The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1873-01-30
RANDOM THOUGHTS.
BIZ THE EDITOR.

! am sorry to notice good deal of the
old fogy among the first families" or
the defendants of the original settlers of
this county. / mean in reference to the
railroad question, and other progressive
movements in our county. The princi-
pal opposition to the railroad tax is found
among this class. The young men of the
county arc almost unit in favor OF the
proposition. God bless the young men.
] think have right 10 talk to my
old friends of the first families because
am one of them. / have been q resident
of jackson county for more than fifty
years. When. a couple of weeks ago,
passed theplace where my fathers first
log cabin stood, and where first remem-
Der to have found myself in this world,
could not help contrasting the condition
of the county then with its condition
now; and looked to the future, and an
ticipated what it might be in the next
fifty years, if we old fogies are only as
wise this week as are the young men. 1
know there are some things in the sim
plicity of the early days which are pleas
ant to contemplate; yet who would de-
sire to go back to those times and Gus
toms? The early settlers of the county
had to keep up perpetual struggle for
the mere perpetuation of animal life
Now the struggle is not for existence; it
is not for the necessaries of life; it is not
for life's comforts; it is not for luxuries;
it is not for suitable competence now and
hereafter. but a majority of our people
are accommodating actual wealth. l know
that it is easier at the present day for
most men to raise one thousand dollars,
than it was Fifty years ago to raise ten
dollars. ss
If any man who reads this can remem-
Der back for period of fifty years, and
who then resided in this county, let him
think for moment what was the situa-
ton then, and compare it with the coun-
rty now, with our railroad, telegraph, fur
.naces, &c. When l passed the place
where our old cabin stoodef thought of
the hand mill that stood under ashed at
the west end of the cabin. / remember
ed that men and women came from a dis
LdUC0 Ol ScNSE6A IALACo w u CAAOAA WIN
on this little mill remember seeing
man at the crank on one side, and wo-
man at the crank on the other, tugging
away to get little coarse corn meal.
They could not grind more than three or
four bushels during whole day, and the
work was the most laborious and tire
| some l remember how it appeared to
strain this woman, and how awkward her
movements were, for a woman always ap-
pears awkward, and to be out of her
proper sphere. when chopping wood or
grinding at a hand mill. People living
! too far away to come to this mill; had to
pound their corn in rude mortar, made
| by cutting a hole in log, and having a
pestle made by fastening a long pole at
the top to spring pole, and then bring
ing the lower end down with jerk on
the corn in the mortar. The meal was
separated from the bran and coarser pie
ces of the corn, by shaking it through a
rude sieve, made by stretching a deer
skin over a rude home made wooden
hoop. Holes were then made in the deer
skin by running a hot wire or table fork
through it in numerous PLACES
II Instead Of the men being able to wear
tnice boots the year round, and to keep
4 their wives and children in nice shoes
II and CATERS, as now, the men wore moe
casins made of deer skins, and the child
rem often went barefoot the year round.
The women went barefoot during the
summer. and had rude home made shoes
in winter. A trough was dug in large
log, black oak bark was cut fine with an ak,
and this was put in the trough with such
hides as,were taken from cattle which
died with the murrain. or were killed by
wolves. Water was poured in, and the
hides remained in this ouse for months
and thus hard leather was procured.
I might writ write a volume about the hard
ships and privations of the pioneers o
} this county. But the fogy of to-day viii
admit all this: and say that this state o
affairs is all past. and we are now doinf
: very we'll Let US be content. ] am no
one of that sort When i remember dig
ging ginseng and sending it to Gallipoli
, to buy nay first iewsharp and barlow
; knife; when remember my first expe
rienee "a a wood-chopper, and contras
} this with the condition of the boys ofth,
. present day, hope they, and all of us
D appreciate onr improved opportunities
2 and are duly thankful. What has wrough
/, these wonderful changes. within the rec
. objection of men yet comparatively in tn
E prime of life2 You all know that it i
|
9; sources, secured by the construction o
r our little branch railroad, ending at th
I Ohio river. When realize that this de