The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1854-01-12
Select Gales.
From the Western Pioneer.
JON A0a999R>
A WESTERN PIONEER,

lily by the name Of Logston, as being con
nected with the early settlement Of Vir.
ginia and Kentucky.
The elder LogSton, whose name was
Joseph. and his wife, whose name think,
was Mary, with an only son bearing his
name, lived. when | first knew them in
Virginia, near the source Of the north
branch of the Potomac, in one of the most
lnhosP'able regions Of the Allegheny
mountains, some twenty or thirty miles
from any settlement. There never was
perhaps. family better calculated to live
in such place. Old Joe (for they were
soon known as old Joe and young Joe
Logston) was very large athletic man,
with uncommon muscular strength. The
old lady was not so much above the ordi.
nary height Of women, but like the Dutch.
mans horse was built up from the ground;
and it would have taken the strength oil
Two or three common women to equal
hers. The son was no discredt 10 either
in the way Of strength, size and activity.
In fact he soon outstripped his father
What little he lost in height was more than
compensated in the thickness and muscle
of the mother, so that when he came to his
full size and strength, he went by the name
OF Big Joe Logston. would not venture
to say his physical powers were equal to
those Of the strong man Of old, but such
they were as 10 become proverbial. 1t
Nas often said TO stout looking, growing
young men, "You will soon be as big as
Big Joe LogSton."
About the time Joe arrived at manhood,
his father, and perhaps his mother, were
called hence, leaving him single handed
to contend, not only with the Spitzbergen
winters OF the mountains, but with the
bears, panthers, wolves, raitleSIakes, and
all the numerous tribes OF dangerous ami.
mails. reptiles and insects, with which the
mountain regions abound. Joe, however,
maintained his ground for several years,
until the settlements had begun 10 en-.
croach upon what he had been accustom-
ed To consider bis own premises. One
man sat down six miles east Of him, an.
other about The same distance in another
direction. and finally one, with numer.
Gus family, had the temerity to come and
pitch his cabin within two miles of him.
This Joe could not stand, and he pulled
up stakes and decamped to seek neigh
borhood here he could hear the crack Of
no mans rifle but his own.
OF all the men | ever knew he was the
best qualified TO live on frontier where
there were savages. either animal or hu
man, to contend witt. His uncommon
s,ze and strength. and inclination 10 be en-
trely free from restraint, made him choose
his residence little outside Of the bounds
of law and civil liberty. do not know
The precise time he left the Alleghanies.
but believe it was betw ween the years Of
1887 and '91. The next that we heard
of Joe was, that he had settled in Ken
lucky, south of Green river, | think on
Little Barren river, and Of course, little
in advance of the settlements. The iron.
tiers were frequently compelled to con.
tend with the southern Indians. There
was not particle of fear in Joe'S compo.
Siton; that ingredient was left Out Of his
mixture. Inever knew such man in my
life. There he would be. He soon had
an introduction 10 new acquaintance
So far he had been acquainted only with
savage beasts, but now savage men came
in his way, and as it "stirs the blood more
to rouse the lion than TO start The hare"
Joe was in his delight. The indians made
sudden attack, and all that escaped
were driven into a rude hut for preserva.
tion, andthough, reluctantly, Joe was one
This was a new life TO him and did not at
all suit his taste. He soon became very
restless, and every day insisted on going
out with others to hunt up the cattle
Knowing the danger or fearing it more,
all persisted in their refusals TO 60 with
him.
70 indulge his taste for the woodlands
lie, he turned out alons and rode till the
after part of the day without finding any
cattle. What the Indians had not killed
we're scared of, He concluded 10 return
to the fort. Riding along path which
led in. he came 10 fine vine Of grapes,
lie laid his gun across the Pummel Of his
saddle, sat his hat on it and filled it with
grapes. He turnedinto the path and rode
carelessly along eating his grapes, and
the first intimalon he had Of danger was
the crack of two rifles one from each side
Of the rode. One of the balls passed
through the paps of his breast, which for a
male, were remarkably prominent, almost
as much so as many nurses. The ball
Just grazed the skin between the paps, but
did not injure tile breast bone. The 9TH
er ball struck his horse behind the saddle,
and he sunk in his tracks. Thus was Joe
eased off his horse in manner more rare
than welcome. Still he was on his feet in
an instant, with his rifle in his hands and
might have taken TO his heels; and viii
venture the opinion. that no Indian could
have caught him. That, he said. was mol
his sort. He had never left battle
ground without leaving his mark, and he
was resolved that that should not be the
first. The moment the guns fired one
very athletic Indian sprang towards hin
with tomahawk in hand. His eye was OF
him and his gun to his eye, ready, as sooI
as he approached near enough to make
sure shot 10 let him have il. As soon a
The Indian discovered this, he jumped be