ASHLAND MEMORIES: Destruction but no bloodshed in Mohican area

While the families in the Black Fork valley fled from danger, settlers near the Jerome Fork to the east also were uneasy. The commander of the militia in Wooster sent a company of 60 soldiers under Capt. Nicholas Murray to construct a blockhouse within what is now Jeromesville, and local families gathered there.

The family of Daniel Carter remained unaccounted for, and as Carter’s cabin was the most remote, the others worried. Absolom Newell volunteered to go warn the Carters, but in passing the Newell cabin discovered that it was on fire, and he rushed back to the blockhouse.

More:Battle at the Copus cabin: Ashland frontier family defends their farm

A company of soldiers set out and found Mr. Carter working in his field, safe and apparently oblivious to any danger. Carter noted he had seen a group of Native Americans pass near his cabin that very morning. He was not alarmed because he had a friendly relationship with them, and particularly with the Delaware, Thomas Lyons.

Sometime after the war, Carter questioned his Delaware friend about the group that had passed by that day. Lyons said they were Wyandots and he had accompanied them. Lyons said as they were “strange” Indians, he had steered them clear of the Carter cabin.

After warning Carter, the soldiers continued to scout. They discovered the deserted cabin of Benjamin Cuppy still burning, and they could see smoke from Jacob Fry’s cabin, a half-mile to the west.

The Native Americans who burned the Newell, Cuppy, and Fry cabins and were seen by Daniel Carter likely were the same who had attacked the Copus cabin the day before. Those families might have suffered the same fate as the Copus family if they had been found at home.

Carter moves on; more encounters with Native Americans

After a brief stay at the Jeromesville blockhouse, Carter moved back to New Philadelphia. The family returned to Ashland in February 1813 and had just set up a sugar camp when another scare caused the Carters to take shelter again at the blockhouse, where they stayed until the spring of 1814.

Mrs. Ann Carter died while sheltering in the blockhouse in September 1813, leaving eight children.

During the fall of 1812, some settlers had further encounters with Native Americans passing through the area. One day several appeared at the cabin of William Bryan, close to Jeromesville. Since the local Native Americans had been removed, their appearance was suspicious and an alarm sounded. Thomas Carr and Jean-Baptiste Jerome armed themselves and went to investigate, but the strangers had already moved on.

Some Native Americans also visited the cabin of John Collyer asking for food. Mr. Collyer made them leave their weapons on the far side of the room. In a surprise move, Collyer prepared to shoot his visitors, who begged for their lives. Having removed the flints from their guns, he handed their guns through the window, along with some food, and they went on their way.

It was later learned they were allies of the British allied Indians and had been visiting some relatives in Tuscarawas County. Rumors spread that they had intended to kill the Mohican settlers and burn their cabins, but no further destruction occurred.