The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-06-25

we stopped with Peter George, in what
was then known a. the Swamp Settle
menr.1 When We left Mr.. Georges,
cutting our way through the woods a
we went, we were advised, since the river
was rapidly rising to strike 1t as far up
as possible, which advice We aimed to
follow, and reached the river at point
then called Ashery Ford; but even here
the water had reached such height that
it found it, way into the wagOn-box as
We crossed. Still being compelled TO cut
our way through the timber, we contin-
ued our Journey from the bank of the
Blanchard, but having failed on that day
10 reach any settlement, were compelled
TO encamp for the night in the woods.
Though wearied by hardships, and some
what detected by disappOintments, we
were not entirely discouraged, and on
the following morning resumed our labor
Of opening the way as cheerfully as the
circumstances would permit, and by sun
set we had reached the residence of Mr..
Powell, about three miles above Eindlay.
ON the following day, about noon, we
arrived at the old Fort, passing the
school house, which was a very significant
log cabin. This city ( > was then similar
to a Chinese park, of more modern
date. there being but sixteen buildings
in the place, and these seemed TO be
placed in mud and water. Though the
town was then in its infancy, the citizens
showed, by the generous assistance oil
fered us in crossing the river, that they
at least possessed noble hearts. We
crossed the river ia pir"Sue, which was
the name then appllrd ip u KIND oil ca
noe. which was hewn GA oi a large log,
the cavity being sufficiently large to re-
ceive n flower barrel, placed lcngthwlse
across the boat We spent the first night
after crossing the river in n mill sllanty,
near the site of the Carlin Mills ot the
present day, On the following morning
we resumed our journey, having YET seven
miles to travel ere we should reach the
spot which was to DE our future home.
Mother. brother John and myself, start
ed on foot. and SO continued our jour
nry as long as the logs i'll the way fur
nishcd a passage over the wafer. Pres
emily. however, we reached the end OF
this natural bridge" but luckily al this
iuucture Il Mr. Foster came to our relIel.
He very kindly took mother upon the
horse which he had brought, and then
the only alternative for John and | waS
to wade" and we did wade until we
arrived at Mr. Fosters home, where we
stopped, dried our clothing, and warmed
ourselves, for it had showed on the night
before, and anyhow the rays OF the sun
did not strike us more perpendicularly
then than December rays are apt to do
at the present time Having been re-
freshed by the kindness of Mr.. Foster,
we continued to urge the cattle through
the mud and over the logs, and at last,
in the afternoon, wearied, and almost
tired out. we arrived at the home of Mr..
Miller, where Mr.. Samuel Splitter, Sen,
now lives Here We remained until eve
ming, when the remainder OF our cOni-
pany, who had been following with the
teams. arrived with the horses, but 10
wagon. OF course they were soon in
terrogated in regard to the whereabouts
of the wagons, and the response elected
was that they We're about three miles
back, where they had been so thorough
ly ''stuck" in the mud that the horses
were unable to eXtricate them
On the following morning our team
sters. having secured some assistance,
returned TO where they had left the
wagons on the previous day, and it re-
quired an entire days toll to ''bripg
them up;" for it was sunset December
18th when they arrived mt the cabins Oh
the hill. These cabins were simply
square pens made of logs, without CHM
neys, a fireplace in one side, the floor
being constructed of puncheOns, and the
loft being covered with clapboards. The
night OF December 18th was the first
spent in our new "cabin home" and in
the morning the first inquiry, at least on
the part of the children, was, ''who are
our neighbOrs, and how far have we
gotten from any place" We found that
we were Oh the eastern frontier of our
immediate neighborhood, our neighbOrs,
Miller, Bryan and Frakes, all living
about one half mile tn the west OF us.
Aside from those mentioned, our nearest
neighbor Oh the east was Mr. Wade,
about eighteen miles distant. On the
south, Mr.. Foster was the nearest, living
at distance of six miles. On the west,
the nearest settlement was Mt Fort De-
fiance, a distance of forty-eight miles.
Twelve miles to the north lived Mr..
Haskins. Soon after our arrival, Mr..
Miller, Of whom we have spoken, died.
Mr.. Frakes removed to his new home on
the river, near the present site of the
County lntirmary, leaving but two men
in the settlement. At this period the
wild game was very abundant, and it
was owing to this fact that many Of the
early settlers escaped suffering, and at
least JIdFtidI starvation.
G. w. TROUT.