GOVERNMENT OF OHIO.

HISTORY OF OHIO.

CHAPTER I.

OHIO, ORIGIN OF THE NAME-EXPLORATIONS AND LABORS OF THE FRENCH JESUITS IN THE NORTHWESTERN TERRITORY.

Ohio derives its name from the river constituting its southern boundary. Col. John Johnson who, many years ago, was the agent of the United States Government to the Indians, furnished for Howe's Historical Collections the following in reference to the origin and signification of the name Ohio:

"Ohio may be called an improvement on the expression, O. he zuh, and was no doubt adopted by the early French voyagers in their boat songs, and is substantially the same word as used by the Wyandots; the meaning applied by the French, fair and beautiful, la belle rivere' being precisely the same as meant by the Indians-great, grand and fair to look upon."

The territory northwest of the Ohio river was partially explored by some French explorers as early as the

year 1610. In 1632, Father Sagard visited the country along the shores of Lake Huron. In 1634, a party of Indians belonging to the Huron tribe, visited Quebec, a walled city in Canada. On their return they were accompanied by the Jesuits, Breboeuf and Daniel, who located upon the shore of Lake Iroquois, a bay of Lake Huron, and instructed the natives in religious matters.

In 1641 a number of French Jesuits paddled a bark canoe from the St. Lawrence river up through the Ottawa river, thence crossing over to Lake Nipissing, thence down the French river to the Georgian Bay, and passing the islands of Lake Huron, they reached the Falls of St. Mary, where they established a Mission.

In 1660, Rene Mesnard attempted an exploration of the territory around Green Bay and Lake Superior. In October of that year, he reached a bay on the south shore of Lake Superior, which he called St. Theresa. After remaining there for about eight months, he was lost in the forest. His breviary and cassock were subsequently discovered among the amulets of the Sioux, by whom he was probably murdered.

In 1666, Father Allouez established a mission at the Falls of St. Mary, now called Sault Ste. Marie, where, in 1668, he was joined by Fathers Dablon and Marquette. In the course of the next three years they explored the country along the shores of Lake Michigan, making the entire circuit of that lake. In 1671, Marquette built a chapel at Mackinaw, formerly called Michilimackinac, also Mackinac.

In 1673, Father Marquette and Joliet sailed through the Straits of Mackinaw on their way to discover the

Mississippi. They were followed, six years later, by Robert de la Salle, who built and navigated the Griffin, a bark of sixty tons burden-the first vessel that ever floated on the northwestern lakes. The Griffin had on board Louis Hennepin, the missionary, and a party of furtraders, who landed at Michilimackinac, and erected a fort and established a trading post.

Questions-From what did Ohio derive its name? In what year was the country northwest of the Ohio river partially explored? Give the dates and particulars of the visits of Sagard, Brebeuf and Daniel. State what was done by certain French Jesuits in 1641. What is said of Rene Mesnard? Of Allouez, Dablon and Marquette? Of Marquette and Joliet? Of de la Salle and those who accompanied him?

CHAPTER II.

FRENCH MISSIONARIES AND TRADERS-ESTABLISHMENT OF MILI

TARY AND TRADING POSTS-SURRENDER OF THE TERRITORY

TO THE ENGLISH-THE PONTIAC WAR.

In the fall of 1679, LaSalle and his men went to Green Bay and procured a cargo of furs and dispatched them in the Griffin for Niagara. But the vessel was lost on the voyage.

From Michilimackinac, LaSalle and fourteen of his men paddled their canoes up Lake Michigan to the mouth of the St. Joseph river, where they erected a rude fort.

In July, 1701, Antoine de la Cadillac, with a Jesuit

missionary and one hundred men, located at the present site of Detroit, and commenced a permanent settlement. Here they erected a stockade which they named Fort Ponchertrain.

The forts erected at Green Bay, Ste. Marie, St. Joseph, Michilimackinac, Fort Gratiot, Detroit, at the mouth of the Wabash, and other points, were designed as outposts by which the claim of the French to govern the territory could be suppported, and the traders and missionaries be protected.

In 1748, the Ohio Company was formed, and attempted to establish trading houses among the Indians.

In 1749, the English built a trading house upon the Great Miami, a place since called Laramie's Store. This house was destroyed by the French, assisted by the Ottowa and Chippewa Indians. This trading post is supposed to have been the first British settlement in the Ohio Valley.

In 1756, Major Lewis was sent with a party of troops against the Indian towns on the Ohio.

Prior to 1760, France claimed all of Canada and to the borders of the Mississippi, while the English occupied most of the country east of the Alleghany mountains. The English, however, claimed dominion west of the Alleghanies, on the alleged ground that the Six Nations owned the Ohio Valley and had placed it under the protection of England.

The Six Nations was composed of six tribes of Indians: the Onondagas, Cayugas, Oneidas, Senecas, Mohawks, and Tuscororas.

Both countries desired supremacy over the northern

portion of the New World, and a firece struggle between them ensued. In November, 1760, Detroit, Michilimackinac, and all the posts within the government of Canada, that were in possession of the French, were surrendered to the Crown of England.

While some of the Indians cheerfully acquiesced in the change from the rule of the French to that of the English, a large proportion of them were dissatisfied, and still retained a strong friendship for the French government; and in the month of May, 1763, a simultaneous attack was made upon the forts of LeBoeuf, Venango, Presque Isle, Michilimackinac, St. Joseph, Miama, Green Bay, Ouiatonon, Pittsburgh, Sandusky, Niagara and Detroit. This attack resulted in a most frightful massacre at each of these points; Detroit, Pittsburgh and Niagara being the only places that did not fall into the hands of the savages.

Pontiac, an Ottawa chief, who lived on Pechee Island,, about eight miles above the city of Detroit, was at this time the most prominent and influential leader among the Indians. Hence this war is known in history as the Pontiac War.

The seige of Detroit by Pontiac continued for eleven months, when the post was relieved by Gen. Bradstreet, with an army of three thousand men.

Questions-What is said of LaSalle and his men? Of Antoine de la Cadillac and the Jesuit missionaries? For what purpose were the forts at the different points erected? What is said of the Ohio Company? Of the English trading house? What occurred in 1756? Prior to 1760 what territory was claimed by France? What was occupied by the English? What claim was made by the English? What occurred in 1760? In 1763? What is said of Pontiac? of the siege of Detroit?