ABOKIGINAL lUIMAI. MOUNDS, EDEN TOWNSHIP, SENECA 



rOTTNTY, OHIO. 



By IiFSSELL .). THf):M1>SON. 



Tliese monnds, three in number, are, or were, located about 4 miles 

 east of Til'lin (NE. ^ of section 4, townslii]) 1 north, range l."> east, 

 Eden Township, Seneca County, Ohio, and on tlie west side of the 

 Morrison State road where it crosses Rock Creek). (iMap, Eig. 1.) 



Concerning their origin, the Moliawk* Indians then inhabiting that 

 section could give the settlers no information. The Indians had uo 

 theory or tradition accounting ior the presence of the landmarks. 

 Large forest trees covered these monuments then, and among them 

 were cherry trees 20 inches in diameter. Before the cultivation of tlie 

 soil after the removal of the forest had 

 altered the i)roportions of the mounds, 

 they were well rounded, and the largest 

 was perhai)s (> feet or more in heiglit and 

 about 40 feet in diameter. Two, the 

 largest and the smalh'St, were near each 

 other on the south side of tlie stream. 

 (See map.) The former was slightly 

 less than an eignfh of a mile from the 

 bank, and the smaller otw about half 

 tliat distance, Tlie tliird was on the otlu'i- side, about as far as the lat- 

 ter from the cr<'ek an<l a thii'd of a mile fiom tlu> largest. It was but a 

 slu)rt way beyond the culmination of a, giMith^ rise of about-.") Ceet above 

 the creek \ alley. The b;inks on the south side weri^ rather steej) and oO 

 ro 40 teet high. The large mound was located on the rounded border 

 of ail elongated <Iei)ression tributary to the creek. 



The mound on I he noith side (»f the creek' was (U'ossed by the fence 

 dividing' the road from a modern graveyard, and when a grading was 

 made, not long pi ior to 18S(i, for the <;on\-eiiience of standing teams 

 driven to the church, iiuiiian remains w (>re unearthed on the roadside 

 of the fence. The other half probably si ill remains intact. 



In 18cS(», the ground o\er the site of the smallest mound was on a 



Tlip Souocas iiihal)itc(l lht> 

 south. 



ic<iioii (o tho north and the W yamlots tliat, to the 



571 



