The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-03-13
Fer the Palladium.
PIONEER SnETCHES.

/ MESsRs. EDITOEs.-Since the Old settlers
Meeting, held some lime ago in Richmond. l
have been called upon frequently for COM
munication giving some Of the events OF my
early life, in connection with my settling IN
this county. my present place OF residence.
AS to my nativity, was born in Chester
/ County Pennsylvania. April 10Th, 1880. My
father emgra,ed from that State TO North Car
ona, Randolph County, when l was quite
young, in the tim. of the Revolutionary war
| lived with my father until was about l9
wears Of age. when | did as the most OF
! youno men do-cot married. lived in that
county a few years, when left with my fam
ily in two horse wagon. TO move TO the West,
on the ] tn day of September. 1904; and on
that day four weeks crossed the Ohio River
and landed al Cincinnati, where / saw but
three brick houses at that time. When land
ed on this side Of the Ohio. had but twenty
dollars 10 support my family, consisting of a
wife and two children. during the winter. On
the day following l got to my journeys end
(for that tinle) in the settlement of German
town, Ohio. where my wlfe's father, mother,
brothers and sisters lived.
After resting few days with come ctons. l
began to look for shelter for the winter. By
making enquiry found a cabin and got the
privilege to go into it until March; l also rent
ed small piece of ground for the next
season. This brought US to 1905. In the
spring We had TO leave the old smoky cabin;
and as cabins were few and all occupied. l
could get none fl to live in. Jacob Fou.s.
my father-in-law, had built cabin to weave
in;-he told US we could have it if We could
do no better.
1t had no loft nor floor but mother earth,
was covered with clspboards. no chimney nor
door, a hole was cut GU. for door but WAS
not checked up, and place for chimney but
none built. So when We wanted to make a
fire, in cool rainy weather. we had to build 1t
in the middle Of the cabin. Bad as the chance
was we wentinto it and remained there until
the August following.
Sometime in November company Of seven
men, j ohm Hardin, William Fouts, Jesse Da-
venport, Owen Darby, Charles and John
Russell and myself, left the settlement with
team of two horses and wagon and provisions
enough to last us eight or ten days. to look
for land. We travelled through wilderness
country for thirty miles--.welve miles Of the
way, there being no road only as we cutit out
from where the town Of Eaton now stands,
to the place of my present residence, then the
Territory of Indiana. Dearborn County.
We camped near the Ohio Sac line. about
one half mile South Of where | now live, and
commenced looking for land. In the day time
we looked for land and at night hunted rack
coons. Our provisions gave out before we
all got satisfied; after which we lived on rack
coons while we remained land hunting. AZ
ter making our choice Of locations for land
Cat leas: four of us) we returned home. This
was in the fall of 1905 On the 7th of March
following. Davenport and myself took money
and went to Cincinnati and entered the land
we had selected for Fouts, Davenport and
myself.
The following June. in company with Da-
venport and wife, and Jacob Fou.s. jr, and
myself and wife came out to see our wilder
ness homes, which was the second time | saw
my present residence.
On our way home a few miles east of Eaton.
Ohio. soon after noon, an eclipse of the sun
took place which caused such intense darkness
that we could see the stars IS plain as as mid
night: and we had to dismount from our horses,
il being so dark that we could not see 10 travel
for about one half hour.
In August after our return home. my wife
was taken sick, and on the 9th day of Ssptem-
Der followed her remains to the grave. on
the bank Of the little Twin Creek, near Ger
mantown, Montgomery County. Ohio.
This event lett the in very poor condition.
| had no home-waS left with two small chill
dren-wthout money or means. had n
piece OF land but it was ia the wilderness
thirty miles off. / become very much dissat-
isfied with the west. and wanted to return to
the old country. aud made an effort 20 do so,
but could nos-I had not the means to take
me back
That winter l came 10 my brother in laws,
William Fouts, who lived in about three
my land, clearing ground and cutting logs for
q hin I h,,,lt hin hot Wiz
worked that win 'er | neither saw the face OF
a white man. heard dog bark a chicken
crow. At,his time felt though l was
out Of the world. ny discontentment was
50 great THAI | sometimes wished had never
been born. Bat got along the best l could
under the circumstances that surrounded me
NY fa,her-in law, Jacob Fou.s, had bought
piece OF land near mine, and came out that
winter and lived alone in shanfy until cold
Friday. which IS recollec,ed by all who were
II. ms c.1. q that time. when Jesse Da-
venport. William Fous~, gsascoo fou's. Jr, and
myself bu;l; him csbin ten feeI s,;uare, COW
cred il with boards, Gu. Ga. door aud lie
moved his bed into i. the same day. Cold
Friday occurred il February 1906. During
that winter. as | said before, | built my cabin.
cleared aud fenced some four acres Of ground,
and the ten;h day of June follow ne, |
planted Ii in corn, which WAS the first crop
sha: planted on my land where l now live.
Here | want 10 inform you how l hauled
the rails to fence my ground. had one horse
and log chain-she bes. property had at
that sime-msde a log-sled. put on six or
eight rails. faStene them with the chain, ani
IN this way hauled them where | wanted
them This was oas WAY OF hauling rails
GA the l4th day of August l started back,
IN company with my friend Daniel Fouts. To
the old country. having u small amount OF
money due me there The day before start
ed. went through the corn patch. and could