Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1917-01-12
The Early Days of
West virginia
[sLoCUM]
Freemansburg, W. Va.

rIceilialSoulS, w. va,
The early days of Lewis County
to West Va, were full of enjoy
ment as we'll as of hardships for
the early settlers.
The fear Of The red skins or,
indians, was a dread on the minds
of the early settlers. The. older
men of this settlement got wise to
the sly and cunning ways of the
indians. While some men were
around an | in their fort at Jane
Lew one of the younger men heard
turkey gobbling and wanted to
90 and get him for a roast. Old
Uncle Jake said, "No Fred! will
60 and get him. Uncle Jake
picked up his indian rife, going
down Hakerscreek some distance,
then up a ravine some two or three
hundred yards. The boys that
were lift at the fort knew that
Uucle Jake was a sule shot, and
anxiously waited to hear his gun
belch 70 tn a report like thun-
der. 1t wasn't long until the
heavens seemed to have burst, and
the men in the fort rejoiced in the
hope of having a fine roast. Uncle
Jake returned to the fort the same
way that he had gone up; when
be came in sight of the fort no
turkey did the boys see. and were
disappointed in having no roast.
The boys began to make inq lrles
before he got in good hearing dis.
lance. "Where is our roast uncle?"
Il got him, be was a big one, too
exclaimed uncle. HE is no good
for our roast The devil can roast
him, but he will have a poor broth
to sop his bread in. Now, Fred,
suppose ! had let you gone to get
the roast, you would be a
corpse" "No, uncle. it wasn't
an indian was it," Eyes, a big
buck, too! Fred, I have heard too
many indian gobblers to be fooled
by a red skim "Where was he,
uncle?" HE was cancelled in a
bunch of chestnut bushes which
had grown around a stump. l
located him at once and l concealed
myself leveling old Tip, his gun,
on the bushes where the indian was
concealed; just then he raised up to
behold some one hunting turkeys,
and 1 let old Tip belch and the red
fell over to the ground! Now.
Fred let me inform you of some OF
the sly and cunning tricks OF the
indian.
This county was almost in one
belt of woods at that time, except
some few places where the older
settlers had cleared out few acres
where they had located. and the
older settlers who had milch cows
used bells on their cows in order to
locate them in the woods at. milk
ling time. Now, Fred, always be
careful when going. after COWS /?
the woods. The Indians conceal
themselves near the belief COWS,
and will get you every time; and
again they will often catch and
Iunbell COWS and use the bell to at
tract the attention of COW hunters
by ringing the bell, and, sure as
Nike, Fred, he will get you. Play,
ing cows and turkey gohbler is
quite a sly trick of theirs, Fred.
At this time West Virginia was
quite a game country -foxes -
red and gray, deers, wild cats, etc;
There was a man by the name Of
Isaac who was an early settler on
Finkscreek who enjoyed hunting to
O. great extent land was a sure shot,
too. A relative Of 4ssacs came to
pay him . visit, and a few days hunt
Ifor some large game. Isaac was in
good time to show his relative a
good hunt as he had located some
deer a few days prior to Jonathan
Writ. They arose early the next
morning to get ready for their
hunt, and found the ground cover.
ed With an Is inch snow. "a bad
morning, Isaac" exclaimed lonath-
an. Eyes. but we will find the
deer all O. K. l know where they
are" They oiled UP their guns,
and started. Isaac" said jon
athan, II am going to send you
up this point to the head of that
cove you see yonder, that's the
place where the deer are. Now