The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-01
OLD FIN 5EEPLE DEAD.
A Hunter for Sew .nty.nve Years, He Killed
Deer AMI Eear. ~ the Hundred.

A Hunter for Sew .nty.nve Year,, He Killed
Deer AMI Hear. ny the Hnndr<s.
PoBT JERvIs. March 31.-John Finley Teeple.
one OF the last survivors Of o rare Of IA
nous hunters and trappsrs who had their
hunting grounds among the mountains Of
southern New York and northern Psnnsyl-
vania. died few days ago In Manchester
township. Wayne county. Pa. whore he had
lived for nearly three quarters Of Q century.
aged 80 years. He was Familiarity known as
"Old Fin Teeple. and was o picturesque
hAckwoods figure He began the life Of
hunter at the age OF 10 and relinauishsd It en-
tirely only three years ago owing to failing
eyesight He had record OF 3.Ol5 deer. 4l9
bears, fifteen panthers. and innumerable
wolves. Wildcats and smaller game to his
credit He was believed to have killed the last
wolf ever seen In the upper Delaware Valley.
When he started In as hunter and trapper
the region round about him. on both sides OF
the Delaware. was an almost unlnhAbited will
derness. Wild game OF all kinds was more
than abundant. With the decrease OF game In
the Delaware Valley he followed 1t to the
denser and more isolated wilderness OF north
western Pennsylvania. where for many years.
up to 1895. he spent the fall and winter hunt
ing seasonG In that year. at the earnest re-
quest OF his two sons. themselves great hunt
srs, who feared that his great age made 1t
unsafe Tor MIN to roam for weeks alone In the
his last Visit 10 those great woods since fsen'
ana up 70 three years ago. he had sniSysd him
sf IL nv haPWiIE Wild which fas : Pls1
the elghtieth anniversary of his birth By bag
ging three OF those heres animals. With one
ugly fight. and Was badly cut and scratched
BY the teeth and Slave Of ths, wildcat before
biggest animal OF the Kind he had ever cap-
tuIed, being over toe Isef long a9d Weighing
OF his trips. the tough old hunter Killed a
Canada INK rare visitor In that locality.
o oa III. Fin EIR r.: s hoods :o CS .sS q . h
Loved % tsll them but p az he sIperiensss
very iast deer hunt was ths one he most loved
f. relate during the last fey years q MS lie.
he was q years old. His two boys. Elijah and
Christopher were Foins down into Pike eoqn-
sisted on going along. When they ~ got 1 down
Into the West Hope woods as The vst-
&: aon. lSa P% ,S SsS e; q; :Ty
aults as steady he had better let one o. them
ss.tins deer ons Sas fy % tSss war; Sas
Old Fin indignantly ordered the boys 10 20
hunters, and Eliiah took his place ON . rnnwAy
6 long SIs5t1ss iTGn E ne tatnst While Chris
Chris soon started . deer Ind 1t started so
close to him that he had fair shot at II. The
s. SS oOS vent %
whore Fitch stcRd. he had q nies open shot
At il, but Kissed II slick and clean. The buck
kept on and passed where Old Fin Was stAnd-
Ing but so far sway that It required wonder
fully good shot to stop H. The Veterans eyes
and nerves were equal to the occasion, and no
dropped the deer almost In its tracks. His two
sons came down OF the ridge and asked
him what he had shot at He told them 10
walk over in the scrub oaks thirty rods or so.
and they would see. Ihsywent over and found
the big buck theJ had both missed, and thelE
that the ling Of that deer did him more good
had killed all put together. Last fall the old
hunters twelVs-ysAT-Old grandson. ChTlsG
boy went down 70 the sAmO woods with his
father and shot big buck, his nTst deer on
almost the sane spot where his grandfather
killed his last one.
pld tta's wife died many rear age dnss
the most isOl ated spot he could dad 10 that
region. His daughter MAS wonderful per-
former on the violin. and their cabin In the
mountains vas great attraction for people all
th4r9ngh that eoantry. PEOPLE f9I miles around
and bis daughters mrsg.