Married Elizabeth Crane May 1,1794 in Elizabeth,Union County New Jersey,parents are Samuel and Keturah Doty
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From the book: Doty-Doten Family in America by Ethan Allen Doty, Daniel Doty is person #3429, page 321, Vol. 1.
His entry:
3429. DANIEL DOTY, son of John Doty and Sarah Clark, born New Providence, N.J., March 23, 1765; married, 1st, there probably about 1788, Elizabeth Potter, born there 1766, baptized there January 25, 1867, daughter of Amos Potter. She died in New Providence, probably about 1793. He married 2nd in New Providence May 1, 1794, Elizabeth Crane born there December 26, 1771, daughter of Joseph Crane and Ruth Miller. He died Middletown Ohio on May 8, 1848, she died there later.
Children, by 2nd wife:
3737. i. Joel, b New Providence, N.J. Feb 9, 1795; drowned in Great Miami River, Ohio
3738. ii. Noah, born Middletown Ohio, May 6, 1796, died there 1802-3
3739. iii. John, born Middletown Ohio, Dec 15, 1797
3740. iv. Daniel C., born Middletown Ohio, Aug 9, 1799
3741. v. Betsey, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 16, 1801; married there Nov 28, 1819, to her cousin, Ambrose Doty, (#3724)
3742. vi. Huldah, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 8, 1803
3743. vii. Orpha,born Middletown Ohio, June 8, 1804
3744. viii, Sarrepta, born Middletown Ohio, Feb 16, 1806
3745, ix, Joseph, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 7, 1808
3746, x, James Miller, born Middletown Ohio, Oct 8, 1809
3747, xi, Jerusha, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 9, 1814
3748, xii, Elias, born Middletown Ohio, June 23, 1815
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Pioneer Biographies, sketches of the lives of some of the Early Settlers of Butler County, Ohio,
McBride, Cincinnati, 1871:
DANIEL DOTY was born in Essex county, New Jersey, on the 23d of March, in the year 1765. His parents were respectable, honest people, who gave their children such an education as could be acquired at the common country schools of that day. They taught them their duty to their Creator and to their fellow beings, and brought them up in the habits of honest industry, on which, with their own exertions, they had to depend to make their way through life.
When Daniel Doty had arrived at manhood, the fame of the fertility and beauty of the fine country, then opening in the Far West, attracted him, and he formed the resolution of exploring the country and judging for himself. Accordingly, on the roth of September, 1790, he left his home and proceeded to Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh), whence he descended the Ohio river in a flat-boat to the then infant settlement of Columbia, at the mouth of the Little Miami, where he arrived on the 23d of October. Here he concluded to remain.
There were then two hewed log-houses standing near the bank of the river, where Mr. Doty landed. One of them was occupied by Major Benjamin Stites, and the other by John S. Gano. Almost his first experience was his enlistment as a member of the militia company of the place, of which Gano was captain, and Ephraim Kirby was lieutenant. Every able-bodied man in the settlement had to be enrolled. The company consisted of about seventy good and true-hearted men, who were ready at all times to obey the call to arms in defense of the settlement.
At that time General Harmar was commander of the military forces of the country, and John Cleves Symmes, the proprietor of the Miami country, was the chief magistrate, and at the head of the civil department.
General Harmar was then out on his expedition against the Indians. He returned to Fort Washington about ten days after Mr. Doty landed at Columbia. A number of his men were wounded, among whom were George Adams and Thomas Bailey. It was said that Adams had killed five Indians while out on the expedition, and had himself received four ball wounds. One ball entered his thigh; one broke his arm; another passed under his arm, grazed his body, and lodged under his other arm; and the fourth went through part of his breast, and lodged under his shoulder-blade. But he lived through all, and soon recovered. He was in St. Clair's defeat, and lived many years afterward.
During the years 1791–92, the country was almost continually in a state of alarm, on account of the depredations committed by the Indians. Three men were killed and scalped by them near Covalt's station, on the Little Miami river, about ten miles from Columbia. Their names were Covalt, Hinkle, and Abel Cook. So soon as the news reached Columbia, a party, of which Daniel Doty was one, went to the relief of the station and to bury the murdered men.
This was his first sight of a scalped corpse. He said that “when a person is killed and scalped by the Indians, the eyebrows fall down over the eyeballs, and gives them a fearful look.” Mr. Doty turned out with the company which went to the relief of Dunlap's station, in January, 1791, accounts of which are given in Vol. I.
In the spring of 1791, the drooping spirits of the settlers were greatly revived by the intelligence that . General St. Clair was coming to the West, with an army of 1,400 men, which, it was fondly anticipated, would at once put an end to the Indian war.
General St. Clair and his army arrived at Fort Washington, encamped on Mill creek, then moved and built Fort Hamilton; proceeded further out, and built Fort Jefferson, from whence they marched to where Fort Recovery was afterward built. And there, on a wintry morning of the 4th of November, 1791, were defeated by the Indians, with a loss of half the army. Thus ended the hopes which the settlers had formed of the expedition.
The news of St. Clair's defeat struck a deep panic into the minds of the settlers. Some of them left the settlement and fled to Kentucky; but most of them remained, stood their ground, determined that if the Indians did come upon them, to sell their lives as dearly as they could.
The inhabitants, by mutual consent, were all under military laws, according to the regulations which they had adopted for their defense and safety. Every man had to furnish himself with a good gun, one pound of powder, sixty bullets or one pound of lead, and six flints. They were required to keep their arms and equipments in good order, and to meet on parade twice every week to drill and go through the manual exercise.
To hear a gun fired after sundown was a regular alarm, on the occurrence of which every man was required instantly to repair to the place of rendezvous.
The first Presbyterian preacher who came and settled in the Miami country, was the Rev. James Kemper. He had lived near Danville, in the State of Kentucky. When he was called to the settlement, Daniel
Doty and a man by the name of French were chosen by the people to go and bring him and his family. His family consisted of himself, his wife, and eight or nine children. In June, 1791, Daniel Doty and his companion set out on this mission. They crossed the Ohio at Fort Washington, and proceeded on their way with their rifles primed, ready for whatever might betide them. Their road was only a trace, a bridle-path, for sixty miles or more, along the Dry ridge. There had been two men killed on this trace the week previous. They encamped in the woods the first night. The next night they reached Georgetown, where, Mr. Doty said, the people were fiddling and dancing in almost every cabin, and acting as though they neither feared God nor regarded Indians.
The next day they went on to Lexington, where they procured horses from the contractor for the army, at that place, to remove Mr. Kemper and his family to the Miami country. They then went to the residence of Mr. Kemper, and, having arranged matters for their journey, set out on their return. They took the route to Limestone (now Maysville), on the Ohio river, where they procured a flat-boat, and getting all the family and horses on board, they descended the river to Fort Washington, where they delivered over the horses to the contractor at that place, and returned to Columbia.
During all this time, for several years, the Indians were very troublesome, causing frequent alarms. Every man capable of bearing arms was obliged when he attended church, to go armed and equipped, ready at a moment's warning to repel an attack of the savages, who were constantly prowling about, watching an opportunity to destroy the infant settlement. The order then was for every man to meet on parade, on Sunday morning, armed and equipped, and, after going through the manual exercise, march to the place of worship, stack their guns in one corner of the cabin until divine service was concluded, and then take them and return to their homes. There was a law of the Territory, then in force, which required every man when he went to church, to carry his gun and ammunition with him, to protect himself and family from an attack of the ruthless savages.
On one occasion, when the congregation had assembled for worship, information arrived that Indians were in the neighborhood, and that one of them had been killed, whose bloody scalp was exhibited to the congregation. Colonel Spencer, who commanded the militia, advised that the congregation disperse, which they accordingly did, and the people returned to their homes to prepare for defense.
On the 24th day of April, in the year 1792, Mr. Doty left Columbia in a flat-boat, and descended the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, from whence he went by sea to New York, and returned to his native home in New Jersey. He remained there until the fall of the year 1795, when he returned to the Miami country. Wayne's treaty with the Indians had previously been concluded at Greenville, and peace restored to the country.
In the spring of the year 1796, Mr. Doty, with his wise, Betsy, and their children, removed to near where Middletown now is, where he commenced an improvement on a tract of land which he had previously purchased. Here he spent the remaining portion of his life, and died near where he had built his first log cabin.
Mr. Doty commenced his improvement in the dense forest. He built his first cabin on the bank of the Great Miami river, about one mile below where the town of Middletown is now situated. No track of a wagon had then marked the ground to that place. When his cabin was raised and inclosed, he had no table, no chair, or bedstead, or cradle; nor any boards to make them of. But as abundance of timber was convenient, he cut down a large tree, out of which he split puncheons and clapboards. With the puncheons he laid the floor of his cabin, and the door was made of the clapboards, fastened with wooden pins, and hung on wooden hinges, having a wooden latch with a leather string hanging through. A table was made of a slab split from the tree, which was supported by four round legs, made from hickory saplings with the bark on, set in auger holes in the slab. Several three-legged stools were made in the same manner as a substitute for chairs.
And for a bedstead; this was made by procuring a sapling with a fork or limb at a proper hight for the bottom of the bed, the lower end of which was placed in a hole in the puncheon floor, and the upper end fastened to a joist above. In the fork or limb was placed a round pole with the bark on, the other end passing through a crack between two logs of the wall. This front pole was crossed by a shorter one also laid within the fork, with its other end passing through a crack in the other wall. From the front pole were laid stiff clapboards, projecting through an opening between two logs of the wall, which supported one end of the clapboard, the pole supported the other end. This formed the bottom of the bed, on which a bearskin and blanket were laid for repose. And Mr. Doty, intending to have things as comfortable as circumstances would admit, had other poles pinned to the upright one, a few inches above the others. These answered the purpose of supporting the front and foot of the bed, while the walls were the supports of the head and back.
A few wooden pins, stuck in the logs of the cabin on one side of the fire-place, supported some clapboards, which served as shelves for the table furniture, which consisted of a few pewter dishes and spoons, wooden bowls, trenchers, and noggins. These latter were small vessels shaped like a pail, made from wooden staves, secured with wooden hoops, and held about a quart. When these were scarce, gourds and hard-shelled squashes made up the deficiency.
A few wooden pegs around other parts of the wall, on which to hang the petticoats of the mistress and children, and the hunting shirts of the master of the mansion, and two buck horns fastened to a joist for the rifle, completed the carpenter work of the building. And for the accommodation of the babies, Mr. Doty cut down a hollow sycamore tree, out of which he constructed a cradle in which to rock them to sleep.
There were but very few settlers in the neighborhood at the time when Mr. Doty commenced his improvement. There was a block-house inclosed by pickets, and a few cabins on the south side of the prairie, near Dick's creek, a little west of where the cross-roads now are. His neighbors were Mr. Brady, Mr. Carson, John Reed, and Joseph Henry. No crops had been raised to supply those coming to the country, consequently Mr. Doty had to go to Cincinnati for a portion of the provisions to support his family for the first year. He had there to pay one dollar per bushel for corn meal, and then pack it home on horseback, where it was baked into johnny cakes on a clapboard before the fire. This was their only bread. As for meat, wild game was plenty, and Mr. Doty took great delight in hunting. He killed a great number of deer, wild turkeys, wild cats, raccoons, and several bears.
The good staid people of Middletown would, perhaps, now feel somewhat surprised to be told of the rencounters which Mr. Doty has had, in his time, with bears and wild cats in the vicinity of their now populous and thriving town. A few of them we will call to their recollection, as they were related by Mr. Doty himself.
In the latter part of the summer of the year 1796, some time after Mr. Doty had settled upon his land below Middletown, one Sunday morning he started to go to meeting, not then having his gun with him. When he had gone a short distance he heard his dog barking across a cornfield. He knew the dog's bark. (It was a little dog that had come from the Indians, and was an excellent dog for raccoons.) Mr. Doty crossed the field and found that the dog was barking at a wild cat, which was standing upon the fence, looking down at it. On Doty speaking to encourage the dog, the wild cat looked round and jumped off the fence toward him, and, on his advancing toward the cat, it ran off followed by the dog. The corn being thick and high, he lost sight of both of them, but soon saw the wild cat coming toward him closely followed by the dog. When the cat turned round to seize the dog, Mr. Doty kicked the cat over, and caught it by the hind legs (having no weapons with him); he placed his left foot upon its breast, and pressed it with all his might upon the ground until it was dead. Mr. Doty said he had killed a number of wild cats, but thinks this one was one-third larger than any he had ever seen.
Mr. Doty had also a large dog that was very good for raccoons, wild cats, and bears. One Monday morning, an hour or two before daylight, he took his gun and started out with his dogs to hunt. He went through the woods in an easterly direction, south of where the town of Middletown now is. When he had gone about a mile, he heard his dogs bark, and, on coming up with them, found they had treed a bear. The bear was clinging to the body of the tree at no great distance from the ground. On Mr. Doty speaking with an encouraging voice to the dog, he sprung up the tree toward the bear, on which the bear snapped his teeth and ascended higher up the tree. Mr. Doty, whose rifle was loaded, took aim by moonlight, and fired at him. The bear blew out his breath, and commenced coming down the tree. By this time Mr. Doty had the assistance of a young neighbor, who came to him with an ax and another dog. As soon as the bear reached the ground, the dogs seized him. The bear must have been stunned by the shot, or, as Mr. Doty expressed it, “the bear fainted,” and lay still as if he were dead. Mr. Doty concluded that he would stick him, and forcing his way through the spice brush, got on the bear, and was feeling where to put the knife, when suddenly the bear revived, sprung up, threw Mr. Doty from him, and knocked the dogs over with his paws. The young man who had just come to the scene of action, attempting to retreat, fell down in the brush. The bear then wheeled around, sprung at Doty, and caught hold of each of his shoulders with the claws of his forefeet, and was drawing Doty toward him, his mouth wide open. Doty said that he saw his white teeth by the moonlight, which was shining brightly, but could not say that he was in the least terrified: “I thought that if it was a man, I could knock him down; I gave him a blow in the throat with all my strength, which prostrated him fat on his back; his claws tore my old coat when I knocked him over.” By this time the dogs had recovered themselves, and seized the bear, which made off. Doty caught up the ax and followed, through the brush and over logs, striking at the bear with the ax as an opportunity presented. In this manner he soon cut off one of the bear's hind legs, and then the other one. At last he got a stroke at the bear's back and killed him. When the bear was dead and the excitement over, says Doty: “I felt myself as weak as a feeble woman; I went and got my cart and oxen, and hauled the bear home. He was as good meat as I ever did eat. By this time I had raised a crop of corn, and had got a hand mill to grind it in, and we fared sumptuously every day while the bear meat lasted.”
There was an old she-bear in the neighborhood, which committed great ravages among the hogs. One day she caught one of the neighbor's hogs, which squealed so loud that the owner heard it and ran to the place, when the bear dropped her prey and made off. The old man stayed by the hog and sent his son for Mr. Doty, who started immediately with his dog and gun. When they got to where the bear had crossed the road, the dog took the track and followed it up until they came to where the old man and hog were. Doty spoke and told the dog to “catch him.” He started right off, and in two minutes had the bear treed. The boy took the gun and shot, but only wounded the bear. She came down the tree. While Doty was loading the gun, the bear and dogs were fighting through the brush. When Mr. Doty had finished loading, he ventured so close to the bear that when the gun was discharged, the powder blew aside the hair where the ball entered. Notwithstanding which, the bear made an attempt to escape. But the dogs hung to her until Doty took an ax and split her head open, which terminated the contest.
I will relate one more bear story, and we will have done with the subject. It was in the year 1800 that Mr. Doty and a man by the name of John Dean set out on a journey to the State of New Jersey. A great portion of the way was at that time a wilderness—their only road a trace or bridle path. When traveling along the trace, between the Scioto and Muskingum rivers, they discovered a bear in the path before them, going in the sanie direction. Mr. Doty observed to his companion: “I want to kill that bear.” They had no weapons with them, except a large pocket knife. Doty alighted, gave his horse to his companion, and cutting a large club, about six feet long, pursued the bear along the path. The bear soon turned out of the path near a large log. Doty jumped upon the log and ran along it until he got even with the bear. When the bear raised his head to see what was coming, Doty met it with the butt end of his club, which brought the bear to his knees, and when he recovered and again raised his head, Doty met him with another stroke of his club, which brought him to the ground. Doty then jumped off the log, and repeated his blows until the bear was dead. When the bear found he was overpowered, he snapped his teeth together with a noise that could have been heard at least one hundred yards. This took place more than twenty miles from any house. He was a large, old he-bear. They left him lying beside the log where he fell, and proceeded on their journey.
Mr. Doty was the first collector of taxes in the part of the country where he settled. His district was twelve miles wide, from north to south, comprising two ranges of townships, extending from the Great Miami to the Little Miami rivers, comprehending the sites where the towns of Franklin and Waynesville have been laid out, and the intermediate country and settlements. The whole amount of the duplicate committed to him for collection was two hundred and forty-four dollars, of which he collected every dollar, and paid it over to Jacob Burnet at Cincinnati, who was then treasurer for the county of Hamilton. Mr. Doty's own tax, for some years previous to his death, was upward of one hundred and thirty-four dollars—more than half the amount which he then collected from the whole district of which he had been collector. In the discharge of the duties of his office as collector, he must have ridden more than one thousand miles. For these services, including his time and expenses, he received one per cent. on the amount of the duplicate-two dollars forty-four cents, and no more. This appears to have satisfied Mr. Doty with public office, as he never afterward, during his whole life, was a candidate for any office.
Mr. Doty lived to witness the Miami country rise from a wilderness covered with dense forests, inhabited by wild beasts of prey, and Indians still more wild and savage than the beasts, to its present high state of cultivation and improvement. In the place of the Indian trail and bridle-path, blazed through the woods, he lived to see the country improved by turnpike roads, canals, and railroads; and the Indian wigwam and rude cabin give place to elegant brick buildings and comfortable farm-houses. From a poor adventurer in a strange land, he became a man of wealth and influence in society.
On the 2d day of May, 1848, he was attacked with a bilious congestive fever, which, increasing in volence, baffled all medical skill. And on Monday, the 8th, he breathed his last, at the age of eighty-three years. On the following Tuesday, his remains were interred in the burying ground, east of Middletown, followed to the grave by a large number of relatives and friends, and a vast concourse of citizens.
Daniel Doty and his wife, Betsy, lived together on their farm, near Middletown, more than fifty-two years. At the time of his death, she was seventy-seven years of age. She is still living. They raised a family of ten children, brought up in the habits of industry, who all grew up to maturity, married, and lived respectably in the world.
Daniel Doty was the third son of John Doty, who was a son of Joseph Doty, * and married, first, Elizabeth Potter, eldest child of Amos Potter, son of Daniel Potter. She died, leaving no living children. Daniel Doty then married, for his second wife, Elizabeth Crane, daughter of Joseph Crane, and had children:
I. Joel, born in New Jersey, February 9, 1795, drowned in the Great Miami river, when eleven years old.
II. Noah, born May 6, 1796, in Ohio, and died in his seventh year.
III. John, born December 15, 1797, and married Peggy Jewell, daughter of John Jewell, near Middletown.
IV. Daniel C., born August 9, 1799, married, first, Mary Burdge, daughter of Anthony Burdge, and had children. She died, and he married, for his second wife, Catherine Crane, daughter of Joseph Crane.
V. Elizabeth, born January 16, 1801, married Ambrose Doty, son of George Doty, and had children.
VI. Huldah, born January 8, 1803, married John Williamson, and had children.
VII. Orpha, born June 8, 1804, married Thomas Van Tuyle, and had children.
VIII. Serepta, born February 16, 1806, married, first, James Jewell, brother of John Doty's wife. He died, and she married Aretus Crane, son of Joseph Crane, and had children.
IX. Joseph, born January 7, 1808, married Mary Vail, daughter of Samuel Vail, brother of Stephen Vail, the first proprietor of Middletown, and had children.
X. James Mier, born October 8, 1809, married Susan Anderson, and had children.
XI. Jerusha, born January 9, 1814, married Simeon Taylor, and had one son, named George.
XII. Elias, born June 23, 1815, married Pamelia Bogart, and had one son, named Noah. He went to Iowa, and died at about twenty-two years of age.
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From the book: Doty-Doten Family in America by Ethan Allen Doty, Daniel Doty is person #3429, page 321, Vol. 1.
His entry:
3429. DANIEL DOTY, son of John Doty and Sarah Clark, born New Providence, N.J., March 23, 1765; married, 1st, there probably about 1788, Elizabeth Potter, born there 1766, baptized there January 25, 1867, daughter of Amos Potter. She died in New Providence, probably about 1793. He married 2nd in New Providence May 1, 1794, Elizabeth Crane born there December 26, 1771, daughter of Joseph Crane and Ruth Miller. He died Middletown Ohio on May 8, 1848, she died there later.
Children, by 2nd wife:
3737. i. Joel, b New Providence, N.J. Feb 9, 1795; drowned in Great Miami River, Ohio
3738. ii. Noah, born Middletown Ohio, May 6, 1796, died there 1802-3
3739. iii. John, born Middletown Ohio, Dec 15, 1797
3740. iv. Daniel C., born Middletown Ohio, Aug 9, 1799
3741. v. Betsey, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 16, 1801; married there Nov 28, 1819, to her cousin, Ambrose Doty, (#3724)
3742. vi. Huldah, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 8, 1803
3743. vii. Orpha,born Middletown Ohio, June 8, 1804
3744. viii, Sarrepta, born Middletown Ohio, Feb 16, 1806
3745, ix, Joseph, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 7, 1808
3746, x, James Miller, born Middletown Ohio, Oct 8, 1809
3747, xi, Jerusha, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 9, 1814
3748, xii, Elias, born Middletown Ohio, June 23, 1815
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Pioneer Biographies, sketches of the lives of some of the Early Settlers of Butler County, Ohio,
McBride, Cincinnati, 1871:
DANIEL DOTY was born in Essex county, New Jersey, on the 23d of March, in the year 1765. His parents were respectable, honest people, who gave their children such an education as could be acquired at the common country schools of that day. They taught them their duty to their Creator and to their fellow beings, and brought them up in the habits of honest industry, on which, with their own exertions, they had to depend to make their way through life.
When Daniel Doty had arrived at manhood, the fame of the fertility and beauty of the fine country, then opening in the Far West, attracted him, and he formed the resolution of exploring the country and judging for himself. Accordingly, on the roth of September, 1790, he left his home and proceeded to Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh), whence he descended the Ohio river in a flat-boat to the then infant settlement of Columbia, at the mouth of the Little Miami, where he arrived on the 23d of October. Here he concluded to remain.
There were then two hewed log-houses standing near the bank of the river, where Mr. Doty landed. One of them was occupied by Major Benjamin Stites, and the other by John S. Gano. Almost his first experience was his enlistment as a member of the militia company of the place, of which Gano was captain, and Ephraim Kirby was lieutenant. Every able-bodied man in the settlement had to be enrolled. The company consisted of about seventy good and true-hearted men, who were ready at all times to obey the call to arms in defense of the settlement.
At that time General Harmar was commander of the military forces of the country, and John Cleves Symmes, the proprietor of the Miami country, was the chief magistrate, and at the head of the civil department.
General Harmar was then out on his expedition against the Indians. He returned to Fort Washington about ten days after Mr. Doty landed at Columbia. A number of his men were wounded, among whom were George Adams and Thomas Bailey. It was said that Adams had killed five Indians while out on the expedition, and had himself received four ball wounds. One ball entered his thigh; one broke his arm; another passed under his arm, grazed his body, and lodged under his other arm; and the fourth went through part of his breast, and lodged under his shoulder-blade. But he lived through all, and soon recovered. He was in St. Clair's defeat, and lived many years afterward.
During the years 1791–92, the country was almost continually in a state of alarm, on account of the depredations committed by the Indians. Three men were killed and scalped by them near Covalt's station, on the Little Miami river, about ten miles from Columbia. Their names were Covalt, Hinkle, and Abel Cook. So soon as the news reached Columbia, a party, of which Daniel Doty was one, went to the relief of the station and to bury the murdered men.
This was his first sight of a scalped corpse. He said that “when a person is killed and scalped by the Indians, the eyebrows fall down over the eyeballs, and gives them a fearful look.” Mr. Doty turned out with the company which went to the relief of Dunlap's station, in January, 1791, accounts of which are given in Vol. I.
In the spring of 1791, the drooping spirits of the settlers were greatly revived by the intelligence that . General St. Clair was coming to the West, with an army of 1,400 men, which, it was fondly anticipated, would at once put an end to the Indian war.
General St. Clair and his army arrived at Fort Washington, encamped on Mill creek, then moved and built Fort Hamilton; proceeded further out, and built Fort Jefferson, from whence they marched to where Fort Recovery was afterward built. And there, on a wintry morning of the 4th of November, 1791, were defeated by the Indians, with a loss of half the army. Thus ended the hopes which the settlers had formed of the expedition.
The news of St. Clair's defeat struck a deep panic into the minds of the settlers. Some of them left the settlement and fled to Kentucky; but most of them remained, stood their ground, determined that if the Indians did come upon them, to sell their lives as dearly as they could.
The inhabitants, by mutual consent, were all under military laws, according to the regulations which they had adopted for their defense and safety. Every man had to furnish himself with a good gun, one pound of powder, sixty bullets or one pound of lead, and six flints. They were required to keep their arms and equipments in good order, and to meet on parade twice every week to drill and go through the manual exercise.
To hear a gun fired after sundown was a regular alarm, on the occurrence of which every man was required instantly to repair to the place of rendezvous.
The first Presbyterian preacher who came and settled in the Miami country, was the Rev. James Kemper. He had lived near Danville, in the State of Kentucky. When he was called to the settlement, Daniel
Doty and a man by the name of French were chosen by the people to go and bring him and his family. His family consisted of himself, his wife, and eight or nine children. In June, 1791, Daniel Doty and his companion set out on this mission. They crossed the Ohio at Fort Washington, and proceeded on their way with their rifles primed, ready for whatever might betide them. Their road was only a trace, a bridle-path, for sixty miles or more, along the Dry ridge. There had been two men killed on this trace the week previous. They encamped in the woods the first night. The next night they reached Georgetown, where, Mr. Doty said, the people were fiddling and dancing in almost every cabin, and acting as though they neither feared God nor regarded Indians.
The next day they went on to Lexington, where they procured horses from the contractor for the army, at that place, to remove Mr. Kemper and his family to the Miami country. They then went to the residence of Mr. Kemper, and, having arranged matters for their journey, set out on their return. They took the route to Limestone (now Maysville), on the Ohio river, where they procured a flat-boat, and getting all the family and horses on board, they descended the river to Fort Washington, where they delivered over the horses to the contractor at that place, and returned to Columbia.
During all this time, for several years, the Indians were very troublesome, causing frequent alarms. Every man capable of bearing arms was obliged when he attended church, to go armed and equipped, ready at a moment's warning to repel an attack of the savages, who were constantly prowling about, watching an opportunity to destroy the infant settlement. The order then was for every man to meet on parade, on Sunday morning, armed and equipped, and, after going through the manual exercise, march to the place of worship, stack their guns in one corner of the cabin until divine service was concluded, and then take them and return to their homes. There was a law of the Territory, then in force, which required every man when he went to church, to carry his gun and ammunition with him, to protect himself and family from an attack of the ruthless savages.
On one occasion, when the congregation had assembled for worship, information arrived that Indians were in the neighborhood, and that one of them had been killed, whose bloody scalp was exhibited to the congregation. Colonel Spencer, who commanded the militia, advised that the congregation disperse, which they accordingly did, and the people returned to their homes to prepare for defense.
On the 24th day of April, in the year 1792, Mr. Doty left Columbia in a flat-boat, and descended the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, from whence he went by sea to New York, and returned to his native home in New Jersey. He remained there until the fall of the year 1795, when he returned to the Miami country. Wayne's treaty with the Indians had previously been concluded at Greenville, and peace restored to the country.
In the spring of the year 1796, Mr. Doty, with his wise, Betsy, and their children, removed to near where Middletown now is, where he commenced an improvement on a tract of land which he had previously purchased. Here he spent the remaining portion of his life, and died near where he had built his first log cabin.
Mr. Doty commenced his improvement in the dense forest. He built his first cabin on the bank of the Great Miami river, about one mile below where the town of Middletown is now situated. No track of a wagon had then marked the ground to that place. When his cabin was raised and inclosed, he had no table, no chair, or bedstead, or cradle; nor any boards to make them of. But as abundance of timber was convenient, he cut down a large tree, out of which he split puncheons and clapboards. With the puncheons he laid the floor of his cabin, and the door was made of the clapboards, fastened with wooden pins, and hung on wooden hinges, having a wooden latch with a leather string hanging through. A table was made of a slab split from the tree, which was supported by four round legs, made from hickory saplings with the bark on, set in auger holes in the slab. Several three-legged stools were made in the same manner as a substitute for chairs.
And for a bedstead; this was made by procuring a sapling with a fork or limb at a proper hight for the bottom of the bed, the lower end of which was placed in a hole in the puncheon floor, and the upper end fastened to a joist above. In the fork or limb was placed a round pole with the bark on, the other end passing through a crack between two logs of the wall. This front pole was crossed by a shorter one also laid within the fork, with its other end passing through a crack in the other wall. From the front pole were laid stiff clapboards, projecting through an opening between two logs of the wall, which supported one end of the clapboard, the pole supported the other end. This formed the bottom of the bed, on which a bearskin and blanket were laid for repose. And Mr. Doty, intending to have things as comfortable as circumstances would admit, had other poles pinned to the upright one, a few inches above the others. These answered the purpose of supporting the front and foot of the bed, while the walls were the supports of the head and back.
A few wooden pins, stuck in the logs of the cabin on one side of the fire-place, supported some clapboards, which served as shelves for the table furniture, which consisted of a few pewter dishes and spoons, wooden bowls, trenchers, and noggins. These latter were small vessels shaped like a pail, made from wooden staves, secured with wooden hoops, and held about a quart. When these were scarce, gourds and hard-shelled squashes made up the deficiency.
A few wooden pegs around other parts of the wall, on which to hang the petticoats of the mistress and children, and the hunting shirts of the master of the mansion, and two buck horns fastened to a joist for the rifle, completed the carpenter work of the building. And for the accommodation of the babies, Mr. Doty cut down a hollow sycamore tree, out of which he constructed a cradle in which to rock them to sleep.
There were but very few settlers in the neighborhood at the time when Mr. Doty commenced his improvement. There was a block-house inclosed by pickets, and a few cabins on the south side of the prairie, near Dick's creek, a little west of where the cross-roads now are. His neighbors were Mr. Brady, Mr. Carson, John Reed, and Joseph Henry. No crops had been raised to supply those coming to the country, consequently Mr. Doty had to go to Cincinnati for a portion of the provisions to support his family for the first year. He had there to pay one dollar per bushel for corn meal, and then pack it home on horseback, where it was baked into johnny cakes on a clapboard before the fire. This was their only bread. As for meat, wild game was plenty, and Mr. Doty took great delight in hunting. He killed a great number of deer, wild turkeys, wild cats, raccoons, and several bears.
The good staid people of Middletown would, perhaps, now feel somewhat surprised to be told of the rencounters which Mr. Doty has had, in his time, with bears and wild cats in the vicinity of their now populous and thriving town. A few of them we will call to their recollection, as they were related by Mr. Doty himself.
In the latter part of the summer of the year 1796, some time after Mr. Doty had settled upon his land below Middletown, one Sunday morning he started to go to meeting, not then having his gun with him. When he had gone a short distance he heard his dog barking across a cornfield. He knew the dog's bark. (It was a little dog that had come from the Indians, and was an excellent dog for raccoons.) Mr. Doty crossed the field and found that the dog was barking at a wild cat, which was standing upon the fence, looking down at it. On Doty speaking to encourage the dog, the wild cat looked round and jumped off the fence toward him, and, on his advancing toward the cat, it ran off followed by the dog. The corn being thick and high, he lost sight of both of them, but soon saw the wild cat coming toward him closely followed by the dog. When the cat turned round to seize the dog, Mr. Doty kicked the cat over, and caught it by the hind legs (having no weapons with him); he placed his left foot upon its breast, and pressed it with all his might upon the ground until it was dead. Mr. Doty said he had killed a number of wild cats, but thinks this one was one-third larger than any he had ever seen.
Mr. Doty had also a large dog that was very good for raccoons, wild cats, and bears. One Monday morning, an hour or two before daylight, he took his gun and started out with his dogs to hunt. He went through the woods in an easterly direction, south of where the town of Middletown now is. When he had gone about a mile, he heard his dogs bark, and, on coming up with them, found they had treed a bear. The bear was clinging to the body of the tree at no great distance from the ground. On Mr. Doty speaking with an encouraging voice to the dog, he sprung up the tree toward the bear, on which the bear snapped his teeth and ascended higher up the tree. Mr. Doty, whose rifle was loaded, took aim by moonlight, and fired at him. The bear blew out his breath, and commenced coming down the tree. By this time Mr. Doty had the assistance of a young neighbor, who came to him with an ax and another dog. As soon as the bear reached the ground, the dogs seized him. The bear must have been stunned by the shot, or, as Mr. Doty expressed it, “the bear fainted,” and lay still as if he were dead. Mr. Doty concluded that he would stick him, and forcing his way through the spice brush, got on the bear, and was feeling where to put the knife, when suddenly the bear revived, sprung up, threw Mr. Doty from him, and knocked the dogs over with his paws. The young man who had just come to the scene of action, attempting to retreat, fell down in the brush. The bear then wheeled around, sprung at Doty, and caught hold of each of his shoulders with the claws of his forefeet, and was drawing Doty toward him, his mouth wide open. Doty said that he saw his white teeth by the moonlight, which was shining brightly, but could not say that he was in the least terrified: “I thought that if it was a man, I could knock him down; I gave him a blow in the throat with all my strength, which prostrated him fat on his back; his claws tore my old coat when I knocked him over.” By this time the dogs had recovered themselves, and seized the bear, which made off. Doty caught up the ax and followed, through the brush and over logs, striking at the bear with the ax as an opportunity presented. In this manner he soon cut off one of the bear's hind legs, and then the other one. At last he got a stroke at the bear's back and killed him. When the bear was dead and the excitement over, says Doty: “I felt myself as weak as a feeble woman; I went and got my cart and oxen, and hauled the bear home. He was as good meat as I ever did eat. By this time I had raised a crop of corn, and had got a hand mill to grind it in, and we fared sumptuously every day while the bear meat lasted.”
There was an old she-bear in the neighborhood, which committed great ravages among the hogs. One day she caught one of the neighbor's hogs, which squealed so loud that the owner heard it and ran to the place, when the bear dropped her prey and made off. The old man stayed by the hog and sent his son for Mr. Doty, who started immediately with his dog and gun. When they got to where the bear had crossed the road, the dog took the track and followed it up until they came to where the old man and hog were. Doty spoke and told the dog to “catch him.” He started right off, and in two minutes had the bear treed. The boy took the gun and shot, but only wounded the bear. She came down the tree. While Doty was loading the gun, the bear and dogs were fighting through the brush. When Mr. Doty had finished loading, he ventured so close to the bear that when the gun was discharged, the powder blew aside the hair where the ball entered. Notwithstanding which, the bear made an attempt to escape. But the dogs hung to her until Doty took an ax and split her head open, which terminated the contest.
I will relate one more bear story, and we will have done with the subject. It was in the year 1800 that Mr. Doty and a man by the name of John Dean set out on a journey to the State of New Jersey. A great portion of the way was at that time a wilderness—their only road a trace or bridle path. When traveling along the trace, between the Scioto and Muskingum rivers, they discovered a bear in the path before them, going in the sanie direction. Mr. Doty observed to his companion: “I want to kill that bear.” They had no weapons with them, except a large pocket knife. Doty alighted, gave his horse to his companion, and cutting a large club, about six feet long, pursued the bear along the path. The bear soon turned out of the path near a large log. Doty jumped upon the log and ran along it until he got even with the bear. When the bear raised his head to see what was coming, Doty met it with the butt end of his club, which brought the bear to his knees, and when he recovered and again raised his head, Doty met him with another stroke of his club, which brought him to the ground. Doty then jumped off the log, and repeated his blows until the bear was dead. When the bear found he was overpowered, he snapped his teeth together with a noise that could have been heard at least one hundred yards. This took place more than twenty miles from any house. He was a large, old he-bear. They left him lying beside the log where he fell, and proceeded on their journey.
Mr. Doty was the first collector of taxes in the part of the country where he settled. His district was twelve miles wide, from north to south, comprising two ranges of townships, extending from the Great Miami to the Little Miami rivers, comprehending the sites where the towns of Franklin and Waynesville have been laid out, and the intermediate country and settlements. The whole amount of the duplicate committed to him for collection was two hundred and forty-four dollars, of which he collected every dollar, and paid it over to Jacob Burnet at Cincinnati, who was then treasurer for the county of Hamilton. Mr. Doty's own tax, for some years previous to his death, was upward of one hundred and thirty-four dollars—more than half the amount which he then collected from the whole district of which he had been collector. In the discharge of the duties of his office as collector, he must have ridden more than one thousand miles. For these services, including his time and expenses, he received one per cent. on the amount of the duplicate-two dollars forty-four cents, and no more. This appears to have satisfied Mr. Doty with public office, as he never afterward, during his whole life, was a candidate for any office.
Mr. Doty lived to witness the Miami country rise from a wilderness covered with dense forests, inhabited by wild beasts of prey, and Indians still more wild and savage than the beasts, to its present high state of cultivation and improvement. In the place of the Indian trail and bridle-path, blazed through the woods, he lived to see the country improved by turnpike roads, canals, and railroads; and the Indian wigwam and rude cabin give place to elegant brick buildings and comfortable farm-houses. From a poor adventurer in a strange land, he became a man of wealth and influence in society.
On the 2d day of May, 1848, he was attacked with a bilious congestive fever, which, increasing in volence, baffled all medical skill. And on Monday, the 8th, he breathed his last, at the age of eighty-three years. On the following Tuesday, his remains were interred in the burying ground, east of Middletown, followed to the grave by a large number of relatives and friends, and a vast concourse of citizens.
Daniel Doty and his wife, Betsy, lived together on their farm, near Middletown, more than fifty-two years. At the time of his death, she was seventy-seven years of age. She is still living. They raised a family of ten children, brought up in the habits of industry, who all grew up to maturity, married, and lived respectably in the world.
Daniel Doty was the third son of John Doty, who was a son of Joseph Doty, * and married, first, Elizabeth Potter, eldest child of Amos Potter, son of Daniel Potter. She died, leaving no living children. Daniel Doty then married, for his second wife, Elizabeth Crane, daughter of Joseph Crane, and had children:
I. Joel, born in New Jersey, February 9, 1795, drowned in the Great Miami river, when eleven years old.
II. Noah, born May 6, 1796, in Ohio, and died in his seventh year.
III. John, born December 15, 1797, and married Peggy Jewell, daughter of John Jewell, near Middletown.
IV. Daniel C., born August 9, 1799, married, first, Mary Burdge, daughter of Anthony Burdge, and had children. She died, and he married, for his second wife, Catherine Crane, daughter of Joseph Crane.
V. Elizabeth, born January 16, 1801, married Ambrose Doty, son of George Doty, and had children.
VI. Huldah, born January 8, 1803, married John Williamson, and had children.
VII. Orpha, born June 8, 1804, married Thomas Van Tuyle, and had children.
VIII. Serepta, born February 16, 1806, married, first, James Jewell, brother of John Doty's wife. He died, and she married Aretus Crane, son of Joseph Crane, and had children.
IX. Joseph, born January 7, 1808, married Mary Vail, daughter of Samuel Vail, brother of Stephen Vail, the first proprietor of Middletown, and had children.
X. James Mier, born October 8, 1809, married Susan Anderson, and had children.
XI. Jerusha, born January 9, 1814, married Simeon Taylor, and had one son, named George.
XII. Elias, born June 23, 1815, married Pamelia Bogart, and had one son, named Noah. He went to Iowa, and died at about twenty-two years of age.
Married Elizabeth Crane May 1,1794 in Elizabeth,Union County New Jersey,parents are Samuel and Keturah Doty
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From the book: Doty-Doten Family in America by Ethan Allen Doty, Daniel Doty is person #3429, page 321, Vol. 1.
His entry:
3429. DANIEL DOTY, son of John Doty and Sarah Clark, born New Providence, N.J., March 23, 1765; married, 1st, there probably about 1788, Elizabeth Potter, born there 1766, baptized there January 25, 1867, daughter of Amos Potter. She died in New Providence, probably about 1793. He married 2nd in New Providence May 1, 1794, Elizabeth Crane born there December 26, 1771, daughter of Joseph Crane and Ruth Miller. He died Middletown Ohio on May 8, 1848, she died there later.
Children, by 2nd wife:
3737. i. Joel, b New Providence, N.J. Feb 9, 1795; drowned in Great Miami River, Ohio
3738. ii. Noah, born Middletown Ohio, May 6, 1796, died there 1802-3
3739. iii. John, born Middletown Ohio, Dec 15, 1797
3740. iv. Daniel C., born Middletown Ohio, Aug 9, 1799
3741. v. Betsey, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 16, 1801; married there Nov 28, 1819, to her cousin, Ambrose Doty, (#3724)
3742. vi. Huldah, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 8, 1803
3743. vii. Orpha,born Middletown Ohio, June 8, 1804
3744. viii, Sarrepta, born Middletown Ohio, Feb 16, 1806
3745, ix, Joseph, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 7, 1808
3746, x, James Miller, born Middletown Ohio, Oct 8, 1809
3747, xi, Jerusha, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 9, 1814
3748, xii, Elias, born Middletown Ohio, June 23, 1815
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Pioneer Biographies, sketches of the lives of some of the Early Settlers of Butler County, Ohio,
McBride, Cincinnati, 1871:
DANIEL DOTY was born in Essex county, New Jersey, on the 23d of March, in the year 1765. His parents were respectable, honest people, who gave their children such an education as could be acquired at the common country schools of that day. They taught them their duty to their Creator and to their fellow beings, and brought them up in the habits of honest industry, on which, with their own exertions, they had to depend to make their way through life.
When Daniel Doty had arrived at manhood, the fame of the fertility and beauty of the fine country, then opening in the Far West, attracted him, and he formed the resolution of exploring the country and judging for himself. Accordingly, on the roth of September, 1790, he left his home and proceeded to Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh), whence he descended the Ohio river in a flat-boat to the then infant settlement of Columbia, at the mouth of the Little Miami, where he arrived on the 23d of October. Here he concluded to remain.
There were then two hewed log-houses standing near the bank of the river, where Mr. Doty landed. One of them was occupied by Major Benjamin Stites, and the other by John S. Gano. Almost his first experience was his enlistment as a member of the militia company of the place, of which Gano was captain, and Ephraim Kirby was lieutenant. Every able-bodied man in the settlement had to be enrolled. The company consisted of about seventy good and true-hearted men, who were ready at all times to obey the call to arms in defense of the settlement.
At that time General Harmar was commander of the military forces of the country, and John Cleves Symmes, the proprietor of the Miami country, was the chief magistrate, and at the head of the civil department.
General Harmar was then out on his expedition against the Indians. He returned to Fort Washington about ten days after Mr. Doty landed at Columbia. A number of his men were wounded, among whom were George Adams and Thomas Bailey. It was said that Adams had killed five Indians while out on the expedition, and had himself received four ball wounds. One ball entered his thigh; one broke his arm; another passed under his arm, grazed his body, and lodged under his other arm; and the fourth went through part of his breast, and lodged under his shoulder-blade. But he lived through all, and soon recovered. He was in St. Clair's defeat, and lived many years afterward.
During the years 1791–92, the country was almost continually in a state of alarm, on account of the depredations committed by the Indians. Three men were killed and scalped by them near Covalt's station, on the Little Miami river, about ten miles from Columbia. Their names were Covalt, Hinkle, and Abel Cook. So soon as the news reached Columbia, a party, of which Daniel Doty was one, went to the relief of the station and to bury the murdered men.
This was his first sight of a scalped corpse. He said that “when a person is killed and scalped by the Indians, the eyebrows fall down over the eyeballs, and gives them a fearful look.” Mr. Doty turned out with the company which went to the relief of Dunlap's station, in January, 1791, accounts of which are given in Vol. I.
In the spring of 1791, the drooping spirits of the settlers were greatly revived by the intelligence that . General St. Clair was coming to the West, with an army of 1,400 men, which, it was fondly anticipated, would at once put an end to the Indian war.
General St. Clair and his army arrived at Fort Washington, encamped on Mill creek, then moved and built Fort Hamilton; proceeded further out, and built Fort Jefferson, from whence they marched to where Fort Recovery was afterward built. And there, on a wintry morning of the 4th of November, 1791, were defeated by the Indians, with a loss of half the army. Thus ended the hopes which the settlers had formed of the expedition.
The news of St. Clair's defeat struck a deep panic into the minds of the settlers. Some of them left the settlement and fled to Kentucky; but most of them remained, stood their ground, determined that if the Indians did come upon them, to sell their lives as dearly as they could.
The inhabitants, by mutual consent, were all under military laws, according to the regulations which they had adopted for their defense and safety. Every man had to furnish himself with a good gun, one pound of powder, sixty bullets or one pound of lead, and six flints. They were required to keep their arms and equipments in good order, and to meet on parade twice every week to drill and go through the manual exercise.
To hear a gun fired after sundown was a regular alarm, on the occurrence of which every man was required instantly to repair to the place of rendezvous.
The first Presbyterian preacher who came and settled in the Miami country, was the Rev. James Kemper. He had lived near Danville, in the State of Kentucky. When he was called to the settlement, Daniel
Doty and a man by the name of French were chosen by the people to go and bring him and his family. His family consisted of himself, his wife, and eight or nine children. In June, 1791, Daniel Doty and his companion set out on this mission. They crossed the Ohio at Fort Washington, and proceeded on their way with their rifles primed, ready for whatever might betide them. Their road was only a trace, a bridle-path, for sixty miles or more, along the Dry ridge. There had been two men killed on this trace the week previous. They encamped in the woods the first night. The next night they reached Georgetown, where, Mr. Doty said, the people were fiddling and dancing in almost every cabin, and acting as though they neither feared God nor regarded Indians.
The next day they went on to Lexington, where they procured horses from the contractor for the army, at that place, to remove Mr. Kemper and his family to the Miami country. They then went to the residence of Mr. Kemper, and, having arranged matters for their journey, set out on their return. They took the route to Limestone (now Maysville), on the Ohio river, where they procured a flat-boat, and getting all the family and horses on board, they descended the river to Fort Washington, where they delivered over the horses to the contractor at that place, and returned to Columbia.
During all this time, for several years, the Indians were very troublesome, causing frequent alarms. Every man capable of bearing arms was obliged when he attended church, to go armed and equipped, ready at a moment's warning to repel an attack of the savages, who were constantly prowling about, watching an opportunity to destroy the infant settlement. The order then was for every man to meet on parade, on Sunday morning, armed and equipped, and, after going through the manual exercise, march to the place of worship, stack their guns in one corner of the cabin until divine service was concluded, and then take them and return to their homes. There was a law of the Territory, then in force, which required every man when he went to church, to carry his gun and ammunition with him, to protect himself and family from an attack of the ruthless savages.
On one occasion, when the congregation had assembled for worship, information arrived that Indians were in the neighborhood, and that one of them had been killed, whose bloody scalp was exhibited to the congregation. Colonel Spencer, who commanded the militia, advised that the congregation disperse, which they accordingly did, and the people returned to their homes to prepare for defense.
On the 24th day of April, in the year 1792, Mr. Doty left Columbia in a flat-boat, and descended the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, from whence he went by sea to New York, and returned to his native home in New Jersey. He remained there until the fall of the year 1795, when he returned to the Miami country. Wayne's treaty with the Indians had previously been concluded at Greenville, and peace restored to the country.
In the spring of the year 1796, Mr. Doty, with his wise, Betsy, and their children, removed to near where Middletown now is, where he commenced an improvement on a tract of land which he had previously purchased. Here he spent the remaining portion of his life, and died near where he had built his first log cabin.
Mr. Doty commenced his improvement in the dense forest. He built his first cabin on the bank of the Great Miami river, about one mile below where the town of Middletown is now situated. No track of a wagon had then marked the ground to that place. When his cabin was raised and inclosed, he had no table, no chair, or bedstead, or cradle; nor any boards to make them of. But as abundance of timber was convenient, he cut down a large tree, out of which he split puncheons and clapboards. With the puncheons he laid the floor of his cabin, and the door was made of the clapboards, fastened with wooden pins, and hung on wooden hinges, having a wooden latch with a leather string hanging through. A table was made of a slab split from the tree, which was supported by four round legs, made from hickory saplings with the bark on, set in auger holes in the slab. Several three-legged stools were made in the same manner as a substitute for chairs.
And for a bedstead; this was made by procuring a sapling with a fork or limb at a proper hight for the bottom of the bed, the lower end of which was placed in a hole in the puncheon floor, and the upper end fastened to a joist above. In the fork or limb was placed a round pole with the bark on, the other end passing through a crack between two logs of the wall. This front pole was crossed by a shorter one also laid within the fork, with its other end passing through a crack in the other wall. From the front pole were laid stiff clapboards, projecting through an opening between two logs of the wall, which supported one end of the clapboard, the pole supported the other end. This formed the bottom of the bed, on which a bearskin and blanket were laid for repose. And Mr. Doty, intending to have things as comfortable as circumstances would admit, had other poles pinned to the upright one, a few inches above the others. These answered the purpose of supporting the front and foot of the bed, while the walls were the supports of the head and back.
A few wooden pins, stuck in the logs of the cabin on one side of the fire-place, supported some clapboards, which served as shelves for the table furniture, which consisted of a few pewter dishes and spoons, wooden bowls, trenchers, and noggins. These latter were small vessels shaped like a pail, made from wooden staves, secured with wooden hoops, and held about a quart. When these were scarce, gourds and hard-shelled squashes made up the deficiency.
A few wooden pegs around other parts of the wall, on which to hang the petticoats of the mistress and children, and the hunting shirts of the master of the mansion, and two buck horns fastened to a joist for the rifle, completed the carpenter work of the building. And for the accommodation of the babies, Mr. Doty cut down a hollow sycamore tree, out of which he constructed a cradle in which to rock them to sleep.
There were but very few settlers in the neighborhood at the time when Mr. Doty commenced his improvement. There was a block-house inclosed by pickets, and a few cabins on the south side of the prairie, near Dick's creek, a little west of where the cross-roads now are. His neighbors were Mr. Brady, Mr. Carson, John Reed, and Joseph Henry. No crops had been raised to supply those coming to the country, consequently Mr. Doty had to go to Cincinnati for a portion of the provisions to support his family for the first year. He had there to pay one dollar per bushel for corn meal, and then pack it home on horseback, where it was baked into johnny cakes on a clapboard before the fire. This was their only bread. As for meat, wild game was plenty, and Mr. Doty took great delight in hunting. He killed a great number of deer, wild turkeys, wild cats, raccoons, and several bears.
The good staid people of Middletown would, perhaps, now feel somewhat surprised to be told of the rencounters which Mr. Doty has had, in his time, with bears and wild cats in the vicinity of their now populous and thriving town. A few of them we will call to their recollection, as they were related by Mr. Doty himself.
In the latter part of the summer of the year 1796, some time after Mr. Doty had settled upon his land below Middletown, one Sunday morning he started to go to meeting, not then having his gun with him. When he had gone a short distance he heard his dog barking across a cornfield. He knew the dog's bark. (It was a little dog that had come from the Indians, and was an excellent dog for raccoons.) Mr. Doty crossed the field and found that the dog was barking at a wild cat, which was standing upon the fence, looking down at it. On Doty speaking to encourage the dog, the wild cat looked round and jumped off the fence toward him, and, on his advancing toward the cat, it ran off followed by the dog. The corn being thick and high, he lost sight of both of them, but soon saw the wild cat coming toward him closely followed by the dog. When the cat turned round to seize the dog, Mr. Doty kicked the cat over, and caught it by the hind legs (having no weapons with him); he placed his left foot upon its breast, and pressed it with all his might upon the ground until it was dead. Mr. Doty said he had killed a number of wild cats, but thinks this one was one-third larger than any he had ever seen.
Mr. Doty had also a large dog that was very good for raccoons, wild cats, and bears. One Monday morning, an hour or two before daylight, he took his gun and started out with his dogs to hunt. He went through the woods in an easterly direction, south of where the town of Middletown now is. When he had gone about a mile, he heard his dogs bark, and, on coming up with them, found they had treed a bear. The bear was clinging to the body of the tree at no great distance from the ground. On Mr. Doty speaking with an encouraging voice to the dog, he sprung up the tree toward the bear, on which the bear snapped his teeth and ascended higher up the tree. Mr. Doty, whose rifle was loaded, took aim by moonlight, and fired at him. The bear blew out his breath, and commenced coming down the tree. By this time Mr. Doty had the assistance of a young neighbor, who came to him with an ax and another dog. As soon as the bear reached the ground, the dogs seized him. The bear must have been stunned by the shot, or, as Mr. Doty expressed it, “the bear fainted,” and lay still as if he were dead. Mr. Doty concluded that he would stick him, and forcing his way through the spice brush, got on the bear, and was feeling where to put the knife, when suddenly the bear revived, sprung up, threw Mr. Doty from him, and knocked the dogs over with his paws. The young man who had just come to the scene of action, attempting to retreat, fell down in the brush. The bear then wheeled around, sprung at Doty, and caught hold of each of his shoulders with the claws of his forefeet, and was drawing Doty toward him, his mouth wide open. Doty said that he saw his white teeth by the moonlight, which was shining brightly, but could not say that he was in the least terrified: “I thought that if it was a man, I could knock him down; I gave him a blow in the throat with all my strength, which prostrated him fat on his back; his claws tore my old coat when I knocked him over.” By this time the dogs had recovered themselves, and seized the bear, which made off. Doty caught up the ax and followed, through the brush and over logs, striking at the bear with the ax as an opportunity presented. In this manner he soon cut off one of the bear's hind legs, and then the other one. At last he got a stroke at the bear's back and killed him. When the bear was dead and the excitement over, says Doty: “I felt myself as weak as a feeble woman; I went and got my cart and oxen, and hauled the bear home. He was as good meat as I ever did eat. By this time I had raised a crop of corn, and had got a hand mill to grind it in, and we fared sumptuously every day while the bear meat lasted.”
There was an old she-bear in the neighborhood, which committed great ravages among the hogs. One day she caught one of the neighbor's hogs, which squealed so loud that the owner heard it and ran to the place, when the bear dropped her prey and made off. The old man stayed by the hog and sent his son for Mr. Doty, who started immediately with his dog and gun. When they got to where the bear had crossed the road, the dog took the track and followed it up until they came to where the old man and hog were. Doty spoke and told the dog to “catch him.” He started right off, and in two minutes had the bear treed. The boy took the gun and shot, but only wounded the bear. She came down the tree. While Doty was loading the gun, the bear and dogs were fighting through the brush. When Mr. Doty had finished loading, he ventured so close to the bear that when the gun was discharged, the powder blew aside the hair where the ball entered. Notwithstanding which, the bear made an attempt to escape. But the dogs hung to her until Doty took an ax and split her head open, which terminated the contest.
I will relate one more bear story, and we will have done with the subject. It was in the year 1800 that Mr. Doty and a man by the name of John Dean set out on a journey to the State of New Jersey. A great portion of the way was at that time a wilderness—their only road a trace or bridle path. When traveling along the trace, between the Scioto and Muskingum rivers, they discovered a bear in the path before them, going in the sanie direction. Mr. Doty observed to his companion: “I want to kill that bear.” They had no weapons with them, except a large pocket knife. Doty alighted, gave his horse to his companion, and cutting a large club, about six feet long, pursued the bear along the path. The bear soon turned out of the path near a large log. Doty jumped upon the log and ran along it until he got even with the bear. When the bear raised his head to see what was coming, Doty met it with the butt end of his club, which brought the bear to his knees, and when he recovered and again raised his head, Doty met him with another stroke of his club, which brought him to the ground. Doty then jumped off the log, and repeated his blows until the bear was dead. When the bear found he was overpowered, he snapped his teeth together with a noise that could have been heard at least one hundred yards. This took place more than twenty miles from any house. He was a large, old he-bear. They left him lying beside the log where he fell, and proceeded on their journey.
Mr. Doty was the first collector of taxes in the part of the country where he settled. His district was twelve miles wide, from north to south, comprising two ranges of townships, extending from the Great Miami to the Little Miami rivers, comprehending the sites where the towns of Franklin and Waynesville have been laid out, and the intermediate country and settlements. The whole amount of the duplicate committed to him for collection was two hundred and forty-four dollars, of which he collected every dollar, and paid it over to Jacob Burnet at Cincinnati, who was then treasurer for the county of Hamilton. Mr. Doty's own tax, for some years previous to his death, was upward of one hundred and thirty-four dollars—more than half the amount which he then collected from the whole district of which he had been collector. In the discharge of the duties of his office as collector, he must have ridden more than one thousand miles. For these services, including his time and expenses, he received one per cent. on the amount of the duplicate-two dollars forty-four cents, and no more. This appears to have satisfied Mr. Doty with public office, as he never afterward, during his whole life, was a candidate for any office.
Mr. Doty lived to witness the Miami country rise from a wilderness covered with dense forests, inhabited by wild beasts of prey, and Indians still more wild and savage than the beasts, to its present high state of cultivation and improvement. In the place of the Indian trail and bridle-path, blazed through the woods, he lived to see the country improved by turnpike roads, canals, and railroads; and the Indian wigwam and rude cabin give place to elegant brick buildings and comfortable farm-houses. From a poor adventurer in a strange land, he became a man of wealth and influence in society.
On the 2d day of May, 1848, he was attacked with a bilious congestive fever, which, increasing in volence, baffled all medical skill. And on Monday, the 8th, he breathed his last, at the age of eighty-three years. On the following Tuesday, his remains were interred in the burying ground, east of Middletown, followed to the grave by a large number of relatives and friends, and a vast concourse of citizens.
Daniel Doty and his wife, Betsy, lived together on their farm, near Middletown, more than fifty-two years. At the time of his death, she was seventy-seven years of age. She is still living. They raised a family of ten children, brought up in the habits of industry, who all grew up to maturity, married, and lived respectably in the world.
Daniel Doty was the third son of John Doty, who was a son of Joseph Doty, * and married, first, Elizabeth Potter, eldest child of Amos Potter, son of Daniel Potter. She died, leaving no living children. Daniel Doty then married, for his second wife, Elizabeth Crane, daughter of Joseph Crane, and had children:
I. Joel, born in New Jersey, February 9, 1795, drowned in the Great Miami river, when eleven years old.
II. Noah, born May 6, 1796, in Ohio, and died in his seventh year.
III. John, born December 15, 1797, and married Peggy Jewell, daughter of John Jewell, near Middletown.
IV. Daniel C., born August 9, 1799, married, first, Mary Burdge, daughter of Anthony Burdge, and had children. She died, and he married, for his second wife, Catherine Crane, daughter of Joseph Crane.
V. Elizabeth, born January 16, 1801, married Ambrose Doty, son of George Doty, and had children.
VI. Huldah, born January 8, 1803, married John Williamson, and had children.
VII. Orpha, born June 8, 1804, married Thomas Van Tuyle, and had children.
VIII. Serepta, born February 16, 1806, married, first, James Jewell, brother of John Doty's wife. He died, and she married Aretus Crane, son of Joseph Crane, and had children.
IX. Joseph, born January 7, 1808, married Mary Vail, daughter of Samuel Vail, brother of Stephen Vail, the first proprietor of Middletown, and had children.
X. James Mier, born October 8, 1809, married Susan Anderson, and had children.
XI. Jerusha, born January 9, 1814, married Simeon Taylor, and had one son, named George.
XII. Elias, born June 23, 1815, married Pamelia Bogart, and had one son, named Noah. He went to Iowa, and died at about twenty-two years of age.
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From the book: Doty-Doten Family in America by Ethan Allen Doty, Daniel Doty is person #3429, page 321, Vol. 1.
His entry:
3429. DANIEL DOTY, son of John Doty and Sarah Clark, born New Providence, N.J., March 23, 1765; married, 1st, there probably about 1788, Elizabeth Potter, born there 1766, baptized there January 25, 1867, daughter of Amos Potter. She died in New Providence, probably about 1793. He married 2nd in New Providence May 1, 1794, Elizabeth Crane born there December 26, 1771, daughter of Joseph Crane and Ruth Miller. He died Middletown Ohio on May 8, 1848, she died there later.
Children, by 2nd wife:
3737. i. Joel, b New Providence, N.J. Feb 9, 1795; drowned in Great Miami River, Ohio
3738. ii. Noah, born Middletown Ohio, May 6, 1796, died there 1802-3
3739. iii. John, born Middletown Ohio, Dec 15, 1797
3740. iv. Daniel C., born Middletown Ohio, Aug 9, 1799
3741. v. Betsey, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 16, 1801; married there Nov 28, 1819, to her cousin, Ambrose Doty, (#3724)
3742. vi. Huldah, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 8, 1803
3743. vii. Orpha,born Middletown Ohio, June 8, 1804
3744. viii, Sarrepta, born Middletown Ohio, Feb 16, 1806
3745, ix, Joseph, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 7, 1808
3746, x, James Miller, born Middletown Ohio, Oct 8, 1809
3747, xi, Jerusha, born Middletown Ohio, Jan 9, 1814
3748, xii, Elias, born Middletown Ohio, June 23, 1815
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Pioneer Biographies, sketches of the lives of some of the Early Settlers of Butler County, Ohio,
McBride, Cincinnati, 1871:
DANIEL DOTY was born in Essex county, New Jersey, on the 23d of March, in the year 1765. His parents were respectable, honest people, who gave their children such an education as could be acquired at the common country schools of that day. They taught them their duty to their Creator and to their fellow beings, and brought them up in the habits of honest industry, on which, with their own exertions, they had to depend to make their way through life.
When Daniel Doty had arrived at manhood, the fame of the fertility and beauty of the fine country, then opening in the Far West, attracted him, and he formed the resolution of exploring the country and judging for himself. Accordingly, on the roth of September, 1790, he left his home and proceeded to Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh), whence he descended the Ohio river in a flat-boat to the then infant settlement of Columbia, at the mouth of the Little Miami, where he arrived on the 23d of October. Here he concluded to remain.
There were then two hewed log-houses standing near the bank of the river, where Mr. Doty landed. One of them was occupied by Major Benjamin Stites, and the other by John S. Gano. Almost his first experience was his enlistment as a member of the militia company of the place, of which Gano was captain, and Ephraim Kirby was lieutenant. Every able-bodied man in the settlement had to be enrolled. The company consisted of about seventy good and true-hearted men, who were ready at all times to obey the call to arms in defense of the settlement.
At that time General Harmar was commander of the military forces of the country, and John Cleves Symmes, the proprietor of the Miami country, was the chief magistrate, and at the head of the civil department.
General Harmar was then out on his expedition against the Indians. He returned to Fort Washington about ten days after Mr. Doty landed at Columbia. A number of his men were wounded, among whom were George Adams and Thomas Bailey. It was said that Adams had killed five Indians while out on the expedition, and had himself received four ball wounds. One ball entered his thigh; one broke his arm; another passed under his arm, grazed his body, and lodged under his other arm; and the fourth went through part of his breast, and lodged under his shoulder-blade. But he lived through all, and soon recovered. He was in St. Clair's defeat, and lived many years afterward.
During the years 1791–92, the country was almost continually in a state of alarm, on account of the depredations committed by the Indians. Three men were killed and scalped by them near Covalt's station, on the Little Miami river, about ten miles from Columbia. Their names were Covalt, Hinkle, and Abel Cook. So soon as the news reached Columbia, a party, of which Daniel Doty was one, went to the relief of the station and to bury the murdered men.
This was his first sight of a scalped corpse. He said that “when a person is killed and scalped by the Indians, the eyebrows fall down over the eyeballs, and gives them a fearful look.” Mr. Doty turned out with the company which went to the relief of Dunlap's station, in January, 1791, accounts of which are given in Vol. I.
In the spring of 1791, the drooping spirits of the settlers were greatly revived by the intelligence that . General St. Clair was coming to the West, with an army of 1,400 men, which, it was fondly anticipated, would at once put an end to the Indian war.
General St. Clair and his army arrived at Fort Washington, encamped on Mill creek, then moved and built Fort Hamilton; proceeded further out, and built Fort Jefferson, from whence they marched to where Fort Recovery was afterward built. And there, on a wintry morning of the 4th of November, 1791, were defeated by the Indians, with a loss of half the army. Thus ended the hopes which the settlers had formed of the expedition.
The news of St. Clair's defeat struck a deep panic into the minds of the settlers. Some of them left the settlement and fled to Kentucky; but most of them remained, stood their ground, determined that if the Indians did come upon them, to sell their lives as dearly as they could.
The inhabitants, by mutual consent, were all under military laws, according to the regulations which they had adopted for their defense and safety. Every man had to furnish himself with a good gun, one pound of powder, sixty bullets or one pound of lead, and six flints. They were required to keep their arms and equipments in good order, and to meet on parade twice every week to drill and go through the manual exercise.
To hear a gun fired after sundown was a regular alarm, on the occurrence of which every man was required instantly to repair to the place of rendezvous.
The first Presbyterian preacher who came and settled in the Miami country, was the Rev. James Kemper. He had lived near Danville, in the State of Kentucky. When he was called to the settlement, Daniel
Doty and a man by the name of French were chosen by the people to go and bring him and his family. His family consisted of himself, his wife, and eight or nine children. In June, 1791, Daniel Doty and his companion set out on this mission. They crossed the Ohio at Fort Washington, and proceeded on their way with their rifles primed, ready for whatever might betide them. Their road was only a trace, a bridle-path, for sixty miles or more, along the Dry ridge. There had been two men killed on this trace the week previous. They encamped in the woods the first night. The next night they reached Georgetown, where, Mr. Doty said, the people were fiddling and dancing in almost every cabin, and acting as though they neither feared God nor regarded Indians.
The next day they went on to Lexington, where they procured horses from the contractor for the army, at that place, to remove Mr. Kemper and his family to the Miami country. They then went to the residence of Mr. Kemper, and, having arranged matters for their journey, set out on their return. They took the route to Limestone (now Maysville), on the Ohio river, where they procured a flat-boat, and getting all the family and horses on board, they descended the river to Fort Washington, where they delivered over the horses to the contractor at that place, and returned to Columbia.
During all this time, for several years, the Indians were very troublesome, causing frequent alarms. Every man capable of bearing arms was obliged when he attended church, to go armed and equipped, ready at a moment's warning to repel an attack of the savages, who were constantly prowling about, watching an opportunity to destroy the infant settlement. The order then was for every man to meet on parade, on Sunday morning, armed and equipped, and, after going through the manual exercise, march to the place of worship, stack their guns in one corner of the cabin until divine service was concluded, and then take them and return to their homes. There was a law of the Territory, then in force, which required every man when he went to church, to carry his gun and ammunition with him, to protect himself and family from an attack of the ruthless savages.
On one occasion, when the congregation had assembled for worship, information arrived that Indians were in the neighborhood, and that one of them had been killed, whose bloody scalp was exhibited to the congregation. Colonel Spencer, who commanded the militia, advised that the congregation disperse, which they accordingly did, and the people returned to their homes to prepare for defense.
On the 24th day of April, in the year 1792, Mr. Doty left Columbia in a flat-boat, and descended the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, from whence he went by sea to New York, and returned to his native home in New Jersey. He remained there until the fall of the year 1795, when he returned to the Miami country. Wayne's treaty with the Indians had previously been concluded at Greenville, and peace restored to the country.
In the spring of the year 1796, Mr. Doty, with his wise, Betsy, and their children, removed to near where Middletown now is, where he commenced an improvement on a tract of land which he had previously purchased. Here he spent the remaining portion of his life, and died near where he had built his first log cabin.
Mr. Doty commenced his improvement in the dense forest. He built his first cabin on the bank of the Great Miami river, about one mile below where the town of Middletown is now situated. No track of a wagon had then marked the ground to that place. When his cabin was raised and inclosed, he had no table, no chair, or bedstead, or cradle; nor any boards to make them of. But as abundance of timber was convenient, he cut down a large tree, out of which he split puncheons and clapboards. With the puncheons he laid the floor of his cabin, and the door was made of the clapboards, fastened with wooden pins, and hung on wooden hinges, having a wooden latch with a leather string hanging through. A table was made of a slab split from the tree, which was supported by four round legs, made from hickory saplings with the bark on, set in auger holes in the slab. Several three-legged stools were made in the same manner as a substitute for chairs.
And for a bedstead; this was made by procuring a sapling with a fork or limb at a proper hight for the bottom of the bed, the lower end of which was placed in a hole in the puncheon floor, and the upper end fastened to a joist above. In the fork or limb was placed a round pole with the bark on, the other end passing through a crack between two logs of the wall. This front pole was crossed by a shorter one also laid within the fork, with its other end passing through a crack in the other wall. From the front pole were laid stiff clapboards, projecting through an opening between two logs of the wall, which supported one end of the clapboard, the pole supported the other end. This formed the bottom of the bed, on which a bearskin and blanket were laid for repose. And Mr. Doty, intending to have things as comfortable as circumstances would admit, had other poles pinned to the upright one, a few inches above the others. These answered the purpose of supporting the front and foot of the bed, while the walls were the supports of the head and back.
A few wooden pins, stuck in the logs of the cabin on one side of the fire-place, supported some clapboards, which served as shelves for the table furniture, which consisted of a few pewter dishes and spoons, wooden bowls, trenchers, and noggins. These latter were small vessels shaped like a pail, made from wooden staves, secured with wooden hoops, and held about a quart. When these were scarce, gourds and hard-shelled squashes made up the deficiency.
A few wooden pegs around other parts of the wall, on which to hang the petticoats of the mistress and children, and the hunting shirts of the master of the mansion, and two buck horns fastened to a joist for the rifle, completed the carpenter work of the building. And for the accommodation of the babies, Mr. Doty cut down a hollow sycamore tree, out of which he constructed a cradle in which to rock them to sleep.
There were but very few settlers in the neighborhood at the time when Mr. Doty commenced his improvement. There was a block-house inclosed by pickets, and a few cabins on the south side of the prairie, near Dick's creek, a little west of where the cross-roads now are. His neighbors were Mr. Brady, Mr. Carson, John Reed, and Joseph Henry. No crops had been raised to supply those coming to the country, consequently Mr. Doty had to go to Cincinnati for a portion of the provisions to support his family for the first year. He had there to pay one dollar per bushel for corn meal, and then pack it home on horseback, where it was baked into johnny cakes on a clapboard before the fire. This was their only bread. As for meat, wild game was plenty, and Mr. Doty took great delight in hunting. He killed a great number of deer, wild turkeys, wild cats, raccoons, and several bears.
The good staid people of Middletown would, perhaps, now feel somewhat surprised to be told of the rencounters which Mr. Doty has had, in his time, with bears and wild cats in the vicinity of their now populous and thriving town. A few of them we will call to their recollection, as they were related by Mr. Doty himself.
In the latter part of the summer of the year 1796, some time after Mr. Doty had settled upon his land below Middletown, one Sunday morning he started to go to meeting, not then having his gun with him. When he had gone a short distance he heard his dog barking across a cornfield. He knew the dog's bark. (It was a little dog that had come from the Indians, and was an excellent dog for raccoons.) Mr. Doty crossed the field and found that the dog was barking at a wild cat, which was standing upon the fence, looking down at it. On Doty speaking to encourage the dog, the wild cat looked round and jumped off the fence toward him, and, on his advancing toward the cat, it ran off followed by the dog. The corn being thick and high, he lost sight of both of them, but soon saw the wild cat coming toward him closely followed by the dog. When the cat turned round to seize the dog, Mr. Doty kicked the cat over, and caught it by the hind legs (having no weapons with him); he placed his left foot upon its breast, and pressed it with all his might upon the ground until it was dead. Mr. Doty said he had killed a number of wild cats, but thinks this one was one-third larger than any he had ever seen.
Mr. Doty had also a large dog that was very good for raccoons, wild cats, and bears. One Monday morning, an hour or two before daylight, he took his gun and started out with his dogs to hunt. He went through the woods in an easterly direction, south of where the town of Middletown now is. When he had gone about a mile, he heard his dogs bark, and, on coming up with them, found they had treed a bear. The bear was clinging to the body of the tree at no great distance from the ground. On Mr. Doty speaking with an encouraging voice to the dog, he sprung up the tree toward the bear, on which the bear snapped his teeth and ascended higher up the tree. Mr. Doty, whose rifle was loaded, took aim by moonlight, and fired at him. The bear blew out his breath, and commenced coming down the tree. By this time Mr. Doty had the assistance of a young neighbor, who came to him with an ax and another dog. As soon as the bear reached the ground, the dogs seized him. The bear must have been stunned by the shot, or, as Mr. Doty expressed it, “the bear fainted,” and lay still as if he were dead. Mr. Doty concluded that he would stick him, and forcing his way through the spice brush, got on the bear, and was feeling where to put the knife, when suddenly the bear revived, sprung up, threw Mr. Doty from him, and knocked the dogs over with his paws. The young man who had just come to the scene of action, attempting to retreat, fell down in the brush. The bear then wheeled around, sprung at Doty, and caught hold of each of his shoulders with the claws of his forefeet, and was drawing Doty toward him, his mouth wide open. Doty said that he saw his white teeth by the moonlight, which was shining brightly, but could not say that he was in the least terrified: “I thought that if it was a man, I could knock him down; I gave him a blow in the throat with all my strength, which prostrated him fat on his back; his claws tore my old coat when I knocked him over.” By this time the dogs had recovered themselves, and seized the bear, which made off. Doty caught up the ax and followed, through the brush and over logs, striking at the bear with the ax as an opportunity presented. In this manner he soon cut off one of the bear's hind legs, and then the other one. At last he got a stroke at the bear's back and killed him. When the bear was dead and the excitement over, says Doty: “I felt myself as weak as a feeble woman; I went and got my cart and oxen, and hauled the bear home. He was as good meat as I ever did eat. By this time I had raised a crop of corn, and had got a hand mill to grind it in, and we fared sumptuously every day while the bear meat lasted.”
There was an old she-bear in the neighborhood, which committed great ravages among the hogs. One day she caught one of the neighbor's hogs, which squealed so loud that the owner heard it and ran to the place, when the bear dropped her prey and made off. The old man stayed by the hog and sent his son for Mr. Doty, who started immediately with his dog and gun. When they got to where the bear had crossed the road, the dog took the track and followed it up until they came to where the old man and hog were. Doty spoke and told the dog to “catch him.” He started right off, and in two minutes had the bear treed. The boy took the gun and shot, but only wounded the bear. She came down the tree. While Doty was loading the gun, the bear and dogs were fighting through the brush. When Mr. Doty had finished loading, he ventured so close to the bear that when the gun was discharged, the powder blew aside the hair where the ball entered. Notwithstanding which, the bear made an attempt to escape. But the dogs hung to her until Doty took an ax and split her head open, which terminated the contest.
I will relate one more bear story, and we will have done with the subject. It was in the year 1800 that Mr. Doty and a man by the name of John Dean set out on a journey to the State of New Jersey. A great portion of the way was at that time a wilderness—their only road a trace or bridle path. When traveling along the trace, between the Scioto and Muskingum rivers, they discovered a bear in the path before them, going in the sanie direction. Mr. Doty observed to his companion: “I want to kill that bear.” They had no weapons with them, except a large pocket knife. Doty alighted, gave his horse to his companion, and cutting a large club, about six feet long, pursued the bear along the path. The bear soon turned out of the path near a large log. Doty jumped upon the log and ran along it until he got even with the bear. When the bear raised his head to see what was coming, Doty met it with the butt end of his club, which brought the bear to his knees, and when he recovered and again raised his head, Doty met him with another stroke of his club, which brought him to the ground. Doty then jumped off the log, and repeated his blows until the bear was dead. When the bear found he was overpowered, he snapped his teeth together with a noise that could have been heard at least one hundred yards. This took place more than twenty miles from any house. He was a large, old he-bear. They left him lying beside the log where he fell, and proceeded on their journey.
Mr. Doty was the first collector of taxes in the part of the country where he settled. His district was twelve miles wide, from north to south, comprising two ranges of townships, extending from the Great Miami to the Little Miami rivers, comprehending the sites where the towns of Franklin and Waynesville have been laid out, and the intermediate country and settlements. The whole amount of the duplicate committed to him for collection was two hundred and forty-four dollars, of which he collected every dollar, and paid it over to Jacob Burnet at Cincinnati, who was then treasurer for the county of Hamilton. Mr. Doty's own tax, for some years previous to his death, was upward of one hundred and thirty-four dollars—more than half the amount which he then collected from the whole district of which he had been collector. In the discharge of the duties of his office as collector, he must have ridden more than one thousand miles. For these services, including his time and expenses, he received one per cent. on the amount of the duplicate-two dollars forty-four cents, and no more. This appears to have satisfied Mr. Doty with public office, as he never afterward, during his whole life, was a candidate for any office.
Mr. Doty lived to witness the Miami country rise from a wilderness covered with dense forests, inhabited by wild beasts of prey, and Indians still more wild and savage than the beasts, to its present high state of cultivation and improvement. In the place of the Indian trail and bridle-path, blazed through the woods, he lived to see the country improved by turnpike roads, canals, and railroads; and the Indian wigwam and rude cabin give place to elegant brick buildings and comfortable farm-houses. From a poor adventurer in a strange land, he became a man of wealth and influence in society.
On the 2d day of May, 1848, he was attacked with a bilious congestive fever, which, increasing in volence, baffled all medical skill. And on Monday, the 8th, he breathed his last, at the age of eighty-three years. On the following Tuesday, his remains were interred in the burying ground, east of Middletown, followed to the grave by a large number of relatives and friends, and a vast concourse of citizens.
Daniel Doty and his wife, Betsy, lived together on their farm, near Middletown, more than fifty-two years. At the time of his death, she was seventy-seven years of age. She is still living. They raised a family of ten children, brought up in the habits of industry, who all grew up to maturity, married, and lived respectably in the world.
Daniel Doty was the third son of John Doty, who was a son of Joseph Doty, * and married, first, Elizabeth Potter, eldest child of Amos Potter, son of Daniel Potter. She died, leaving no living children. Daniel Doty then married, for his second wife, Elizabeth Crane, daughter of Joseph Crane, and had children:
I. Joel, born in New Jersey, February 9, 1795, drowned in the Great Miami river, when eleven years old.
II. Noah, born May 6, 1796, in Ohio, and died in his seventh year.
III. John, born December 15, 1797, and married Peggy Jewell, daughter of John Jewell, near Middletown.
IV. Daniel C., born August 9, 1799, married, first, Mary Burdge, daughter of Anthony Burdge, and had children. She died, and he married, for his second wife, Catherine Crane, daughter of Joseph Crane.
V. Elizabeth, born January 16, 1801, married Ambrose Doty, son of George Doty, and had children.
VI. Huldah, born January 8, 1803, married John Williamson, and had children.
VII. Orpha, born June 8, 1804, married Thomas Van Tuyle, and had children.
VIII. Serepta, born February 16, 1806, married, first, James Jewell, brother of John Doty's wife. He died, and she married Aretus Crane, son of Joseph Crane, and had children.
IX. Joseph, born January 7, 1808, married Mary Vail, daughter of Samuel Vail, brother of Stephen Vail, the first proprietor of Middletown, and had children.
X. James Mier, born October 8, 1809, married Susan Anderson, and had children.
XI. Jerusha, born January 9, 1814, married Simeon Taylor, and had one son, named George.
XII. Elias, born June 23, 1815, married Pamelia Bogart, and had one son, named Noah. He went to Iowa, and died at about twenty-two years of age.
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