The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-11-24
HUNTING GROUNDS
OF Now Extinct Indian Tribes in
Indiana County, Pa.
LspecIal COrrespondence OF the pemocrrt.l

Especial Correspondence of the DemocrrtI
MR.. EDIToR-T Thinking that perhaps
line or two occasionally from the
Keystone State might interest the
readers of your valuable paper, [ will
give them the benefit of my Observa-
tiOns in the different sections of the
State. Indiana, the county seat of In
diana county, is a beautiful and enter
prls1ng town, situated on a branch of
the Pennsylvania Central Railroad, and
Is the location of one of the State Nor
NAL Schools of Pennsylvania. The
building location and campus are each
very hne; and when dedicated in 1875,
State superintendent Wickersham, who
is familiar with other Normal schools
in this county, and who is the founder
OF the Normal school system of Penn
sylyanla, said that this was the best
building and best adapted to its pur-
pose of any in the United States. Look
ing over hill and dale from this build
ing we have fine view of the sur
rounding country; and in the back
ground the Chestnut Ridge mountains;
and from Oak Point on Chestnut Ridge,
we have the finest landscape view in
western Pennsylvania. The climate is
very healthy, and for the population,
this county can boast of more pioneers
than any other in the State. At the re-
union of the old settlers in 1880, one
hundred and fifty registered their
names whose ages were 20 years; and
the Rev. d. d. who made the opening
prayer at the reunion was "a years old.
This was once the favOTite hunting
ground of the Indians. Here he pad
died his canoe up and down the beauti-
tul Conemaugh river, and hunted the
deer IN the then unbrOken forests; and
tTDVnlIpT
country he is frequently pointed to some
we'll known and well defined Indian
trail. The remains of the old forts and
block houses built by the early settlers
are still to be seen. During the French
and Indian war 1868 Gen. Armstrong
had his camp here. He marched his
army through this country to fight the
battle of Kittanning. The country is
rich in Indian legends. Capt. Samuel
Brady, the famous Indian scout, dressed
In Indian garb, with nothing save his
trusty rifle, penetrated the forests, and
by his skill in strategy, saved many a
white family from the tOmahawk of the
savage. His many adventures and es-
capes as related by the old settlers are
more wonderful than fiction. Coming
down from the past to the present time,
this county has been the birth place of
many whose reputation has become ma
tlOnal, and among those of the most no
ted we mention that of Richard B. Nc
Cabe, and that gallant chief of Democ-
racy, Gov. Thomas A. Hendricks of Indi-
ana, whose parents were natives of this
county, and his grandparents among
the pioneers. ]. W. Wiley d. D., one of
Bishops of the Methodist E. church, who
before going to the University, practiced
medicine in Blairsville, this county.
The people here are Independent in pol
!tlcs and religion and neutral in moth
ing. Almost every sect of religion, ex-
cept the Mormon, finds some followers.
In politics we have Greenbackers, Re-
publicans, Democrats, and last but not
least, the anti-BOssites. The sentiment
against BOssism seems to be increasing,
and will continue to do so until it is
overthrOwn. E. V. S.