Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-06-04
An Afternoon in Tuscarora VAL
ley.


lodged the showers, so that they fell
behind or in front of US, or we were GOV
cred by taking shelter In some building.
We were scarcely more than out oil
town than a rain fell, and we felt
sprinkle of its western edge as we pass
ed over the piece of road between Col
onel Robison's farm and the Sterrett
place, and at William Sterrett's farm
we were fsr enough away from the va
terry cloud 10 stop and receive brief
statement as to the extent o. the bound
ary lines of the Judge Sterrett farms,
from his uncle. William Sterrett.-
The crops all the way to Johnstown
present promising appearance. That
village has thrifty appearance. Tie
painters, who lost horses, paint and so
forth. in the fire of the Halteman barns,
stood by the ruins putting up load OF
main; 10 renew their work. A lot OF
citizens were al work pikeing piece OF
road along by the Hoops smith shop
They had the stones broken finer than
road makers nearer MiffiIntowh do that
kind of work, and of course they VIII
have a better road than where the
stones are left on the road, IN larger
pieces The famous "Tar Hollow" "
presented a pleasant appearance to tie
eye, in Its new green garb OF spring
grass and foliage. Academia seemed
to have a livelier look than in many
wears. for a new school has been start
ed there, and has a most encouraging
sunport. The Doctor related some re-
minlscence of his school days, at that
place, and pointed out number ot hab-
itations in the valley where interesting
ladies dwelt, when he was student
Sau,re Brown was busy at work IN front
of his shop, south of the Seminary, as
we passed by. All tLat section OF the
valley is historic ground, and If 1t had
been a little darker-for the clouds
hung low as We passed through the Mil
liken aud Okeson and Book farms
perchauce, a ghost from the Indian
mound. by the creek, might have come
to the road to relate the past glory OF
the Red men. Captain J. j. Pstter-
son was in his corn field, at work. That
be was working with good deal of en-
ergy is evidenced by the fact that be
had both coat and vest off. The Captain
is a candidate for State Senate. He is
a scholar, and gentleman, and prac-
tical farmer, aud it may be years be-
fore so competent a man is again
10 the political arena, as candidate
for the State Senate. By the time We
had passed Doyle's Mills, 1t began to
thunder in the direction of the north
west. and it became an interesting ques-
tion as TO whether we could dodge the
coming rain, the Doctor thought we
could and we did by going into the barn
of Robert Innis. Ga the hill, on this
side of the barn. a man was "ciearing
IL is a work that has been carried on
there for the period of more than hun
dred wears Robert lnu!s is the fourth
generation, be is man In middle lie
stands about 3 feet 10 inches in height,
is of stout build, fair complexion, OBJ
long face and square chin. The hrs'
Innis and wife came there about the
year 1854 or ), and put cabin in the
woods by the spring, near where the
present residence is. A party of lndi'
ans came along one day, destroyed thel'
habitation. and hurried them off witt
their three children, to Canada. While
crossing the St. Lawrence river, an In
dian took offense at one Of the children
and in bis anger, put the child IN thu
river under the ice. The second lnnis
the grand father of the present Robert
was born at Toronto, Canada. Th'
children we're scattered among the In
dians and French. After the lapse o
some years Mrs. Innis was released
and made her way back to the settle
, ment. in Tuscarora, only to ind thei
place occupied By a squatter. Moth
ing daunted Mrs. Innis, went to Phiia
delpbia, afoot. and had the right TO he
husbands 800 acre tract of land con
6rmed by the government, and also re
ceived authority to eject the lntrudlni
squatter. Some time after that he
husband was released from Indian bon
dage. and at a later date lot OF whit
children that had been held as prison
| ers. among the French and Indians
we're. by treaty arrangement, sent t
, Philadelphia for identification, and re
storation to their parents. Inns an
his wife went to Philadelphia to loo
for their children. In the multitud
: of children there, they saw none of thel
: issue, bu, were told that a boy, answer
, ing the description given by Mrs. In
mis-. was in the hands OF certain part
who was soon to leave the town, fC
3 home, they hastened to the place de-
f ignated, and there Mrs. tnnis recos
nized her son, the one that was Dor
at Toronto. The party that held ii
boy would not give him up on the ev
dence of his general appearance. Mr.
Innis then said, ''tbe boy has mott
er's mark, look for thai" On remo'
s ing the clothing, the mark showed Il
3 itself, and the identity of the boy WI
established, and he was the grand f
J ther of the present occupant OF IL
s land. The rain passed by and gave
g chance again to take to the roa
a which we did and we're soon IN the v
cinity of McCoytown. There are
> pumber of fine farms, on this side of &
d town, among them Is the one owned
a the late DR.. Samuel Crawford. III
o Doctor had large practice there, al
). had accumulated quite a fortune, b
!, after bis death, by some means, nu:
Il Der of heavy pulls we're gotten in
: his estate, which cut it down away b
!, low its honest proportions--that is I
n opinion of people in the valley.-TI