Perrysburg Journal

THE TOLEDO WAR.

A Memorable Anniversary—First Ohio Court in Toledo—An Original War Song of 1835.

This 13th of September is the 38th anniversary of one of the notable events in the great "Toledo War," which is bound to hold its place in history beside more bloody, if not more demonstrative contests. The particular part assigned to the 13th of September, 1835, was the holding in Toledo of a session of the Court of Common Pleas for the Second Judicial District of Ohio, under an act of the Legislature. It was deemed important to the claim of Michigan, that such exercise of jurisdiction over the territory in dispute between the two States, should be prevented: and Gov. Mason accordingly ordered a military force to proceed from Monroe to Toledo to prevent the holding of the Court. Aware of these movements on "the enemy," two of the Associate Judges of Lucas County slipped down from Maumee City on Sunday night previous to the Monday appointed for the Court, and in a small dwelling-house in Toledo, before daylight, organized and transacted just business enough to justify a record, and adjourned in time for the members of the Court to get beyond reach of the "Wolverines" before it was light.

Hon. David Higgins, for the past 25 years holding a Government Clerkship in Washington was in 1835, the Presiding Judge of this District then composed of the Counties of Huron Richland, Delaware, Marion, Crawford Seneca, Sandusky, Wood, Hancock, Henry, Williams, Putnam, Paulding, and Van Wert. Judge Higgins was not present at the Toledo Court, but in Knapp's History of the Maumee Valley, we find this reference to the event from Judge H. Referring to Gov. Mason, he says:

He levied a small army, and on Sunday, the day before that set for holding the Court, he invaded the State and encamped with a force of one thousand two hundred men in the lower part of the town of Toledo. This ill-advised operation was attended by no particularly serious consequences: for the Michiganders found no one to oppose them, and of course they were barely fighting the wind. The Lucas County Court met on Monday morning early, made "record of their session, appointed a Clerk and Sheriff, proceeded, and adjourned without Governor Mason and his forces being aware of their meeting. In consequence, the Court exercised their jurisdiction without being disturbed, and the gallant Governor Mason marched to Toledo with his twelve hundred men, flourished his drums and trumpets and then marched back again.

We are not aware that Ohio's record of these memorable and stirring scenes has ever enjoyed the advantages of the inspiration of the muse, in which respect she is at disadvantage with Michigan, whose exploits, in part, at least, were portrayed in "living verse," and have come to us in this remarkable way: Among the valiant Wolverine hosts of 1835, was a young man named Crawford, who lived in Oakland County, near Pontiac. This loyal soldier of Michigan, after ending his faithful service in the field, was inspired to produce a ballad, commemorative of those belligerent times, which, though soon lost to written record, has been these near forty years, safely lodged in the memory of Mr. O. G. Duckett, now residing near Lansing, who has just reproduced it for the more enduring form of written history. We find it in the Lansing Republican, as follows:

A TOLEDO WAR SONG.

Come, all ye Michiganians, and lend a hearing ear:
Remember for Toledo we once took up arms
and spear:
And now, to fire that struggle o'er and trade away that land,
I think it's not becoming or valiant-hearted men,

In Eighteen hundred Thirty-Five there was (I really strive)
Betwixt Ohio and this State: they talked of taking life,
Ohio claimed Toledo, And so did Michigan
They both declared they'd have it, with its adjoining land.

There was Yorvell, and McDonell, and several other men.
They were all "Hurrah for Jackson! we won't give up that land:
We will fight the rebel Lucas with his millions of men;
We know that we can fix him with one man to his ten,"

Old Ingham gave his order all for to build a court.
And Stevens Thomas Mason,—he thought he'd have some sport.
He called upon the Wolverines, and asked them for to go,
To meet this rebel Lucas, his court in overthrow.

With musket, axe, and bayonet, with sword and shield and spear.
On the thirteenth of September old Lucas set his day.
He thought to take Toledo from Michigan away.
But may it be remembered, it justly happened so.

On the first week in September we marched for Toledo.
We held a general muster; we trained till past sundown.
At the head of all the Wolverines marched Mason and Brown.
A valiant hearted General,—a Governor likewise, —
A set of jovial Wolverines, to bung Ohio's eyes.

When we got to Toledo old Lucas was not there:
He had heard that we were coming, and ran away with fear:
To hear the wolves a howling scared the poor devil so
He said, before he'd fight them, he'd give up Toledo.

We staid at this Toledo the space of three long