OHBROWN-L Archives

From: HERMON B FAGLEY <>
Subject: [OHBROWN] Williamsburg's lost girl of 1805.
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 16:50:45 -0400

2 stories really got me interested in local history. 1 was versions
of Bethel's
witch trial of Nancy Evans.
2nd was the story of Williamsburg's lost Lydia Osborn. And I just
found a digital
version of that tale to share with you. Likely the cattle were in the
"out-lots " to the
west-nw of Williamsburg-an area cleared by a pre-1797 twister. But Lydia
seems
to have wandered n e,instead of s e to Williamsburg.


In the year 1805, when all the region of country bordering upon the
Ohio
river was a wilderness, and only here and there were villages, which
had
sprung up in the vicinity of forts -- such, for instance, as
Marietta, at
Fort Harmar, and Cincinnati, at Fort Washington -- and the savages
roamed
unmolested over the broad prairies and through the dense forests of
the
west, a scene occurred at a settlement about thirty miles north-east
of
Cincinnati, which produced the most astonishing excitement throughout
the
whole surrounding country. There lived at this settlement a family by
the
name of Osborn, which consisted of the father, and mother, and two
daughters, the elder of whom was about eleven years of age and the
younger
about seven. In those days of backwoods life every member of the
family was
employed, from necessity, in farming pursuits, and almost as soon as
a child
was able to walk it was taught to engage in some employment connected
with
rural life. While the father was engaged in attending his small patch
of
corn, and the mother was attending her domestic concerns, of cooking,

knitting, spinning, or weaving, the children would be employed, if
sons, in
assisting the father in the field or barn; and if daughters, in
helping the
mother in domestic duties.
It was usually the duty of the younger boys to hunt the cows, which
were
left to run in the woods, and sometimes were difficult to find. As
there
were no boys in this family, it devolved upon the girls to search the
ranges
of the cattle, and drive home the cows. One afternoon in the latter
part of
summer the little girls of the Osborn family started out on their
accustomed
pursuit. After finding the cows, which they were enabled to do by the

tinkling of their bells, they started to drive them home. The elder
girl,
having become bewildered, supposed, from the direction the cows took,
that
they were going from instead of toward home. Fully impressed with
this
belief, she requested her little sister to stay where she was, and
she would
run and head them, and turn them in the right direction. But the
cows,
intent on going home, would not be diverted from their course. What
to do
she knew not; and fearing that her sister would be lost, she left the

cattle, and started on hunt of her; but alas! how did her young heart
ache
when, after wandering about for a long while, and crying out her name
in the
woods, she could not find her! Sadly she started, without her sister,
in the
direction of home, as she supposed; but instead of this, the poor,
bewildered child took an opposite direction from her father's cabin.
The
younger girl followed the sound of the cow-bells, and arrived safely
at
home; but Lydia -- for that was her name -- wandered on, and was lost
in the
wilderness.
Night came on, casting its darkened shadows over the forest, but she
came
not to greet the anxious eyes of her parents, which were growing
sorrowful
and dim with watching. No time was to be lost; their child was in the
woods,
exposed to the savages and wild beasts. The neighborhood was roused
with the
alarm of "Lost child!" The cry became general, like the cry of fire
at night
in a country village. Every heart was touched, and soon, in every
direction,
torches were seen flashing their light into the darkness of the
forest.
Bells were rung, horns were blown, and guns were fired through the
woods, in
perchance, the sound might reach the ear of the lost one. The whole
night
was spent in a fruitless search. The news flew in every direction,
and
reached the settlement where we resided, and as many as could leave
home
turned out to seek for the lost child. This day was also spent in
vain,
though some signs of her tracks in crossing branches and miry places
were
discovered, all, however, indicating that she was going farther into
the
wilderness. On the third day the famous backwoodsman and hunter,
Cornelius
Washburn, arrived, with about five hundred others. Washburn was
accompanied
by his noted hunting-dog, of which it was said he would follow any
scent his
master would put him upon. At length the night of the third day
arrived, but
still no intelligence of the lost child. We were now deep in the
wilderness,
and we all made preparations for camping out that night. After
lighting our
fires, and taking some refreshment, we retired to rest by lying down
upon
the ground by our camp-fires. At daybreak we were up again, and ready
for
our search ; but as the collection of people was so numerous, we
concluded
it was best to form ourselves into companies, and take different
directions,
and meet at night at a place designated, and report in relation to
our
discoveries. Money was collected and sent to the settlements to buy
provisions, to be brought to the place of rendezvous. Every day we
received
accessions to our numbers, so that on the seventh day it was supposed
there
were more than a thousand persons gathered from all parts of the
country,
and many from Kentucky. The seventh night was spent on the head
waters of
the East Fork of the Little Miami. Washburn reported that he had
discovered
where the little girl had slept for several nights. The place she had

selected was where one tree had fallen across another, which was
lying down,
and afforded a good protection. He also saw where she had plucked and
eaten
some fox-grapes and whortleberries. To this place the whole crowd
hurried.
Nothing could have restrained them, so eager were they to find the
lost
child, or some clue that would lead to her discovery.
In all these journeyings the father was present, and so absorbed in
grief at
the loss of his dear Lydia, that he could neither eat nor sleep.
Sorrow
drank up his spirits, and he refused to be comforted. When hope was
kindled
in his heart that his child would be found, he seemed like one
frantic, and
flew in every direction, calling most piteously the name of his child
but
she was not there, her little feet had borne her to some other
quarter of
the wildwood. It was agreed the next morning that all the company
should
start out abreast, about three rods apart, with a man in the middle,
and one
at each end of the line, whose duty it was to blow horns at certain
intervals for the purpose of keeping the line in order. It was an
immense
line, extending for several miles. Each man was instructed to examine

carefully every branch and wet place, and every hollow log and
thicket, to
see if any traces of her were discoverable.
Thus, day after day, and night after night, the search went on, till
sixteen
days were passed away in the fruitless endeavor to find her. In the
mean
time, some of the company having lost all hope of finding her,
returned
home, but others came and filled their places, so that on no day were
there
less than one thousand persons on the search. On the fourteenth day,
accompanied by two others, we took across to the North Fork of
Whiteoak, and
carefully searched the banks of that stream for miles. On the morning
of the
fifteenth day we found where she had crossed, by her footprints in
the sand,
at the water's edge. These footprints appeared to be fresh, and
greatly
revived our hopes. We were now distant from the main body of men
several
miles; and while one of our number was dispatched to communicate the
intelligence, we proceeded to follow up a fork of the creek which
puts in
just where her footprints were found Here there was an opening on the
bottom
land, where there was a large blackberry patch nearly a quarter of a
mile in
length. Near this patch we found a neat little house, built of
sticks,
nicely adjusted. It was covered with sticks, and over these were
placed, in
regular layers, pieces of moss taken from the logs and sides of trees
in the
neighborhood. The cracks were all neatly stopped with moss. In the
center,
on one side, was a little door, and in the interior was a bed made of

leaves, covered with moss, and decorated with wild flowers. All could
see at
once that it was the work of a child; and we may have been childish
while
gazing upon it; for the tears stole freely down our cheeks. Here,
away in
the wilderness, far from human habitation, had this lost child
constructed
this miniature house, and thus recalled the scenes of home, and
sister, and
mother, and father.
The child must have been here several days; for, from her little
house to
the blackberry patch, she had beaten quite a path, and some parts of
the
patch were picked quite bare. We imagined that we had at last found
the
place where the little wanderer had fixed her abode; but now that we
had got
in reach of the prize, how to take it was the question. To make a
noise
would frighten her away to some hiding-place where she could not be
found;
for children, when lost, become wild as the antelope in this native
forest,
and if caught will make every possible resistance, even looking upon
their
best friends as enemies. Supposing that she was not far off, and
would
return to her house, we removed to a short distance, where we would
be
unobserved, and sat down to wait her coming. But there were no signs
of her
returning, and fearing lest we might be discovered by the lost child,
we
stole softly under covert, from tree to tree, and cleared the
opening.
Ascending an eminence, where we had a full view of the black berry
patch, we
carefully scanned every part of it, and were satisfied that she was
not
there. Returning again, and making a more thorough examination, we
could
discover no fresh signs of her presence, and we concluded to return
to the
main creek, and wait for the company, and prevent, if possible, the
press of
the eager crowd from rushing on and destroying what signs might yet
remain
undiscovered. It is said that there were more than a thousand men
encamped
along the creek that night. The encampment extended for half a mile.
Fearing the consequences of making a disclosure of what we had seen
at the
blackberry patch, we kept it a secret till morning, and then taking
aside
the best woodsmen in the company, we led them to the house of the
child. We
then returned and formed the whole company into military order, and
marched
them out into the opening, where, flanking out right and left, they
surrounded the entire space, and formed a hollow square. At the sight
of the
little cabin a scene occurred which it would be impossible to
describe. Here
were brave, stalwart men, who had been subjected to the perils of the

wilderness, contending for every inch with savages and wild beasts,
whose
hearts were never known to quail with fear, who, at sight of that
little
cabin, were melted into tears. Some, as if deeming it unmanly to
weep, or to
be seen manifesting so much human sympathy, turned aside, while
others left
the ranks to give vent to their feelings in solitude. But when the
father
came up to the little dwelling his own dear child had built for
herself and
exclaimed, "O, Lydia, Lydia, my dear child, are you yet alive!" a
thousand
hearts broke forth in uncontrollable grief.
The result of the investigation made by the hunters was, that the
signs were
three or four days old. Horsetracks were also found in the grass,
supposed
to be about the same age. The conjecture was, that she had been
discovered
and taken away by some hunters, or a party of Indians. It was agreed,

however, to make another effort. The company was divided, and sent
out in
different directions, to see if any further signs could be found of
hunters
or Indians. Two miles from "Lydia's camp" -- for so it is called to
this day
-- her bonnet was found hanging on a bush, and eight or ten miles
further
off, an Indian camp was discovered, supposed to have been vacated for
five
or six days. The conclusion was that the child had been carried off
by the
Indians, none knew where. Further pursuit being considered useless,
the
company disbanded, and returned to their homes. Not so, however, with
the
father. The love of his child was to him sweeter than life. He never
gave up
the search, but penetrated the wildest solitudes, and sought for her
among
the Indians till the day of his death. The lost was never found.










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• [OHBROWN] Williamsburg's lost girl of 1805. by HERMON B FAGLEY <>