The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-03-30
JIM JACOBS, BEAR HUNTER.
THE LAST FULL-BLOODED DEFENDANT
OF TINE SENECA INDIANS.


HE Rrpsssts q. the Forests ~ Western reua.
syvsssm since fe1S-Why ne Wore rhres
ssiss sr CIsshes-ails OLE Age ssd Beach.
BRADFORD, Pa. March az I'm tho death
Of Jim Jacobs the once powerful and famous
tribe Of Seneca Indians loses its last full blood
ed descendant" said p. L. Webster. Bradford's
oldest inhabitant. to Sun reporter. Jim
Jacobs was. In his prime. the king Of bear hunt
ers. and during tho many years Of his reign In
Mexican. Potter. and Elk counties he caused
the death OF scores Of BEARS and was tiroless
hunter OF all wild game.
when or where Jim was born 10 a matter OF
conjecture. Ho looked as II he might have
been 100 years old. put am satisfied that he
was not much beyond the eighties. Jim told
me on various occasions that he was an eye
witness Of the burning Of tho then village OF
Buffalo In 1912. To use his own words. he was
big enough to carry tomahswk and o bow
and arrows. While the rude huts Of the early
settlers were burning he danced and yelled In
childish glee. He was possibly at the time 10
or IA years Of age A few years afterward he
was on the Seneca reservation at Red House.
Cattaraugus county. and made that his homo
up to tho time Of his death. which occurred on
the railroad at Steamburg on March 10. For
forty years no lived at Rcd House. and he was
regarded by his tribe as the most powerful
hunter Of the Senecas.
Early In his career jacobs married the
daughter Of the chief OF the tribe. She died
twenty-five years ago. leaving him childless.
About the same time his younger brother was
killed by falling tree in a thunder storm.
Jacobs took upon himself the guardianship OF
his brothers children and cared for them until
they grew to manhood"
Il have known Jacobs for forty-nve years."
continued Mr. Webster. In that timO no has
passed through Bradford several times each
year on his way to the mountains in this and
au n"tn coun.' .s ,,, H.' , ysars Ao
bradford was no. inc lively town 1t Is now. 1t
was the nioneer sstiler md tbs onlv cabin bs.
49, o ' .. .,,s "u .0 ' ."''. 10.
t,usn o to the vost bsea%s intimately
ter. Ho was one Of tho strangest characters I
diileMi,y that could draw stories ire from him.
h' was bis 0 nn ua
COMMON thing for him to Wear two or three
sns ., S
Of corduroy. breeches. Jims eyes sparklei rs
ysTsa sd rodsn SnS Wh the s K
stripped of his bucEskin breechos. which we're
heavily frinsed with beads and then in success
looms He wore the cord,iroys next to the skin
and tho other garments over them m my" When
asked why he did this he said Heap easier to
Tho country roundabout was then covered
built Built hut and made that his headanar t
while In this section. Ho was short and thick
sS Webbing no pounds His hesh,
built Indians / ever saw. He was invariably
accompsnied by a dirty white dog. I never
q ns BY
Centric master. N "''' ''''"' - A'N " '''' "
lshei on the reservation by II missionary
named Hall; He attended services regularly
o Hs s ". hs s"ss
inasns 20 ns
81 he
his hG s dssnos ss s" P his hno%
not right to shoot on SUNDAY. Jim saw COO coonss
ee .g snoW sna some o aaa sss e
he don't; better go.'
the dsenSe fr9m Red House
norao vi Sss "ns ni H. d .eha
teen Years ago. during a heavy snow storm.
passed. tho night Under a big hemiock in tie
woods. When he struck Bradford he came d.
to ny s0 %y Sns ia Boz, .i
massa ole Jim 10 here; awful hungry; no sup
J% h sssn T. sIo fool /! {Sss As way
hungry, dam ole fool
lin his later years. when his prowess as a
hunter was fast leaving him. he became an
inveterate beggar He always had a partially
for me- and when in want made tho long Jour
ney overland to this place His principni plsa
was. Guess Jim wants some leather to make
moccasins. wants some clothes to keep him
warm 1 always supplied his wants. and he
never passed through here without calling on
me. l remember his last visit. It was about
two weeks ago. The old man had on three
faded old felt hat, In tho band OF whicii
was fastened a long goose feather. His
ieathery and wrinkled face lighted ,p when he
saw me, Coming forward. he graspsI my
hand, saying: Foor Jim finds It hard winter
not much fish not much meat; hard on ole
folks He cd two days and silent in the
office. curled up behind the stove like An i'm.
and said chat he was not as lively nor as spry
as he used to be. and minated that he would
| A06A be gathered to his fathers. I gave him +
baS Of aour. some meat. and other nroyisions
and he started on on his weary tramp happy
| and contented man
| MI :. 80 ~. "a H..