History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana, Part 19

Author: Goodspeed Bros. & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 901


USA > Indiana > Greene County > History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana > Part 19
USA > Indiana > Sullivan County > History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana > Part 19


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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THE SIX MONTHS' COMPANY.


On the 15th of June, 1863, came the call for six months' men, and three several efforts were made to raise companies. 1. Lieuts. Bryan and Taylor. 2. Jacob McIntosh and others. . 3. B. L. Brook- shire and others. The tirst of these attempts was successful. On the 27th of July, eighty-nine men left the county under this call for Indian. apolis, where they became Company A of the One Hundred and Fit- teenth Regiment, six months' service. The One Hundred and Fifteenth Regiment was organized on the 13th of August. Com. pany A was mustered into the service July 28. The regiment took the field at Nicholasville, Ky., about the middle of September, where it joined the command of Gen. Wilcox. Here, with three other six months regiments, it was formed into a brigade, under the command of Col. Mahan, after which Lieut. Col. Hawn had the immediate command of the regiment. Late in September, the regiment moved to Cumberland Gap, arriving on the 3d of October. On the 6th, moved again, and reached Morristown on the 8th. On the 10th, it reached Blue Springs, where the enemy was driven from his position, and pursued fifteen miles. It then moved to Greenville, remained there until November 6, thence moved to Bull's Gap, where it fortified mountain passes. Great hard- ships were endured hero from insufficient food and clothing. In Decem- ber, it moved to Clinch Gap, thence to Sycamore, thence to Walker's


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Ford, and during the remainder of the winter of 1863-64 was kept on duty in the mountains of East Tennessee, where it suffered incredible privations, and filled the hospitals with sick and exhausted men. The regiment returned to Indianapolis February 10, 1864, and soon afterward was mustered out.


PERSONAL RECORD 115".


The following is the best personal record that can be given of Com- pany A of the One Hundred and Fifteenth Regiment: Spencer L. Bryan, Captain, mustered out, term expired; Merritt C. Taylor, First Lieuten- ant, mustered out, term expired; Addison G. Sanders, Second Lieutenant, mustered out, term expired; A. S. Rainbolt; W. H. Armstrong, died in Greene County, 1864; J. M. Parsley, Verlin Watson, Absalom Hamilton, John W. Alexander, Benjamin Ferguson, J. O. D. Bland, George Jean, Eli Stalcup, Coley Selman, L. C. Walker, W. T. Danely, Stephen Schrum, Eli W. Adams, Edward Bryan, George Baughman, William Brewer, J. D. Blaker, Emanuel Bach, Jr., Enoch F. Bland, Isaac Bartley, R. H. Bland; W. J. Carmichael, died at Cumberland Gap, 1863; J. T. Car- michael, J. M. Cullison, J. D. Cooper, F. D. Conant, Mark Clark, R. L. Corvin, W. B. Calvert, S. M. Chambers, O. F. Fox, died at Knoxville, Tenn., March, 1864; John Fulk, C. C. Foley, J. A. Griffith, J. W. Griffith; Michael Gentry, died at Rock Castle, Ky., January, 1864; W. G. Goodwin, John H. Griffith, Allen Gaskill, S. S. Hawley, T. H. Hollis; .S. T. Howe, discharged September, 1863, disability; A. H. Holliday, died at Indianapolis of disease, February, 1864; Alfred Hayward, S. A. Hol- man, Zachariah Harreil, H. D. Hoagland, A. M. Inman, H. C. Ingersoll; J. H. Irons, died at Indianapolis, August, 1863; John S. Myers, S. W. Moore, Ira Miller, George McLaren, Edward Molden, L. W. Mckinnon, Samuel Myers, Oliver Noble, Ephraim Norman, C. A. Osborn, W. H. H. Owen, Nephi Owen; John Peuden, died at Cumberland Gap, November, 1863; Garry Peugh; Freeman Peeden, died at Knoxville, October, 1863; W. J. Plume, T. S. Pope, W. T. Richardson, Merider Steel, William Shepard; A. H. Shouse, died at Knoxville. December, 1863; J. M. Starnes, J. G. Tally, F. E. Taylor, S. J. Vaughn, Shepard Willis, Peter Woodall, A. C. Wetherly, G. M. Wetherly, Ransom Walker, Jacob War- ner, J. H. Barnes, Uriah Culberson, Mason Faucett; W. B. Fry, died at Cumberland Gap, November, 1863; D. W. McBride, W. H. McArthur, Wickliffe Osborn, J. S. Sherwood, H. S. Shouse. Where no remarks are made, the men were mustered out at the expiration of the term of service.


THE FOURTH OF JULY, 1863.


This day was celebrated at Worthington with greater attendance and enthusiasm than ever before, about 3,000 people being present. The music was excellent, both vocal and band; Rev. L. L. Walker and John H. Martin were the speakers. Squire Bays was Marshal of the Day.


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Nineteen men volunteered in the company for the six months' service, which was then forming. Fifteen toasts were read and responded to by the leading citizens. One of these was as follows: " Meade-may it prove too strong a beverage for Southern traitors." Immediately after this came the news that John Morgan had invaded Indiana, and was march- ing upon Indianapolis, whereupon about 300 men left the county going to Bloomington to offer their services to repel the enemy. They were not wanted and soon returned.


RECRUITING.


In October, 1863, came another call for men, and Capt. John Simons began to recruit for the Fourteenth Regiment. He was assisted materi- ally by E. H. Sabin. But the work progressed slowly. The county quota was 157 men. Comparatively no progress was made; men did not care to enlist. The draft was threatened January 5, 1864, but that did not rouse the people from their lethargy or disloyalty. The County Board, though petitioned, refused to offer a bounty for volunteers. War meetings were held at all the principal towns. In March, 1864, many of the veterans returned and were tendered public receptions and feasted and toasted to their hearts' content by loving friends and grateful neigh- bors. This and the February, March and April calls for troops rekindled the enlistment of men. During the months of March, April and May, the enlistment or the recruiting of men was pushed on quite vigorously. About fifteen were sent to the Fourteenth Regiment; forty to the Twenty- first; thirty-five to the Thirty-first; thirty to the Forty-third; ten to the Fiftieth; sixty or seventy to the Fifty-ninth; about a dozen to the Seventy. first; a few to the Eightieth, and a few to the Eighty-fifth, and others indefinite in number to various regiments. In July, when the call came for 500,000 men, it was found that the county had a surplus over all former calls of 73 men; Richland had a surplus of 44, Jackson of 32, Center of 1, Wright of 12, Jefferson of 5, Fairplay of 8, and Washing- ton of 1. Taylor had a deficit of 4, Beech Creek of 9, Highland of 5, Eel River of 1, Smith of 3, Stafford of 6, and Cass of 3. Stockton had neither surplus nor deficit. War meetings were again held in all por- tions of the county to clear the quota, but with indifferent success. Both political parties were so interested over the approaching Gubernatorial and Presidential campaigns that the work of enlisting men was almost wholly dropped.


POLITICS IN 1864.


The political campaign of 1864 was fought to the last ditch. The county had never before witnessed such extensive preparation. The real issue at stake was whether the war should be continued or not, and as this issue was of the most gigantic proportions the struggle for victory was correspondingly gigantic. The county was visited from time to time


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by men eminent in the councils of the State and nation, and the enthusi- asm ran to fever heat. As early as June, both parties effected organiza- tions in each township and from that time on until the returns were in the fiery energy and vigilance of the times were not relaxed. On the 7th of October, a prominent citizen of the county was arrested by a squad of soldiers acting under the orders of Gen. Hovey, and taken to Indianapolis; was there tried for certain public acts and sentenced to imprisonment during the remainder of the war; but this sentence seems to have been afterward commuted to confinement within the limits of Wright and Stockton Townships, Greene County, while the war con- tinaed. This sentence was carried into effect. At the State election, the county went Democratic by about 200 votes and at the Presidential elec- tion the same by about 300.


THE DRAFT OF OCTOBER, 1864.


As the county as a whole did but little during the summer and autumn months of 1864 to clear the county quotas, it became evident that a heavy draft throughout the whole county would be the inevitable result, and the citizens, instead of weeping like Niobe, sat down, folded their arms and waited the result, trusting that the weight would fall upon their neighbors and not upon themselves. The Southern Indianan, edited at Bloomfield by E. B. Barnard, had much to do with this apathy in the face of the approaching draft. In the issue of September 6, the editor said: "Several attempts have been made lately in different parts of this county to raise volunteers for the army, but with very indifferent success as far as we can learn. Since it has become an avowed Abolition war, Democrats have concluded to take no more stock in it, and the Loyal Leaguers, though loud in their protestations of love for the war and its sable object, persistently refuse to go into it. When the echo of the squawk the goose made when the quill was jerked from her wing with which the widow-maker wrote the Emancipation Proclamation of Devas- tation is discovered, we may expect to see a practical exhibition of the patriotism which this class of individuals profess." Many other articles of a similar nature were published in the paper from time to time. About the 1st of October, the draft in Greene County came off at Terre Haute with the following result by townships: Jefferson, 13; Cass, 19; Wash- ington, 23; Taylor, 28; Beech Creek, 25; Stockton, 22; Highland, 19; Center, 29; Eel River, 6; Wright, 7; total, 191. Richland, Jackson, Smith, Stafford and Fairplay seem to have cleared themselves. By the lst day of January, 1865, the county was credited under this draft with 120 men, the others having failed to report by that time. On the 19th of December, 1864, came the last call of the war, but the enlistment of men was almost wholly at a standstill. Accordingly in February, 1865, another draft was levied as follows: Smith, 12; Beech Creek, 31; Stafford,


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9; Jefferson, 13; Highland, 27; Wright, 13; and the number in the other townships unknown. By the 14th of April, 1865, when all efforts to raise troops were abandoned in the State, the county was credited under this draft with 116 men.


SUMMARY OF MEN FURNISHED FOR THE WAR.


On the 19th of September, 1862, Greene County was credited with having furnished 1,432 volunteers for the war. In October of that year, 8 were drafted. Under the six months' call of June, 1863, 89 men left the county. The quota of October, 1863, was 157. Under the calls of February, March and July, 1864, the county was credited with 430 new recruits, 195 veterans and 120 drafted men; and under the call of Decem- ber, 1864, the last of the war, it was credited with 65 new recruits, and 116 drafted men. From this can be given an estimate of the men fur- nished by the county for the suppression of the rebellion. It is quite certain that more men went from Greene to enlist than came within her border to enlist. Placing this number at 200 and adding to it the above numbers, 1,432, 8, 89, 157, 430, 195, 120, 65 and 116, a grand 'total of 2,812 is obtained. This is an excellent showing. Of course these figures are only approximate, and each man has been counted as often as he en- listed. But the county need not be ashamed of the figures. It will no doubt be observed in reading this chapter that if the county merits praise for activity during the first year and a half of the war, it also merits re- proof for inactivity during the remainder of the war. This was no doubt due to conscientious scruples opposed to a continuance of the war by large masses in the county.


LADIES' AND SOLDIERS' AID BOCIETIES.


Several soldiers' aid societies were organized in Greene County about , the same time. On the 28th of October, 1861, the ladies of Worthington met, and after calling Rev. Mr. Hollis to the chair and appointing G. H. Start, Secretary, elected the following permanent officers: Mrs. H. Hol- lis, President; Mrs. S. B. Harrah, Vice President; Mrs. G. H. Start, Seo- retary; Miss J. D. Orfeille, Assistant Secretary, Rev. H. Hollis, Corre- sponding Secretary, and Mrs. E. H. Sabin, Treasurer. Mrs. D. Topping, Mrs. G. W. Langworthy and Mrs. L. Burnam were appointed Executive Committee; and Mrs. W. C. Andrews, Mrs. C. Start, Mrs. G. R. Taylor, Mrs. N. Taylor, Mrs. J. F. Blount, Mrs. P. Burr, Mrs. R. A. Belden, Mrs. Dr. Smydth, Mrs. L. Farris, Mrs. J. Crull, Mrs. S. H. Lockwood, Mrs. C. C. Howe and Miss H. Davis, Visiting Committee. The society went immediately to work, and within a few weeks sent off several large boxes of blankets, quilts, shirts, mittens, drawers, socks, provisions, etc., besides a considerable sum of money. All this was sent to the hospitals and to the field. The society continued to work during the winter of


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1861-62, but disbanded in the spring of 1862. On the 28th of October, 1861, also, the ladies of Bloomfield met, organized an aid society and elected the following permanent officers: Mrs. Capt. Rose, President; Mrs. Capt. Cavins, Vice President; Mrs. H. C. Hill, Secretary and Treas- urer. All ladies of Bloomfield were invited to join the society. Mrs. E. E. Rose, Mrs. E. H. C. Cavins, Mrs. W. H. Ferguson, Miss Maggie Van- slyke, Mrs. A. G. Cavins, Mrs. H. Parsons, Mrs. J. D. Killian, Mrs. W. H. Johnson, Mrs. E. Brooks, Mrs. J. I. Milam, Mrs. H. Williams, Mrs. J. D. Knapp, Miss Eliza Vanslyke and Mrs. H. C. Hill were appointed Soliciting Committee. This society, also, went immediately to work, and soon sent off large boxes of supplies for hospital and field similar to the above, together with respectable sums of money. Some half dozen other aid societies were organized in other portions of the county, but as no record was kept, an account of them cannot be given in these pages. The ladies all over the county were very active in 1861-62, not only to fur- niah supplies as stated above, but to encourage enlistments even of their loved ones.


BOUNTY AND RELIEF.


Large amounts of money and quantities of provisions were given to soldiers' families while the war lasted. Every winter the aid societies were re-organized and kept at work, but when warm weather came they were neglected as there seemed to be no demand for their existence. In the Adjutant General's Reports Greene County is credited with having furnished the following relief: County, $70; all townships, $15,000; grand total, $15,070. The county seems to have offered no bounty during the war. It stands alone in this respect of all the counties in the State.


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CHAPTER XI.


RICHLAND TOWNSHIP-CREATION AND ORGANIZATION-THE FIRST OFFICERS -ROAD COMMISSIONERS-FIRST ROAD PROJECTED-PURCHASE OF LAND AND SETTLEMENT-INCIDENTS OF THE CHASE-THE VANSLYKES-AN INDIAN STRATEGY-EARLY INDUSTRIES, INCIDENTS, ETC .- BURLINGTON -BLOOMFIELD-DISPOSAL OF LOTS-RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN-BUSI- NESS ENTERPRISES-ADDITIONAL INDUSTRIES-MANUFACTURING ESTAB. LISHMENTS-BUSINESS MEN OF THE FORTIES-RESIDENTS-LATER BUSI- NESS ENTERPRISES-PRESENT INDUSTRIAL PURSUITS-LATER MANU- FACTORIES-THE BIG FIRE-BANKING-SECRET ASSOCIATIONS-SCHOOLS OF BLOOMFIELD-THE COUNTY SEMINARY-SCHOOLS OF THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES-THE TEACHERS' INSTITUTE-THE CHURCHES OF BLOOM- FIELD-VAN BAYOU AND NEWTOWN-RICHLAND FURNACE-THE BLOOM- FIELD PRESS.


I N the year 1821, when the county was organized by the Board of Com- missioners, the township of Richland was created, and then comprised the present townships of Richland, Fairplay, Grant and Stockton ; but in 1828, all that portion west of White River was constituted Dixon Township (thus called for the family of that name), since which time Richland Town- ship has had its present boundaries with some slight changes. At this time, the necessary officers were either appointed or ordered elected to administer the affairs of the township. John Fields was appointed Inspector of Elec- tions, and Zebulon Hogue, Superintendent of the sixteenth section. In ac- cordance with law, elections were ordered held at the house of Thomas Bradford ; two Justices of the Peace were ordered elected. Hiram Hay- ward and William Scott were appointed Overseers of the Poor ; Solomon Dixon, James Warnick and Peter C. Vanslyke, Fence Viewers ; Richard Os- born, Constable. It seems that the office of Constable was too laborious for one man, for James Brown was soon appointed to assist Mr. Osborn. Thom- as Bradford was Lister of the township in 1822.


ROAD DISTRICTS.


During the winter of 1821-22, the township was divided into road dis- tricts, and the necessary officers appointed and arrangements made for the muddy times of the approaching spring. James Warnick was appointed, Road Superintendent, and the following men were ordered to report to him when notified, for work : Thomas Bradford, Samuel C. Hall, James Brown, Carpus Shaw, Frederick Shaver, John Bland, John Vanvoorst, Jr., Cornelius Vanslyke, Orange Monroe, Lewis Edwards, William Scott, William Robin- son, Robert Underwood, Thomas Warnick, James Milam, Anthony Milam, Michael Shepard, Jacob Shepard, Edwin Simpson, Hallet B. Dean, Augus- tine Passmore, William Farmer, Thomas Brown, Helton Wagoner, Zebulon


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Hogue, William Richey, Henry Martin, James Wilkins, James Vanslyke, William Milam and Frederick Shepard. Timothy H. Jessup was also ap- pointed Superintendent of Roads, with the following "hands : " Ebenezer Welton, William Welton, Isaac Workman, Abe Workman, John Watson, John Davis, Parker Byford, David Watson, William Watson, Michael Wat- BOD, James Vonn, John Good, Jesse Evans and Hiram Long. Edmund Gillam was also appointed Superintendent, with " hands " as follows : John Mason, Daniel Garland, Eli Faucett, Hansford Stalcup, Daniel Wasson, Will- iam Bannister, Ruel Learned, Elisha Cushman, Asa Osborn, Richard Mont- gomery and John Burcham. Phillip Shintaffer was also appointed Super- intendent, with the following " hands : " John Owen, Anthony Law, Richard Osborn, William Buckles, A. C. Buckles, Solomon Dixon, Samuel Dixon, Henry Dixon, Nathan Dixon, Seth Fields, John Fields, Sr., and Jr., Samuel Fields, William Fields, Daniel Fields, John Dixon, Elias Dilla, John W. Wines, Martin Wines, Richard Beason, William Lemons and David Smith. The above lists comprise almost or quite all of the early settlers in old Richland Township, which then included the present townships of Richland, Fairplay, Grant and Stockton, as noted above.


THE FIRST ROADS.


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One of the first roads petitioned for was projected from Burlington, the old county seat, westward via Solomon Dixon's " intended " ferry to meet the Carlisle and Merom road in Sullivan County. The following men were the petitioners : Zebulon Hogue, Isaac Hicks, Fred Shaver, Jacob Shaver, James Brown, A. Passmore, S. C. Hall, B. Dean, Daniel Fields, Samuel Fields, David Smith, Joseph Martin, Jacob C. Moser, Phillip Shintaffer, Richard Beason, William Lemons, Tobias Moser, E. G. Dilla, Hiram Hay- ward, Stephen Redenbark, Amos Moberly, Martin Wines, Daniel Ingersoll, John Fields, Jr., John Fields, Sr., Seth Fields, J. W. Wines, Samuel Dixon, Henry Dixon, Nathaniel Dixon and Abe Dixon. Emanuel Vantrees was appointed to survey a State road from the north line of Daviess County, thence via the best and most direct route to Section 30, Township 9 north, Range 4 west. In 1822, the township officers were as follows : Peter Inger- soll, Inspector of Elections ; Richard Beason and T. H. Jessup, Overseers of the Poor; Solomon Dixon, William Welton and Peter C. Vanslyke, Fence Viewers.


PURCHASE OF LAND AND SETTLEMENT.


The first sale of lands in Greene County took place in 1816 at Vin- cennes, but only a comparatively few entries were made, owing to the remoteness from settled localities. One purchase was made in old Richland Township by Solomon Dixon, who afterward became one of the most promi- nent citizens of the county, and whose descendants are known far and wide even to this day. Another entry was made by Peter C. Vanslyke, who had come from "down East" and located at Washington, Daviess County. Per- manent settlers were in the township in 1817, though they cannot be indi-


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cated with absolute certainty ; neither can the dates of their settlement. Among the first were the families of John Vanvoorst, Daniel Carlin, John Vanverse, Peter C. Vanslyke, the Dixons, James Warnick. Reuben Hill, William Robinson, William Scott, Carpus Shaw, Lewis B. Edwards, Levi Fellows, Norman W. Pierce, Oliver Cushman, E. P. Cushman, Ruel Learned, Eli Faucett, Alexander Clenny, S. C. Hall, Oliver Lockwood, Jeremiah Lockwood, John Jones, John Mason, Barney Perry, John and Peter Hill, Isaac Anderson, Adam Stropes, John Shryer, Orange Monroe, Ebenezer and William Welton, W. and J. Watson, Timothy Jessup, Robert Baber, Jacob Lakely, Jacob and Joshua Dobbins, Solomon, Joseph and Daniel Burcham, William Russell, Benjamin Turley, William and John Watson, Kelly Hea- ton, John Terrell, Abraham Workman, George Milam, John Herral, Samuel Smith, Charles Turley, David Heaton and others.


INCIDENTS OF THE CHASE.


At the time of the first settlement in Richland Township, the country was a wilderness filled with bears, wolves, panthers, deer and other wild animals of size and courage. Wolves could be heard almost any night dur- ing certain seasons of the year ; deer were shot from windows and doors ; bears came boldly into clearings around the cabins when pressed by hunger, and the wailing, half-human voice of panthers filled the breast of many an old settler with alarm. Bands of Indians roved about, camping for short periods on the streams to secure their precarious subsistence, or to revive their old war and scalp dances enjoyed by them with savage delight but a few years before. John Terrell, who settled on a tract of timbered land but a short distance east of Bloomfield at an early day, was a famous hunter and trapper. He was a sure shot with his old flint-lock rifle, and is said to have bought no lead for his bullets. It was asserted that he found his lead in a native state somewhere along Richland Creek, and that from this crude ore he separated the lead by heat, with which he molded his own bullets. If this is true, his lead repository was lost at his death. He followed the chase much of his time, and derived no little revenue from the sale of deer akins and hams and the skins of bears and furs of minks, etc. One day in winter he is said to have killed four deer in the eastern part of the township, one of which he was unable to get to his cabin before night, and which was eaten before morning by wolves. He was in the northern part one afternoon hunting for deer, and while walking along on a ridge saw below him in the hollow two bears, which did not observe him. He concealed himself to watch their motions, and saw that the priming of his gun was ready and fresh. He saw them climb a tree, and by their peculiar movements soon saw they were after honey, with which a hollow place about fifty feet from the ground was stored. While they were thus engaged he approached them with his rifle ready, and arrived within easy shot of them before they saw him. His appearance did not seem to alarm them greatly, though they stood still on the branches above and eyed him curiously. When he was


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close enough to be sure of his shot he took careful aim, pulled the trigger, and brought one of them crashing to the ground dead. He quickly re- loaded his rifle, and while the other was in the act of descending fired and gave it a mortal wound. This old settler was a noted bee hunter, and could find hives of honey where others could observe no signs. When out hunt- ing, he carried a provision bag across his shoulder filled with corn bread and fat pork or wild meat. On one occasion, he found a tree which contained over a barrel of fine honey, a portion of which had become candied. Sto- ries like these might be repeated without limit.


' THE VANSLYKES.


It is said that when the Vanslykes came to the township in No- vember, 1818, there were then but two settlers in all the neighborhood for miles around. A rude log cabin was erected near Aden G. Cavins' present residence, in which Mrs. Vanslyke and her children were domi- ciled. The men returned to Washington, Daviess County, whence they had come, to get their personal property and settle up their affairs before coming for good to their home at Bloomfield. Mrs. Vanslyke, whose maiden name was Edwards, and who is yet living at the county seat at the advanced age of ninety years, was left alone with her small children in the log cabin which had no door except a blanket, no floor except the bare ground, and no window except a hole about a foot and a half square on one side of the building. As the time drew near for the return of the men, Mrs. Vanslyke became anxious. One night soon after dark, while she was outside the cabin, she heard what seemed to be the dis- tant halloo of a man far down on the river bottom southwest of the cabin, and thinking it was the voice of her brother, Lewis B. Edwards, she returned the call as loud as she could and started a fire on an elevation to guide the belated man on his way to the cabin. Again she heard the call a little nearer, and again she answered, and this was repeated several times, the voice each time getting louder and nearer. She thought the voice sounded very strange such a prolonged and plaintive wail-yet she had no misgiv- ings. At last the call ceased for a time, and while Mrs. Vanslyke was con- sidering what had become of the man, suddenly, within a few rods of the house, there arose such a wild and alarming scream-half human, half beast -that the frightened woman sprang back into the cabin and hastily barri- caded the door with the best means at command. She looked out of the little window and saw bounding across the clearing a large panther, which, afraid of the fire, continued out into the woods uttering its horrid cries until they were lost in the distance. In a few minutes, Mr. Carlin, who lived not far away and who had heard the screams of the panther, came hurriedly to the cabin with a flaming torch of hickory bark to see that the animal had done no harm to the Vanslykes. He was an experienced hunter and was not deceived by the cries which from all of the feline family have a tone so like a distant human being in distress. Many of the early settlers were deceived by the cries as Mrs. Vanslyke was.




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