Local Historian Kenneth Hammontree Explores Ashland County’s Indigenous History in New Series
Editor’s note: This is the first article in a new series by local historian Kenneth Hammontree examining the Indigenous people, settlements and events that shaped the early history of Ashland County and the surrounding region. Additional articles will follow.
Part One: Early Indigenous Tribes in Ashland County
By Kenneth Hammontree
In a previous article, we shared information about prehistoric earthworks and Indigenous people in Ashland and Richland counties. Our research examined the ancient mound builders who lived in the region and established that the area was inhabited by the Adena culture.
The Adena culture extended across much of what is now Ohio, leaving behind ancient mounds scattered throughout the state.
However, one major question remains: Which Indigenous people came to Ashland and Richland counties after the Adena culture disappeared from the region?
Research indicates that the Indigenous tribes that later settled in the Ashland and Richland county area arrived approximately 500 to 800 years later, suggesting the region may have been largely uninhabited during the intervening period.
Over time, the Delaware, Iroquois and Wyandot, formerly known as the Huron, moved into and dominated the region. The Shawnee also may have traveled through or lived in portions of the area.
Dense, unbroken hardwood forests covered the countryside, providing abundant wildlife. Indigenous hunters pursued bear, deer, elk and wild turkeys while fishing in the clear waters of the Clear Fork, Black Fork and Mohican rivers.
The tribes followed major trails through the forests as they traveled in search of food and other resources. These routes generally followed streams and rivers, where water was readily available, as well as ancient deer and bison paths that crossed Ashland and Richland counties.
One important route was the Great Trail, also known as the Warriors Path. It connected Fort Pitt with Fort Sandusky on Lake Erie, which was sometimes called the Lake of the Cats. The trail crossed the northeastern corner of Richland County into Ashland County and followed a route near what is now State Route 603.
The Great Trail and the Clear Fork, Black Fork and Mohican rivers provided Indigenous people from several tribes with access to the region’s plentiful hunting and fishing grounds.
Greentown Becomes a Major Settlement
Over the years, small villages and hunting camps began appearing along the rivers in Ashland and Richland counties. The largest was Greentown, located along the Black Fork River north of present-day Perrysville.
Greentown played an important role in the history of both counties as Ohio became a battleground where Indigenous tribes attempted to resist English and French expansion into their traditional hunting grounds.
The migration of tribes into Ashland and Richland counties accelerated because of the unstable conditions surrounding the American Revolution and its aftermath.
The 1782 massacre of Christian Indigenous people at the Moravian mission of Gnadenhutten and Colonel William Crawford’s expedition against Wyandot and Delaware communities along the Sandusky River intensified fear and uncertainty throughout the region.
As early as 1783, members of the Wolf and Turtle clans of the Delaware, along with Mingos and smaller groups of Wyandot and Mohican people, abandoned other villages and settled at Greentown in search of security.
Greentown was situated on elevated land along the Black Fork River and was reportedly named for Thomas Green, a British loyalist. The community was surrounded by Ohio’s great hardwood forest—a primeval wilderness of beauty and grandeur where Indigenous people had hunted for centuries.
Following the Revolutionary War, Greentown became one of the largest remaining Indigenous settlements in the eastern United States.
Early pioneers recorded that the community contained approximately 150 dwellings and nearly 200 families. Residents lived in pole cabins constructed around a council house near the center of the village.
In addition to hunting, the people of Greentown raised hogs, cattle and chickens.
Notable visitors included Captain James Cunningham, John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, the Shawnee Prophet and brother of Tecumseh, Munsee Delaware leader Captain Pipe and local preacher the Rev. James Copus.
A Great Feast at Greentown
In the fall of 1811, Greentown held a great feast celebrating a successful harvest.
Among those attending were Copus, Chapman, Cunningham and several local families from the Mansfield blockhouse. The feast included boiled venison and bear meat.
After the meal, a tall chief stood and was introduced by Chief Armstrong. Copus did not immediately recognize the speaker but understood that he was a leader of considerable importance.
A profound silence fell across the council lodge as the chief addressed those assembled. Although Copus could not understand the language, he believed the speaker was recounting the history of the Delaware people.
Copus later learned that the distinguished visitor was Captain Pipe of Mohican Johnstown, who was associated with the execution of Colonel Crawford.
Following the speech, dancing began and the food and celebration continued. The gathering demonstrated how local settlers and Indigenous people attempted to maintain a friendly—though increasingly uncertain—relationship.
Tensions Rise as War Approaches
Settlers noticed that Indigenous residents of Greentown and Jeromesville frequently traveled to Upper Sandusky. When they returned, they often carried blankets, tools and ammunition.
On June 18, 1812, the United States declared war against Great Britain.
Although the Indigenous residents of Greentown were considered peaceful, settlers began questioning their intentions as the War of 1812 commenced. Relations between the outnumbered settlers and the larger Indigenous communities at Greentown and Jeromesville quickly became strained.
Rumors of raiding parties led by Tecumseh circulated throughout the region. In response, settlers began constructing blockhouses across Ashland and Richland counties.
The mistrust and fear surrounding Greentown would soon contribute to a tragic series of events that changed the region forever.
Coming next — Part Two: Greentown and the Copus Massacre
Note: AI Photo illustrating the times
