Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-06-25
A TRUE BEAR STORY.
sugar Ridgs"-Extent Of same smi th
Hill's Experience in Hunting Bears In
the "Reak swamp" Van Vert county.

He W Jne comparatively WHO VerfltOry VI
Van Vert county, Ohio. The north part
was then known as "Bear Swamp" al
though the swamp proper covered but
few square miles of it. The town of Van
Vert was then only small village. II
had not put on its city airs as 1t does At
present. There " running through the
county, from nearly east to west, what Is
familiarly called the "Sugar Ridge" Il
passes through vast extent of country,
commencingSAs, Gorham township, Fulton
county, and runs TO the west and south un-
til IL reaches the northeast corner Of Will
liams county thence into De Kalb coun-
ty, Ind, near Fl. Wayne. 1t enters Ohio
at the southwest corner of Paulding coun-
ty, from thence on to Van Vert and Del
phos and on the northeast to Findlay. II
extends from the latter place to Berea and
Cleveland, but il is not 80 well marked. 1t
is composed chiefly of sand and fine gravel
with enough clay to make it compact. 1t
has an altitude of from two to three hun
dred feet above Lake Erie, and was once
lake beach.
On this ridge, five miles east of Van
Vert, resides Smith Hill, one of the old
settlers. He and his kind and intelligent
wife, Aunt Julia, are known all over the
county. When l formed their acquain-
tance about twenty years since, Smith and
his wife were on the shady side of fifty.
They had good home and were given to
hospitality. The hungry were fed and the
weary rested in their home. Although
they had no children yet relatives and
ecquaintanees found the place a scene of
cheerful resort and entertainment. Smith
delighted in talking on two subjects. They
seemed to be equally interesting to him
and he was just as ready to talk on one as
the other, except on Sunday, when he
made distinction. One Of these was hunt
ing and the other religion, for he not only
was good hunter, very Nimrod, but he
was also an oracle, devout and earnest
christian. He had been at many camp
meeting-the old fashioned kind where
people were made better and where they
didn't have as much care about looking
glasses and croquet games as they do now.
He had never "heard tell" of charging
people that came to the meetings out of
curiosity, Breakfast and supper 30, cents
each, and dinner IS cts, and clergvmen
two days or more, 81 per day; and a bed
not exceeding 81 for a single night"
They had preachers tent" in those days
Just back of the preachers stand" well
supplied with bedding and then they did
not have any big city pastors able to pay
two or three dollars a day for "board" and
wear fine clothes and act like millionaires.
Smith generally kept half dozen preach
ers at his table, free. When he got his log
tent built the thought of specializing on it
never entered his mind he kept it till the
next meeting. lie was not fanatic, but
warm-hearted, jealous christian.
At his freside, during the long winter
evenings, l have listened to lis stories. al
| ways interesting. He knew how to tell a
story. He was not educated in the schools.
but with a quick, discerning mind, be-
nevOlent face and mellow voice he gained
and held the attention of his friends as
long as he wished. He said, as we sat bv
the blazing hickory fire one cold December
evening: 1T was about five years ago
this month and the weather was not very
cold, a soft snow was on the ground, I told
my neighbor it was good time to find a
bear, as they were now seeking winter
quarters and were fat and would make
good eating. To this he agreed The
snow was about four inches deep and had
fallen the day before. We crossed the
ridge and went northwest towards the
Bear swamp. During cur first days hunt
we met with nothing unusual. NY neigh
hor's two sons were with us and they
brought in some turkey for our supper and
breakfast. Night coming on we prepared
our lodge with the branches of trees anC
bark, and spread on dry leaves, which We
gathered from drift of leaves along the
side of a big log, for bed upon which W,
placed our blankets, and in front of oul
lodge we had rousing big fire of logs
We slept as snug as bugs in parlor.
had with me three very good dogs that un
derstood what I said to them and knew
how to go for a bear, you NAV believe
Ring was a black-and-ta fox hound
with long ears and good scent. He wa
slow, but sure. Watch was a speckleC
fellow, regular cur. active and plucky
You could count on him in rough ant
tumble fight with bear. He would at
tack and as quick as wink he was out o
the way of the bears paws. | have know
a bear to take the scalp off dog at
clip. Watch never got hit-he was to-
quick. He was just in at bears flank
biting like sin, and then out sooner thai
you can count two. Many bear he helpd,
me kill. My other dog was Spring grey
hound. Out of fight, gentle; in one b
was as fierce as q blood hound, but NOR
cautious and had more dog sense TIL,
second day We scattered out little and
guess l was ahead of my neighbor an,
his boys. They had guns but had onl
an AK. My dogs were with me and Wake,
|, behind. l came upon bear tracks whicl
were the biggest | ever saw. Ring want
ed to go afterthe bear at once, as the track
were fresh, but | would not let him. w
followed the tracks about one mile and
! half and came to big oak tree top tina
| had fallen with the leaves on and ha,
!, dried and were still on the limbs Cover
ed partly with snow il made a dense hid
ing place for the hear. I went around i
, but saw no tracks leading away so I kne,
, our game was inside. The dogs said a
much with their barking and growing.
got upon the body of the fallen tree an
walked in under the leaves and found tn
bear nwaking from a doze. He seemed I
4, be as big as a COW when he got up on hi
} feet. | retreated and the bear went out O.
the other side, only to be met bv my dog
: who hnrassed him terribly. They kcT
, him from getting away. | wished for m
/ gun, but that was vain. l called for m
neighbor and his boys, but they did not heal
| wanted the hear killed ran up withi
. two rods of him and stopped, but no soon
er had | done so than he made square "a
: me. planted my feet firmly and met hin
t as he arose upon his hind feet to hing me il
. his huge paws and struck him on the heac
7 with the sharp edge of the AK. Unfortu
+ nate'y it glanced to one side and laid bar
e his skull, but while it stunned him it di'
/, not knock him down. run backward an
in doing so caught my heel on root an,
: fell sprawling on my back. The bear ap
preached me rapidly and furiously, ant
! his eyes glared with rage. His long an,
powerful teeth looked fearful as he extend
!, ed his monstrous jaws. AS he was in tn
$ very act of seizing me my trusty Spring
: the greyhound, was upon him, giving hin
| N nj frI hifa s,,t tba Lsnd Iac, ioh oa,,s