The Honesdale citizen. [volume] (Honesdale, Pa.) 1873-1908, 1908-08-06

kOT6ot hOnlt. ht uhl tue ulS-lDCllOu VI
being the iirst male child born 10 what
ie now Mount Pleasant township. One
OF the eaflies. incidents related Of him
was that OF his being tAterview wed by
bear while si,epilg peacefully 10 an
unused sap trough, newod IRON hall
a log where hts mo.hsr had lald him,
after taking hlm t. tho sugar oush,
while shs assisted her Jns In the fin
ishing process Of maple sugar making,
On looking around 20 assure herself
that tho baby was all right, she saw o
large bear standing over him with paws
on the cradle trough hut hls brother
John, axe in hand, vas soon thcrc and
80 vigorously disputed his claim that
bruin thought best to beat a retreat
while he coult, As The forests reccded
and new scttlers came IN, the wild ami
mails drew back md dangers from them
became lcss alarming
The making ui the Newburg and
Great Bend turlpikc, a few years later,
was quite nu event in the htc Of the
settlers, and particularly that Of the
young people, as by it they found an
outlook into the larger world from
which they had seemed shut out for
somo ten or Twelve years. Stages now
passed twice n day, mails nnd passen-
gers brought much hat Interested the
people merchandise TO aupply the
country for many miles to the weet
paeaed through, drawn on wagons /;
frequent drovcs Of cattle and sheep
were driven through to the Eastern
cities, thus opening market for the
farmers; and perh'ps Tor twenty five
years Mount Pleasant was called the
busiest place in the county.
After the Del and uud. Canal and
Gravity railway came into use, turn
pixies were not the only thoroughiareH
for merchandise; still the stage lines
kept up good deal OF !Ifa in the coun.
try, until ISIS when tn" ErIH railroad
was completed and trade was diverted
to that channel.
ReturninE to pefsot ri history About
the year 1sl5, JahCz S.earns, having
attained his majority and the vigorous
experiences OF his parents having re.
duced their strength in some degree,
they desired that he shoult take charge
of the home. He accordingly purchas
ed a claim held 10y his brother, DIS,
and assumed the care OF hls parrnte
nrinaIn.slItr FAr hn ,,F ..
lives.
About the year 1s2u, JAbtE Stearut
was married to RnwCna Wooster, sec
ond daughter of David Wooster and hiG
wife, Polly Church, who were also pl
oneers. having settled near Iowanda il
1897. They came TO that place shorty
after their marriage, from Derby
Conn. They Travelled to their prospec
tive home on horseback. bringing oni,
their treasures with them. They, too
built their house and made their furnt
ture chiefly with their own hands.
MIR. Wooster was a descendant in thu
fifth generation from Edward Wooster
| Cor Worcester ns the name was original
ly spelled) who came from Englant
| about 1850. Shortly after the execution
Of KING Charles lst. Being a royalist
he thought beat to put the Atlantic
ocean between himself and the adher
ents Of Cromwell. He settled in th
Connecticut Colony, near New Haven
and some OF his descendants (who wer,
quite bumerous) became prominent i,
the colonial wars.
In the year 1915 David Wooster re
moved with his iamily to Kingston
near Wilkes Barre, in pu,suit of bette
| opportunities for the education of hl
| children. but died thcro of malaria
lever the same year His daughter
Ro ~ena, and later her sister. Laura
came to Mount Pleasant al teschcrp.
After their marriage, MIR and Mrs
Jab, z StearEs rem.InCd On the hOme
stead farm Tor nine gears until tn,
death OF his iutEcr H. 1893. rhey thcI
sold it to AUcl CnlttcudCn. taking il
pay meut his mill Ptup1 TtY, consistir,
| IT II grlst mill, t. aaw miii and n dwell
| ,ig house Oh tho oanks OF the uppe
| LIckewaXen, a6.ut one mile below
where the fish hatchery Is now located
To this home the Sj,arue family soul
moved. The small risur running nea
II futnizhCd tnr water power tor 5cvera
Industries, wnGvn must have made 1
the manufacturing center OF the town
ship; ami Yet nearly every farm nous
was small manuiac.ury, supplied viii
wheels aud loom FOR tho spinning ant
weaving ot both iIacu und wooden cl- q
for family use. Qlitc elaborate he'd
spreads, too, were woven III sruIe n mt {
one OF them being an heirloom in tL,
family at tho present time, winch wa
woven by the grandmother some eighty
six years ago.
1t WAS, however, great convenience
to the people whcn lnnnery, q wool
cardlng mill, wagon SHOP saw mill
and q griat mill vera made 40 accessible
to them.
The school, too, was located ncnr wha
is now the fish hatchery, and wac SUI.
posed to be o model for the times.
was fitted with u mammoth iireplac,
at one end, which only lofI room 70
ono door ana small ball or entrance
serving IN part as II cloak room.
The conventional board writing desk
before which were hign plank seats oc
cppied the remaining three sides of tn
room; anothcrrOw Of seats, not quite r,
high, sort OF -llO quadrupod, occupied
a second row around then two lowe
ssats for the small "a, h, C" children
the little Hlrls' seats having back Gnt
looking quito comfortable. The teach
ers, too were the best prpcurable, com
having been educated IN New England
and later at Franklin Academy. Mis-
West, later Mrs 5ny der. popula
Honesdale Instructor ana lifelong
teacher, was one OF tho earliest, az wa
llso the lnto Mrs Ward, Of Bethany
who was very highly esteemed.
| mi.