The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1876-07-12

report, too V0lumlnouS TO mention.
In 1870 the population numbered in
the county 4010. This much for the
reconstruction of the county. / can
not afford to dwell on its physical fea-
ture at all, save few incidental ref
erences to the changes made by man.
Beyond doubt, the earliest incidents
connected with the History of our
little county of Forest, are those re-
corded in the plain and truthful an
mails Of the Moravian missionaries
true this carries us beyond the centu-
ry little, but we have q very we'll
defined and plainly marked history
by truthful and vigorous writer.
The records contained in the life Of
David Zeisberger and in Loskiel's
History, are Of too extraordinary a
complexion to be passed over in 81
lence, and while it sometimes reads
like romance, it has truth for its
foundation, we'll defined.
Zeisberger was an Austrian, and the
best linguist of all his people. He
understood five or six Indian Ian
guages, which gave him great power
with the savages of our land. That
admirable book, his life by Bishop
Scheintz, consists of over 700 pages,
and his notes shows the endurance and
I energy of the man. Fortunate for
history, Zeisberger kept full notes.
This extraordinary man determined,
it appears in the summer Of 1857, to
make an exploratory trip to the In-
dians of the Allegheny River, and
took with him a companion, whom he
called Anthony. His friends tried to
dissuade him from going into the how
ling wilderness. He struck the Allie
gheny river in Butler Co., it is sup
posed. The Seneca Indians there tried
to dissuade him from going further,
depicting the danger of his route. But
the good man proceeds although told
that the Indians at Gosh-gO-shunk
were very ugly, full-of witchcraft, and
would murder BIN; that they were OF
the Monsey tribe, who we're especially
hostile. But he proceeds, and arrives
at Gosh-go-shunk on the 18th of Oct,
1857, which in point of fact, consisted
of three towns near the mouth of Tio.
nesta creek. Zeisbergor and his friend
stopped at the place now known as
Holeman's Flats, from the description
given. Although he had travelled
among indians before, he found him
self. according to his own recorded
testimony, among the worst lot he had
ever seen. They resembled demons
aud to a congregation of murdererS
and Indian roughs he preached them
the first sermon they had ever heard
Ho understood their language to per
fection; was known and called by al
Indian name, and so got thu blind side
of these desperadoes, ,-got their atten
ton, and laid down TO them the truth
in its purity. He writes in his journal
"Nover yet did I see so clearly depict
ed in the faces of Indians the black
ness of hell and the power Of the Cos
pei" A fine painting Of this wa
made by Mr.. Schussele Philadelphia
artist, for Mr.. John Jordan, jr., whicl
is in The Art Collection at tho Centen
rial Exhibition. John Sartain, th
celebrated engraver, struck some en-
cravings from it, proof copy o
which was presented to John Thomp
! J son, Eli Berlin and James X. Clark
Commissioners of Forest Co., by tn
, Historical Society of Pa, as we'll a
! an original copy of Zeisberger's owl
: handwriting, being receipt for goinl
express for the Governor to the enem,
Indians, ending with their character
istic words 81 say received by me-"
DAVID ZEIsBERGEE
, Forest Co. also has a copy of hi
life, presented by the same society
a The History tells of the pow-wows an
! rookeries the Indians got up; Of tn
q struggles of this good man with on
Wangomen, who opposed his messages
q How Wangomen was "faxed out" j
debate in the end, and was a conquer
> ed man. Yet still the false India
i prophet gave him trouble at time
4 These pagans wero divided in opinion
l as wiser people we're Of old. Yet th
= majority requested the missionary I
h remain among them and teach theI
/, Christianity and civilization.
I'll Hc left for short time in 176e
IS came back, and by this time found
% few bad traders in the camp. do
r tho Indians early in 1859 destroye
il more than 1000 deer on the Alleghen
.e river,-how il was determined on a
rs count of fresh outbreaks of the pi
l. gans at Gosh-go-shunk to remove
"a La-wun-ak-hanck, Cast Hickory
e, as the word is translated, "meetir
rt waters" (Beaver and Hickory al
how mission was established ther
ofI on the On sfarn hank of the river. an