The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-05-25
PIONEER LIFEIN HANCOCK COUNTY,
BY LEWIS THOMAS.

recent meeting of the Historical Soeie-
ty. Is is an interesting paper:I
came from Tyler County. West
Virginia, with my parents, in October,
1881; having been from the 1st to The
18th of the month in accomplishing a
journey which can now be performed
in few hours.
My father settled in Marion town
ship, Hancock county, on the farm now
occupied by his son VIM. Thomas The
country was then very thinly settled.
Our neighbors OH the south side of the
river were VIM. Clark, Barnabas De-
Witte, Joshua Powell, and Joseph Ex-
bert; and on the north side, Willis
Ward, VIM. Fowler. Joseph johnson,
Othe Wells, Asher Wickham, Steph-
Oh Ward, Allen Wisely, Major Bright
and David Egbert. On the Limestone
Ridge, Samuel Sergeant, Judge Huff,
Father Shepherd, Thomas Thompson
and Judge Smith were the only set
tiers.
The first winter set in early and was
very cold and severe, which made us
boys think we had come to the wrong
place; but father encouraged Us. and
we finally concluded that il our par
ents could stand it, ,ce would try to do
so. The country seemed so new and
different from our native State, aud
many times we thought of the hills,
the pine and chestnu. trees, and es-
pecially the faithful old friends we had
left behind US. Sabbath day was par.
tieularly lonesome; reading matter
wai scarce, churches few ano very far
apart. IL we had services at all it was
generally at some private house. El
uathan Gavet preached at Thomas
Sights occasionally. The next fall
father opened his house and Elm Day
preached there until otherwise provid-
ed for.
The difficulties of the journey. had
roacs, ETC., rendered it impossible for
settlers to bring much loose property
with them. Much was therefore left
behind which was sadly needed after
the new country was reached. Besides
our two wagon loads of household
goods, we drove a few head of cattle,
and brough six horses with US. One
of these, which would now be worth
S120, father sold to Richards Dukes for
S45, receiving as part of the pay, 1, 900
pounds of pork at 2! cents per pound,
net weight, two stock hogs for SIS, and
the balance cash. This we considered
pretty we'll for start. He traded an
other horse to Mr.. Philips, then living
south of Friday, for his entire crop of
grain on the ground, which supplied us
the first winter. The 1st of January.
1882, we commenced in the timber to
clear farm. After cutting down a /
tree. my father and swo oldest broth |
ers. Jacob and John, would take tie
body, myself and brother Henry the I
top, and in this way we soon cleared /
enough to raise our first crop. The
first year we fenced 12 acres, planted 10 |
liz corn and rented more for potatoes,
which kept US that year. Our cabin
was small, having but two rooms at
first. Our family was large, consisting
of father and mother, and ten children;
and our living the same as that of the
other settlers; hominy made in block
by ourselves, pork, and when corn
meal could be obtained, pone, with the
other varieties of corn bread, dodgers,
fritters, etc. Our coffee was made of
Drowned corn-meal; our tea of sassa-
fras and spice brush. Our larder was
replenished by a deer,
turkey, squirrels and other wild game,
which we were fortunate enough to Sc
cure. After the first year we always
raised an abundance.
My father was an industrious man
himself aud taught rs that sin The sweat
of our brow we should eat our bread"
He believed it better economy to clear
off the timber than to watch deer licks,
hunt bees, or go fishing.
In the spring log rolling was the
amusement for some time All the
farmers united, and amidst jokes, fun,
and tricks of all kinds, the work was
soon accomplished. / have rolled
eighteen and twenty days in one
spring. besides helping az great many
1t was common occurrence
to 20 from two to Eve miles or more to
raise a cabin, where q general good
time was the order.
The cabins We raised amid such gen
eral rsjoicings have all been replaced
By newer and handsomer edifices. The
arms on which we met for our old
fashioned log rollipgs have nearly all
char ged hands. l am now living,
with my family, on the farm formerly
owned by Wm. Fowler. took pos
session Dec. IL, 1888, and have resided
there ever since.
Accidents. sorrow, and death came
to the early pioneers, as well as to the
people hvir g now. Several men aud
were killed in chopping down
timber, by the trees falling on them;
a number of children were lost, one
frozen to death before it was found; an
other wandered eleven days and was
at last found near the Maumee River.
alive and well. In spite of difficulties,
disappointments and discouragements,
the country has been cleared up; and
thriving, well ordered farms and roads
are now seen instead of the gigantic
forests and narrow, sepentine roads,