The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-05-04
In THE DAYS OF THE PIONEERS.
Events in the Tuscarawas Valley One Hundred
Years Ago.
BY
BY Jacob Smith.

and other articles such as were neces-
sary for the times, for furs of differ-
ent kinds and the skins of wild ami
mails obtained in the chase. Instances
have been left on record where some
of these traders were not strictly hon
est, and when opportunity afforded did
| not hesitate to take advantage of the
ignorant Indian or hunter with whom
they dealt; but such traders were US
ually the sufferers IN the end, as lhe
Indian when aware that he was being
cheated, was not slow to study some
method of retribution to mete out to
him. An anecdote is told of one of
these traders who had established
himself in this valley, that on GER
tain occasion when selling powder to
an Indian with whom he had consid-
cradle dealings and who was not very
wise or apt to discern the arts and
tricks of the sharper, determined to
have some fun at the Indians expense.
Accordingly he declared that the kind
of powder he was selling, would, If
duce an abundant crop equally as good
as that planted, and that the Indian
| might, in the course of couple of
years, become very wealthy by culti-
waiting powder and selling to his breth-
ren. The ignorant indian placing i'm
plicit confidence in the story of the
| trader, went home, prepared place
of ground, sowed his powder and wait
ed patiently the entire season fol-
lowing for it to grow, before he real
lied that he had been deceived, and
that he must again resort to his for
mer method of obtaining a livelihood,
instead of making a fortune from the
sale of powder cultivated from that
sold by the trader. In the meantime
while waiting in expectation for his
powder to grow, the Indian had pnr-
chased considerable from the trader
on credit, who believing him to be
him articles in abundance such as
he needed At length after consider
able time had expired and not receiv-
ing his pay the trader impoTtuned tho
Indian to pay for the goods purchas-
ed, when the4ndian replied: ME pay
when my powder grows"
Occasionally it happened that some
Of the settlers in western Pennsylvania
and eastern Ohio were possessed OF
what at that time might be called
liberal education, having been brought
up near some institution of learning,
and having the advantages it cor =
ferred upon those who availed thelr-
selves of the means thus afforded.
Such a character we find in the per-
son of Henry Westfell, man of about
thirty years of age, and who had re
sided for a couple of years a shOit
distance east of Fort Pitt, Pa, having
emigrated from the state of New York
in order to seek a home in the then
growing west. His spirit became
stirred within him to learn something
positive about the historic Tuscarawas
valley, of which reports both numer-
GUS and of an exciting nature had
reached him at different times. Per-
sons who had penetrated the western
wilderness as hunters, and those seek
of promise, returning to take their
families and to induce others to go
with them, brought word about the
country bordering upon the stream
which tbrnnph tho Uol1auc nf IN
west, picturing them as immensely
rich in game, in fertility, and having
all the qualities necessary for a per-
manent home; many of them being
places where events of a notable char
acter had taken place. thus render
ing the scenes which they described
in glowing language as belonging 10
places where all the happiness and
enjoyment of earth seemingly CEN
tered.
With view to satisfy desire Gre
ater by numerous reports about the
grandeur and richness of the Tusca-
ed on taking a trip to investigate and
learn for himself whether the many
reports in circulation regarding this
section of country were reliable, or
whether they had their origin with
those persons whose only business in
life seemed to be to persuade others
to forsake home and its comforts, and
enter upon life such as they them
selves lived, roaming about from one
place to another without any settled
purpose in view, or ever becoming re-
conciled TO anything like domestic life.
Being person of considerable intel
ligence, and one whose great desire
and purpose in life was to benefit his
fellow man, the prime object he had
in view in the investigation which he
determined upon was to inform those
from his immediate neigh borbood who
contemplated emigrating to the west