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136 HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
There are evidences that an Indian village formerly occupied the
site of Castalia. The forts and mounds that have been discovered indicates
that at some past time Indians made this a general headquarters.
At the time of Hull's surrender a general stampede of the settlers took
place, when men left.their property and fields already planted and fled.
The missionary to the Wyandots, Reverend Mr. Badger, Avas mainly
instrumental in keeping these savages from taking sides against us in the
War of 1812. A fort was discovered near Venice by Major Falley,
overgrown with underbrush and timber, but showing a double entrenchment.
It has since been completely obliterated by cultivation, and now
no trace of it can be found.
At the time of the stampede a man named Andrews was putting in
a hundred acres of wheat east of the burying ground, when the panic
occurred, and after the trouble subsided he and some of the others
came back and harvested their crops with guns on their backs. In 1813
there were but three houses in Cold Creek (now Castalia),—Mr. Snow's
on the bank of the creek at its source, Mr. Butler's on the opposite bank,
twelve or fifteen rods east, and Mr. Putnam's, half a mile down the creek
on the prairie.
On the 2nd of June, 1813, an Indian massacre created a frightful
consternation in the little settlement. During the preceding month a
party of Indians numbering sixteen, under Pontiac, landed at Pickerel
Creek, on a war excursion, and reconnoitered slyly until the right
occasion offered itself, then, when the men were engaged in the fields
at a good distance from the house, and the women and children, twelve
in number, were gathered together in the house of Mrs. Snow, who
was sick at the time, they made the attack at midday. It was a frightful
affair. The Indians rushed into the room, and while one seized
Mrs. Putnam by the hair, a second caught hold of Mrs. Butler and a
third dragged Airs. Snow from the bed, and out of the house. When
they asked these women if they Avould go with them they ansAvered in
the affirmative, and were driven away. The children at play were also
seized, and two little boys two years old were killed and scalped. A few
rods further on and they found Julia Butler, a girl of four years, who
was also murdered. Airs. Snow, unable to keep up with the others,
was horribly butchered. They then plundered the houses and premises,
broke all the crockery, and making a pack-load of their booty, forced
Harry Graves to carry it to the canoes. It was almost sundown before
the men at work kneAv aught that had taken place. They started at once
for Pipe Creek, and in the morning AA'ere joined by others and followed
the trail until the dead bodies of those murdered were found, but no
traces of the Indians could be discovered, and they Avere obliged to
return and bury their dead. These Avere the first interments in the
township.
The Indians took their captives to Detroit and gave them into the
hands of the British agent, Ironsides, having suffered no violence or
injury, except in being forced to Avalk too fast. They remained in
Detroit until the folloAving fall when they were all returned in safety.