The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-09-20
THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

DETROIT, MICH, Sept. 9Th, 1877.
FRIEND HARRIS: While reading
your paper this morning, l was re-
minded of days long ago, when you
and l were boys, small boys, and went
to school in a little brown school
house which stood northeast of your
Office. The picture of Ravenna as it
then was, comes up before my mind
with vividncss. Let us photograph
that picture. That was long time
before photographs or ambrotypes or
DaguereOtypes were invented. Nei-
ther you nor had then entered our
teens. l am now trespassing on years
beyond three score and ten. This is
quite different world from what il
was when we first saw it. 1 breathed
the atmosphere of this world before
the smoke of the first steamboat was
mingled with it. No railroads then.
nor telegraphs. People disputed about
the possibility of using the black
stones in the hills of Pennsylvania for
fuel, and whether the sickle was or
was not the best instrument to cut
wheat with. But am Distressing
Let us look at the picture of Ravenna
in 1915. That year my father bought
a farm of Robert Eaton, in the S. L
part of the town, where my brother
Richard now lives, in The very house
that stood there then, and in which
the County Courts were held and
where was the lookup of the County.
The remains of this Jail were discern
able when we came there. There was
= traditional story then about the
field on the N. f. corner of the farm,
which we called the Tom place. NJ
Tom was elected corporal and invited
his friends to his house for entertain
ment. 1t was late at night, but the
family was awakened and the old set
ing turkey was killed. While the
were picking Off its feathers,
I bright idea struck one Of the lads
md he called out, "Mothcr, mother,
ire we all corporals." mo, you 100.
7ou," replied the mother, ''nOne but
,our dad and man," Our neighbors
hen were Gen. John Campbell, whose
house stood on the corner of four
ownships in what is now Campbe!ls-
,ort. 1t was kept as a public house.
Mr.. Campbell was my mothers broth
,r. AlmeDa, Homer, Ely, Harriet.
edwin, Richard, John, and Mary Ann
we're all at home, and mere children
hen. Elisha Taylor lived in Roots
own. near Uncle Campbell's. Mrs.
Taylor was my mothers sister. Ho
ner and Maria, their children, were
,ear my age. Levi Sutlif moved into
he tavern in the corners of the four
owns soon after we came. Samuel,
Laura and Lydia were the names OF
heir children.
While the papers of conveyance OF
he Eaton farm to my father were be-
ng made out, peddler's wagon was
cen to pass by in the road with two
nen in it. These men were Uncks
md Mathews. Before they reached
2avenna village Uncks murdered
threw him into the bushes
IN the west side of the road, drove the
lorse and wagon into the woods on
he east side, and turned the horse
After securing what money there was
Jncks fled to parts unknown. About
en- days alter this the odors of the de-
aging body of Mathews led TO a dis
overy Of the foul murder. Putting
his and that together the neighbors
oon fixed upon the two men WHO
'asscd in the wagon, ten days before,
q the murderer and murdered. My
lnclc Campbell and Robert Eaton
vent in pursuit OF and captured Uncks
N the mountains of Pennsylvania.
They brought him back and kept him
me night in our house, before being
,ut into the Jail. That night he con-
essed the whole thing, though he af-
denied it. About two years
after this Uncks was hung little
southeast of the village squarc. But
his is o depression.
Let us go back to the picture. A
Mr.. Skinner lived on the farm which
belonged 10 Edmund Bab-
cock. The house was on the Old road
which ran nearly parallel with that
now used. Mr.. S. died soon after
that. The children in Alr. SINNERS
family were Purdy, Orvii!e, Oliver.
James, Newton, Fanny and AlOnzo.
Pur,ly had just gone TO River Raisin,
in Michigan. Mr.. Jennings lived a
little east Of the forks of the Charles
town road. The Sapp aud Price fam
lilies lived N. L. of your present Fair
In the village there was
Almond Babcock, whose house stood
near where your Office now is. The
next house west of this was Mr..
Tappan's, two-story wood house,
painted red. Mr.. Il. had nice family
of girls, 1 recollect. Next was Zenas
Kent, who kept store on the corner.
Oa the opposite corner was Papa Car
ter's tavern. Still further along was
q one story lawyers office, with two
rooms, occupied by Johnathan Sloane.