The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1930-01-02

In 1881 there was born in Freder-
lex county, Maryland, a child, Meshach
Browning, who became locally famous
as the pioneer hunter of Western
Maryland.
Meshach Is Brought West by Mother
His father, Joshua Browning, far
mer of limited means, died when Me-
shach was two weeks old. When the
little estate was settled there re-
manned but a pittance for the support
of Mrs. Browning and her four chill
dren. Yet she stoutly refused the ad-
vice of her neighbors to place her chill
dren in good homes until she had, at
least, tried to provide for them her.
self. However, she did let a Mr.. Lee
have jeremiah, to her everlasting re-
greet, as the boy never went home
again.
Mrs. Browning's friends all having
gone west-in those days to Allegany
-county-she with indomitable energy
and determination decided that NOV
ing to Oldtown where she had sis
ter living, would better conditions and
enable her to keep her little family
together.
Disaster Met On Tie Way.
Writing her sister to that effect, her
brother-in-law arranged with Mr..
Jacobs, whose wagon was coming
from Baltimore with goods, to bring
Mrs. Browning to Oldtown. In few
days the family embarked on this
wagon, which was driven by a huge,
clustering, profane negro. Upon
reaching Sideling Hill, on the Ma
tional Highway, they met with dis
aster that nearly cut short the career
of the prospective hunter. One of the
wheels of the vehicle striking a rock
sent horses and wagon with its load
of humanity, boxes of dry goods, bags
of salt, hogsheads of sugar, barrels
of molasses and rum rolling and
crashing over precipice.
Mrs. Browning, upon recovering her
presence of mind following the acct
dent, missed Meshach, who was found
beneath some straw and rubbish,
stunned, bruised and nearly suffocat-
ed. An old man who had met them
with an extra horse to help up the
mountain with the heavy load, took
some of the escaping rum to Mrs.
Browning, which fastened the resus-
citation of the unconscious child.
But what were they to do? All their
worldly goods were on this wagon
that was broken to pieces. In dense
wilderness, night coming on, with no
help but twelve-year-old Joshua, an
old man and the negro, of whom they
were terribly afraid, and which, no
doubt, intensified the forlorn situation
of the helpless family. The old man
told the negro to cut a small tree.
place the butt on the front axle and
when it was securely lashed in place
he thought it would support the
wrecked wagon and act in lieu of the
useless wheel.
Lonely Vigil Kept On Mountain
By this time night had come. A
large fire was made and Mrs. Brown
ing sat down at the root of tree
with Joshua at her side and Meshach
in her arms. What reflections must
have filled her anxious mind during
that solitary vigil! They breakfasted
on bread, cheese and molasses gath
cred from the broken barrels andpud-
dies that had collected on the stones,
then started on their twelve or fifteen
mile walk, which was necessarily slow
as Meshach had to be carried. But
as all things end sometime, they at
last reached Oldtown, Mrs. Browning
unspeakably weary, discouraged and
alone, still several miles from her des-
tination. Next day neighbor Of her
brother-in-law came to town and was