The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-07-07

| Rr3Ve Oh sweet ALICE Grby, anu 0Q1y
looks forward to their reunion In the
world where all is pure and beautiful.
| ~
fFrom the Pistsburg Commercially r.,
AN OLD PIONEER.
DEATH OF A NOTED INDIAN HUNTER
AT THE ACE OF 102 YEARS.
A few weeks ago most cxtraordi-
nary character and venerable pioneer
died at Bridgeport, Immediately op-
posite the city Of Wheeling. refer
/ to Joseph Worley, whose early histo.
ry and subsequent career have been
so intimately connected with the
frontier annals.
Joseph Worley was born in 1860,
just 102 years ago. His relatives say
that his birthplace was at West
Liberty, in Ohio county, now West
Virginia, but it is certainly true, that
whether born there or not, his early
childhood was spent in that locality,
which is no more than IL miles distant
from where he died. At the time of
his birth this part of the west was an
unbroken wilderness. II was yet 13
years before the first white man had
fixed his abode west Of the Ohio river;
few hunters held Kentucky against
tho Indians north Of the river and
sustained with that region the primi-
tive relations of horse-stealing and
scaiping in Virginia the frail and lone
ly settlements (of which West Liberty
was one), creeping westward made
friends with the desert, and produced
population nearly as wild as its
older children, and quite as fierce and
truculent.
Into such heritage was young
Worley born; and from his earliest
childhood he displayed an aptitude
for frontier life. He was particularly
skilled in the use Of the rife, and all
his early thoughts and plannings had
reference TO the savage foes that sur
rounded him. The numerous expe-
ditions for which he was chosen
showed the confidence his fellow pio-
neers had in him. Simon Girty, the
notorious white renegade, was at this
time with the Indians on the Sandus-
ky plains, and frequently headed their
marauding raids upon the settlements.
II was the aim of the settlers 10 van.
quish this most formidable foe, and
Mr.. Worley, with others, undertook
the task of capturing him. In this
work. Girty, at the head Of the Ottawa
warriors, pursued across the Ohio at
Meig's island, up the waters of Cross
creek, and far into the interior of
what is now the State of Ohio, his
pursuers enduring unparalleled priva-
ton and encountering perilous diff
culties, but always unsuccessful in his
capture.
Some time early in life Worley and
his brother Jacob, who seems TO have
been rs heroic as the other, driftcd
toward Fort Henry, occupying the
point where Wheeling now stands,
and here they became acquainted with
the famous Wetzel, one of the most
noted Indian hunters of American
pioneer history. Worley, who was
several wears Wetzel's junior, was his
very intimate friend, and his almost
constant com panion in the woods
On one occasion, having discovered
fresh evidences of the presence of In
dams in the neigi:borhood of the set
tlement, Wetzel and Worley under
took to ascertain their whereabouts.
They followed their tracks FOR several
miles, and became SO intent upon
their prey as to scarcely become
aware of the distance until they had
wandered from the settlements, until
they had gone eleven or twelve miles
south and nearly opposite to the point
where the Baltimore and Ohio rail
road now strikes the Ohio river.
Here they came upon a camp Of
Indians. who discovered the hunters
about the same time they were them
selves discovered. Both parties took
to the trees, after the custom of Indi-
an fighting, but the Indians greatly
outnumbered the others. Six or sew
en- stalwart and trained warriors of
the Huron tribe were now pitted
against two determined hunters, and,
as if to add to the danger Of their po-
sition, Wetzel was recognized by the
Indians as their implacable and life
long enemy. Now began q duel; o
running fight; life and death con-
test. No reinforcements could reach
| the hunters until they had travled at
least ten miles, and long before that
their willy foes would overpower them
in all probability. Yet they deter
mined to sell their lives dearly
Wetzel took command, and Worley
obeyed him implicitly. In recount
ing it oftentimes afterward Mr..
Worley grew animated, and nobly at
tributed to Wetzel the salvation of
his life.
! A tall Huron warrior was the first
to fall. He rushed out from his COW
ert with demoniac yell, thinking that
they were unprepared for q sudden
attack, or would readily yield to the
force Of superior numbers. But in
this he was mistaken, and his life paid
the penalty. For moment or so af-
terward the other Indians were silent
and apparently awe-struck, but in
that instant Wetzel had again loaded
his gun. Several shots were fred at
him, but he was securely shielded by
q tree. And SO from tree to tree for
four exciting miles the hunters lodged
and crept. Another warrior, in seek.
| ing stealthily to cut off their retreat,
was killed, and the others became
more cautious. Once Wetzel put his
cap on the ramrod, a. though he was
peeping round the tree, and when tho
Indian shot bullet through it, he let
it drop to the ground. The Indians