The Copus massacre is a name given to a skirmish occurring on September 15, 1812, between American settlers and Lenape, Wyandot, and Mohawk Native Americans on the Ohio frontier during the War of 1812.

The massacre resulted from a misunderstanding between Reverend James Copus and the members of the Native American tribes. Copus was instructed to persuade the tribes to relocate to the Piqua Reservation before the United States would force them to do so.

However, even after reaching an agreement with the tribes, American soldiers razed the tribe's homes, burning the entire village to the ground. Assuming Copus's betrayal, the Native Americans then retaliated. The massacre is named for Reverend James Copus, who died during an attack on his house.

In addition to Reverend Copus, 3 American soldiers died in the conflict;

Background

In the 18th century, European colonists arrived in what is today Pennsylvania and New York - i.e., the land of the Lenape, Wyandots, and Mohawks. Colonist organizations such as the "New Jersey Association for Helping the Indians" forcefully expelled tribes westward via forced migration, creating Wyandot, Mohawk, and Lenape settlements in states including Ohio. However, some Lenape and Wyandots were indigenous to Ohio.

The War of 1812 led to an increase in tension between Native Americans and the increasing number of settlers. The military feared that the British Army would recruit the Native Americans as allies. Colonel Samuel Kratzer received orders to remove the Native Americans, who were mostly from the Delaware tribe, to the Piqua Reservation as a precautionary measure, and he assigned Captain Douglas to the task.

Local reverend James Copus was originally from Greene County, Pennsylvania and moved into the valley of the Black Fork in 1809 with his wife and seven children (his name is listed in the 1811 tax records of the area). He was a trusted friend of the Native Americans and had settled several miles from Greentown. Thus, when the Delaware told Captain Douglas that they would not leave, he tried to convince Copus to persuade the Native Americans. At first, Copus refused to interfere against them and said that he would personally stand accountable for their conduct. Douglas told Copus that they were under orders and that if the Native Americans did not comply, there would be bloodshed. Copus then agreed to accompany the soldiers to Greentown and speak with the Native Americans, but not before being assured that their lives and property would be protected if they agreed to surrender. Copus reluctantly met with the council of elders and, after much persuasion and reassurance, the elders agreed to leave their village.

Following the deaths of some of his neighbors, including the Zimmer family, at the hands of Native Americans, Copus asked for protection and was moved with his family to a blockhouse. After several days, Copus decided that there was no longer any danger, so on September 14, 1812, nine militia soldiers (Captain Absalom Martin's Company of Guernsey County, Ohio) were detailed to accompany him and his family to their home. Upon his return, he found that nothing had been disturbed, and Copus felt somewhat at ease. Later that afternoon, one of Copus' daughters Nancy Copus noticed a Native American at the edge of the woods but did not report the sighting.

Copus and the dead soldiers, Shipley, Tedrick, and Warnock, were buried near the cabin. On the 70th anniversary of the battle, a monument was put up at the site of the killings by the Ashland County Pioneer Society. The unveiling of the monument, on September 15, 1882, was attended by 10,000 people including Copus daughter, Sarah Vail. a group of Perrysville, Ohio residents unveiled the Copus Monument, a mass grave monument in memory of the white soldiers. 6,000 persons attended the event. Rice is perhaps best known for her prose and poetry describing Chapman; her widely published works contributed to Chapman becoming a mythologized hero of American folklore.

References

  • H.Howe's "Historical Collections of Ohio" Volume 1 .pp. 258–259 1907
  • Copus monument at Find A GRAVE