Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1859-12-09

tne pam untll IL joined the Track made by
the logs which the neighbor had been draw
ing out of the woods. 1t was evident from
the footprints that little Matthew had mis-
taken the path, and followed the log track
up into the woods. The traces were fol-
lowed up until they were hidden among
the fallen leaves in the vicinity Of the In
dian trail before spoken of. Filled with
alarm, William and his companion re-
traced their steps and carried the news to
the bereaved family. Mr. Brayton was ab-
sent to Chillicothe, getting milstones.-
Mrs. Brayton was plunged into sea of grief
and terror The neighborhood was raised,
and as soon as the news could reach the
settlers, three counties aud part OF fourth
turned out as one man. Every foot Of
ground was diligently searched but in vain.
The Wyandots became interested, and
young and old started out in pursuit of the
missing child. Hours heightened into
days, and days into weeks, but not the faint
est trace could be discovered An old set
tier still alive, acted as storekeeper, and as
each party came in after an unsuccessful
hunt he filled their meal bags and canteens,
and sent them off again,
Meantime the brave mother kept steadi-
ly at her household duties, her heart racked
with thousand pangS of fear, and hereyes
turning ever to the window in hopes to be
gladdened by the sight of her darling boy.
But to her sight that bov was never fated to
return-on earth, at least. Weeks passed
away-weeks of agonizing hopes and fears,
and then came the settled conviction that
all hope was lost 1t was believed that n
party of Pottawattomies who passed through
about that time on the trail for Canada,
had taken him with them. From time to
time came rumors that the boy had been
seen in this direction or in that, but speedy
examination proved all these rumors to be
without foundation. Once, about four
years after his loss, man who had been
travelling among the Indian tribes of Hin
ols said that he had seen among the Potta-
wattomies in that State white child,
whose age and appearance would cores
pond with little Matthew. Mr.. Brayton
Immediately wrote to Gen. Cass, then In
dian Commissioner but the answer was
prompt--perhaps too prompt--that the re-
port was certainly incorrect, "The Indians
had no white child with them"
So the years wore on and the incident be-
came less fresh in mems memories. Not
forgotten, however, for the hardy pioneer;
Of Wyandot. Seneca, Hardin, Hancock anc
the adjoining counties, still, among the his
6 tories of their pioneer life, told their child
ren of the mysterious disappearance of lit
tie Matthew Brayton. Not forgotten,-
, for the sturdy EIijah-though another boz
a had been added to his family to replace thC
ore so sadly lost, and another girl to re
place one lost by ydeath-still muttered of hi,
''lost Matthew" and said that had he lived
he would have been "the smartest of then
q ALL" Not forgotten, for deep in the hear
:, of the eldest brother, William, sank thu
spoken Or silently expressed reproach of tn,
. mother, that the loss of the boy was owing
, to his carelessness in sending him off alone
Not forgotten, ah no not forgotten by tha
! fond maternal heart that yearned longingly
for the missing lamb of the fold. The pal
4 ing cheek, the wasting form, the decayin!
strength told how deep the love, how bit
q. ter the anguish of the mother for her los
Z son. If she were but sure of his fate,-i
4 but rag of his clothes, but particle 0
1 his body had remained to assure her tha
:. her darling had persisted by wild beasts o
!, been slain by still wilder men, it woul
have given at least rest to her weary hear
but this torturing mystery was too great t
he borne. So the years wore on, unit
eighteen years ago that suffering heart wa
y e laid to rest beneath the turf, and all VIII
= knew the story sighed and said the fate {
! her boy had broken the motherly heart
10 AMONG THE INDIANS.
The events of the first eight years {
; young Brayton's captivity are only know
l. to him by the statements made to him s
10 different times by the various bands of II
v dians and their exact accuracy cannottherc
d fore be known. Itappears that he was ca
,e ried off by the Pottawattomie Indians, an
r by them taken to Canada 1t was told hil
v that after being kept some time by this trit
A. he was sold to the Paw-Paws for about fy
d. gallons of whisky, who traded him off I
l. the Winnebagoes for gallons of whisk
of With this tribe he remained for some tim
Sc and was eventually sold TO the Chippewa
ro who soon transferred him to the Sioux f,
ii eleven gallons of whisky. Here his fir
IN distinct recolections commence, twenty-s
at years ago, when he was "about head shor
ad er" than at the present time. Twenty-fi'
Q, years ago last April he was sold in low
ok to the Snakes and Copperheads. Th
to tribe he accompanied in their migration
k through California and Oregon, until thC
On were at length crowded up into the f
tv Northwest. Here the tribe to which
m belonged have been joined by portions
~ the Crows, Utahs, and Flat Heads, makiT
ce large aggregate, united under one gene
al chief with a number of subordna
IL chiefs That portion of the tribe to owhiC
a Matthew more particularly belonged !
H. manned principally in the Russian territor
til and they paid frequent visits to Russii
up forts on the Colville River.
H. About eight years since, their supply
I'm game during the winter ran low, and beil
I'm almost both starved and frozen out, the pc
let tion of the tribe with which he was, NOV
up off in the direction of the Hudson's b
ite trading posts. Here some of the trade
ut, remarked his appearance, and told him tn
ed he WAS "pale face" Tho whites deman
ny ed him, but the Indians absolutely rcfus
.th either to give him up freely or to allow hi
las to be ransomed The tribe moved off fro
up the white settlements and kept away