Scalp Level

Scalp Level Scalp level acsending the hill on the north side of the Maumee River, at Defiance, Ohio,the surface covering several acres is unboken by ravines.Upon this flat,and not far from the base of the hill,two Indian traders James Wyman Wyman and Hugh Mc Kane erected each a cabin for trading houses,the Indians were the main customers.Upon one occasion the they made a party of Indians drunk and then cheated them out of their furs. When the Indians became sober, they found them themselves hungry and destiute. They held a council and determined to whip the traders and take their goods back,                                                                                                                                     The squaws concealed the weapons of  the Indians and the fray commenced. The Indians men went into a square, the squaws crawled on the ground to catch and hold the traders feet. McKane was active and by  kicking, striking and shifting position, kept the Indians at bay, and the squaws could not get hold of McKane's feet. Wyman was strong and heavy and maintained his position until the squaws fastened his feet and he fell. The Indians were now on the winning side but the fight was heard on the Defiance side of the river and James and Robert Shirley and another man hastened to the river and arrived just in time to relieve Wyman and McKane .The Indians retired with some bruises, added to their hunger and distitution, to begin anew in the forest. For many years this flat was known as "Scalp Level"                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Thomas Warren  eye witness  1 June  1872