The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-12-03

There was no lap of luxury to cradle
the early days of the American pio-
neer, and that fact no doubt contribut-
ed its full quote towards producing the
hardy, fearless race without whose dar-
ing bravery and adventurous exploits
our Western cities of to-day would
have remained wildernesses filled with
wild beasts and the still wilder and
more cruel redmen.
While we rejoice with civilized ad-
vancement, there Is something sad in
the charged conditions which forces
the passing Of these picturesque Amer
lean characters, never to return again,
except as history and tradition hands
them down to future generations
hands them down with the jagged
corners of their exploits less prominent
than now, and hence the charm that
surrounds them grown DINNER to
those curious CROUCH to hear and read.
Such character was old Bush, as l
first saw him. He was then past the
century mark. but by how many notch
es his own memory failed to disclose.
and no one else OF course knew. Aged
as he was, however, he was still
straight as an arrow, and his tall
frame-six feet two or three inches, I
should judge-showed so little the
ravages of tine that remember specu-
lating on the remarkable endurance
that must have been his in the days of
his prime. l was told many interest
ing incidents in the career of old Bush
by others who knew him in early days.
He himself was modist OF his own
deeds. and could rarely be prevailed
upon to discuss them.
He had not always been called "old
Bush" but just Bush" by the hardy
backwoodsmen Of Northern Illinois, to
whom he first appeared out of the very
bushes as 1t were, a great hulking boy
Of uncertain age, and unable to give a
clear account of himself more than to
make them comprehend by signs, and
such Indian language as they could
understand, that he wished to dwell
with them, and so, for want of bet
ter name, they called him Bush
John Bush, and the name proved as
useful as any other would.
Later. when he had acquired some
knowledge of his own language, he
told them that his life with the Indi-
ans began before his memory, hence
his exact age was mystery never
cleared. HIS earliest recollections
were of brown-skinned little playfel-
lows. and an old hag OF squaw, whom
ne thought was his mother.
He was not unhappy, and thought
himself one of them, only that his
arms and body were of whittier color
for some reason. But that was q mat
ter of no worry to him, SO that he
could run faster, leap further, shoot
an arrow with truer aim, and down any
two of them In a tussle. That Is, 1t
never worried him until one day a
trader came to visit the tribe who
told him OF another and DIFF.
terent race to which he belonged
From that moment he decided to leave
ais dusky companions and dwell with
those OF his own color. and he did SO
ut the first opportunity.
All of this was years before the great
Black Hawk war drenched the soil OF
Northern Illinois and Southern Wis
consin with the blood OF innocent set
tiers. In this war old Bush played an
important role as scout and protector
for the little settlement he had helped
TO create. and which stands to-day a
hourishing city as a monument to his
sagacity and skill, while other larger
and more promising villages succumb-
ed to the crafty savage and met the
fate OF annihilation.
From the first old Bush's sense OF
honor outMsighed every selfish consid-