Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-09-28
TFrom the Ironton Register.l
COLONEL ROBERT Stafford.

GALLIPoL1s-THE FRENcH-INcIDENTs
We are always delighted to take one
of the early settlers by the hand; there
is heartiness in the shake that we do
not often find nowadays.
Colonel Robert Stafford, of Gallia
county, whose name we have placed
above, was in town the other day, when
we took occasion to call on him, and
surely it was not an hour lost. He is a
gentleman of the old school, now in
his 87th year, straight as a gun, hale
and hearty, sound in mind and body
All the 'old folks know the old gentle
man personally or by reputation, and
will be glad to hear of his well being
through this article; and certainly it
delights the young to learn of the men
of the early days OF the great State of
Ohio.
Col. Stafford was of the first party
that broke ground at Gallipolis, and we
wished to draw from him some informa-
ton of early times that might be of in
terest to our readers, but the old gentle
man had no desire to figure in the pub
lie print, and besides he remarked that
he knew nothing of importance that
everybody else did not know, and as for
his own personal history, it was not
worth relating-'Why,' says he, i
never killed an Indian nor got killed my
SELF However, the old gentleman told
us some few things with the express in
junction that we should not put a big T.
into the account.
Col. Robert Stafford was born in
Hardwick, Mass, July 7, 1863, and
when about three years of age was left
fatherless. His mother soon after re-
moved with him to Mortified, in the
same State, and subsequently to Wood
stock, VT, where he remained until his
91st year.
early in $780, as Col. Stafford re-
marks, 4 left for the NeW World, but /
was over a year in getting there He
fingered along with friends in the west
ern part of Massachusetts,, and some
while in New York, and at last, making
his way westward, fell in with a compa-
ny of Gen. Rufus Putnam, as it was
passing through New Jersey. Agents
of the Scioto Company had by glowing
representations in France, and by fraud
ulent maps, induced some four hundred
French people to emigrate to their lands
in the Northwest Territory. They told
the French of the delightful climate
where people never died except from old
age; of frost being almost unknown
even in winter; of the beautiful rivel
abounding in fish of enormous size; o.
the noble forests, the trees spontaneous
ly producing sugar, and of plants thai
yielded ready-made candles; of deer
turkey, de-, In great numbers, without
wolves, lions and tigers; also said that 6
couple of swine would multiply them.
2 selves hundred fold in two wears
without any care; that there we're ne
taxes to pay, no military duty to per
form, de-. &c. They took good care
however, not to tell the Frenchmen
word of the real beauties of border life
ferocious Indians, the telling of the for
est, &c.
Before the arrival of the French emf
grants the Scioto Company became IN
Tolved in trouble. and Col. Duer. tn
agent in New York. negotiated with tn
Ohio Company for tie land where is nc
the town of Gallipolis. on which to L
cate the French: also contracted wit
Gen. Rufus Putnam to proceed in at