Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-04-14

house from the beginning to the end
of the term. They went eight and
ten miles to school, which neccssitated
the plan stated 10 obtain tho few edu
calional advantages offered them in
those days, 5.a
sTRAGGLING INDIANS.
The only Indians hc ever saw in
this section were those who were trav-
cling through the country, begging
like many of the white people do at
the present day. And these werGauiet,
peaeeable and harmless. He related
that upon one occasion he attended the
county court, and remembered very
well that an Indian was there, and
that some of the people who were pre-
JUDGED against the race, for the muir
dcrs committed in their name, talked
as il they would like to cxtingnish his
life, An Indian woman came to his
house one day and asked for proyis-
ions. He gave her all she could carry,
and she appeared very grateful for the
kind treatment. She wore many strings
of beads and was clothed in gaudy
clothing, a good deal like some Of our
fashionable people of to-day. 0s
THE EARLY DAYS ssPENT on KETTLE CREEK.
| After reciting to us what we have
written above, wo called attention to
the carly days of his life on Kettle
Creek, when he continued "At the
time of our settlement ut the mouth of
Kettle Creek was about 21 years old.
The country was nearly ono dense
wilderness, save few small farms ten
and fifteen miles apart, occupied by
settlers. In 1915 | married Sheriff
NcKisson's daughter Rachel, by whom
two children were born. In 1920 she
died, and eight years afterwards i
married my present wife, Sarah Ann
Stout" NH s1H
In regard to hunting, trapping and
! fishing, he related the following
HHf INCIDENTS
During his residence on Kettle Creek
he said he often passed away his spare
time by hunting and fishing. But, he
continued, it would appear almost in
credible to the present population of
this valley, to tell Of the abundance of
deer and other game that inhabited
these parts when he first settled here.
The first time that he ever shouldered
a gun at Kettle Creek, Tor the purpose
of killing deer he went TO one of the
settlers and asked him to accompany
him in hunt The neighbor told him
he could not at that time 20 with him,
but that he should walk up the creek
about half mile where he wonld find
all the game he wanted to kill, He
had proceeded but short distance up
the stream when he espied fine buck
standing along the bank, which he
brought down at the first shot The
report of the gun made tho deer leave
their places, when he continued, he
truly believed there were fully three
hundred ofthem On anothcroccasio
he set large wolf-tap for "varmints, :
After visiting IL on three or four oc-
casions and finding tho bait had been
talcn away each time, he concluded
to make tour OF inspection through
the forest and if possible, discover the
cause. lie had not proceeded very
far until he discovered panther. As
he was not prepared to meet so formid-
able n foe, he retraced his steps home
ward for his gun and dogs and tho as
sistance of those residing in the neigh
borhood. As soon as he could get the
dogs together he started with them TO
the place where he had first discovered
the animal, leaving the men to bring
the gun. The dogs took his tracks at
once and soon came upon him. A ter
rife battle ensucd between them, in
which the dogs were nearly worsted.
Mr.. Caldwell advanced forward to their
relief, armed only with large knife,
resolved to take part in the struggle,
but when he arrived within few feet
Of the monster, 1t lost its courage, and
ran some distance away. This gave
much courage to the dogs they pur-
sued it hotly, when, TO free itself from
their terrors, the panther took refuge
up tree. Mr. Caldwell remained near
by until he was joined by the men.
lie was handed rifle and fired, wound
ing him in the shoulder but not fatally
The monster, il is singular to add, new
or left his position, when soon another
ball was sped into his body with fatal
effect After this shot he Tapped his
tail around q limb of the tree and re-
mained in his position until life was ex-
tinct. The monster measured ii feet
inches from the tip of the nose TO the
end of the tail. y n-li p4Ii r..
On another occasion he killed n
young panther which he skinned and
dressed. The headquarters he carried
home for food. He says he never tasted
better meat. nlr lal iHiI i
The streams of this valley were also
full Of fish during those days. AT Ket-
tie Creek Mr. Caldwell erected fish
basket at the foot of the tail race of
the mill, and during the running down
season, in the fall Of the year. it would
fill up nearly every night to its full
capacity. Almost every fall his broth
cr-in-law, Jesse Hunt, who Mt that
time owned portion of the land now
built up by Lock Haven, would come
up with his canoe TO the mouth of
Kettle Creek to lay in supply of fish.
Invariably he returned with his little
boat well-fillcd with ecls, suckers, sal
mon, trout and other fish. 1 yi#' IL,
At one of these visits made by Mr..
Hunt for the purpose of getting a sup
ply of fish. he suggested that thev
would go gigging for them at night,
and in the morning they would have
little hunt In couple of hours,
said Mr.. Caldwell, wc gigged all we
wanted, several bushels perhaps. We
got salmon that weighed Is pounds,
and several other ones ten and twelve
pounds. In the morning they started
ior deer. They hunted but few
hours when they returned home with
four very fine ones. ai '4n 4
youYGwoMAN's CREEK. icdi
The year Mr. Caldwclrs parents
lived at Youngwomanstown he says
that bears were so plenty in that sec
ton that it required no skill to kill
them. He and his elder brother, viii
liam, killed during that winter some
eight or nine, besides their dogs trecd
numbers of them which they paid no
attention TO- Deer were also as plcn-
tiful as bears. II was not an uncom-
mon occurrence for him and his broth
or to kill three or four deer in half a
day. The method Of hunting deer was
somewhat different from that practiced
at the present day. The horn was
then in use as well as the hound
Hunters would lead their hounds to
u IL. c. oc IL. ..nunAai.. ala ri tLot,