The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-03-27

MaArtI u Naa salu1 Huoa WIN w N-'' ~
lsb Atwster. the original owner Of Atwate'
township, and Of the South Psrt Of A6borhI
and there, with Atwster, he had earned and
laid UP the money that enabled Him 10 buy
and pay down for his 500 acres OF land. =
He then becsme farmeri but not one oi
the best.
The first settlers. thus fsf, we're all loea-
ted on the West side Of tbe GUyshogs Aiv.
er, and near to il. They Bad found the In
dians encamped along the River in Mantusj
and at the Rapids in Hiram, there were sew
eral snug Indian huts, built Of small logs, OF
large poles, which seemed to be common
stock for all Indians that came that way ;
fire equently changing occupants. No trouble,
as among whites, about paying rent. The
Indians were always friendly, and continued
frequently to occupy those huts up to within
few weeks Of the commencement Of the
war Of 1912. With them the settlers dealt
for meat and skins, in the most friendly man
ner; but l believe, never sold them any
"6re-wster," to craze their brains. ! have
heard Mrs. Harmon often remark, she did moi
know how they should have got along there
the 6rst winter, but for the Indians, Of whom
they bought meat, in exchange at reasonable
rates, for few pumpkins and potatoes, aud
sometimes few needles and other trinkets
One winter, think it was lStl-2, seve.
raj lodges Of Indians drove . herd Of Elk
into Mantua, there being then considerable
depth Of snow on the ground, the Elk stop
ped on the North side of Mr. Joseph Skin
ner's field, South west part Of lot II, and
were shot down, and the Indians pitched
their tents there, and jerked aud dried their
meat several duys, and then put off toward
their then more common hunting ground
the waters Of the Chagrin River, North.wes,
of Mantua, there being then, 10 that direc.
tion, several townships of unbroken wilder.
ness.
OF those friendly Indians | know the
nnmes but few. nave heard my brother
and his wife, speak often,oi "Old Sogimaw,
who he said wus very much respected, h
chief Of some consequence among the In
dians, who had frequsnted Mantua the ffst
years Of the settlement, and was very neigh
borly. Ia Jaly, 1912. when the Volunteer
Company, raised by Gen. Campbell, were
on the way, i'll boats, going up the Sandusky
River, we saw venerable looking old In.
dian, sald to be "OId Sog on the eost
bank, where had been old fudlan cornfeds
He vas then supposed to be friendly, but
feured he should get in trouble between con.
tending war parties.
George Vincen, or Wilson, a half breed
French Indiun, whom | had often seen in
Mantua, and once in Hudson, before the " ar,
and another who was called Cuckoo, saw
in August, 1912, with the British Indians, in
Maiden. Others, who had frequented our
county before the war,were seen in Maiden
at the sumo time. by other members OF
Campbell's company. They were fed there
on British rations, no doubt, and under Brit
i"h pay.
George V,ncen. or Wilson had bad char
actcr, but was Father shrewd. Alter the az.
fray at Deerfield, when Daniel Diver was
sho. through the head by an Indian. pa,.iag
out both eyes, which was in 1907, I think in
February, Wilson, who WAS alnIn! them,
was ut kind Of talk called a Council, be.
tween the Indians and whites. at the house
of Capt Heman Oviatt in ihs South part o!
Hudson. He could talk Engli,h, sud was
extremely talkatve, but wanted more whis
key than Mrs. o. Gn Capt. O.'s absence)
was willing to give them. The Indians pro
missed peace, and believe never brokc i,
after that. until in 1919 they went to Can ada
TO BE coNrIEUED.