Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1914-07-17
POOR VALLEY HUNT
TWENTY YEARS AGO
A Short Lived Sportsman's Club,
Whose Activities Are Recalled
by Visit of "Jordon" Yost.
ALL LIVING EXCEPT 2 BROTHERS

Jordan" Yost's visit here last
week called to mind pleasant ex-
pericnce n number of us had lust
about twenty years ago, an experience
never to be forgotten. No description
or account on paper, however graphic
ally written could tell the story lust
as it was.
During te summer of 1894 there
was organized in this town n club.
finally christened The Fur and Fa-
thcr Club of Tazewcll. We "chippcd
in,' bought II tent and necessary para
phanalia for camping, cooking, etc,
and were fairly well equipped. We had
guns of all descriptions and ammuni-
tion galore. We had no dogs. October
18TH, if memory is correct, was set
us the time for leaving, Poor Valley
our destination, and ten days fixed as
the length of our stay, game and IL
good time the object.
On the date named we started in
groups of two's and thrce's across the
mountains, proposing to hunt along
wv NhSr t'i III Nilt NullcN. lHO
wagon-a hired onc-horse affair
containing our outfit, was in charge of
the two colorcd cooks, with "Bill"
Moore as general manager.
IL was aa arduous trip across the
mountains. The leaves We're dry, the
sun hot, water scarce, hills steep, guns
heavy and no game whatever appear
cd in the way. We carried no lunch,
but there were ripe chcstnuts II plenty
and now and then chinquepins and
berries, and on such we managed to
live until something more substantial
was to be had. Along about sunset
the boys began to appear in the road
at different places, for everybody got
lost and scattered in crossing tho
mountains. When one would reach
the road II signal gun would be fired
or II whoop given, and answered, and
gradually the crowd got together.
Word came that the tent had been
pitched down the Valley, and we NOV
ed in that direction.
To shorten the story,-We campsd
III nm open square, in the big woods,
near the road, not far from the resi-
dencc of John Neal. A tumbled down
log cabn-once the home of some
forgotten mountnineer-stoo i'm this
vacant half acre, surrounded by tall
trees on three sides, and heavy bushes
and brush on the other side. A strong
clear branch of pure mountain water
flowed nearby. Two large logs, hewn
on one side, were brought from the
cabin and placed near the tent. This
made II convenient table, around
which we sat on boxes, large stones,
and such seats as we could improvise,
and how we did eat! In front of the
tent large logs were piled, and our
campfire blaze lit up the woods. Such
nights for sleeping, such days for
roaming the woods, such water-well,
no description will be attempted. Each
morning we started, two and two, in
different directions. The roar of our
guns, the echo through the big woods
we can all hear yet. The bark of
the squirrel, the whirr of pheasant
wings as the "meat was carried away"
the coon hunts at night-all are re-
mcmbered with indescribable plea
sure. We remained in camp ten days,
and while the game bagged was not as
large as we expected it was sufficient
for our supply.
The names of the members of the
II. & i. C. are recalled as follows:
John and Lewis Britain, f. V. and
"Big Bill" SPOTS, c. Il. (Hayseed)
Peery, Frank Witten, Geo. w. (Jor-
dam Yost, j. A. Leslie, Bill Moore,
commissary. Chas. Dempsey, 1st.
cook, Chas. Paxton, End. cook, It. B.
Warren, barber and general super
visor of the culinary department.
On Sunday we had as guests w. T.
Witten and Tom Heldreth, from town.
They brought over few eatables-
sweet potatoes, l believe and enjoyed
fine dinner of coon and other wild
game.
All the members of the club are
living after twenty years, except two,
John and Lewis Britain, brothers
two of as fine fellows as ever lived.
When we broke camp someone propos-
ed that we "come back again next
year." We all agreed. Some one of the
number remarked, "Boys, we may
come back as often as we will, but
this outing will never-can never-be
duplicated" And the attempt to do
so has never been made.