Early Days at Marietta (1788)

BY COLONEL JOHN MAY

MAY 12th [1788], Monday. I am still in quarters opposite Pittsburg, living as cheaply as if I was at Muskingum. Am waiting for the boat to carry us all down. . . . Yesterday two boats for Kentucky hauled in at our landing, having on board twenty-nine whites, twenty-four negroes, nine dogs, twenty-three horses, cows, hogs, etc., besides provision and furniture. Several have passed to-day equally large. . . .

Wednesday, 21st. At 2 o’clock P. M. our boat—oh, be joyful!—hove in sight, coming around the point, and, in half an hour, was made fast at Pittsburg. She is forty-two feet long and twelve feet wide, with cover. She will carry a burden of forty-five tons, and draws only two and onehalf feet water. . . .

Saturday, 24th. . . . At 12½ o’clock cast off our fasts, and committed ourselves to the current of the Ohio. The scene was beautiful. Without wind or waves, we, insensibly almost, make more than five miles an hour. . . .

Monday, 26th. . . . Thus we moved on, constantly espying near wonders and beauties, till 3 o’clock, when we arrived safely on the banks of the delightful Muskingum.

Tuesday, 27th. Slept on board last night, and rose early this morning. Have spent the day in reconnoitering the spot where the city is to be laid out, and find it to answer the best descriptions I have ever heard of it. The situation delightfully agreeable, and well calculated for an elegant city. . . .

As to our surveying, buildings, etc., they are in a very backward way. Little appears to be done, and a great deal of time and money misspent. . . .

Wednesday, 28th. . . . The directors and agents present agreed to lease the ministerial lot to different persons, in lots of ten acres each, for a term not less than one hundred years, at the option of the lessee —

to be without rent the first ten years, and then a fixed rent the remainder of the time. This was done to accommodate a number of proprietors present, whose eight-acre lots were drawn at a distance. Went this afternoon to survey the ten-acre lots, and drew for them in the evening. . . .

Thursday, 29th. This day the axe is laid to the root of the trees. In order to this my people were armed with the suitable tool, and went forth to smite the ancient tenants of the woods. Venison plenty at 1d. or one copper, per pound. I was engaged all the afternoon with the surveyors. Find the soil very good, but was tormented beyond measure by myriads of gnats. They not only bite surprisingly, but get down one’s throat.

This evening, arrived two long boats from the Rapids, with officers and soldiers, the number about one hundred. On their passage up the river they were fired upon by a strong party of Indians, headed by a white man. They returned the fire, and had two men killed. They were obliged to drop down the river a piece, and come by the place in the night. There are various reports about the hostilities of the savages, but nothing to be depended on. The Indians are frequently in here, and seem to be on friendly terms. I have shaken hands with many of them. My people employed in clearing land. I have been, this afternoon, sowing garden-seeds. . . .

Saturday, 31st. All hands at work on my ten-acre lot. Took hold of it with spirit. There are six of us in all, and we completely cleared an acre and a half by sunset. The land as good as any that can be found in the universe. . . .

Tuesday, [June] 10th. . . . The people hewing timber for the house, which I am in hopes to raise in eight or ten days; for I am not very comfortable on board my Kentucky ship. Met this morning, according to adjournment, and after much debate and discussion, agreed to cut up our commons into three-acre lots, to be drawn for in July. This has appeased the minds of the people. We also appointed officers of police.

Wednesday, 11th. . . . I have enlarged my gang to-day, which I have divided into three squads: four men hewing timber; two clearing land; and two digging a cellar in the bank, near my boat. This conveniency is much wanted to keep the beer and other matters in. We have dug no wells as yet, and the river water is too warm to be pleasant. . . .

Sunday, 15th. . . . A number of poor devils—five in all—took their departure homeward this morning. They came from home moneyless and brainless, and have returned as they came. . . .

Tuesday, 17th. . . . This evening Judge Parsons’ and General Varnum’s commissions were read; also, regulations for the government of the people. In fact, by-laws were much wanted. Officers were named to command the militia; guards to be mounted every evening; all males more than fifteen years old to appear under arms every Sunday. . . .

Thursday, 19th. All hands employed in planting corn and garden-seeds. . . .

Saturday, 21st. . . . Five large Kentucky boats went down to-day, loaded with families, etc. . . .

Wednesday, [July] 2d. . . . Attended . . . a meeting of directors and agents, according to order at Providence, 8th March. Chose a committee to make preparation for drawing the city lots. Entered into several debates, and at 2 o’clock adjourned until Monday, 7th inst., at 8 o’clock in the morning, for the purpose of drawing the city lots, and transacting such other business as may be thought necessary for the establishment of our infant settlement. . . .

Friday, 4th. . . . All labor comes to a pause to-day in memory of the Declaration of Independence. Our long bowery is built on the east bank of the Muskingum; a table laid sixty feet long, in plain sight of the garfish, at one-quarter of a mile distance. At 1 o’clock General Harmer and his lady, Mrs. McCurders, and all the officers not on duty came over, and several other gentlemen. An excellent oration was delivered by Judge Varnum, and the cannon fired a salute of fourteen guns. . . .

Wednesday, 9th. . . . This is, in a sense, the birthday of this Western World. Governor St. Clair arrived at the garrison. His landing was announced by the discharge of fourteen cannon; and all rejoiced at his coming. . . .

Friday, 11th. A delightful day. All hands at work on the house. This an arduous undertaking, and will cost more than I intended. Am building from several motives. First, for the benefit of the settlement; second, from a prospect or hope of gain hereafter; third, for an asylum for myself and family, should we ever want it; fourth, as a place where I can leave my stores and baggage in safety; and lastly, to gratify a foolish ambition, I suppose it is. The house is thirty-six feet long, eighteen wide, and fifteen high; a good cellar under it, and drain; and is the first (of the kind) built in Marietta. . . .

Monday, 14th. All hands at work on the house. Eat green peas to-day from my own garden, planted exactly five weeks ago. All this trusting to Providence but a little while. Things do grow amazingly! . . .

Sunday, 20th. . . . At 11 o’clock to-day a religions service. Mr. Daniel Breck began the observances by singing, praying, and preaching. The place of worship was our bowery, on the bank directly over my ship. A large number of people were assembled from the garrison, Virginia, and our own settlement—in all about three hundred; some women and children, which was a pleasing, though something unusual sight for us to see. . . .

[Wednesday, 23d.] . . . Henry Williams alarmed us a little this evening, when he returned from the Virginia shore: he brought information that our settlement was to be attacked this night by three strong parties of Chippewaw Indians—so said the report—to relieve the prisoners. We have sent this information over to the garrison. It proved false, however; but it made some trouble for us. We may always expect trouble while traveling through this life, which is nothing more than a wilderness world. We ought to make the best use we can of these matters, small and great. At Boston we have frequent alarms of fire, and inundations of the tides; here the Indians answer the same purpose.

Thursday, 24th. Fine weather, and work enough for willing hands to do. For several days we have had plenty of vegetables from our own industry; and I dare say that there is not a market in the world which will have a greater variety of good things than we shall have this fall. And what makes it extraordinary is, that they were grown on land where, six weeks ago, stood the lofty trees of the forest, from eight to ten rods long.

Friday, 25th. Yesterday employed in finishing the house. . . . Glazed the windows for the house to-day. I packed eighty quarries of glass at Boston, and found them all whole. . . .

Thursday, 31st. Last evening the governor sent the police officer to inform us that we must keep a good lookout, as there were three parties of Indian warriors out; some of them, he thought, intended against our settlement.

Friday and Saturday, 1st and 2d August. . . . We begin now to knock the boat to pieces, in order to obtain boards suitable for flooring the house. . . .

Col. John May, (Ohio Historical and Philosophical Society, Cincinnati, 1873), 37–92 passim.