Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-12-26
vernon correspondence.
WEST VERNON.

low, wet, clay soil, and was originally
covered with a very thick growth of large
tall trees, which for many years were a
terror to home seekers. A few made the
effort, but 500 got discouraged and left
Others went to SEQ the land, but returned
giving it hard names, such as frog pond,
hard pan, beach roots, and green briers.
james Henry, Conrad Smith, Miles and
Edwin Beach were about the first perma-
nent settlers. Others have since come to
their HELM, SO that by the aid of two good
steam saw-mills these monster trees are
being fast used up. They have now a fine
school house, and a church so far finished
as to be used for worship By ditching,
and other right management, this wet,
clay soil will produce as uncommonly
large tall grass as it did large tall trees
The east part of johnson was about as
slow in settling, as the west part Of Yer
non, making a forest of about four or five
miles square, thus affording a fine home
for wild beasts, fowls of the air and creep
ing things. About in the middle of this
forest was the Cranberry marsh, which is
about one mile long by forty rods wide,
surrounded by a thick growth of black
alder bushes. SO thick that a man can
hardly crawl through. This marsh once
afforded an abundance Of Cranberries,
which were gathered by rakes, mutlatiEg
the vines so as to finally destroy them
One family gathered in one fall forty
bushels, which were taken to Pittsburgh
and sold. The little black rattle snake
was a terror to these fruit seekers,-some-
times one family would kill one dozen in
one day. A few were bitten by them, but
none died 1 think.
WOLF HUNTS.
The wolf had long been a troublesome
animal to the surrounding settlements,
killing sometimes forty sheep at a time
Sheep must be keptnear the house at night
so that the bell eould be heard, and some
one get up, and chase off the wolves. No
dog of experience would confront them,
and nothing but a deer could run so fast.
A few were caught in large steel traps,
and then they would often gnsw of the
unfortunate leg, and still out run the dogs
on three legs. Mr.. Lester Hayes caught
one once that was q fearful looking cres
ture. 1t was resolved to surround the
woods and marsh and if possible extermi-
nate them; so on a given day all turned
out and drove the woods and marsh, kill
ing nine wolves. This only seemed to
make them worse Their howl at night
was most hidsous. Nothing except the In
dian war whoop is more so. 1t was then
resolved to have q more thorough hunt,
with improved arrangements. Kinsman,
Gustavus, Fowler and Hartford were in
vited to participate. Some got the word
over the line in Pennsylvania, and come
with gun in hand. The entire woods were
to be surrounded, and then move forward
in hearing distance of each other, until an
inside line (made by blazeing trees) was
reached, when all were to halt, and wait
until the word come round the circle, from
the Marshal to proceed. l was with my
father, who had a pitch fork, and elder
brother, who had a gun, on this line when
the word come round which had the force
of a loud hurrah. As yet we had seer
nothing except some upstsrting deer, OIL
flying turkeys shot at, on the wing. W.
were soon crawling through the bushes
and then in the open marsh, where thC
line could be seen like an army. BY thi:
time the firing was brisk along the ives
line, which must have been about where
the Irish settlement now is. Soon the
deer began to come through the brush or
the west, and were met, you may guess.
how, but strange to say many of them ran
right through the line into the brush OF
the east side. Father made a pass at on'
with his pltchfork, while l was glad to ge'
out of the way. The men would no doub
r have killed them all had it not been for
+ the fear of killing each other. As it wa
F three men were wounded. While W,
were crawling through the bushes on tn
+ west, q man saw and shot s huge bear hit
!, in the brush so close TO me that I hearc
his ugly growl. After We got through tn
+ bushes, what deer were within the circl'
were soon shot down, but two wolves raj
round for some time seeming to bid def
ance to the best marksman in the country
, The wolf has a strong hold On life for on
of these had sixteen balls pass thrOugl
. him before be yielded to death The dee
!, fifty in all, two wolves, two bears, ant
turkeys almost without number, were col
Iected together and sold at auction, on tn
: ground to buy whiskey to treat the hunt
4. ers. It was thought that the wolves wit
the exception of the two killed, were hi
in the bushes or some holloE log OF tree
! As I ride in the oars across the south en-
a of this marsh, I look out and think of thi
, scene, feeling sad that so many who too
: part in that affair are now numbered wit
the dead, and that 1 must soon be wit
e them.
REVIVAL.
It will interest and encourage you
christian readers to learn that there is
: good revival of religion at the Unite
Pratb-an church in thewest mart of We
= non Quite a number have profesEed cor
version. Seven or eight out of one famll
). have witnessed a good confession. One {
d these, Mr.. James Beach, who sounded th
it Lbugle horn for Gen. Sheridan in his raid
around Richmond, and fought so man
battles without a single wound, is no