CHAPTER II.

CHILD, BOY AND STUDENT.

IN 1787 the Continental Congress, sitting in New York, adopted "An Ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the United States Northwest of the Ohio." This was speedily followed by sales of public lands, notably one of five millions of acres, bordering the Ohio river from the Muskingum to the Scioto, to citizens of New England organized as "The Ohio Company," and another of two millions of acres in the region between the Great and Little Miami rivers, including the site of Cincinnati.

The purchaser of the latter tract was John Cleves Symmes, of New Jersey, concerning whom there are some particulars of interest.

He was a son of Rev. Timothy Symmes, of Scituate, Mass., a graduate of Howard College. At one time he was a delegate to the Provincial Congress and was active in framing the constitution of his State in 1776. A year later he became justice of the Supreme Court. Still retaining his position as such justice, in 1784 and 1785 he was a delegate to the Continental Congress at Philadelphia. Following that he was appointed

judge of the Northwestern Territory and moved to Ohio. He had for companions in his emigration Jonathan Dayton, Elias Boudinot, Dr. Clarkson and others of New Jersey.

The tract constituting what is known as "Symmes' Purchase" comprised the present cities of Cincinnati and Dayton. It embraced Hamilton, Butler, Preble and Montgomery counties, and possibly Warren. Along the Ohio river it ex tended from the Little Miami, about twenty miles above Cincinnati, to the Big Miami, about the same distance below that city. All the titles for fractions of the tract proceeded from him.

Judge Symmes established his residence at North Bend, and there laid out a city, intending to make it the great commercial emporium of the West. Unfortunately for his idea, Cincinnati became a military post, the protection of which was anxiously sought by settlers. Symmes' city sank into comparative insignificance. Two of the three hewn log-houses which the Judge erected as the nucleus of his emporium were destroyed by fire. The incendiary is reported to have been a political enemy.

The ruins of the stone chimneys of the cabins are yet discernible. To-day North Bend is chiefly known as having been the residence of President William Henry Harrison.

Judge Symmes had for his first wife Anna Tuthill, of Southold, Long Island. From the mar

riage there were two daughters, Maria and Anna, of whom the former wedded Peyton Short, of Kentucky, and the latter William Henry Harrison. The wooing and winning of the younger sister is not without romantic coloring.

When Fort Washington was established at Cincinnati Harrison was stationed there. Duty called the gallant captain to North Bend, and he became a guest at the Symmes residence. It was not long until he succumbed to the black eyes of Miss Anna. She was at the time twenty years of age, small, graceful, intelligent and by general agreement beautiful. He was twenty-two years of age, with a reputation well established as a gallant soldier. The two were mutually pleased with each other, and an engagement followed, which could hardly fail to be satisfactory to the father. The Judge, in fact, consented to the marriage; but, hearing some slanderous reports of the captain, he afterwards withdrew his consent. The lovers were in nowise daunted. They resolved to proceed with their engagement. November 29, 1795, the day appointed for the wedding, arrived. Judge Symmes, thinking the affair off or declining to be present, rode to Cincinnati, leaving the coast clear.

In the presence of the young lady's stepmother and many guests the ceremony was performed by Dr. Stephen Wood, a justice of the peace.