The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-09-29
OLD RESIDENT
| COMING BACK.
Has Been Twenty-Five Years
Since He Lived Here.
WRITES OF SCHOOL DAYS.
Recalls Many Incidents That VIII BE
Remembered BY Numerous
Older Residents of This

Remembered BY Numerous
Older Residents of This
City.
Owoso Mich. Sept 25
Editor News-D Democrat:
1t is now over twenty years since
we left the grand old city of Canton
as residents there. We are greatly at
tached to the old place from the fact
that we lived there for over quarter
of a century. We are glad to know that
we found so many true to God and man;
and, by your kind permission we want
to write of early days.
We very we'll remember, away back,
| of attending select school taught by
A. McGregor. How often we think of
these days and of our many school
mates. Many no doubt have passed
over the dark river. The names Of a
few most familiar were: James Speak
man, VIM. Lantz, Jacob Hover, George
Essig, Peter Chance, John Owens and
Charles Hugus. We have never for
gotten some of the anecdotes and in
structions of Mr. McGregor. Once he
spoke of certain teacher who made
some of his unruly scholars, as
punishment, get UP a line or two
of poetry. One young man about to be
punished saw the door open just then
and exclaimed:
There comes John Amber
with his nose full of blamber."
One of the best talks he ever gave
us was on the subject of Thinking"
said he, "you should learn to think" 1t
was the means of doing me good all
through life. What a grand thought;
what would the world do without think
ing? It is the most powerful lever that
moves the world.
1 found in my visit there last fall that
the old building was missing on West
Tuscarawas street but the memory of 1T
will remain for ever.
In our very early days we lived for
number of years near what is now
called Middlebranch, in the deep tangl-
ed wood. 1t was there that our fathers
blazed the way to the old log school
house, with clapboard roof and plank
seats. 1t was there that the rod Of
reproof gave wisdom. In our recent
visit near there we came across one
of our old teachers, a Mr.. George
Grubb, a grand old man now Of eighty
two. We found him aiming for the
better land, that land that is fairer
than day." oh "the home of the SOUL"
Although we belonged to different de-
nominations, but, said he: I'VE all
have a work to do"
For several winter terms I attended
district school 1T Middlebranch where
| 1 became acquainted with a good and
kind-hearted man, Ira o. Chapman.
He was well thought of by all the
scholars which can we'll be attested py
young lady school mate Of mine, Miss
Amelia H but who afterward be-
came Mrs. Amelia D.
| All, when you and 1 were young,
Maggie, but now we are nearing the
dead line of three score and ten.
Soon We'll reach the river side;
Soon We'll launch upon the tide;
Soon our boat will noiseless oar
Safe We'll reach that distant shore.
Many of my old school mates will re-
member Mr.. Chapman afterward at Mt.
Union seminary and college. 1 Oft
think of them all and at this age of
life look upon them as brothers and
sisters. 1t was there that I bid good
bye for ever to my school-boy days.
We grow about everything at least
in this section that is grown in Stark
county; we think the climate is temper
ed by the lakes. The western coast is
a great peach belt. 1t is also a good
apple country. Some of the old settlers
can tell some good stories of hunting
and fishing. An amusing one was told
me by my near neighbor. On certain
dark night two men in a fishing boat
neared his melon ground on the river
bank when presently the lights went
out and the proprietor espied them enter
the grounds all Of a sudden he gave
an unearthly yell which stampeded
them; one falling over a stump lay
stunned for while the other crossed
the river, losing his hat; both escaped
but their boat was captured with all
the munitions Of war. The boat was a
borrowed one Of a near neighbor. The
parties then were known, when the
one of them proved to be the justice
of the peace. One of them on his way
home was followed by some one, and
supposing him to be the proprietor
was on the point of fiinging boulder
at him when it proved to be his hat
less partner. The proprietor looked up.
on it all as a good joke and too gooc
to keep to himself.
We often think of our old friends but
a feeling of sadness comes over US Wher
we think of so many having passed ovel
the dark river. In trip north of Can
ton well remember Of five Of US labor
ing there a full half century ago and
all dead but Lew Miller and myself
but now he Is gone and l alone remain
1 was we'll acquainted with him II
early days. When was attending th'
seminary in Mt. Union he was assistan
teacher in Greentown, the Emporium
of that section of country in early days
But death has also visited some o
our own relatives, two brothers anc
two sisters having passed over, W,
trust, to that land that is "fairer thar
day." And still nearer has 1t came
laway across the plains from the foo
of the Rocky Mountains, the dispatcl
came, that little darling Gennette wa
dead; our little grand-child. Mex
was the death of our oldest daughter
"She lay upon her dying bed,
Her eyes were growing dim"
And lastly. our only living son, Alvin
a dispatch came that he had met !
cruel death on the railroad at Minera