limestone and Zanesville. Indeed his good offices to the first settlers of the country were so numerous, that it would be risking a good deal, to speak irreverently of the man, who made most of them by his indulgence freeholders.

General Massie was elected to the senate from Ross county, the first session the assembly met under the new constitution, and was elected speaker during the session. This duty he performed to the entire satisfaction of the body over which he presided.

Under the constitution, a new organization of the militia was to be made. Massie was elected the first Major General of the second division of the militia of Ohio,