The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-06-28

manner in which they had been treated,
| so -exhasperated them that they de-
termined upon revenge, and approach
ing the Indians in a menacing manner.
they made off, and as the soldiers
uuickened their pace the Indians in
creased theirs, and soon they out
| stripped the soldiers and were out OF
| sight. AS they approached the Tusca-
rawas river they gave several loud and
peculiar WhoOps, which was understood
by those encamped upon the opposite
bank: for soon the squaws had their
papoose5 strapped and their camp uten-
sis in rediness to move, which they
| did in hot haste-never again to return
| for the purpose fishing and hunting.
During the continuance of the war,
many of the inhabitants were in con-
slant dread of being nightly beseiged
by the savage foe. Rumors were rife
of a large body of Indians advancing
from the west, led by British officers
who were hourly expected to be upon
them. At one time the news came
that a force of 800 had fortified them
selves in the bend of the river south or
Bethlehem, making preparations Tor an
attack upon the defenceless settlers.
A company was made up in Canton,
commanded by Colonel Sloan, another
il Sandy, commanded by Captain
Downing, who marched to the place OF
rendezvous, but no signs OF Indians
were discovered.
Many amusing incidents are told OF
some of the settles, growing out OF
their fears of being attacked; many
abandoned their homes and crops and
went east.
1t was a common custom for differ
ent neighbors to collect with their
families, at a designated house for mu'
tual protection. Beside their fire arms,
axes and scythes, and any other instru-
ment of defense that could be mustered
were duly arranged that they might be
convenient in case of need. A senti-
nal was generally upon guard, and
every preparation made, that clrcum'
stances would afford, for vigorous re-
sistence. There are a few yet living,
who remember being awed to silence.
or lullabied to sleep, by dreadful stories
of Indian cruelty whispered in their
ears. There were several block houses
erected west of Tuscarawas river-ln
Lawrence, Tuscarawas and Bethlehem
townships, but they were never IN re-
QUESTION as such.
At the conclusion of the war, and the
establishment at Sandusky of IA reser-
walton for the Indians remaining, they
were in the habit of making annual
trips through the towns east to the
Ohio river, They would travelin squads
of half a dozen or more, three or four
bucks, several squaws with their pap
pooses, hanging around town for a
week or more, lodging in the Market
House. The men gave exhibitions OF
their skill with the bow and arrow,
picking off shillings and sixpences at a
distance of twenty to thirty steps, set
in a forked stick placed in the ground.
They wouldn't see a copper cent. The
women gathered in considerable money
selling moccasins and bead work. In
the evenings they gave exhibitions of
their different kind of dances. The
music was furnished by their own band
and it wasnot only peculiar, but hOrrid.
While the Nichols Mill Drowning
site was being built, the workmen were
considerably annoyed by the Indians
who persisted in hanging around for
the scraps left of dinner, and in the
hope of getting whisky, of which they
were pa~ssiOnately fond. The workmen
in the hope of getting rid of them,
would insist in their helping in the
work. This they were d~iSinclined to do,
The Indian has an mate aversion to
anything like work, outside of fishing,
hunting and fighting. According to
their ideas, anything beyond this be-
longs the to female members of the fam
lily. Occasionally, an Indian could be
persuaded to take hold of the handle of
c~ross-cnt saw and help pull and push
it, but it would not be long before he
would quit, giving as a reason, that it
made him sick arm"
Rudy Bair happened to come acrOs
a squad of Indians camped on Blacks
Paris township. They were just
ready to partake of a meal they had
prepared, and insisted upon his joining
them. Fearing lest he might offend
them by refusing, he reluctantly con-
The meal consisted of bears
head, stewed OF boiled in a camp kettle
and thickened with hair and corn meal.
The Indians gave Bair to understand
by grunts and signs that he must pitch
in like the rest, which he did, but, as he
afterward frequently said, it was the
most unpalatable meal he ever attempt
ed to gulp down. The hair chOked
him so that it was with the greatest
difficulty he could keep from vOm.
iting, though the Indians swallowed it
with a will.
My next, will be the part taken by
Stark in the war of '12-together with
a list of soldiers of the Revolution, who
died and are buried in the county.