The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-08-09
HISTORY
l. l. Il G Q u Y Il Y
ny a Northwestern Pennsylvania.
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF RIDGwAY AND
YGClNIrY-CoNTINUE
HESTOR OF
THE WILCOX SETTLEMENT.
ny Northwestern Pennsylvania

THE WILCOX SETTLEMENT.
We have already aIttded to the be-
gina NJ of the settlement by Col. Will
cox IN 1888 lie had for his .tdctotum
hs son Alonzo, a lad Of sixteen sum-
mtrs,- his only clerk, surveyor and as
sistaut. The Colonel was ardent ana
hopeful Of success in building mp a
large farmin settlement and population.
He was eminently popular in the place
from whicI. he came, and his known
kindness and lberality no doubt induc-
ed many to emigrate to this new forest
field, whose means aud strength were
inadequate for 50 arduous service as
must be required in clearing up heavy
timbered land-and it is not paradoxical
to suggest, or even assert, that many Of
the Colonel's first settlers who soon af-
ter abandoned the ground, were more
likely cnticed By the prospect of free
ingress to his Iarder-to his beef, pork
and hour-which could be more easily
obtained than by their labor in the dis
trict from which they emigrated. There
were exceptions 10 this class, as many Of
The best citizens in the county arc
those who came in and settled in what
is now Jones township. Appstites were
good in the woods-the climate itself
was sufficient sharpener withcat the
labor and toll, or &" "sweat Of the brow"
which renders food so palatable, or sleep
so sweet; and the Colonels stock of
-four and pork was exhausting. AS be.
fore observed, such countries are geuer-
ally pioneered by people Of slender
meaus-while part succeed, and by
their industry and perseverance, carve
out comfortable competence and a
home, others get tired of work, and
transfer themselves to other new places,
Il
taking their chances Of dividing the
spoils of life with others, or the equally
uncertain chances of living without
much labor.
The hardest feature of forest life in
the settlement of the tract, may be
said to have fallen upon Mrs, Wilcox
her sec!esioa and endurance for so ma
ny long years, the unceasing importuni
ties Of the settlers above named, unex
pocted calls for enter tainment by the
casual traveller, all combined to test the
courage and raticuce Of womsu-bu'
lew ,,o.-ss the admirable traits so re
qul-ir. ,Jr the part she has sustained.
u. Jclouei had some queer SPeci
mtu> OF help 70 settle his 'tract.'-
NJ ,nat lived in that day and neigh
bornood does not recollect Daddy anc
Msmmy Luce? they had sons too, an(
witriugly selected large farm at th'
Ii Mile cpriug, handsome spot. Sucl
an OCCASION to begin clearing a farm
was deemed fortunate. A house a
such Il place would be a convenience
for the teams and travellers, besides pro
fitable to It's owners. But their cabiI
never rose above the first story. Nam
my Luce was a doctress, and outward
appliances to sprains and bruises wer'
her hobby. She always sought out th'
afflicted, and the Coloael and Lon
hold her recipes to this day, no doubt
For sprain, "bind it round with rec
flannel aud wet it with chamber.lye, i
it could be had" The remedy was t
be certain, resting solely upon the con
tingency of procuring the medicine
Her maxims were tcrse and to the
point, She illustrated, by way Of com
parison, to Jas. l.. Gillis one day Ggno
rant of who he was), the reason why sh
and her family had neglected to culti
vate any green thing" Why there
that shiftless fellow upon the big farm
at Montmorency that don't raise enougl
for himself" The merriment Of Gill
was only equalled by her astonishmeu
ou finding that he was the shiftless fel
low she had been describing. Dadd.
Luce had more roundabout way of ar
riving at the "pint," he was always 60
ing to do this and do that-his manne
of doing was about equal to bis manne
of describing. "Lon," says he,