Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-07-23
Two "OId Maids" in Michigan.

Some time ago notice appeared in the
Western papers announcing the death of
one of couple of old ladies residing in the
township of Kalamo, Michigan, who had
moved into tho woods when that country
was almost a wilderness, and cleared them
up farm and cultivated it just as the
''lords of creation are in the habit of do
ing. Their names We're Rachel Mitchell
and Samantha Wyman. They were in no.
wise related to each other, and had never
met until they had grown to womanhoOd,
and had neither of them done any outdoor
labor until they reached middle life Aunt
Rachel, the survivor, was born at Monmouth,
Me, May y, 1909, and il, therefore, a
little over 20. Aunt Samantha, who died
April Il, was born in Vermont, May 81,
1911. Some time between 1886 and 1910,
catching the emigration fever, they came
westward, stopping short time at Ypsi-
lanti, but finally settling down to their trade
in Marshall, where, with their needles,
they earned the farm on which they have
spent 50 many years. In company with
another family they reached the vicinity of
their land on the 9Th Of January, 1919
The snow being nearly two feet deep and
the country an almost unbrOken forest, the
scene was one to appal the stoutest heart.
The man who had moved with them was
discouraged at the situation, and wanted to
return without unpacking. His ''wOmen
folks, together with Samantha, We're cry
ing, and but for the brave heart and deter
mined courage of Aunt Rachel the next dav
would have seen them on their back track
Sha SaIl zlas4 ha1 10 auh ahppl.l
never return until she was satisfied that she
couldn't live there The question of re-
turn being thus settled, they proceeded to
business and finding vacant log house
moved into and occupied it until they could
build one of their own. From this time
Rachel employed herself at outdoor work
even to chopping down timber, logging,
brush-piling, and every kind of labor that
men do in a new country. Samantha 5
health was such that she was able to do but
little hard work out of doors, and, in fact.
did not do all of the house work, much of
this being also done 10y Rachel For some
years after Rachel had been in the habit of
doing everything else on her farm, she hired
men to SOW her wheat until she finally found
she could do that as well as any of them.
She related many of her early adventures
in the woods One evening just at dark
the violent squealing OF one of her hogs ap-
prised her Of the fact that a bear had seized
it, and was making for his haunts in the
forest. Calling her dog she gave hot pur-
suit, and finally succeeded in reScuing the
porker from the jaws Of bruin, but in so
damaged a condition that they had to kill
and dress it before morning. She said that
she got 50 that she could do as much chop
ping as a man, and preferred outdoor to
indoor labor. Her farm is nearly all i'm
proved and well stocked with sheep, cows,
hogs, fowls, etc. 1t has good orchard
and fair buildings. TLere was one thing,
however, she said, that had never been on
their farm, and that was mortgage, and
they had never been seriously embarrassed
with Indebtedness. This is something, no
doubt, that many of their neighbors cannot
say. Aunt Rachel is only five feet high,
but very stout, weighing about ls0. and
quite rugged for one of her are.