The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1867-01-31

1
nuity constructed mill on their two boats,
which was propelled by the current Of the
river. The current being on the Virginia
side, whenever they wished to grind, they
had to take the boats across and lash
them to the shore by means Of grape
vine. Then they pushed the boats out in
to the current with long poles, and held
them there while grinding The mill an-
swered the purpose very well, and supplied
all their wants in the way Of meal How
true it is that Necessity is the mother Of
invention"
The Popes and Baldwin were soon Joined
by Thomas Beals and his sous Beals was
a noted preacher Of the Friends denominn-
ton, who, in company with Nathaniel
Pope, and few others, had made a visit to
Ohio in 1874 or '95, during which they had
passed through the northern part Of this
county, exploring the country with a view
to future settlement. Both Pope and Beals
were natives Of North Carolina, on Yadkin
river, which was also the native place Of
Daniel Boone, the great hunter and Indian
fighter. Pope knew Boone we'll, and when
the latter was re-visiting his old home,
from Kentucky he had given Pope glow
ing description ofthelan on the Scioto and
Miami rivers in this State, which led to the
visit of Pope and Beals above referred to.
In returning from this visit, their party
had narrow escape from starvation, game
being 50 scarce that they were forced to
kill and eat their dogs, to sustain life
Reaching the Ohio near the mouth of Guy
andotte, they made rude raft of dry
mulberry logs and hickory bark, and
crossed to the Virginia side, swimming
their horses. Here they wandered about
for some time in search Of game but find
ing none, were 50 reduced by hunger that
they gave up the search, and drew lots to
decide whose horse should be killed to
furnish them food. The lot fell upon Pope,
whose horse being great favorite, he beg
ged hulfan hours delay, in order that he
might make one more effort to kill some
game. He had only one load Of ammuni-
tion left, and creeping along the river bank
in hopes of seeing a duck or goose, he
heard a noise in the water at short dis
tance. It proved to come from canoe,
with three Indian traders in it. He hailed
them, and made known the condition Of
his party, and they were soon supplied
with what provisions and ammunition
they needed.
As Thomas Beals was afterwards one Of
the earliest settlers of our county, we will
here digress "A little further from our main
narrative, to mention II few remarkable in
pil i1,b is 10, t1,
his first visit to Ohio, as just related.
It seems that about the year 1873, he
conceived the idea ofleaving North Caroli-
ma, and visiting the Indians of the West as
a Christian Missionary, believing that like
William Penn, he might succeed in civil
izing and converting them to Christianity.
He accordingly started in company with
seven or eight others for Kentucky. Ar
irving at the house of beverly Miner, (YEho
was afterwards another early settler OF
| Highland) on Cliuch river, several more
Friends Joined his party. They were
about to proceed on their unpromisiug
missionary enterprise, when Col. Preston,
who commanded some troops on duty near
Beams Station, sent for Beals' party, and
succeeded in dissuadng them from max
ing the attempt at that time, rs the In
dians were known to be hostile, and it
would not be safe TO so among them on
such mission. Beals and his party then
reluctantly returned home.
About three years afterwards still i'm
pressed with the same idea, he led a party
through the New River country down to
stream called Bluestone, about so miles
above the falls of Kanawha, and COM
menced a settlement there. That fall most
Of the men went on hunt some distance
from the settlement and killed a large
quantity of game, such as bear, DEER &c.
They returned home and sent out party
with horses to bring in the meat. During
their absence the Indians discovered their
camp, and laid in ambush, awaiting the
return of the party. On the first fire FIVE
OF the men were shot dead. Tho rcmHin-
ing two, James Horton, (Beals' son-in-law)
and John Branson, were taken prisoners.
They were Immediately hurried off 70 the
Northwest and taken TO the Indian towF
of "Old Chillicothe," lnow Frankfortl and
after undergoing all the tortrres peculiar
to savage ingenuity, were finally burned
at the stake. James Horton was the father
Of Jacob Horton, who now resides in Fair
field township, in this county.
We will now return to the little settle
ment at "Qualzer Bottom" as it was call.
ed, from the fact that all the first settlers
were of the denomination of Friends.
..... --------. ss--------
A man living ut n village near Mo
bile, attempted to frighten some girls
by wrapping a white cloth round his
body and personating ghost. All
ran but one, who pulled out a revolver
and deliberately fred six balls into the
head and body. At the first shot the
ghost fell, but she continued firing
She then went home and related cir
cunstances, and parties returning to
the spot found life completely extinct,
two balls having penetrated the fole-
head and the other four the region Of