USA > Ohio > Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume II > Part 126
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137
THOMAS THOMPSON ECKERT was born in St. Clairsville, Ohio, April 23, 1825. In 1849 he was appointed postmaster at Wooster, and in connection therewith operated the first telegraph line to that place. He became an expert in telegraphy, and, being possessed of fine executive abilities, soon won his way to a high position in the Western Union Telegraph Company.
During the war he was superintendent of telegraphy for the Army of the Potomac. In September, 1862, was called to Washington to establish the military headquarters in the War Department buildings.
841
WAYNE COUNTY.
From this time till the close of the war he was on intimate terms with President Lincoln and Secretary Stanton. In 1864 he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel, and afterward brigadier-general. The same year he was appointed Assistant-Secretary of War, resigning in 1866 when he became general superintendent of the eastern division of the lives of the Western Union Telegraph Company, and in 1881 became vice-president and general manager of the company.
WILLIAM B. ALLISON was born in Perry, Wayne county, Ohio, March 2, 1829. At school he was somewhat fa- miliarly known as "Big-Eyed Bill; " and the girls of those days about Wooster, Ohio, used to laugh at the awkward and overgrown youngster, who took it good hnmoredly, however, and soon showed that he had good stuff in him. A lady who was in school with him says :
" Little did any of us think that boy would ever amount to anything. He was at the foot of our class and the butt of all, he was such a greenhorn. He lived on a farm, and walked into Woos- ter every day to school. He never wore any suspenders, and was always hitching up his trousers like a sailor. When we girls made fun of him he would run af- ter us, and if he caught one that girl was sure to be kissed. And he had a hor- WM. B. ALLISON. rible tobacco breath. I believe that boy chewed tobacco from the time he put on boy's clothes. But he was kind hearted and would never tell the teacher, no matter what we put on him. Yes, 'Big Eyed Bill ' was patient as an ox."
Mr. Allison has grown into much more manly and graceful shape, and has acquired great mastery of the world's ways ; he is, in fact, a large, handsome and graceful man, and in personal intercourse quite polished and agreeable.
When Mr. Allison's academic course was ended, he alternately taught school and attended college for some years, graduating at the Western Reserve College, at Hudsou, Ohio. In 1851 he was admitted to the bar in Wooster ; in 1854-56 he took an active part in politics as a Republican, and in 1857 he located at Dubuque, Iowa, which is still his home.
Mr. Allison's law practice was soon large in Iowa, but he was invited to a front rank in politics at once. As delegate, writer and speaker he was very efficient, and as one of the secretaries of the memorable Chicago convention of 1860, he counted the votes and announced the nomination of Abraham Lincoln.
He was a member of the governor's staff in 1861, and rendered valuable service in raising troops for the war. He was elected in 1862 to the Thirty-eighth Con- gress as a Republican, and returned for the three succeeding Congresses, serving in the House of Representatives from December, 1863, till March, 1871. In 1873 he was elected to the United States Senate for the term ending in 1879, and has been thrice re-elected.
HERR DRIESBACH, the Lion Tamer .- This man, greatly distinguished in his profession, lived and died in Wayne county. He was born in Sharon, Schoharie county, New York, Nov. 2, 1807 ; his parents were from Germany. When he was eleven years of age his father died, and the boy in a few years drifted to New York city, where he obtained work in the Zoological Gardens, and soon, youth as he was, made a reputation for control of wild beasts, being the first person to make a performing animal of the leopard. In 1830 he connected himself with the travelling menagerie of Raymond & Co., and soon thereafter went to Europe
842
WAYNE COUNTY.
with Raymond, meeting with unprecedented success. He travelled throughout England, Scotland and Ireland, then France, Germany, Holland, Russia, etc., exhibiting before all the crowned heads and nobles of Europe, and receiving many marks of their personal favor.
He returned to the United States about 1840, having established a world-wide reputation and become the foremost man in his profession.
From that time he made annual tours of the States of the Union until 1854, when he united in marriage with Miss Sarah Walter, daughter of John Walter, of Wooster township, and settled down to the peaceful pursuits of rural life.
In 1875 he began hotel keeping at Apple Creek Station. Here, after two days' sickness, on December 5, 1877, he died, leaving a widow and one son.
Herr Driesbach was a very remarkable man, and his life was full of perilous incident, adventure and romance.
Among the anecdotes related concerning
HERR DRIESBACH.
him is one describing how he frightened Edwin Forrest, the actor, and his personal friend. Forrest was playing at the old Bowery, in New York, and the entertain- ment would close with an exhibition of lions by Driesbach. Forrest was one day saying that he had never known fear, and had never experienced any emotion of fright. Driesbach made no remark at the time, but in the evening, after the curtain had fallen, he invited Forrest home with him. Forrest as- sented, and the two, entering a house, walked a long distance through many dark pass- ages, and finally Driesbach said, after open- ing a door : "This way, Mr. Forrest." The actor followed, and heard a door locked be- hind him, and at the same time he felt some- thing soft rubbing against his leg. Putting out his hands he touched what felt like a cat's back. A low, rasping growl greeted his ears, and he saw two fiery eyeballs glaring up at him. "Are you afraid, Mr. Forrest ?' asked Driesbach. "Not a bit," replied For-
rest. Driesbach said something, and the growl deepened and became hoarser; the back began to arch and the eyes to shine more fiercely.
Forrest held out for several minutes, but the symptoms became so terrifying that he owned up that he was afraid. He beseeched the lion king to let him out, as he dared not move a finger while a lion kept rubbing against his leg. After Forrest acknowledged that he knew what fear was, and agreed to stand a champagne supper, Driesbach released him.
The following is told in Driesbach's own words : "I was exhibiting in the city of Baltimore. We were playing a piece in which one of my tigers was to leap from above upon me as though to kill me. After he would jump on me we would roll around on the floor as though engaged in mortal combat. The theatre in which we were playing had a large pit, and it was filled al- most to suffocation that evening with men and boys. This time the tiger jumped over my head and was making for the pit when I caught him by the tail and hauled him back. I needn't tell you that standing room was made mighty quick in that pit when they saw the animal coming. They rushed out, yelling and screaming for me to hold on to him."
Probably the only speech made by Dries- bach was delivered by him in Philadelphia after he had conquered an enraged elephant. It was the time when the elephant Columbus killed his keeper in the Quaker City, and afterward roamed through the building, de- molishing cages and other property. Dries- bach succeeded in subduing the vicious beast, and, not content with placing him in shackles, he led Columbus into the ring, and, after making him lie down, Driesbach stood upon his head and addressed the astonished spec- tators as follows : "Gentlemen-Unaccus- tomed, as I am, to public speaking, allow me to say to you that this is the proudest day of my life. Napoleon and other warriors have left monuments of skulls, but I have the skull of a conquered elephant for my monu- ment. This is my first and last appearance as a public speaker."
Mrs. Driesbach, the lion tamer's widow, has been matron of the Boys' Industrial School at Lancaster, O., and is now (1890) in the U. S. Indian school service, at
843
WAYNE COUNTY.
Haskell Institute, Lawrence, Kansas. is a pleasing romance from real life.
One August day in 1850 Driesbach, with his circus, was travelling over the old Wooster and Wheeling stage route, which passes through Mount Eaton. That little hamlet was reached at a meal hour, and the tavern there became the place of entertainment for Driesbach and his company. Mrs. Driesbach, then Miss Walters, was a boarder at the hostelry and assisted in preparing the meal. Her meeting with the lion tamer is given in her own words : "We had taken special pains to get up a nice meal, and I went into the dining-room to help wait on the tables. Like any other country girl, I was on the lookout for Driesbach, of whom I had heard as the lion tamer. He came in and took a seat at the table near where I stood.
Another gentleman, whom I afterward learned was Gus Hunt, an old showman known as Uncle Gus, who had been with Driesbach for many years, sat at the side of Driesbach and remarked to him, ' Well, Dries- bach, how does this meal suit you ? About everything here, ain't there?' Driesbach surveyed the table and replied, 'Yes, about everything but an onion.' I heard him men- tion ouion, and I stepped up and inquired if
The story of her courtship and marriage
he desired any. IIe told me he would take one if fresh. I ran out into the garden and hastily secured two nice onions, which I took to hit. The man Hunt then said to him in a sort of undertone, which I overheard, 'Old fellow, I guess you struck your match that time.' Driesbach looked up at me and smiled and said, 'Perhaps.' That was all that was said then, but that evening I spoke to him casually, passing the compliments of the day. " A few days after he had left I received a letter from him asking me to correspond. I answered the letter and from that on we cor- responded. Tom Eckert, who is now general manager of the Western Union Telegraph Company, was postmaster at Wooster at the time, and used to tease me about writing to the lion tamer. But I fooled Mr. Eckert. Driesbach would send me the route of his show and I would inclose my letter in an envelope addressed to the postmaster of the town where the show would stop. It is told that a few months after I met Driesbach we were married. Such was not the case. We were married in April, 1854, four years after we first met."
In connection with Herr Driesbach, mention of Rarey, the horse-tamer, is in place, and we give herewith the following sketch from Appleton's excellent " Encyclopedia of American Biography : "
" JOHN S. RAREY, the horse-tamer, was boru in Groveport, Franklin county, Ohio, in 1828 ; and died in Cleveland, Ohio, October 4, 1866. At an early age he displayed tact in managing horses, and by degrees he worked out a system of training that was founded on his own observations. He went to Texas in 1856, and after experimenting there gave public exhibitions in Ohio, and from that time was almost continuously before the public. About 1860 he went to Europe and surprised his audiences everywhere by his complete mastery of horses that had been considered unmanageable. In England particularly the most vicious were brought to him, and he never failed to control them. One of the greatest triumphs of his skill was the taming of the racing colt "Cruiser," which was so vicious that he had killed one or two grooms and was kept under control by an iron muzzle. Under Mr. Rarey's treatment lie became perfectly gentle and submissive, and was brought by Rarey to this country. In 1863 Mr. Rarey was employed by the government to inspect and report upon the horses of the Army of the Potomac. He was the author of a " Treatise on Horse Taming," of which 15,000 copies were sold in France in one year (London : 1858 ; new ed., 1864).
ORRVILLE is eleven miles northeast of Wooster, on the P. Ft. W. & C .; C. A. & C. and W. and L. E. Railroads.
City Officers, 1888 : Wm. Gailey, Mayor; David Blackwood, Clerk; Alex- ander Postlewaite, Treasurer ; J. L. Hall, Marshal ; Jerome Ammann, Street Commissioner. Newspaper : Crescent, Neutral, James A. Hamilton, editor and publisher. Churches: 1 Presbyterian, 1 Reformed, 1 Methodist, 1 German Lutheran and 1 Lutheran. Bank : Orrville Banking Co., O. K. Griffith, president, H. H. Strauss, cashier.
Manufactures and Employees .- Thomas Overton, tile, 4; F. Dysli & Brother, tannery, 6 ; Crystal Burial Case Co .; The Orrville Milling Co., 31; Orrville Planing Mill Co., 7; The Orrville Machine Co., 25 .- State Report, 1888.
844
WAYNE COUNTY.
Population, 1880, 1,441. School census, 1888, 508 ; J. L. Wright, superin- tendent of schools. Capital invested in manufacturing establishments, $80,000. Value of annual product, $95,000 .- Ohio Labor Statistics, 1888.
DOYLESTOWN is eighteen miles northeast of Wooster, on the Silver Creek Branch of the N. Y. P. & O. R. R. Newspaper : Journal, Independent, J. V. McElhenie, editor and publisher. Churches : 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Presby- terian, 1 Catholic and 1 German Lutheran. Bank : Seiberling, Miller & Co., S. H. Miller, treasurer. Population, 1880, 1,040. School census, 1888, 449.
SHREVE is ten miles southwest of Wooster, on the P. Ft. W. & C. R. R. News- paper : News, Independent, W. Jay Ashenhurst, editor and publisher. Churches : 1 Presbyterian, 1 Methodist and 1 Christian. Bank : Farmers', A. J. Mumper, president, J. L. Campbell, cashier. Population, 1880, 908. School census, 1888, 312 ; James L. Orr, superintendent of schools.
DALTON is thirteen miles east of Wooster, on the W. & L. E. R. R. Newspaper: Gazette, Neutral, W. C. Scott, editor and publisher. Churches : 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 United Presbyterian, 1 Presbyterian. Population, 1880, 486. School census, 1888, 212.
STERLING is thirteen miles northeast of Wooster, on the N. Y. P. & O. and C. L. & W. Railroads. Newspapers : News, Neutral, H. I. Monroe, editor.
Manufactures and Employees .- Amstutz & Co., flour and feed, 4; The Sterling Wrench Co., 39 .- State Report, 1888.
Population about 450. Capital invested in manufacturing establishments, $80,300. Value of annual product, $150,500 .- Ohio Labor Statistics, 1888.
CRESTON is twelve miles north of Wooster, on the N. Y. P. & O, and W. & L. E. Railroads. Newspapers : Journal, Independent, J. W. Parsons, editor and publisher. Bank : W. P. Stebbins & Son. Population about 400. Capital invested in manufacturing establishments, $3,000. Value of annual product, $3,500 .- Ohio Labor Statistics, 1888.
FREDERICKSBURG is nine miles southeast of Wooster, on the C. A. & C. R. R. Manufactures and Employees .- John C. Lytle, 6 ; Imperial Flour Co., 5; M. L. Stophlet, 2; A. J. Peterman, 10 .- State Report, 1888.
Population, 1880, 550. School census, 1888, 208.
CONGRESS is twelve miles northwest of Wooster. Population, 1880, 301. School census, 1888, 87.
BURBANK is thirteen miles northwest of Wooster, on the N. Y. P. & O. R. R. It has churches, 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 United Brethren, and 1 Presbyterian. Population, 1880, 293. School census, 1888, 92.
APPLE CREEK is six miles southeast of Wooster, on the C. A. & C. R. R. School census, 1888, 152.
WEST SALEM is fifteen miles northwest of Wooster, on the N. Y. P. & O. R. R. Population, 1880, 878. School census, 1888, 270.
MARSHALLVILLE is thirteen miles northeast of Wooster, on the C. A. & C. R. R. Population, 1880, 376. School census, 1888, 160.
MOUNT EATON is fifteen miles southeast of Wooster. Population, 1880, 298. School census, 1888, 140.
845
WILLIAMS COUNTY.
WILLIAMS.
WILLIAMS COUNTY was formed from old Indian Territory, April 1, 1820, and organized in April, 1824. The surface is slightly rolling or level. In the west are oak openings with a light sandy soil. The soil is generally of a clayey nature, a portion of it sandy loam. In the north is a rich black soil.
Area about 420 square miles. In 1887 the acres cultivated were 125,634; in pasture, 34,071 ; woodland, 54,858 ; lying waste, 1,198 ; produced in wheat, 433,- 241 bushels ; rye, 1,199 ; buckwheat, 7,434; oats, 615,682; barley, 2,690; corn, 720,331 ; broom corn, 2,000 lbs. brush ; meadow hay, 19,460 tons ; clover, 12,921 bushels seed ; potatoes, 48,898 bushels; butter, 587,400 lbs .; chcese, 38,280; sorghum, 1,888 gallons ; maple syrup, 6,153; honey, 8,852 lbs .; eggs, 816,312 dozen ; grapes, 17,330 lbs .; wine, 196 gallons; sweet potatoes, 207 bushels ; apples, 219,933 ; peaches, 250 ; pears, 971 ; wool, 145,870 lbs. ; milch cows owned, 6,697. School census, 1888, 7,574; teachers, 254. Miles of railroad track, 71.
TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.
1840.
1880.
TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.
1840.
1880.
Brady,
351
1,985
Milford,
175
Bridgewater,
110
1,398
Mill Creek,
110
1,102
Centre,
339
1,689
North West,
1,582
Defiance,
944
Pulaski,
279
4,430
Delaware,
201
Saint Joseph,
191
2,073
Farmer,
281
Springfield,
359
2,117
Florence,
119
2,228
Superior,
166
1,846
Jefferson,
363
1,573
Washington,
98
Madison,
1,798
Population of Williams in 1830, 1,039; 1840, 4,464; 1860, 16,633; 1880, 23,821; of whom 18,407 were born in Ohio; 1,520, Pennsylvania ; 690, New York ; 486, Indiana ; 122, Virginia ; 19, Kentucky ; 896, German Empire ; 299, France ; 117, England and Wales ; 85, British America ; 82, Ireland ; 22, Scot- land, and 3, Norway and Sweden. Census, 1890, 24,897
DAVID WILLIAMS, one of the three captors of Andre, from whom this county was named, was born in Tarrytown, N. Y., October 21, 1754, and died near Livingstonville, N. Y., August 2, 1831. He enlisted in the Revolutionary army in 1775, served under General Montgomery at St. John's and Quebec. During his service his feet were badly frozen, and this partially disabled him for life.
After the war he bought a farm near the Catskill mountains. Williams being of generous disposition endorsed freely for friends, and was obliged to mortgage his farm, but managed to retain possession of it through the aid of $200 per year received from the government. The estate is now in the possession of his grand- son, William C. Williams. Williams was given a silver medal by order of Congress, and also received in New York city a cane made from the cheval-de- frise for obstructing the Hudson at West Point. In December, 1830, he visited New York by invitation of the mayor, who gave him a carriage, horse and har- ness, and the pupils of one of the city schools presented him with a silver cup. A monument has been erected to his memory by the State at the stone fort near Schoharie court-house. The captors of Andre, viz., Williams, Paulding and Van Wert, were of Dutch lineage, and neither of the three could speak English well.
This county was much reduced in 1845 by the formation of Defiance, to which the townships of Defiance, Delaware, Farmer, Hicksville, Milford, Tiffin and
222
Hicksville,
67
Tiffin,
846
WILLIAMS COUNTY.
Washington, now belong. The population were principally from Ohio, New England, New York, Pennsylvania and Germany. Previous to 1835 there were but few families within its present limits.
Two lake beaches cross the county, the upper of which is the highest of the series. It is nearly straight, and passes with a northeasterly course just west of Bryan, while Williams Centre and West Unity are situated upon it. The second beach is parallel to the upper and a mile farther east.
The first discovery of artesian water, now obtained in so many parts of the Maumee valley, was made in Bryan in 1842.
The mineral water discharged from the deep well at Stryker is of a different character ; it was struck at a depth of 230 feet below the surface. It does not overflow in virtue of its own head, but is thrown out periodically by violent dis- charges of hydro-sulphuric acid gas. This is constantly rising in some amount through the water, and at intervals of about six hours finds vent in great volume from some subterranean reservoir, and throws out in a foaming torrent many barrels of water. The water possesses medicinal properties of high value.
Among the first settlers in Williams county were James Guthrie, who settled in Springfield township in 1827 ; Samuel Holton, who came to St. Joseph town- ship the same year ; John Zediker, John Perkins, Josiah Packard, Rev. Thomas J. Prettyman, Mrs. Mary Leonard and her three sons-in-law, James Overleas, Sebastian Frame, John Heckman, John Stubbs.
The Indians that the whites found in this county were of the Ottawa, Miami, Pottawatamie and Wyandot tribes. In St. Joseph's township, below the site of the village of Denmark, and on the western bank of the St. Joseph river, is a low piece of meadow land, called the "Indian Meadow," on which the Indians raised corn.
Bryan in 1846 .- Bryan, the county-seat, is 173 miles northwest of Columbus and eighteen from Defiance. It was laid out in 1840, and named from Hon. John A. Bryan, formerly auditor of the State, and later charge d'affaires to Peru. It is a small village, containing perhaps forty or fifty dwellings .- Old Edition.
From the organization of Williams the county-seat had been at Defiance, until removed to Bryan. Williams Centre and Pulaski were strong competitors for the seat of justice, when John A. Bryan donated the ground for its location on the site bearing his name. The surveyor was William Arrowsmith, and he recorded the town plat November 24, 1840.
BRYAN, county-seat of Williams, about 135 miles northwest of Columbus, 54 miles west of Toledo, is on the L. S. & M. S. R. R. County officers, 1888 : Auditor, Albert C. Marshall ; Clerk, Wm. W. Darby ; Commissioners, Walter I. Pepple, Archibald Pressler, Wm. A. Bratton ; Coroner, Clark M. Barstow; In- firmary Directors, Jacob Clay, George A. Burns, Thompson L. Dunlap; Probate Judge, George Rings; Prosecuting Attorney, Thomas Emery; Recorder, Eli Swigert ; Sheriff, Miller W. Burgoyne; Surveyor, John C. Grim ; Treasurer, George Ruff. City officers, 1888 : H. H. Calvin, Mayor ; Silas Peoples, Clerk ; W. E. Stough, Treasurer ; John Yates, Street Commissioner ; August Heidley, Marshal. Newspapers : Democral, Democratic, Robert N. Patterson, editor and publisher ; Maumee Valley Prohibitionist, Prohibition, Harry L. Canfield, editor ; Press, Republican, Simeon Gillis, editor and publisher. Churches : 1 Presby- terian, 1 Universalist, 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Baptist, 1 Lutheran, 1 German Lutheran and 1 Catholic. Banks : Farmers' National, John W. Leidigh, presi- dent, E. Y. Morrow, cashier ; First National, A. J. Tressler, president, D. C. Baxter, cashier.
Manufactures and Employees .- Niederaner Brothers, lumber, shingles, etc., 10 hands ; Scott & Powell, flour, etc. ; Bryan Plow Co., plows, 32; Bryan Manu- facturing Co., wheelbarrows, 32; G. Lockhart, pumps, etc. ; M. C. Moore, flour, etc. ; Halm's Fountain City Brewery, beer, 20 hands ; E. Harrington, wagons, etc. ; Lindesmith Bros., carriages, etc., 12 .- State Reports, 1887.
J. E. Beach, Photo.
PUBLIC SQUARE, BRYAN, 1886.
J. E. Beach, Photo.
PUBLIC SQUARE, BRYAN, 1890.
848
WILLIAMS COUNTY.
Population in 1880, 2,952. School census, 1888, 825. Capital invested in industrial establishments, $229,200; value of annual product, $291,200 .- Ohio Labor Statistics, 1887.
Census, 1890, 3,068.
PIONEER INCIDENTS.
FORESTS AND GAME.
When Bryan was laid out in 1840, a native forest of immense trees, bearing evidence of the natural wealth of the soil, covered the ground for miles around ; but in Williams county, as in many others, the first settlers had but slight con- ception of the importance of preserving the native timber. Forests that would have great value, and an important influence on the climate at the present day, were ruthlessly destroyed to make way for the plowed field. These forests con- tained an abundance of game; deer and bear were numerous, and many are the tales of deer-killing and bear-fighting experiences that have been handed down. It is related that one autumn two pioneers, George W. Bible, of Superior town- ship, and Frederick Miser, of Centre township, tried to see who could kill the largest number of deer within two months' time. Mr. Bible killed ninety-nine and his opponent sixty-five. Mr. Bible was anxious to make it an even hun- dred, and was disappointed in his failure to do so. The skins and part of the flesh were sold, while the hams were salted down.
The early history of every township in the county is replete with BEAR STORIES. Bruin was very fond of young pig, and it was no unusual experience for a pioneer to be roused in the night by a terrible commotion in the neighborhood of his pig-pen. Bruin might be frightened off for the time being, but was almost sure to return the next night. On his second visit, however, the settler would have his bear trap set, and rarely failed to secure a supply of bear meat. The bear trap was what is called a "dead-fall," and was constructed as follows :
A log ahout a foot in diameter was fast- ened upon the ground at a suitable place, and wooden pins were driven into holes bored on the upper side, after which the upper ends of the pins were sharpened. Another log, fully as large, was partly suspended over the lower one, and provided on the lower side with sharpened pins, as above described. A trigger was made and baited with a portion of a dead hog, and arranged in such a man- ner that the bear must stand directly over the lower log and under the upper to secure the meat. To get the bait the bear must neces- sarily pull the trigger, which would cause the upper log to fall, thus pinning the animal like a vise between the two logs, and piercing it with the sharp pins. The trap worked like a charm, and when examined at the proper time, the bear would be found dead between the logs, pierced through and through by the pins.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.