The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-06-17
H0N0RED OLD FOLKS.
The Eleventh Annual PIonlo Of the Stark
County Pioneers.
The Old Settlers Meet and Talk Over the
Occurrences In Early Days OF
"Moiiy starh"--A Pleasant
Gathering,


The dr'zzllng rain on Wednesda,
morning aud the Indications of its con
tinnance during the day deferred hun
dreda living In distant parts Of thC
county from leaving home to attend the
eleventh annual picnic OF the StaTl
county Pioneer Association. II 8 proper
10 state that nj the meeting Last year II
was decided, In view OF the fact thai
most OF The pioneers OF the county had
LETT FOR anOthgr world, that II would b(
more appropriate to designate the asso
citation By the title of Old Settlers, and
oy that name II twill hereafter be known
Aecorllng to the constitution II takes
IN al males and females who have re,
sided In the county afty yeRrs.
On account OF the rain the company
assembled soon after dinner In the hal
ever the bowling alley to the number OF
one hundred or more, Martin BachteI
ucliLg aa president and DR., Sluaser SEQ
retary' The minutes OF last meeting
were read, including the program OF
exercises for the day Rey,J II Rodgers
who. was expected to open the speaking
moi b ing present, PeterChance was ca n,
ed upon TO lead of. He entertained the
assembly with recollectiOns OF
BEAR TRACKS IN BEAR SWAMP,
now q part Of Alliance, and how abund,
ant wfrA the eqnlIrels In his Youthful
days. He told o e;ory he had heard from
old Tommy Whltacre, as he was called
Whitacre was great hunter and had
killed many bear and deer. On the oc.
caalon Of q visit o. some friends from
the east lhly went hunting Mar wher1
franklin Is now located the dog struck
\ trail, ana soon treed the animal Ia n
large poplar, They cut the tree and Il
foil IN he direction where WhitacTe
stood striking the ground within n few
yard o him The bear made for WhIla.
ere with pm mouth. aud when within
a few feet e him no discharged the rlli
directly III his head, killing him In.
Atanily AZ another time Whitacre saw
a bear Just above the fork OF a tree lie
shot aud the bear fell, aa no supposed,
aud lodged Ia the fork. Presently he
saw the bear crawling up again, and
again h. llred, when the bear dropped
He was aAtOntshed TO see, aa no supposed,
The same bear again crawl up, when he
shot again, and when he fell, this time
Into the fork, no rolled Of bringing
with him the two cuba he had killed.
He had ehot different bear each time
b this time the weather had cleared
on, aud U ere was such an ac-
ce'sion q people that II was
thought hrat to move outside.
A TRIBUTE TO AGE
James Bayliss, Of Masslllon, spoke well
aud to the point, He attended the meet
ings, enjoyed himself and hoped they
won d always be kept up. He told the
story OF his striking out for himself
when yet boy, OF hia journey from the
east by the lake and o 10 Canal TO Stark
county, OF his early struggles, aud how
Kind and generous we're the early set
tiers. He gave O passing tribute 10 age,
clssinR VII h the following lines:
"whatoycr poet, orntor aAgo
Mays'y ot II, old age Ia stil old ago.
What thcnY Shall wo MI Idly down and say
Tho night hath oome-it n no longer dayY
Tho night ha h not yet oomcl We arc not quito
Cut of from labor by the failing light
Something remains fot " N do or dafei
From tho Oldest tree some fruit may boar
JOIN Mobley, OF Canal Fulton, gave
his recollection OF the lake and points
around 30 years ago, and OF his ass0.
claies In hshiDg and other sports. At
that time he was q resident OF Canton,
knew about oil the inhabitants, and
with feeling, referred to many who had
departed from earth. He was ashamed
TO acknowledge that no had not attended
these meetings before, but promised
himself hereafter no would be on hand
every year. 80 long as the good Lord
gave him the power.
Squire Schmachtenbergtr, OF Paris,
referred TO events that occurred during
pioneer times; OF the struggles through
which our fathere labored, o. their on
forced prlyatlons, TIE neighb0rly feeling
that existed, and that we sNouli keep
alive the memory [ those days for the
benefit OF generations who come after us.
In many respects we would do we'll to
follow the example Of our fathers, rath
or than Tux up some new Idol.
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES.
DR.. Slueser desired 10 contribute q
mite 10 the occasion, The assertion Ia
fri qnently made that our ancestors ex
celed ~ In this or that particular. In
his researches In the early history OF the
atst 80 tiers Of Stark county, these facts
are authenticated.
Daniel Hoy, an early settler OF Tusca.
rawas township. was remarkable for
hls phyelcal strength, nor has his equal
appeared upon the stage since. He was
yer ak feet in height, we'll proportion
Nd, with powerful muscular devopment,
aud active. Al barn raisings no would
nehally lit against four and six men.
Although personal encounters were
common NJ that day no was not inclined
70 light, and his appearance was sufii
silent TO deter the most belllgerent from
hlm,He was rather inclined 10
peace and was known fre.
luently TO prevent men from
lighting, Upon the occasion OF a
militia training In Kendall two stout
non had stripped TO fight, chosen their
seconds and entered the ring. Hoy
made hls way through the crowd,
stepped iearlessly into the ring, grasped
,G Oh Of the msn by the shoulder, held
hem at arms length, bumped their
ieAdi together, and ordered them both
10 cease quarrellng upon penalty of a
hraahing, Hoy's sister, Amanda, mar.
lied Andrew Poo, noted for his fght
With al Indian named Big Foot. She
vi q also distinguished for her physical
strength and ability. While yet single,
" u trial Of strength among a company
" young men at her fathers house In
m effort 10 lit nine bushels Of shelled
'orn In three bogs tied together, which
,ould only be done by any one OF them
with great effort. ehe slowly raised the
.bree bags by her shoulders and carried
hem across tho ROOM II was easy for
ler 70 shouldr three bushel bag OF
xheat and throw |, upon a horse. The
III prlng Of the Hoys and Poes were oil
non and women Of large frame aud
yrpat nh valcaI afrapg 9TH