Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-07-19

Joe Dean was great hunter when the eOun-
try was new. He it was, at tradition IS cor
rect,) who was captain of the great bear hunt in
1920, when they surrounded the country from
Rocky River to Black River. The wings of this
great army of hunters extended from river to
river, each man directing his course to a certain
point on the Lake shore, in Avon. In going
through the great bear swamp in Avon, the
brush was so thick that they could not 60 in
solid phalanx, but were obliged to travel In In
dian file consequently the bears escaped when
closing up on the Lake shore. They killed q
great many deer; some jumped of the bank
into the Lake.
After they had finished dressing their deer,
they must needs have whisky As good luck
would have it, man by the name Of Gaut,
near by, had the article. To his cabin they re-
paired TO sell their venisOn hams for whisky. Il
is said that Gaut paid quart of whisky for a
saddle-that is, two hams. The modern drink
ing SALONS are patterns, somewhat, after Gaut's.
His had counter, and shelves withal, behind,
for the bottles to stand on so do the modern.
His had back room for convenience sake; so
do the modern, with this Improvement that
they have a curtain hung between the bar and
back room. There is policy in this. Outsiders
don't know what is done behind the curtain
Now, as Gaut received his venison hams for
whisky, pint for one, and quart for saddle,
he thrOwed them into his back room. UnfOTtu-
nately for him, his back room had an outside
door TO it, and as the fun began TO grow q" fast
and furious" he being drunk himself, the hunt
ers found their way round to the back room,
extracted the hams therefrom, and presented
them again at the counter for more whisky. In
this way the hams were sold many times over,
until the whisky barrel was drained. In this
dilemma, the hunters deemed it exPedient to
send an express four miles for more whisky,
which snfficed for the night On the following
day, they adjourned 10 house IN Dover, some
four miles down the Lake shore, where they
had shooting match and plenty Of whisky
Altogether, this was great time Joe Dean,
Leveret johnson, and many Of the best men IN
the county figured largely at this hunt
In extenuation Of the whisky-drinking pro-
pensities OF the old pioneers, the reader Is re-
ierred TO the Bible, Acts xvii 30
Soon after the death Of Daniel Miner, in 1913,
Joseph Larwen came to ROckport and bought
the Mill Lot, (the same is now owned by Hiram
Stone,) and the land on the west side Of the
river, (aow owned by Frederick and Thomas
WTight) laid out city into lots, and made
preparations for building large hotel The
city was to be called Granger, in honor OF Gid
con Granger, whose heirs owned the most Of
tue lONnsulp. An duCllOn was nla1t AoA tue
sale Of city lots; buyers came from different
parts of the United States. Some half-acre
lots sold as high as sixty dollars. The excite
ment ran high. Many fortunes were made in
corner lots, but the city finally hzzled. Larweil
bought the land whereon he laid out his city, Of
Gr1nger, with the expectation Of making for
tune. Having failed, he and Granger had a
long contest in the law. Granger finally got
possession, and about ten years since sold the
whole to Rufus Wright and sons, for farming
purposes
Sine, Larwelrs failure, which was about
forty five years ago, attempts have been made
by different individuals to make raise at the
mouth of Rocky River, but they have mostly
failed
1t will be 'recollected that when Phllo Taylor
sold out in 1909, he cursed the mouth Of Rocky
River for reasons stated in the first chapter Of
this sketch-not TIE mouth itself, but the i'm
mediate vicinity. It used TO be sand that this
curse would always remain. In regard to the
efficiency of a curse OF blessing pronounced by
men or women. there are diversIties Of opinion,
in proportion 10 the amount Of true light re-
ceived.
With the help of tradition and our memory,