Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-05-18
Pioneer Life in and HistJry of
WyapltlGt County.
bY A. W. BRINKERNOFF.
CHAPTER II.-No. 4.

ing land; NO aSeu men: LaDu. now surveyed
and how entered; bays long remembered.
PrJvender for amin a 5: y list plenty; Honey
at last from bitter flowers.
:, Moving to the back-woods" is one
;. ing. and the life of the pioneer an
her, and as both are SO intimately con
nected with the history of amy new coun
lry. and many circumstances and tri Is
IN each worthy 10 be preserved. and
more than likely to be read with interest
" hen the days otpionecr life have passed
away with those who ,'bearded the lion in
his den" and who, by sweeping away tie
forest, opened the earth to the rays OF
the sun--wno stared danger, want. fam
ine and pestilence in the f,ce-who
beasts OF prey, nor tue arrows OF the
s ealthy savage, in the form of man,
whose relentless nature could not be sat
istied, save by the blood of his victim !;
therefore we deem it not only wise. bu.
proper, that,;l history OF this kind should
contain, for the benefit of those who are
to live after us. as complete 4 mirror OF
the lives of the early settlers ofour coun-
ty as is possible to collect, not only from
eur own knowledge, but from these who.
yet living. in earlier years and from at
tual experience, well know what Il "pio-
neer's lite" means in every sense and
phase OF the term.
The introduction of steam as a motor
on land was the entering wedge to the
destruction of genuine pioneer life. AT
the date named in the first chapter OF
this work, 1884, the scream OF the loco
motive had never broken the quiet of
the evening, nor aroused the slun berer
from his repose, west of the Allegheny
mountains. No electric whisper. con-
nI n
tlreS, shipwreck, murders, death and ca
lamities, in the same hour, though thou
sands OF miles away. No chariot then
with cushioned seat received us here to-
day and landed us safely on the shores OF
the Atlantic ere the setting of tO-mor-
rows sin. No little stick, with 6rimstoRe
on its end, could t:Ien be Strttek against
the clothes or wall, with any hope OF
turning darkness into light!' No
farmer then sat upon the invention OF
man and drove his team with steady
rein. dropping here and there the sheaveS
of gram, nor sweeping down the waving
the MONDAY sun! No mother then sat,
blessing the name of Howe as stitch
after stitch, in quick succession. was
made in garments TO save her little ones
from winters stormy blasts. To this list
might be added ten thousand other iE-
ventions OF man. all more or less i'm
pOrtano and unknown in the days of
genuine pioneer life" Nor were they
essential to the happiness of the John
the Baptists, of such lifc-tor it must be
borne in mind that there are degrees in
that, as we'll as III all things else.
In the settlement OF all new countries
we first find the hunter and trapptr,"
who seeks resting place-tor it is not Il
home-near some friendly stream.
He cares not TO endure the toll neces-
sary to Remove the forests, and. therefore.
satisfies sis wants. few in number, with
the trusty rifle. rod and trap. He goes
with face unsiiavelI-hair uncut and un-
cOmbed-cli.u i'll skins anu furs, and
ieastlny upon tile 1esn of birds, OF beasts
anu OF fishes. But onward moves tie
stream OF enterprise. The wuodman's
ak rcsounds III TIE forest and The sci
kirk" becomes restless. He collects his
gun, tackle anu tiaps anu seeks Il more
SILENT secluded and dreary spot. and
There DeSinS anew his worn of death and
life! He goes hot lis Went before INN
the men OF flercer nien-tne poor Iu-
uian, who with bowed heads aI,u bleed
lnS hearts Wept as taey Dade adieu to
Lie graves OF tIleir fathers; uus he voeS
voluntarily, but proudly, knowing that
the WILDERNESS Is still before ninl, and
lie free Amerlcau citizen. NJ aSpirauU
Tor Ills hauntS OF secluSlon ever tell by
his rifle. Thus pass on and out OF tile
Way the lnuulent pioneer class; while
upon tiIeif departing heels, tread sharp
~, the progressive, earnest, wide AWAKE
anu Industrious man OF the world in ev-
cry sense. lie came not from iaunLs oi
Insolence and seclusion, but with wife
and sons and daughters he babe adieu t.
civilization and all its enuearments, Sc
That he might The better provide Tor deal
ones around anu dependent upon him
ana With fortune and fame beckonin.
him onward, lie at once enters the forest
as brave soldier enters the field o
strife, determined to do his duty-tt
gain the victory, to secure 4 home il
early manhood where Old age mig Int en-
joy peace and rest.
With this determination he entered
the forest. Not Il stick had been cut
not brush removed. Not road iii
rected his steps. Wide-spreatling branch
es. and towering, mighty shafts dark
eiIed the earth even aG noon-day. Th
sun shone not upon the virgin soil, saw
here and there was seen Il strange
CLEAN. With compass and chart he wan
uered. down the banks of some kindl
stream, and at last he made choice O
some lovely spot to become Iris, tutur
home. Noting down from the marks o
the Surveyor made upon a "witnes
tree" the Township, range and section
he at once proceeded to the Land office
may be an hundred miles away, an,
there counting out $l.25 per acre. re
ceived his certificate. anu then returne
to make a homer
Being the "child of experience" an
master OF the AK, if not of the pen, w
feel qualified to speak of the advancin
steps OF the earnest man of the ..woods.
Having secured his chosen spot the mex
thing IN order was a house-a cabin, {
course. The "underbrush" were frs
removed from a half acre, or less, and th
large trees then cut away to proven
falling on the cabin when built. Fou
good sized logs Were then notehed upol
each other to form the foundation-fia
or the ground! Inside of these, at eac
SIDE, were placed logs on which to plac
the sieepers. The walls were then car
ried up by notching round logs upol
each other at the corners. Sometime
these logs had to be put up blythe husban
and Wife alone, and, of course, could no
| be large, nor could the walls be run u
very high, but little higher than Il man
heau. Ihe ends, to give pitch for tn
ROOT, were carried up with logs.combin-
with poles from end to end. called ribs,
on which the roof rested. On top of thos
RIBS were placed the clap boards" viii !,
were split out of oak trees. about fou
| feet long and six inches wide. The low
er ends of each ascending row restin
on top of the upper emu of the row i'm
mediately below, and directly below th
lap, poles, called weight poles" wer
placed to keep the whole in position.
The ground floor was composed, whe
not OF earth. of "runcheon." These wer
made from timber that would spill
straight, ans. in slabs about four incht
thick, one side of which was hewn Il
smooth as could be done with an ak. til
ends dressed to common thickness. an
! then laid upon the common "sleepers.
Sections OF logs forming the walls wer
cut out leaving openings for door, chin
ney, and a window, if desired. Th
chimney was built outside of the oper
ing. OF split sticks, piled one upon al
other, and the inside daubed over wit
mud. The door was constructed wit
clap boards pinned to wooden hinges