Note 31 — Chapter II
Reading edition
Portsmouth is situated at the mouth of the Scioto, on the east bank. On the west bank was the chief Shawnee village, in the days of rivalry between French and English fur-traders. Gist, exploring for the Ohio Company, was here in 1751. Two years later a flood drove the Indians across the river to the higher ground on which Portsmouth was afterwards built; but a part of them removed to the upper Scioto and the Little Miami, founding the Old and New Chillicothe towns. Portsmouth was the place of captivity of Mrs. Mary Ingles, in 1755; the site was abandoned by the Indians in 1758. The present town was platted (1803) by Henry Massie, on land bought by him in 1801. It was named for Portsmouth, Virginia.—Ed.