Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-01-25
From tho Western Pioneer.
JOE LOGSTON,
a Western Pioneer.

Mr.. EDITOR Il comply with your re-
quest in giving you, for the Pioneer, a
sketch Of the life and character of a fami-
ly by the name of Logsto4, as being con-
aected 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 l first knew them in
Virginia, near the source of the north
branch of the Potomac, in one of the most
inhospita9le regions of the Allegheny
mountains, some twenty or thirty miles
from any settlement. There never was,
perhaps, a family better calculated to live
in such place Old Joe (for they were
soon known as old Joe and young Joe
Logston) was very athletic man, with
uncommon muscular strength. The old
t1dy was not SO much above the ordinary
height of women, but like the Dutchman' s
horse was built up from the ground and
it would have taken the strength of two
or three common women to equal hers
The son was no discredit to either in way
of strength, size and activity. In fact he
soon outstripped his father. What little
he lost in height was more then compen-
sstcd in the THO kness and muscular of the
mot,er, 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 ola strong man of old, but
such they were as to become proverbial
1t was often said 10 stout looking, grow
ing young men, " You vii! soon be as big
as Big Joe Logston."
About the time Joe arrived at manhood
his father, aod perhaps his mother, were
called hence, leaving him single handed
to contend not only with the Spitzbcr-
gen wintero ofthe mountains, but with the
bears, panthcrs, wolves, rattcsnakcs, and
all the numerous tribes Of which the noun
tain regions abound. Joe, however, main
tanned his ground for several years, until
the settlement had begun to encroHch up.
on what he had been accustomed to con.
slider his own premises. One man sal
down six miles east Of him. another about
the same distance in another direction
and finally one, came and pitch his cabin
within two miles of him. This Zoe could
not stand, and he pulled up stakes and de.
camped to seek ncighbor hood where ne
could hear the crack Of no mans rifle but
his own.
OF all the men I ever knew he was the
best qualified to live on a frontier where
there were savagcs. either animal or hu
man, to contend with His uncommon
size and strength, and inclination to be
entirely 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 Allegha
nies, bu! believe it was between the years
Of 1887 and '9l. The next that we heard
Of Joe was, that he had settled in Ken
lucky, South of Green river, l think on
Little Barren river, and OF course, Il little
IN advance Of the settlements The from
tiers we're frequently compelled to contend
with the southern Indians. There WAS
not particle of fear in Joe's comrosition;
that ingredient was left out of his mixture
never knew such man in my life
There he would be. lie soon had an in.
PRODUCTION to new acquaintance. So fa,
he had been acquainted only with savage
beasts, bul now, savage men came in his
way. anu as it "stirs the blood more
to rouse a lion than to start the
hare Joe was in his delight. The
Indians made q sudden attack, and all
that escaped were driven into a rude hut
Tor preservation, and, though, reluctant
~ Joe was one. This was a new life to
him and dId not at all suit his taste. He
soon became very restless, and cverv dav
INSISTED on gong out with others to hunt
up the cattle. Knowing the dancer het.
ter or fealing it more, all persisted in their
rcfusals to go with him. '
To.indulge' his taste for.woodmon,s 1;co
he turned out alone and rode till tho aftar
part of the day without finding anv cst
tie. What the Indians had not killed
were scared off. He concluded to return
TO the fort. Riding along path which
lea IN: ne can to 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 turned into the path and rode
carelessly along eating his grapes, and
the first intimation he had of danger was
the crack of two rifles one from each side
OF the road One Of the balls passed
through the paps of his breast, which fol
mae, were remarkably prominent, al.
LNH TSt as much so as many nurses. The
p"l JuSt grazed skin between the paps,
o.1 OT' u'H not mlure the breast bone. The
Az 49, ".J J'1l struck his horse behind the sad
ule anu he sunk in his tracks Thns loo
was eased off his horse in n D,,uIa. u9 0oo
rare than welcome. Still he wao - III! ~: .
teet IN an Instant, with his riGo ~ in LIS LIS
hands and might have taken to his booin i'9
and will venture tho opinion thnt n.eiS )