The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-03-12
THE FIRE LANDS OF OHIO.
A TOUCHING 1NcrDENr.


g The /" fire lands was a tract of ha
r million acres, which was set apart
= the State of Connecticut, from th
a 2. Western Reserve p to compensate th
] sufferers by British incendiaryism, alon
e the coast of the State, during the Revo
: lutionary struggle, more particularly a
New London, Norwalk and Fairfield
l All was new; rugged, and unknown
The Indian title to the lands was no
: even extinguished, and the first settler
; experienced great difficulties arising
from this fact. The red men and TIE
beasts of the field contended with the
pale face for the possession of the soil
and the. newcomers found themselves
isolated, as it we're, far from their friend:
and assistance, and obliged to fght their
way, to the ownership of their claim.
Ner were these the greatest difficulties
against which they had to struggle.
Disease, that prolific source of misery
and destitution, stalked abroad in their
midst. and for year or two after loca-
ting, the sturdy pioneer and his family
were compelled to undergo an acclima-
ting-happy, indeed, if they escaped
with constitutions unimpaired by the
ravages of the fevers incidental to a
new country. Many, very many, sick
and disgusted with the priyations which
they were called upon to endure, re-
turned to their former homes, and 9TH
ers would have been glad to do SO, but
from inability and want of means to re-
trace their steps.
The following instance of extreme
destitution and suffering will serve as
specimen of the trials which many ex-
perienced in their eudeavors to establish
home in the wilderness and although
au extreme case perhaps, yet it is a
type of others with which the history of
the State, for the period of which I
write, abounds. Indeed, for a period
of six orsseEen years-say, from 500 to
1875 and 'l6-there were few families
located on the :" fire lands" who did not
experience the keenest suffering from
the want of proper food and clothing.
Parched and pounded corn was the on
ly food, with the exception ofwild meat |
and frequently that was so scarce as to
be regarded luxury when it chanced
to be obtained. .-.@.-
One morning, late in the fall Of 1910,
a hunter, who had been out in pursuit
of game and was vending his way home
ward with single wild turkey hung to
his belt, came out rather unexpectedly
upon little clearing, not far from the
banks of the Huron river, in which stood
i solitary lOg-cabin, the appearance of
which, so far in the recess of the forest,
md so isolated from the possibility of
.elief in case of danger or sickness, ex-
,ited his wonder and surprise. There
vas something in the appearance Of the
,abin itself which fixed his attention,
md led him to closer examination.
appearances indicated a recent
yet there was no evidences
If life about the premises. He ap-
,roachcd the door and knocked. A fee
lie voice bade him come in" and he
but stood aghast on the thresh-
I'D at the scene which presented itself {
On stool by the fireplace sat female {
orm, reduced to mere skeleton her I
lothing, as it clung to her attenuated I
gure, serving to bring out into bold re-
ief its projecting angles and sharp out /
ines In her arms she held a babe a '
ew mon tbs old, whose pupy form, and l
launched features. and sunken eyes, be- I
okened its lack of that nourishment a
Ihich its starving mother was unable to 8
i've. On rude bed behind the wo- /
ian lay boy of three years old, whose f
ppearance also manifested what every s
hing went to show-disease and starva- t
ion. The cabin was without single q
rticle of furniture, except the stool on
hich the mother sat and the bed on s
hich lay her sick and dying boy. Ev- s
ry thing else had disappeared. On a
ne hearth was pile of ashes, which to a
is experienced eye,- indicated a lack of a
re for at least some days. n
As soon as the awe-struck hunter had Ii
in measure from his first a
lrprise, he demanded to know what n
as the matter and where her husband b
as. A frantic burst of tears was her y
My answer. Her oYer-charged and 81
heart was overhowing with u
motions which her tongue could not
I've utterance to, mingled feelings of b
y and sorrow choked her speech and Ia
10 could not reply. At length, how a
ler, mastering herself by an effort, she b
anaged between her sobs to say, point u
g towards the bed: There lies my v
tile Edward, expect he is dying, and al
ere is my babe, SO sick cannot lay re
,r down; I am SO weak and feeble I h
n scarcely sit in my seat, and my poor SC
isband lies buried beside the cabin l'' al
ben, as if rendered frantic by the re- or
tai of her sorrows and destitution. she ii
in tones of deepest anguish, IL
o. that I was back to my own coun- Il
y, where could fall into the arms of tc
= n = Ian