The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-06-07
ygSTOES Y'GF
T. LK G Q u N II Y .
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF RIDGwAY AND
VICINITY-CoNTIN

country for the purpose of forming
settlement He was accompanied by
James and David Rcesman, John KY.
lor, Jacob Wilson, Elijah Meredith, lii
bui Taylor and perhaps one Or two 9th.
crs. They came in by way of and
across Boon Mountain, crossing Little
Toby near what is now called "Oys.
ters," thence up the creek, and taking
the left branch to what is now called
Brandy Camp, thence across the bridge
to Elk Creek, where Mr. Korsey built
saw and grist mill, known for many
years as the Kersoy Mill, This route
could not have been otherwise than a
hard road to travel" still it was the
only passage known, or which had been
explored, and probably ended at the
Kcrsey Mill" The first attempt at
road cutting, Git could not be called
road making) as it consisted Of merely
cutting out the fallen logs, clearing
away the undcrbrush, and blazing the
trees from Rcesman's to Jacob Wilson's,
thence to john Kyior's, passing Mcra-
dith's place Tins Kyler was at the cud
OF all roads. When he wished to get
out, his way was to start IN the opposite
direction he wished to go, viz; first to
the Kcrsey Min, thence to Rec8mans,
then wcstwardly to Brandy Camp, whc,o
Isaac Horton now resides aud where he
must oncamp; and a hard days jour.
ney Of Is miles it was. lie was then
unconsciously about J miles IRON his
cabin, and were it not for an interve.
ming ridge, could have recognized his
oNu cow.bell, or the barking Of his own
doc he would then follow down the
stream to near the ."Oyster place"
about two miles farther, thence on his
route via Boon Mountain, To any one
now acquainted with this part of tho
country, this would appear as a round
about ' Robin Hood" way, aud so it
was but Mr.. Kyler aud his son Jesse,
then quite young lad, (uow the highly
respected and influential citizen, jesse
Kyler, ESQ., after a year or two cogita,
ting upon the course of the brook be.
fore their door, came to the conclusion
that it must be tributary to the stream
they crossed some Il miles distant from
their home on their way out and in, aud
were this the case, it must shorten the
distance. This theory was not accepted
by his ueighbors, aud Mr.. Kylcr and
his sun stood alone. There was as much
doubt in their minds as of Capt. Sym.
nes theory of sailing through the center
of the earth by an entrance at the poles,
But Mr.. Kylcr aud jesse resolved upon
an exploration to find, if practicable. a
shorter route to Boon Mountain, and
their old home. With prudence aud
caution requisite for so great an adven.
ture into an unknown forest, they pro
videl themselves with supply Of pro
visions, and appurtcnances for camping
out, that had like preparation been
made by Lieut., Strain in his memorable
trip across the Isthmus, the sad caiami
ty that overlook his party would have
been averteI, Mr.. Kyier and Jesse
left their home and started on their per
ilous Journey. They had the before
mentioned stream to guide them, and
after an hours, Git might have been two
OF them, moderate travel they sudden
ly emerged into an open path icaliug t
the right 1t was examined, it Wa:
scanned. There we're tracks, whccl
had visibly showed their ruts-was i
real or were they enchanted? ? Thcl
, couTsed it up and down, backward anc
forward, until some knowu, some recos
nizcd marks, convinced thcm that the,
had struck the very road over whicl
they had often travelled, and at poin
which had before required day and ;
half to reach--a distance of II miles
They retraced their steps to their cabir
home in time for the = noontide "mea
under their own roof. No time was los
in impaCtinS their discovery to tn,
neigh5ors, who were 80 astouuled, andst
iucredulous, that nothing less ,han oocu
lar proof would convince them Tht
next day the route was traversod Will
like success. 4 few days were suticieu
to make road, cutting off the grea
circGmbenlibus road around whicl
they had before travelled. This anu
sing fact may excite smile from tn,
reader, at the want OF knowledge of thu
true position aul location relative to tn,
old road over Which they had before 5,
often wearied with their wagons anc
teams, But the sequel will show tina
long after this, stranger misconceptions
of the face of the country were correc
ted and removed, as the lands were
opened out aad scientific examination
made.
The next settlers that came wer,
Messrs. Brockway, Joel, Philetus anc
Elihu CLARK, DR.. Nichols, Capt. Gofi
Abijah Weed, Col. Webb, Milton John
son, jesse Wilson, Mr.. Moroy, (fathe
of Il. Morey, Esq,) DR.. aud Goulc
Hoyt, with their families, They wert
f from Saratoga and Montgomery Coun
ties, N. Y. They came up the Sinna
mahoning and Benefits Branch in ca
noes. They had traded their farms 70
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