Hence, though the purchase was fairly made in 1785, it was ten years---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
later before the territory could be said to be fairly open to settlement. It
was well known, however, that the lands west of the Allegheny were of
excellent quality, and naturally tempted the cupidity of the adventurous,
though still subject to savage sway. Three separate companies, with large
capital, each sought to secure vast stretches of this territory. They were
the Holland Land Company, the Population Company, and the North
American Land Company. By the act of 1792, titles to lands could only
be perfected by actual settlement for the space of five years, which must be
begun within two years from the date of its location. But an important
proviso was attached, that if settlers were prevented by armed enemies of
the United States from settlement, the title was to become valid the same
as if settled. This left the question open and indefinite, and gave rise to
endless litigation, the Holland Company contending that Indian hostilities
having prevented actual settlement for the space of two years they could
then perfect their titles without actual settlement, and without waiting for
the end of the five years. It may be observed here that bona: fide settlers
had little to complain of, and that it was the speculating class, who were
endeavoring- to gain titles to lands by bogus settlement, who were loudest
in their complaints. The question was decided pro and con in the lower
courts repeatedly, and taken up on appeal, until it finally reached the
Supreme Court of the United States, when Chief Justice Marshall delivered
an opinion of the company, Mr. Justice Washington declaring: "Though
the great theater of the war lies far to the northwest of the land in dispute,
yet it is clearly proved that this country during this period was exposed
to the repeated eruptions of the enemy, killing and plundering such of
the whites as they met with in defenceless situations. We find the settlers
sometimes working out in the day time in the neighborhood of forts and
returning at night within their walls for protection; Sometimes giving up
the pursuit in despair and returning to the settled part of the country, then
returning to this country and again abandoning it. We sometimes meet with
a few men daring and hardy enough to attempt the cultivation of their lands,
associating implements of husbandly with the instruments of war— the
character of the husbandman with that of the soldier— and yet I do not
recollect any instance in which, with the enterprising daring spirit, a single
individual was able to make such a settlement as the law required."
Such "daring and hardy" men as are here referred to by Judge Wash-
ington were those who first settled Crawford County. Upon the return
of David and John Mead, in the spring of 1788, came Thomas Martin, John
Watson, James F. Randolph, Thomas Grant, Cornelius Van Horn, and
Christopher Snyder. With the exception of Grant, they all selected lands
on the western side of the river, now Valonia, and the tracts above. Grant
chose the section on which is now Meadville, and made his home at the
head of Water Street. Soon tiring of the frontier, he transferred his tract
to David Mead, who thus became the proprietor and real founder of the
city which took his name. In the spring of the following year came the
families of some of these men. Sarah Mead, daughter of David, was the
first child born within the new settlement. Subsequently came Samuel
Lord, John Wentworth, Frederick Haymaker, Frederick Baum, Robert Fitz
Randolph, and Darius Mead. There were a few families of Indians inhabit-
ing the neighborhood, who became the fast friends of the white men, prom-
inent among whom were Canadachta and his three sons. Flying Cloud.
Standing Stone and Big Sun, and Halftown, a half-brother of Cornplanter.
Strike Neck and Wire Ears.
To the beginning of 1791 few disturbances from hostile Indians
occurred, and little danger was apprehended; but the defeat of the army
under General Harmer, and subsequently that led by St. Clair, left the
hostile tribes of Ohio and western Pennsylvania free to prosecute their
nefarious schemes of murder, arson and fiendish torture upon the defence-
less frontiersmen. Early in this year, Flying Cloud, the ever-faithful friend
of the whites, gave notice that the savages were upon the war-path. For
safety, the settlers repaired to the stockade fort at Franklin. It was seed
time, and these provident men were loath to let the time pass for planting,
and thus fail of a crop for the sustenance of their families. Accordingly,
four of them, — Cornelius Van Horn, William Gregg, Thomas Ray and
Christopher, — returned with their horses and commenced ploughing. Venge-
ful Indians came skulking upon their track, and, singling out Van Horn
when the others were away at the dinner hour, seized him and his horses,
and commenced the march westward. Eight miles away, near Conneaut
Lake, they stopped for the night, when Van Horn managed to elude them.
and made his way back. when he found that Gregg had been killed and
Kay was made captive and led away to Detroit.
The party, which had come with the design of making a permanent
settlement, had followed the Bald Eagle and the Chinklacamoose path, and
arrived at Meadville on the 12th of May, 1788, and passed the first night
under the broad spreading branches of an old cherry tree, which stood near
the western entrance to the Mercer Street bridge. They had come in ample
season to plant and raise crops, and had brought with them the usual im-
plements of husbandry, and withal four horses. Scarcely had they made a
permanent camp before they commenced plowing on the flats which they
found cleared and ready for cultivation. The four horses were brought into
service, and David Mead held the plow while Van Horn rode one of the
horses and guided the team. In this way some eight or ten acres were
broken up and planted to corn. It was up, and there was a fair prospect of
a bountiful harvest, when a great June freshet came on, which washed out
the entire planting. Nothing daunted, they replanted, and, favored by the
golden autumn **flays, the favored of the whole earth, they harvested a
good crop.
David Mead. James Fitz Randolph and Cornelius Van Horn selected
tracts that best suited their fancies, and prepared to make for themselves
homes in the wilds of this then continuous forest. David Mead chose a
stretch on the west bank of the Venango River. James Fitz Randolph
selected a site two miles south of Meadville on the upland east of the river,
well suited to agriculture or fruit and landscape gardening. Thomas Grant
took the tract on which now Meadville is spread out. Thomas Van Horn
preferred a location nearly two miles south and west of the river, where the
morning sunlight looks in with cheerful ray, and where a herd of fine cows
then as now would furnish milk for the city yet to be. Early in the fall of
this year, Thomas Grant, tiring of the hardship of clearing the giant forest
trees that covered all these acres, where now is the busy city, abandoned
his claim and returned to Northumberland. Fearing that the freshets in
the river might give him trouble in the future as his experience had already
been, David Mead, as we have shown, took up the tract that Grant
had left, and built a substantial log-house on the bank overlooking the
river, near the site of James E. McFariand's present home. It was known
as the block house, and became a place of refuge when threatened by
Indian hostilities. In the autumn of 1788, David and John Mead returned
to Northumberland for their families, and brought them to their new homes
on the Venango. In the following year, 1789, Darius Mead, the father
of John and David, Robert Filz Randolph and Frederick Baum brought
out their families. In this year occurred the first birth in the settlement.
Sarah, daughter of David and Agnes (Wilson) Mead. She grew to woman-
hood, and in 1816 was married to Rev. James Satterfield, of Mercer
County.
In deciding upon this location for settlement, the Meads were influenced
by several distinct considerations. In the first place, a fine valley some five
miles long and "considerably wide in some places," says Washington in his
journal. Here, then, was ample room for a great city. Then, there were
three considerable streams here flowing into the Venango River that could
be easily dammed and used for mill privileges, — Mill Run, Cussawago Creek,
and Van Horn Run, — each of which have been extensively employed for
mill purposes. The river itself could in time lie used, but a vast expense
would have to be incurred to build a dam to hold a stream so strong and
turbulent as it is at some seasons of the year. By a very simple and inex-
pensive device. Mill Run was harnessed to yield power. By placing a log-
so as to turn most of the water into a race, and in times of flood allow the
great body to escape, with scarcely any expense the water was held in a
pond, where Park Avenue cuts through it between Randolph and North
Streets, and the necessary power was secured. David Mead built a saw-mill
just below the intersection of Water and Randolph Streets very shortly after
arriving, which was a great convenience to the early settlers for a wide
circuit. . The saw-mill was standing and in use as late as 1860. He also
built a grist-mill, using the same power.
The question was early agitated what should be the name of the new
town? David Mead had given it the name of Cussawago, which was quite
appropriate. But here was Mead saw-mill, and Mead grist-mill; why should
not the new town be Mead-ville? So thought the new settlers, and so it
was, and has been to this day.
During the second quarter of the century heavy freightage by canal----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
was the favorite subject of enterprise throughout the length and breadth of
the land. In August, 1824, General Barnard, Colonel Totten, Major Doug-
lass and Captain Poussin, United States Engineers, under authority of the
Government, while engaged in surveying the route for a canal between the
Ohio River and Lake Erie, encamped on the west bank of French Creek,
near the site of the Mercer Street bridge, opposite Meadville. General Bar-
nard and Captain Poussin had been officers of distinction in the armies of the
great Napoleon. In 1827 an act of the Legislature provided for the con-
struction of a canal from the Ohio River, by the Beaver and Shenango
Rivers, to the city of Erie, and sections were let during that year. The
chief difficulty in operating the canal was in securing a sufficient supply of
water to feed the locks. It was found that Conneaut Lake was on the sum-
mit of the watershed between the Mississippi and the Saint Lawrence Val-
leys, and that the Venango River at Bemus Mills was higher than Conneaut
Lake. It was accordingly decided to build a substantial dam across the
river at this point, which is two miles above Meadville, and carry the water
by a canal seven miles below Meadville, build there an aqueduct across the
river high above its current, and thence to the lake and pour its current into
this great natural reservoir, for the steady feeding of the canal in both direc-
tions, towards the river Ohio and the lake Erie. In order to make sure of
abundant supply of water, an embankment was built across the outlet of the
lake Conneaut, so that the surface was raised nine feet and thus nearly
doubled its area.
It was a joyous day for Crawford County when it became assured that
the canal was to be a reality, and the breaking the ground, as it was
celebrated at Meadville, was an event of a lifetime. The line of march was
formed at the Diamond. The formation was announced by the booming of
cannon and the clangor of bells. The procession was led by Captain Tor-
bett's company of artillery. Captain Berlin's company of light infantry and
a band of music, followed by a long array of teams, laborers and civilians.
Arrived at the point of operations, which was in front of the residence of
James White, now of A. C. Huidekoper, on the Terrace, the exercises were
opened by prayer offered by the Rev. Timothy Alden, president of Allegheny
College, who also delivered an address, which was succeeded by the event of
the day, "the breaking ground." This was assigned to two aged pioneers,
Robert Fitz Randolph, nearly ninety years old, and Cornelius Van Horn,
who was eighty. The plow was drawn by seven pairs of oxen, and when
the earth had been thus loosened eight laborers with their wheel-barrows
appeared and removed a portion of the earth. The artillery was brought
into play, and delivered thirteen rounds, which echoed along all the hills.
Re-forming, the procession moved to Lord's spring, where a cold collation
was served, and, in accordance with the customs of the times, the head of a
barrel of fine old whiskey was staved, and the tin cups were merrily passed.
Returning to the Diamond, the procession broke ranks, and the work of
building the canal was fairly inaugurated.
The land of Mead Township, like most of Crawford County, is rollingReturn to Family History
and undulating, and the soil is of good quality ; and while a large portion is
suitable for the cultivation of cereals, a larger part is more especially adapted to
grazing and stock raising. French Creek, forming the western boundary,
drains the larger part of it, while its tributary, Little Sugar Creek, which rises
in the northeastern corner and flows south into East Fairfield Township,
traverses the western portion. Hay is a staple product, and dairying and stock
raising are largely engaged in. The Rev. Timothy Alden described Mead
Township, in 1817, in an article in the "Allegheny Magazine," and while the
boundaries have been changed since then, the general characteristics and nature
of the land were pointed out as follows: "The township is agreeably varie-
gated with hills and dales, but sufficiently level for all the purposes of agri-
culture. Like most of the county, it is in general better for grass than for
grain. For the former, no part of the United States is believed to be better
adapted, and of the latter, nothing but the hand of cultivation is wanted to
furnish an abundance for a numerous population. From one-seventh to one-
fifth may be considered first-rate land. Of the residue, a hundred acres in
one body can, perhaps, nowhere be found so broken or so ordinary in quality
as to come under the denomination of third-rate. Springs of the purest water
abound in all directions, from which never failing brooks proceed to irrigate
and enhance the value of every plantation in the township. Van Horn's
Run, Kossewango Creek, on the western side of French Creek; Mill Run,
rising in Wayne, taking a circuitous northwesterly course and passing through
the village of Meadville, some of the branches of Little Sugar Creek, of Big
Sugar Creek, of Oil Creek and of Woodcock Creek, on the east side of French
Creek, afford many eligible sites for water works. At present there are four
mills for grain, three for sawing logs, and others are begun or contemplated.
Two carding machines and one fulling mill are also impelled by water,"
"Of forest trees the following list, though imperfect, shows something of
the variety: White oak, red oak, black oak, chestnut, hickory in all its
species, beech, cherry, sycamore or buttonwood, white ash, black ash, sugar
tree, dark and light, soft maple, black birch, white pine, hemlock, white elm,
red elm, slippery elm, sassafras, poplar or white wood, quaking asp, cucumber,
ironwood, dogwood, not the poisonous kind, called boxwood in some parts,
bass or linden, sumach, konnekonik, etc. Of wild fruit there are: Crab
apple, plums of several kinds, and of a delicious flavor, haws, white, red and
black, whortleberries, blue and black in a few places, strawberries, very fine
and abundant, blackberries, high and low in great plenty, raspberries, white,
red and purple, which are excellent, wild currants, gooseberries, cranberries
and nuts of different sorts in vast quantities. Hops, highbalm, ginseng, blood-
root, evinroot or chocolateroot, and many other kinds of roots and herbage,
of valuable properties, are the spontaneous growth of Mead as well as of other
townships in the county of Crawford. Health, the greatest of all merely
temporal blessings, is nowhere more prevalent than in this part of the country."
Thus favored by nature to such a marked degree, Mead Township pre-
sented a most favorable field for colonization, and it was within its limits that
the first settlers of Crawford County established themselves. It was in the
spring of 1788 that David Mead, driven from his home in Wyoming County
by struggles "with fortune, with the Indians, and the Wyoming boys," came
accompanied by his brother John and several others, to seek a new home and
begin a new career in the wilderness beyond the Allegheny River. Here he
patented a tract of land on the west branch of French Creek, about a mile north
of Meadville, but in the fall of 1788 removed to take possession of the claim
abandoned by Thomas Grant, who had settled upon the present site of Mead-
ville. It is from David Mead, the first settler, and for many years the most
influential man of the vicinity, that both the city and the township take their
names. Of those who had accompanied him in 1788, John Mead and Cor-
nelius Van Horn settled in what is now Vernon Township, while James Fitz
Randolph located a tract about two miles south of Meadville. The others
returned to the East, finding the struggle for life in the wilderness harder
than they had anticipated. But David, on the contrary, not at all discour-
aged, brought out his family in 1789, and other settlers came and took up
land near him. Samuel Lord, who had been a Revolutionary soldier and
was a renowned Indian fighter. located upon the land now forming the north-
ern part of Meadville, known as the "Mount Hope" tract. He took consider-
able interest in public affairs, and kept the. village store, having, in addition to
the trade of the colonists, that of the Indians, whose confidence he had gained
and by whom he was greatly beloved. Jolin Wentworth and Frederick Hay-
maker joined the colony at the same time and settled in the vicinity of Mead-
ville.
Frederick Baum. Darius Mead and Robert Fitz Randolph arrived in
1789. The latter, who had been a soldier of the Revolution, located two
miles south of the Mead settlement, and lived there with his family until his
death, in 1830. He was a strong character, and his zeal in the cause of free-
dom was unwavering. The following anecdote, from the Crawford Mes-
senger, of July, 1830, is ample proof of this fact: In one of the alarms caused
by the approach of the English to the town of Erie, during the War of 1812,
he mustered a strong band of his own household, in true patriarchal style, con-
sisting of his four sons, and two or three grandsons, put himself at their
head, and thus armed and equipped, marched to meet the expected foe. His
companion. Frederick Baum, took up a claim south of Meadville, upon French
Creek, in the southwestern part of the township. His neighbor, John Baum.
who had the reputation of being the strongest man in the settlement, was
another early resident of that vicinity.
These hardy pioneers, the advance guard of the army of civilization,
had every difficulty to contend with incident to the settlement of a new coun-
try, and besides had always to be on the alert to guard against the Indians.
But with that spirit of enterprise which characterized the first settlers of this
country, and the hope of procuring permanent homes for themselves and their
famines, which had led them to the wilderness and cheered their way through
it, they selected their lands and commenced the work of converting them into
farms. But their outlook was a gloomy one. They were far from any
neighbors of their own race, and were but poorly supplied with the means of
making a livelihood. After several years of incessant toil and hardship the
prospects began to brighten, but the gloomy cloud of another Indian war soon
overcast them, and the isolated infant settlements of the West were menaced
with destruction. Many fled, while those who remained were exposed to
constant privations and sufferings. Prior to 1795, it is doubtful if any per-
manent settlement existed in the township or county, beyond the block house
at Meadville, where David Mead established himself, determined to brave
every danger and incur every risk rather than leave his important interests.
Sheltered by the fort, he and his companions carried on the work of clearing
the land and raising crops. For several months, in 1791, when the Indians
were daily expected to attempt the extermination of the people on French
Creek, Mr. Mead and his family resided in Franklin, that he might have it
in his power to repair to the garrison in that place as a last resort. During
this period his father was taken by two Indians, from a field where he was at
work, and carried to the vicinity of Conneaut Lake. Some days afterward he
was found, together with one of the Indians, both dead, and bearing such
marks of violence as showed they had had a struggle, and it was deemed prob-
able that the other Indian had been wounded in the encounter, from the fact
that his companion was left unburied.
Cornelius Van Horn who, as related in a preceding paragraph, was one of
the companions of Mead in 1788, figured prominently in the early history
of the township, and the following story of one of his adventures has come
down to us, giving a vivid illustration of the dangers by which they were
continually surrounded: In the spring of 1791 Van Horn, Gregg and Ray
were plowing on the island opposite the town. Gregg and Ray
had crossed the river to prepare the dinner, when Van Horn, who continued
plowing, saw his horses take fright at something, and suddenly turning, saw a
tall Indian about to strike him with a tomahawk, and another just behind.
Quick as thought he seized the descending arm and grappled with the In-
dian, hugging him after the manner of a bear. While in this close embrace
the other Indian attempted to shoot Van Horn, but he, no novice in frontier
tactics, kept turning the Indian around in his arms so as to present him as
a shield against the bullet, and thus gained time enough to parley for his life.
No fine-spun diplomacy was practiced in the treaty, a few broken words of
Indian on one side, and broken English on the other, resulted in a capitula-
tion by which he was to be taken prisoner, together with his horses. He
was pinioned and taken to a hill above the college, where they met the old
chief and a fourth Indian. After a consultation, the chief mounted one of the
horses and the prisoner the other, and pursued their way toward Conneaut
Lake, while the other three returned to the island in search of further ad-
ventures. Gregg and Ray had returned, and were wondering over the mean-
ing of the tracks in the field, when they descried the three Indians. Gregg
started to run, and was pursued, killed and scalped, while Ray, who had stood
his ground, was taken prisoner.
The old chief had tied Van Horn to a tree, in a sitting posture, with his
arms behind him, but the thong working loose the chief pulled it obliquely
up the tree to tighten it and then, thinking his prisoner securely fastened, laid
himself down in the bushes to sleep. Van Horn, by raising himself a little,
loosened the thong enough to allow him to get a small knife out of his cuff
and cut himself loose from the tree, but he could not break the pinions which
confined his arms. He made his way back to the settlement, where he met
an officer from Fort Franklin, who ordered the whole colony to repair for
safety to that place, lest there might be a larger force of Indians in the vicinity.
Van Horn pleaded hard for permission to remain behind and learn the fate
of Ray and Gregg, and as the officer's horse had been lost he was given per-
mission to stay, provided he could get some one to remain with him. A
friendly Indian, by the name of Gilloway, agreed to be his companion, and
another friendly Indian, McKee, also remained behind in order to catch the
lost horse. They found the horse, and taking some furs and skins in the
canoe, embarked for Franklin. Gilloway volunteered to ride the horse,
while the others went by water, but he rode it a little too far and in the wrong
direction, as he was not heard of again until seen in Sandusky. Van Horn
afterward had reason to think that Gilloway had tarried behind in order to
murder him, but that, his plan frustrated by the determination of McKee to
remain also, he had stolen the horse and decamped. Van Horn and McKee
determined to return from Franklin, and in order to have an early start to pass
the night in a deserted cabin a mile or two this side of the fort. The com-
manding officers in vain urged the danger of an attack by the savages, but Van
Horn and his comrade thought themselves competent to defend their' position.
In the night, however, the officers and soldiers determined to make good their
surmises and have a little fun by raising an Indian whoop and surrounding
the cabin where Van Horn lay. The soldiers, listening at the door, heard
Van Horn arranging with his comrade to stand by and haul them into the
cabin, while he cut them down at the door with his ax. This was a kind of
sport for which the party was not prepared, and they withdrew, fully satisfied
that Van Horn could take care of himself.
The war was happily terminated by General Wayne in 1795, and imme-
diately a great influx of colonists took place. Those who had for a time
abandoned their farms returned and again took up the work of cultivation.
Soldiers who had been granted land in payment for services either came them-
selves to reside on it or transferred it to others who wished to begin life in
the West. Thomas Ray, who was captured on the same day that Van Horn
was taken prisoner, was taken by the Indians to Detroit, and having gained
his liberty at the termination of the war, returned and settled in the north-
western part of Mead Township, where he remained permanently. Others
took up land in various parts of the county. David Compton, who had
originally settled in Vernon Township, removed to a tract about two miles
south of Meadville. where he resided during the remainder of his life. Nicho-
las Lord settled on Mill Run, about a mile and a half east of Meadville, in
1795- William Clark, one of the earliest associate judges, settled on a tract
south of David Mead's, on the land now forming the southern part of Mead-
ville. He was one of the prominent men of the place for many years, taking
a great interest in politics: but he did not remain in Crawford County, re-
moving in his old age to a farm near Harrisburg, where he died. Martin
Kycenceder, who had been a Hessian soldier in the employ of the English,
having been captured by the Americans, remained in this country at the close
of the war, and became a citizen of Mead Township. His descendants still
live in the county.
