The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-02-15
4" The Days of Auld Langsyne"
in Somerset County.


We take the following poem from the
current number OF The AD,srioan HonfkIg
-Nu9a-iss, official organ Of the National
Society Of the Daughters Of the Ameri-
can Revolution.
The Turkey Foot, where the borough
Of COnauencs is nov located, is a place
Of great historic interest Tradition as
serts that in about 1850 white settlers es-
tablished a community in the neiyhbor-
hood. This may be true, or not, but We
know it was VISITED, and mentioned in
official papers by Christopher Gist In
I752, Gen. Washington 1854, Capt.
0rme i755. and Rev. Capt Jno. Steel in
175s-and, that the first white settle
ment in this county was made there
cannot, and never has been, disputed.
In report made to Daniel Br0dhead,
Surveyor General Of the State Of Penn
sylvania, by Alexander McClesn, Depu-
~, and on file in the land office, special
mention is made Of "the orchard con-
sisting Of one hundred and thirty-two
beautiful bearing apple trees, a few that
have been injured excepted" more than
hundred years ago.
The name vas given it, tbs said, by
some aboriginal, standing on one Of the
four mountain peaks, on account Of a
not altogether fancied resemblance in
the confluence below him, ofthe YOugh-
iogheny and Casselman rivers and Lau-
rel Hill creek to the foot OF turkey.
From il the two townships Of Upper and
Lower Turkey-foOt were named. A great
many viiences indicate that, at time
antedating any knowledge Of the past 50
far as regards this part Of the State, as
well as silerward, until the whites be-
came too numerous, the Turkey-fOot re-
gion was the place Of assembling at fire.
quent intervals of the Indians. Their
celebrated pathway, known later as. "Ne-
macolin's Trail, leading from the forks
Of the Ohio NOW Pittsburg) TO the POto-
mac river at the mouth Of Willis creek
nov Cumberland, Nd, nan through it.
Arrow and spear heads, skinning knives,
bones and other relics of the red man,
are frequently found there, more espec-
tally in the soft, fiat ground Of the pen
insula or point between the two rivers,
which for some reason was undoubtedly
favorite camping place.
The early settlers Of the region suffer-
ed greatly from the depredations ofthese
painted savages, and were compelled 10
organize companies for protection. Cap
tain Andrew Friend, who had moved
there from the valley of Virginia, 3 not
ed hunter, scout, Indian fighter, and AZ
terward Revolutionary soldier, was in
command Of one OF these squads, and il
was his family who spent that lone,
lorg night" among the corn. The fort
TO which they retreated was in the little
hollow east Of NeEbury, in Addison
tognship, where an old hay-house is
nov standing.
The baby guest," after these ard the
succeeding times Of war and raid" had
passed, and she was a young woman,
married John Mitchell, the son ola
neighbOr who had beena comrade Of her
father. Thu raised a large family. Their
youngest child, daughter, recently de-
ceased, was the mother Of Mrs. johnson,
who il and has been for number Of
years a resident of Allegheny City, but
is a native of this county. Her father,
Gen. Moses A. Ross, still hale and hear
ty in his eighty-;hird year, lives in Addi-
son, ald has lived and been engaged and
interested in the mercantile business
there for more than sixty-ive years.
Among her first contributions to the
press was some dainty verse, published
when she was very young girl in the
Of the HERALD. She is an occa-
sionsl contributor to several ofthe lead
ing papers and magazines, but almost in
variably of late years without signature,
or under a nom de plume. +.