The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1866-12-20

Large sheets Of beautiful white comb were
taken out till the pail was filed and piled
up 10 the height Of itself above the top,
and the supply not half exhausted. While
vexed at the smallness OF his vessel, and
wishing II three times as large, he con-
cluded to eat a. much OF the delicious and
tempting comb ~ he could, and according
ly fell to- work with hands and mouth
! He had been thus pleasantly engaged but
a short time, with the clear, bright honey
running dowri over his chin and dripping
from his hands and arms TO his elbows,
utterly oblivious Of oil around him, when
three Indians, who had been watching his
movements for some time from an adjoin-
! ing thicket, noiselessly slipped out and APP
preaching him from behind seized him
| 10y the arms, which they Immediately
bound, and thus put an end to his luxuri-
GUS repast. They had been attracted by
the sound Of his axe in chopping down
the tree, and reached the spot shortly after
IL fell. Amer helping themselves to- as
much honey as they wanted, they curried
the pail with it's contents to their encaf1ps
ment some three or four miles east. They
manifested no disposition to hurt Wilcox
son, but took him along as a prisoner.
"When they reached their camp he dis
covered them to be war party, composed
| of about twenty Shawnees, who having
]
other Northwestern tribes with Wayne,
had been en- an expedition TO the north
western part of Kentucky, and were re-
turning with some stolen horses and con-
siderable other plumber. The three who
had so rudely intruded upon him and APP
propriated the proceeds of his mornings Ia
Dor, were out on hunt.
''SllOrtly ufter their arrival at the camp
the Indians resumed their march, taking
their prisoner with them. They took the
direction of the Indian towns on the North
Fork of Paint, and apprehending no dan
ger from pursuit, they travelled very leis-
urely, stopping frequently to hunt and
amuse themselves. On the third day after
the capture of Wilcoxson, they struck Main
Paint not far from where Bainbridge now
stands, and passing down the right bank
of the creek, to the point where the turn
pike now crosses it, encamped for the
night. They sent some hunters out in the
morning and after they had returned and
had prepared and eaten their breakfasts,
preparations were made for resuming their
Journey, when greatly to the surprise OF
the Indians, who had taken no precau-
tions, believing themselves entirely free
from danger, they were suddenly fired up
on. Not knowing who the assailing party
was, nor its strength, the Indians made a
precipitate retreat across the creek, leav-
ing every thing behind them but their
guns. In the midst of the terror and con-
fusion, Wilcoxson managed to escape
The attacking party was the same men,
toned in another chapter, under the com
mand of Gen. Massie.
"Wilcoxson arrived sound and well, on
ly minus his axe, pail and honey, mt his
cabin, by the Big Spring, much to his own
and his wife's joy. He was disturbed no
more by Indians, or indeed any one else,
for no human being seemed to be aware of
the existance of his cabin and corn patch,
as no one ever visited him. In the fall he
gathered quite little pile of excellent
corn, aud made all necessary preparation,
for passing the winter, by daubing the
cracks of his cabin on the outside, and
lining the walls on the inside with bears
deer and other skins.
"The long winter passed off quite pleas
antly. He hunted when the weather was
suitable, and when it was not, he remain
ed in his cabin dressing skins, and with
the aid of his wife, manufactured them in
to clothing for himself, his wife and child,
all of whom were dressed in skins of wild
animals. Their bedding for the winter
was of the same material, as was not at all
unfrequent with the earlier settlers. They
made homiry of the corn, which when
cooked in bears grease, is said to be most
delicious.
"Early the following spring, small
party of emigrants from Kentucky, going
to join the settlers at what is now Chilli
cothe, accidentally took the route from the
river which led them to WilcoXson's im-
provement.' These were his first visitors,
and he entertained them in true pioneer
1 style, while they chose to remain. He
and his wife were so pleased with their So
ciety after so long a separation from their
fellow men, that they half-reluctantly con-
sented to abandon their little home in the
wilderness, and accompanied them to Mas
sizes settlement on the Scioto."
Early in the fall following the removal
of wilcoxson and his family, Timothy
Marshon emigrated from Virginia, and
I, finding the vacant cabin of fWilcoXson, ,settl-
ed down and occupied it for several years
Frederick Braucher also removed with
his family from Virginia and settled about
halfa mile north of the Sinking Spring
on the line of "Zane's Trace" now known
as the Zanesvill eand Maysville road.
"Thus, says Mr.. Scott, "was commenced
the first settlement In the present county
of Highland, and these two individuals
Marshon and Braucher, with their fami
lies, were the only inhabitants within its
boundaries, who for about one year, were
subject to the civil jurisdiction of Adams
county"
The next settlement made in the count.
was at New Market, which, with the cir
cumstances leading to and attending il