American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-08-16
.,THE LAST OF THE PIONEERS.

fWe-met the venerable Israel Donald
son on the street last Wednesday,
He has been on. a visit of some days to
bis friends in this vicinity, and though
fwithina few months of ninety, retains his
faculties remarkably well-walks about at
pleasure, couverses with animation, ana
reads without glasses. 1t is now near
six,y.four years since he emi rated iron
! New Jersey, whore hc was born, Februa-
lry 81, 1884, to )hio, a schoolmass-r ana
aayen;urer in an almost unbroken WIDER
ness. Afcr teaching small sehooiopr-
ing the summer of 1871, IN what Is, now
i M1ysyille, Ky. Lo baconae acquainted
with Gen. Massic, aad took up iils resi-
denes a. his fort in the then county ot
Ifnn,leon, North h-wr a:rn territory. short
" after this, being in company with Mas-
ST., G3n. Lyle and another, on survey,
= ing expadit;oa, they were surprised aud
; attacked by indisns, aAd bsmg unarnieo,
i Of course had to ruIs All escaped Das
II Donaldson, who was behind, tripped hlS
Q sfoos on a loot, fell, aud before he eould.re-
o cover, was captured and hurried TO tho
il North. !. He. suffered all the horrors Incl
nj tdent.to this species Of savage life, and,
: frallv, one night, whilst lying tied be-
lei tween two Indians, each of whom was
= ou ono etd Of the rope, he managed to re-
% lease, himself without awakening them
5r aud ESCAPED to small praire near by
lit and concealed himself in the grass, as !
,lfEwas lust daybreak when ho found HIM
Nd self free, The Indians almcst inlmedfi
iaiely discovered their lose, and with lou
r.. wells eommeneed the pursuit on the oac
!. track. Duaal1sca remained concealed
g the nr.ss nnsl they all g5s oil OF slg'l'
he and then struck in different direction
-. towards tile Ohio river. He spout se'
he cral miserable days aul nights IN tn
J., woods, bat finally, just as hope haa aiho'
:" fabanloned rim, be heard tho sweet MI
e@ce @ sic Of choppiag axe, which he sooa Gr
the covered 10 b. Lhag OF a settler az 10
il Washington now Cincinnati lie WI
to carried to the hus aad kindly mintsterC
mt nil he recovered his wasted s.rengt
and coand his wounds aud bruises hesle
n - when he returned to his foimeF rcsidcn
: greatly to the surprise aud joY Of his n
iiaernne f.i4nda. NJ. Donals n Is the lc
ech survivor ef the Convention of 1859, viii
'em framed the good old Constitution, so
de plete with common sense, honesty, a
H." pure repubIicanism, compared with
Dr.. miserable thing which the demagogu
Gal. have forced upon the people in It's s;e'
.e,n and is emphahcally the last gthe P4o''e
'" those stern, true, noble mon, who L
,ch'. tthe foundation Of our prosperity, wv
well sowed amid danger aud privation, ST.
him as the stoutest heart now shoulders
hear Of, the seeds of all that the pres
g., generation urgra,efuIly enjoy. Theyt'
.n"' W Office, not for themselves, bat to serve
io'f public for the goo1ofo hers, and hon
IL " and faithfully did they discharge II
, Il" trust; bat in ;hcsc degenerate days \
- sceb ofise in order to serve themsel
rea'' and grow rich a. the public expense. !
@ sis honored old patriot now stands alone 4
hurt were, in the worli the sole survivor
,ou,d his compeers, AMI we trust his clos
:, nm nm hours ay be calm anl peaceful as
e. snrnp M earthly career hts been honorable
: sway useful. .A.Ameri.an Citizen. ."-