The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1867-06-26
4 Reminiscencc OF Pioneer
Liae-The Squirrel Hunt.

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@
The Hon. P. Van Trump made speech
a few days apo before the Franklin Co,
Tob;o> p;onso, Assos;.,;on in wb;ob bs
N
sala :
There is one reminiscence belonging
to the history Of the country 50 charac-
teristic OF pioneer liie -taat can no, re'
fraln from notlcing ~ y IS one Of those
things tho ake.ot WHICH can never occur
again. In the carly settlement OF tine
country the common gray squirrel I stca'
rus cinereusl existed In almost fabulous
numbers. Inc TACT was moi Pecuiiar 70
the west. II existed everywhere 70 the
new settlements and 1t is recorded In
the early colonial history OF fennsyiva,
ma that iorty thousand dollars was paid
OUT OF the puplic cohers, IN single year,
tor the seelps Of thisravenoas but beautiful
little ropber OF the corn nelds' AT Pc
rioas OF long intervals they were partially
migratory IN their habits. ln the iaii oi
1871 or 1877, the were uneommoniy nu'
merous IN TINS region, and were terribly
aestrucuve OF tne growing crop OF corn
ine culnSaled lands q, tnat sme consist
ca most of wnat Is called "desdenlngs,
'no neIas peing thiekiy STUDDED over
with girdiea ana dead lorest trees, wnicn
Afforded a ready retreafing shelter or the
squlrrels 10 THAR depredations upon the
young and rlpsning corn. ha !
Inc season alluded to was q remarka'
ole ono Tor the larceuous habits OF thi:
destructive little animal. 30 serious had
oeeome tneir Wholesale p'underlngs, iha'
the people of the country were driven tt
the necessity OF adopting some Promp'
ana energetic means Of Kidding them
selves OF the annoyance. Accordingly
a grahd county hunt was proposed. Inc
plan was consummeted BY dividing th'
county into TWO sections, the Scioto hly
er, running through the county from north
q south, forming the dividing hne'-
fhree days we're allotted tor toe hunt
and Lucas SulliVant was chosen as cap
tam OF the western division, and halpt
Osborn Of tho eastern. A barrel OF whis
Ky was the prize to be eonteaded for, tt
be drank by the assembled crowd al
Franklihton on. the fourth day, at which
time and place the scalps were to bt
Gathered and counted. Accordingly, OF
the fourth day large crowd OF hunter'
and spectators assembled on the bank O.
the river at the ancient county seat, ant
scalps OF the squirrels were produced ane
oy the bag iui, and the victory amid TN
cheers and shouts OF at least portion o
inc multitude, was declared IN favor OIL
Captain Snlllvant and his party
NO ancient tournament In the days oI
knight ehlVairy produced more excite
ment or greater interest tnan a'd thl'
contest for the victory IN squirrel scalps
La my ]uveniie ampltion ielt as prous
o. my three hundred scalPs as eve
aid mailed cavalier in unhorsing his an
!agonlst py swofd ana spear. Inc mum
Der OF squirrels destroyed was almost lab
uious' l reeoliect there was some erro
occurred IN tae statement made In tn
newspapers OF the day. Ihey put dow'
the NUMBER AZ nineteen or twenty tnou
SAND 10 conversation 1 naa on las
evening WIN Mr' Joseph Suliivant' n
gave IL as MS opinion Inat tnat was tn'
numper %nicn tne west had over TN
East, an tnat Is my opinion also' l an
satisned' from my recclleeuon ol the ais
cusslop az the tme' IN criticism Of IN
puo',Sneu s'alemeh'' 'nat 'no humpe
was largely greater.
Inc d,minu'lon oi tne NUMBER wa
nos a. al pereepiole, from the faot 0
.hslr peing a. ,ne ume on tnelr migrat9r
Journey anu 'ne PAGES OF lnose kiiie'
were soon occupied py thelr itineran
brethren, Inc oorn SFap o. ile count
ior 'na' reaSon' was almost entireiy de
sIroypq' Inc eastern portion Of IN
colnly, AZ 'haI Petlod, was %Ich NOR
tnckiy pcpsiated tnan tnat oi the west
ana we of .ne East Foaio nave heen 'h
Vlc.ols '. Tue pon1ess nag toe rue peel
qsea as 'pe ohiy weapon IN !ne NUM- :
thia tha an uirrals 10 ar, ~ a;r N, ;,x.o 81 -,