The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-12-20
THEIR CHRISTMAS 8ii
In QUEST OF GAME
How the Hardy Ohio Pioneer Observed the Annual
FestWaI-Oho Forests Then Swarmed With
Animal Lfe-Pecuartes of the Early Wood
manage Of the Strong Arm
BY JAMES r. KENNEDY.
(written for the News-Democrat

CHRISTMAS is the time Of remin-
~ iscences, and there is none 50
prone to fall into this mood as the
modern or old-time hunter. In the
early days of Stark county, or In the
days of pioneer life before Stark had
been carved from the common terri
tory and formed into a county at all,
the Christmas turkey. and all that went
to make up the annual feast, depend
ed upon the rifle and the skill of the
man who sighted it,
Much of the territory through this
section of Ohio was swamp land which
was great rendezvous for bear. deer
wild turkey, geese and ducks. Bears
took the place Of hogs in the winter
time, and the deer furnished con-
slant supply Of excellent meat for the
pioneer. Turkeys were also esteemed
as food and especially at Christmas
time they were sought by all hunters.
Any man with skill and ordinary
Workmanship could secure an abund-
ant supply, and the cabin that did not
have turkey at Christmas time was
the exception.
AS the years advanced and the tide
of civilization laid the forests low,
hunters becAme more numerous and
game relatively scarcer, but up until
time within the memory of many Of
the older citizens, deer and turkey were
still found in the immediate vicinity
of Canton. In the earlier days wolves
were also quite numerous, and between
the bears eating the pigs and the
wolves the sheep, 1t was almost i'm.
possible to raise anything in the way
Of meat for many years after the first
settlers had entered their claims
Wolves often in severe winter weather
would attack cows and horses and kill
them, and many thrilling tale of hair.
breadth escapes of human beings from
bowling pack of wolves has been
recounted by the grandfathers Of the
present generations.
CASH WAS SCARCE.
After the organization of the state
a bounty was placed upon wolves and
many settlers depended upon wolf
scalps to pay their taxes and furnish
them with ready money. Cash in those
days was scarcer than meat, and about
the only sources of revenue were wolf
scalps and the skins OF .fur-bearing
animals. The small tracts of cleared
land were barely large enough to raise
corn and wheat sufficient to keep the
families in bread. Fruit trees had not
yet reached an age when they would
bear, in spite of the fact that Johnny
Appleseed had made more than one
through the country dis
seeds and trees. This quaint
old character had mania for distrib-
uting apple seeds and at many points
the forest were he found an
open space, he planted seeds. returning
two or three years afterwards and get
ting the trees, which he gave to the
settlers free Of charge. Sometimes he
would take Clothing in exchange, but
never received any money. He was
one of the spontaneous products of
those times that were blessings to the
people. s a.. ,.,..a ,e
In the late fall, especially in years
when there was an abundance of nuts,
the bears were very fat, and when one
was killed, its fat was rendered out
and used for cooking. Melted 1t was al
SO used for dips. These were formed
by placing a rag in dish Of fat. The
end Of the rag hanging over the edge
of the dish was lighted, furnishing
about the only illumination that could
be secured outside the huge log fires
that were kept up in every cabin. :.
KILLING THE BLACK BEAR.
There was comparatively little danger
connected with killing the common
black bear that was native to Ohio,
instances being told of women having
killed them without axes when they
were trying to steal the young pigs