The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1910-02-23
INTRODUCTION.

INTRODUCTION,
/ was born in Hartford county, Mary
land, the 9th day of March, 1900. My
| first recollection was when | was about
four or five years old when my father
took me to meeting; about that time we
we're having great revivals and the i'm
pressions that were made upon my mind
have never been forgotten. / remember
well the first time | was ever at funeral.
1t was when a child was buried. The next
day an incident happened which l will
nsrrate, as it shows the impressions that
were made upon our youthful minds.
Our Wood, while at work, cut his toe off
and mother said we must go and bury it,.
With great care my little brother and
rolled the toe up in cloth and With sor-
rowful hearts we carefully placed it in
the earth.
In 1907 my father took me to Baltimore.
The distance was about thirty miles.
| While there got some watermelon and
enjoyed myself very much. After our
Itlhiu lhNuti a NtllNut dAlu SOlh
off his property and we left our old home
for a home in the backwoods. There
were six of us,-tather, mother and four
children. 1t was then we gathered up
the few articles of furniture and packed
them upon our old wagon and started out
for a pioneer life in the wild woods of
Pennsylvania. We endured three weeks
of tedious travel ere we reached our des-
tined home, which, when reached, was
three miles from a cleared field back in
the dense forest, in the county Of Venan-
go, Richland township, now known as
part of Clarion county. 1t was on the
9TH day of October, 1907, that we rested
from our Journey in the place destined to
be our new home. The next in mind
was something to shelter us from the
weather. Our wagon being a covered
wagon we took out the few articles we
had taken with us and lived in the wagon
until we could build house. In one
week we had a house. 1t was built OF
logs and covered with split clap-bosrds.
The floor was laid with split logs, the
flat surface being laid up. Our bedsteads
were made of forked poles set up and
small poles laid cross ways. The next
was our commencement in life. My
father was a poor man, and after our
journey and the erection of our cabin,
was obliged to sell the old wagon to pro-
cure provisions for his family that win
ter. Our best horse also died few days
after we moved. Although far back in
the woods, we were not out of the reach
of misfortune. In our new home, away
back from all the refinements of those
days. we were deprived of the privileges
which were enjoyed by many in other
places. Preaching did not reach us for
four years after our settlement in the
woods. Although that was in my child
hood days, yet l never forgot my great
Creator and often knelt in secret prayer
to Him who had so kindly watched over
and cared for us and may say in the Ian
guage of the divine,
"Thy mercy heard my infant prayer,
Thy love, with kind fraternal care
Sustained my childish days.
Thy goodness watched my repining
youth,
And formed my heart to love thy
truths,
And filled my lips with praise"
In February after 1908 little incident
occurred which l will here relate: My
mother was boiling sap and was sitting
under tree with little brother Henry in
my arms; while sitting there a tree fell,
striking him from my arms and ne was
taken up for dead. The next spring my
father hired some land and raised some
flax. which my mother worked into
clothing for the family. In those days
the idea of going to the store for the nec-
essary articles of clothing was little
thought Of Stores then were not SC
plenty as now and people vino started out
for home in the backwoods had nc
money to purchase their few articles o
clothing at the store, therefore we were
obliged to raise and make our own. My
father was raised miller and was always
used to working in grist mill anC
therefore had much to contend with il
trying to work out home in the woods
which others, who had been used t
farming, would not have. He would
often come in when chopping and say t
mother, "Mam, want you to come anC
tell me which way this tree is going t
fall" That year we raised very goot
crops, enough to last us through the mex
winter. Alto that year | had a siste
born that / thought a great deal of.
have already told you how we had to d,
for clothing. The next is what we diC
for shoes. My mother said it was NJ
shift to want, so she cut the tops OF
fathers old boots and took flaps of th
old saddle and sent to the shoemaker ant
borrowed some tools and made herself
pair of shoes.
About this time my grandfather cam
to visit us and was we'll pleased with tn
looks of the country and he concluded h
would take his family and settle near us