River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-02-23
A BaCkWOOdS Heroine
BY William Thomson



THAVE often thoughtit pity that 50
few records exist of the heroic deeds
md gigantic labors achieved, and al
most incredible hardships and diff
culties overcome by those hardy pio-
neers Of the backwoods, to whose en-
tcrprise and endurance we owe the Gull
tivated fields and pleasant homes Of
cur present civilization. With a view
Of rcscuing at least one case from OBJ
iivion, l write this story, TO the abso-
lutte truth Of which l can testify; for,
although but six years of age when he
incidents occurred, l knew all the
actors well, and afterward lived among
them during The whole period of my
boyhood
Early in the spring of 1929. two Scot
tish families, named McGilI and Nc
Gregor, espectiyely, emigrated from
the old country to upper Canada, and
Immediately upon their arrival took
up adjoining lots of wild land, 200 acres
each. some miles northeast Of strag-
Cling village, then known as Muddy
Little York. now the rich and popuIou,
city of Toronto. At that time there
were two public roads running east
ward from York, one along the shore
of Lake Ontario, and the other a mile
or two inland, which last led in a toll
crably direct course to where the city
OF Hamilton now stands; but when
once well beyond the Little York set
Elements. large tract Of country north
of this upper road was primeval forest.
When seeking location our immi-
Grants left his trunk line nj noint
,-qbt miles west of York. ana making
Underway tbraurb fine pnbroI,en woods
for nine miles north. finally selected a
~.tct I, inc upou both sides Of small
river. called Etobfcoke creek. and COW
,reI vim dense growth Of beech.
mapIc. Eastwood, elm. hickory. birch
and ash trees.
Here the sturdy settlers, though as
lct uniearned in woodcraft, quickly
nuflt fo, themselves a rude log sbanty
commodfous enough to shelter both
t.,n,iff.. Il .Ea construction If which
nof q siro1e nail screw or scrap of iron
l.ird ,as rsad
,r.GuI.. r,n,iI,- consisted of bin eff
..-d ,.iro and tiair dauob,ar Jennie
b,<n,n rn.,-rbaal,ed IomseI NJ ~
,.hiIe NcHremo,.s Included father
p5otbrr ana Two staIvart sons. Duncan
and Ioi,p .oed resnaptivelv 81 and 10
ybns H. arduons TASK Of bewino =
~. III. n,rty yas hacked nm nv four
.,i,ie-b,diea men and three scarcely less
,,,,,..,,t.,, ,,o,nen. and notvithstand-
w NJ. fant MAJ NAM ~ tbem had
80. sao,, , Canadian cbonning Ak he
49, thay ,p,raged With infinite foil
,, t,,.o ,craS rourhIy oIaared and
80. ~ a,,d rIor+od iii, no+atoa.
ID ~. ,~,,.,1a,, ,,.,,oli Ia. ~,
49,. ~ ~, 70, ~. 80 ~ ,,o,,
f..;.I, - -,
''"' Z -, -
SlI''''''s 80, . - - e. -
"a, WI " sou go -, ,tnf, I,Ia,,.s
,I't; IL ,,,,,Is a,.,,,,,,1 e,,,,,,r;.,l
-, ~, .l,,,,,I.'noo 80 ,,eat Iarric
Nam rarsarf +, he aid of an oId
rirt-roc. mnsI,et freouentlv killing =
r,t lssr. ana throue.L The early sum
mn. Months RUNNERS Of salmon were
.r..,red ~, psrht Inv +orcbIiobt on
III. .g.,r,,,,.s ~ ,be craaL
F;r,Iiro :, in,,,ossihIe 10 make much
f.I,,.,, i, I.,,r,I;,,,, ,,,,esis,.d IA,
.,i r,hor o,,r S,nl1r,o farmers sop+ +o
,fa...t,I.,,,,,,+. ana ,,,.,,.,,,sd = ,ol.o ~
-. I,,+ u.,,b.n = yreel, botb were
,;r-I 80 H.. f,lli,,r t,..a ,rd -.
.,t,,.n,,. ,,,I,'es and tbe,. yere orlinad
49,. - III, ,,,,t;I -
= ~ .Iat+aa M ~ I'LL
90. ,,,,,ir,,oI, fros+ a,,+ ~
-. y t7,a;, 'li+tl, oo,,, 49,,
- ,.1.u1.+5 ~ +,,,s 80 +l,i,. 1,,If
nro,,.n n5fatoes. so that toward the end
sf,ha .,,sartb two families found their
tool If provisions reduced TO the sim
~ articles of smoked salmon and
f..o.b vsrisop without Hour meal or
,,r,t,bIes The only substi+,+e for+baso
l,.ir, , LARGO SuonIv of hickory beeoL
nj a,tter rnts
n-1.-.. H.,
''ei /" ~ - IL - r ~, ~ So us
sse"0,t''s ~ ,re o'', 80 an "S
were s'ie "e'''''s '',0 "O"l eso's' 'neS
a''"cleu ~ e 80 ny ,"Nee 20 n,
coming o. .A'lS'ii'aS' 'He Htst Gay OF
me year pe'ls men ouG great lesliVaL
ms 'ne n@'lon"l HoiIu"y OIL an scot
Iaha' was I"sl 'Pplo"G.ll"8 ana as ola
memories s'lrIeu WITHIN 'heh' our
trlenos lhoush' sh"ule 70 let y pass
without some hluu OF ceIeoratloh'
they had on hauo sii'"ii STOCK q lufs,
consisting OF ION pear. I"ecoon ana
muskrat penis tue result OF Tue IAN
trapping, ana on me evening II De-
cemoer =, as lheS SAT before She mug
open fireplace 'atA'Hg aulu zines.
the guae"lIe Mcuregor salu TO heF eiu-