Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-12-14

ing solitary WOOunaQ' > axe 1eS Deen
heard for the last half hour, with its
ringing strokes as its pOssessor has
been engaged in cutting a giant oak,
upon whose boughs the storms Of GEN.
turies have beaten, older by far than
the period which has elapsed since the
landing of the Pilgrim Fathers. 1t is
already totteriHg 10 its fall, another
stroke, its aged top begins to sway
back and forth, a moment more and
its destiny in life is filled, the rushing
sound like the coming of storm as
Il cuts the air, crash as it strikes,
making itself fairly rebound, while
the report is heard for miles down the
valley.
Still farther on, as the sun is sink
ing in the west, perchance from the
thicket which Overlooks the settle
ment. we might see the aboriginal
proDrietor with his truSty rifle In
hand, his young son standing near
him. with his bow unstrung and his
I culver untitled, musing upon the
scenes that have passed and are pas,
sing around him; thinking perhaps OF
his happy youthful days, when ne
roamed through these sylvan retreats,
the happy hunting grounds OF ms
/ fathers, with the dusky maid oI ms
I choice, as wild, as free as the winds
| that kissed their nut brown cheeks,
| undisturbed by thOughtsof the whlte
man. Possibly on this ground MS
tribe have fought their hereditary
enemies, their real brethren OF the
south, long since forgotten, but Ior
the traditions possessed by the meul-
cine men of the tribe, soon to pass
into oblivion, and the bravery OF that
day to be remembered no more, or may
be he muses. upon the contests IN
which he himself has been engaged to
drive the white invader baek, ms eyes
Frightening as he thinks OF the part
he bore in st. Clair's and Harmers
defeats, or sadly recalling the losses OF
the day in which they met MAO An
thoney and his legions at the raplus
of the Maumee.
The sun has gone down in the west;
twilight is fast deepening around
them. The stars are already 0e-
ginning to show themselves IN the
azure vault of heaven. The rushing
of the leaves and the breaking OF the
twigs a short distance away, rouses
him nom his reverie. A bright name
starts IN out Of the darkness, increas-
ing in volume, burning brighter anu
brighter, while the sparks ana smoke
roll upward. A moment latera orlght
miuaret Of fire rushes upwards soon
followed by others shouts and laugh
Ter are heard from the clearing, per-
sons are dimly seen asthey pass around
in the light and shade, busily engag-
ed in firing the heaps OF brush ana
piles Of logs, prepared for burning oy'
the pioneers, during the previous
season. Soon from every part OF the
field sheets of fame shoot upwards,
making the SCOT begrimed labOrers
visible, and for time turning night
into day, with showers Of sparks
rising TO lose themselves in the upper
air. The clearing has become per-
feet sea of fame. Our dusky friend
turned slowly away, not less vlnulc-
Il five perhaps than his father, when
generation before he turned his back
1pon the smoking valley OF Wyoming,
hut more conscious Of the fate which
enyirous him and his race. The boy
not vet sated with the unaccustomed
sight. slowly and hesitatingly follows
his retresting sire, and both are lost to
view in the darkness Of night, as they
take the direction of the setting sun.
With their departure civilization Is
opening TO view, Soon the school
house, the church with its spire, the
farm houses on every hand, will show
a new era dawning on the land,
fraught with q much greater amount
of happiness to the human race.
A DEN OF SNAKES.
During the year 1904, while Samuel
/ Spencer was residing at Burg Hill,
some travellers having called for water
were directed to spring near the
house, but soon returned, having dis
covered q rattlesnake den at the head
oft The neighbors were called up
on for assistance, and in digging them
out il was found necessary TO use a
! woke Of cattle to remove the stone
surrounding the den. It was quite
, cool weather in early spring, and they
: had Just began to stir, and were not
fairly active. The boys used fails in
dispstching them. One hundred and
seventy OF the spotted beauties were
? dug out and killed. Soon after Mrs.
Spencer found one under the bed,
which she dispatched; F; another fell
. from overhead to the floor, and last,
not least, one day on going into the
. pantry and taking down basin, found
one eurled up within it. An unin-
vited guest truly! What would our
modern bells say to an adventure like
, this? I am afraid his snakeship
. would have had 8 better chance for
his life than in the hands Of Mrs.
Spencer.
THE FIRST TEA PARTY
OF which we have any account, took
place in the autumn Of 1905, at Mr..
!: Spencer's. The guests came at an
early hour, some Of them with cattle
: and sleds, so that their visiting could
, be finished before dark. The roads
being little more than blazed paths
: through the woods, made it ineonye-
nient to comply with fashionable
: rules in visiting. When the proper
5 time arrived to set the table the men
, were requested to make room for that
purpose, by retiring to the outside OF
. the house, but were soon called to tea,
which consisted of mush and milk.
D THE FIRST DEATH
Was a child Of Isaac Jones, from
! small pox. 1t was buried at Burg
Hill, near the residence Of Osman
, Hull, Mrs. Samuel Tuttle died soon
| after, and was buried at Vernon
r Lucy Andrews, child Of two years,
: was the next, and was the first per-
! sou buried in the grave yard at the
5 center. The site was selected after
8 her death, and the grave was sur
}, rounded by an enclosure Of logs in
the forest.
THE FIRST SCHOOL.
In 1904, a school was taught at Burg
Hill by q Miss Bartholomew, consist
I. ing Of twenty-four scholars from both
! Hartford and Vernon. It was, no
> doubt, the first in this part of the
: country. At the center the first sum-
J ner school was taught by Miss Fin
= new. The following winter school
? was taught by Wells Andrews.
r THE FIRST MARRIAGE.
? Linus Hayes and Jerusha, daugh-
t ter of Thomas Bushnell, were the first
8 persons married in the township.
Z THE FIRST JUSTICE AND FIRST posi-
MASTER.
Edward BrockwaY was elected as
= the first Justice of the Peace, to con-
! fer on him the title, in honor OF hav-
4 ing been the first settler and cutting
the first tree, but not wishing to serve,
Titus BrOckway, his son, was elected
' and served as the first Justice, and
l. ] II NI,n raOrf r1oaTnF