The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-08-02
EARLY "reminiscences Of Ohio
Comfy.

tSdltol Antell8eneet'
One Of your Ohio county correspon'
dents, In recounting some "reminiscences
Of The GEarly days in Ohio county,
'a lSrb. no,, remarkable fac. in regard to
the early settlement Of the eastern part
Of the county is, that no murder or depre,,
dations Of any kind were ever committed
| there by the Indians" and further on ne
nroceets 10 lay down theory on this
remarkable fact" L,
Now / am inclined to think thathe has
drawn upon his imagination for both lac!
and theory. He mentions the muruet Oh
"A Mrs, Ross near this place West Alex
nnderI From there to Triadelpnia,
TLere Henthorn was killed, no murders
wars committed. The descendants oil
Mira Ross say that hername, was not Mrs.
De pas. Int L"t Sirs. Ockhart. She was one OF
~" Scotch.Iris Presbyterians he men
lions. Her husband was pressed into the
British service in the old country (which
he never liked, and he became an officer.
| On coming to a swollen stream he ordered
his men to cross, while he chose another
place, and his command reported him
drowned. His wife thought, as he did
not like the service, that he had deserted
and gone 10 America. She came over al
ter him, but never found him, and q short
time before she was killed married Hugh
0ckhart. ..
There cabin stood near where was a
brick kiln on the farm OF James r, Rell.
She started out after her cows and was
killed and scalped In the eastern part
Of the county. The Indians came from
the direction OF West Liberty, and in get
ting the old lady's gray scalp they cut of
her fingers which she seemed TO have
thrown up over her head 10 save herself.
The Indians probably respected the
strong, able-bodied, tightly Scotch Presby-
terian more than they did old deienceless
gray haired women.
Further along, either on this raid or
another, they killed man by the name
Of Houston, on the farm now owned by
Byers T. Yates. He and Benajah De-
ment, whose descendants still live In the
eastern part OF the county, were attend
ing to some tobacco at the time, Dement,
said he would not wait, and Houstan told
him to 20 on and he would follow. De-
ment had proceeded but a little ways,
when he Heard the crack OF rifle, and on
going back the next day found where the
Indians had lain, and where Houston was
dead and scalped.
On further, a man was killed on the
farm Of the Yates heirs, where the road
crosses the stream, as he stopped TO water
his horse.
On the farm Of John Faris is shown a
spring were two Indians lay with intent
10 XIII. A man was blowing corn and
aud the horse would not go on, but looking
in the direction would snu If the air and try
to turn back. He was finally driven back
to the house, guns wereobtalned and the
place where the "poor Indian" had been
was found. II was not Scotch Presby-
terianism that saved scalp then, unless
the horse was imbued with that stock.
have heard Of other. Indian depreda.
lions, and II the old folks in the "eastern
part Of the county" were interviewed q
chapter might be written that wouldproye
as interesting as any written by success.
sor Of John Neiswanger or q descendent
Of ;" '"alRs. Ross"
p.s.-lfthe part Of Ohio county spoken
Of by your correspondent did not suffer
as much as some other portions 1t was
probably on account Of It's later settle
ment, and although one Of the descend.
ents Of the Scotch Presbyterians mention
ed, I imagine'that the Indians had no
more respect for my ancestors than any
one else, and l would not advise my friend
10 build anything on that when he goes
out 10 avenge the death Of Custer. II his
scalp IL not already saved that will not
save il. Ross.
IFea Alexander, Pa., Judy ooh.