USA > Ohio > Ohio annals : Historic events in the Tuscarawas and Muskingum Valleys, and in other portions of the state of Ohio > Part 26
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" I, Joseph Michael Bimeler, of Zoar, Tuscarawas County, and State of Ohio, being weak in body, but of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, do make and publish this as my last will and testament. That is to say: I give and bequeath all my property, real, personal and mixed, of whatever kind, be the same in lands, tenements, trusts or otherwise, bonds, notes, elaims, book accounts, or other evidences of debt of whatever nature, to the Society of Separatists of Zoar, and its assigns, forever ; hereby declaring that all the property I ever held, real and personal, within the county of Tuscarawas, has been the property of said Society, and was beld by me in trust for said Society, to which 1 now return it.
" And I do hereby appoint John G. Grozinger, Jacob Silvan and Jacob Ackerman, trustees of said Society. as my executors, to carry this; my last will, into effect.
" In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my scal, this sixteenth day of Angust, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
" JOSEPH M. BIMELER. [Seal.]
"Signed, sealed and declared by the above named J. M. Bimeler, as his last will and testament, in presence of us (the words 'and its assigns forever,' interlined before signing).
"JACOB BLICKENSDERFER, "JOSEPH C. HANCE."
In 1832, the cholera year, a man was put off a boat with the disease, and was buried in the Zoar cemetery. Soon after another was dropped from a boat on the towing path to die. The society took him in, cared for him, and buried him in a Christian manner. In a short time appeared a woman claiming that he was her husband and had a large sum of money on his person, which she wished to recover. She was informed that all he had about him was buried with him, as they would not disturb his apparel or any- thing in it. She then went away, and came back with a stranger whom she had hired for one hundred dollars to dig up the body and recover the money. Permission being given, he and the woman repaired with two of the members to the cemetery and disinterring the body found in the dead
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man's clothes several hundred dollars of paper money and coin. They then re-interred the remains, and arriving at the hotel she counted the money, gave the hired man his hundred dollars, and offered pay to the society, but it was refused. She then went away with the man and money. That night the cholera broke out in Zoar, and became so virulent that it is said upward of twenty, one account says fifty odd members, or nearly one-third the population of Zoar were carried off. It is also said that the money-digger and woman were both attacked, a few miles from Zoar, with the disease, and both died.
LARGEST LAND-HOLDERS IN TUSCARAWAS COUNTY.
The following is a list of persons owning three hundred acres, or upward, of land in the townships indicated, and probable worth, the real value being estimated at treble the tax value. Parties owning about three hundred acres, or upward, in
Auburn Township .- John Laderick, 393 acres. $40,000; David Swihart, 420 acres, $40,000; Ulrich Garber, 320 acres, $20,000; Daniel Zimmerman, 380 acres, $40,000.
Bucks Township .- Philip Mizer, 480 acres, $40,000; Joseph Trently, 330 acres, $30,000.
Clay Township .- R. Seaman's heirs, 1, 100 acres, $70,000; Bene- diet Gross, 453 acres. $50,000; David Graim, 320 acres, $40,000 ; Harrison Kail, 360 acres, $25,000; H Wyant, 350 acres, $40,000; James Patrick, Sr., 300 acres, $30,000.
Dover Township .- David Casebeer, 500 acres, $40.000; George W. Slungluff, 350 acres, $50,000 ; Michael Bair, 340 acres, $35,000; Daniel Calendine, 320 acres, $30,000; Joseph Krantz, 380 acres, $30,000; Wesley Miner, 380 acres, $30,000; John Overholt, 400 acres, $40,000; Isaac Swihart, 300 acres, $30,000; Joseph Sling- luff's heirs, 300 acres, $35,000; Tuscarawas Coal and Iron Com- pany, 439 acres, $100,000; Augustus Wilhelmi, 363 acres, $50,000.
Fairfield Township .- Conrad Goodering, 310 acres, $35.000; Jo- seph Kollar, 316 acres, $25,000; Joseph Jenkins, 350 acres,
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$26,000; D. McConnell, 420 acres, $35,000; Wilson Minnis, 300 acres, $20,000; William Waddington, 330 acres, $30,000; James Moffat, 413 acres, $35,000; Tuscarawas Coal and Iron Company, 1,196 acres, $200,000.
Franklin Township .- Charles Myers, 390 acres. $40,000; James Patterson, 550 acres, $60,000; F. Hartline, 323 acres, $30,000 ; James A. Saxton, 520 acres, $50,000.
Goshen Township .- Abraham Bourquin, 370 aeres, $50,000; Al- vin Vinton, 697 acres, $100,000; John W. Coventry, 550 acres, $60,000; R. & T. G. Gartrell, 300 acres, $25,000; John B. Read, 470 acres, $60,000; James Waddington, 470 acres, $50,000; W. Wallace, 330 acres, $30,000; Valentine Wills, 580 acres, $75,000 ; Isaac H. Kurtz, 403 acres, $50,000; David Rummell, 319 acres, $30,000; S. G. Crites, 300 acres, $30,000.
Jefferson Township -John Blouse, 360 acres, $30,000; Joseph Murphy, 323 acres, $30,000; John Hawk, Jr., 425 acres, $30,000.
Laurence Township .- Henry Gibler's heirs, 380 acres, $35,000; John Labold, 608 acres, $60,000; George F. Fisher, 300 acres, $50,000; Frederick Labold, 352 acres, $40,000; Zoar Separatists, 5,789 acres, $600,000.
Mill Township .- Thomas O'Donnell, 350 acres, $30,000 ; John J. O'Donnell, 416 acres, $40,000 ; J. E. Fredenburr, 430 acres, $35,000 ; Fleming Bukey, 440 acres, $45,000 ; George and J. B. Dawson, 360 acres, $35,000; A. G. Gatchell, 350 acres, $35,000; J. W. Gatchell, 310 acres, $20,000; Francis Scott, 328 acres, $25,000; William Welch, 300 acres, $22,000; Thomas J. Forbes, 313 acres, $30,000.
Oxford Township -John Booth, 1,310 acres, $85,000; D. Mul- vaine & Sons, 750 acres, $55,000 ; Morris Creter, 520 acres, $55,000; John Knight, 500 acres, $60,000; Lorenzo C. Davis, 412 acres, $45,000; Elias Knisely, 387 acres, $36,000; John McDonald, 381 acres, $20,000 ; R. H. Nugen heirs, 783 acres, $60,000.
Perry Township .- William Barnhill, 340 acres, $27,000; Harri- son Miller farm, 360 acres, $22,000.
Rush Township .- Jacob Houk, 390 acres, $25,000; N. B. Ken- nedy, 320 acres, $20,000; H. R. Ripley, 340 acres, $23,000; James Sproul, Jr., 390 acres, $27,000; Robert Sproul, 400 aeres, $30,000; Joseph Harmon, 300 acres, $20,000; H. Ripley, 320 acres, $20,000.
Sandy Township .- John Baily, Sr., 548 acres, $50,000; Michael Evans, 300 acres, $30,000; Reagen W. Myers, 400 acres, $50,000;
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Joseph Leins, 300 acres, 823,000; John Knotts, 430 acres, $40,000; George Lechner, 300 acres, $27,000; Joseph Laughlin, 325 acres, $30,000 ; William Swaney, 360 acres, $40,000; John Farber, Jr., 300 acres, $30,000. .
Sugar Creek Township .- Joseph Silvins, 500 acres, $40,000; M. Deitz, 487 acres, $45,000 ; Daniel Coblenz, 303 acres, $30,000; Daniel J. Miller, 310 acres, $30,000; Joseph Yodder, 380 acres, $36,000.
Salem Township .- J. & J. Bremer, 400 acres, $70,000; Conrad Bremer, 348 acres, $40,000; Leonard Hart, 326 acres, $30,000 ; Hebbard Hill's heirs, 320 acres, $40,000; Robert Lyons, 360 acres, $30,000; D. Mulvain, 350 acres, $30,000; D. Nelson, 300 acres, $30,000; J. A. Roenbaugh, 300 acres, $30,000; W. Robertson & Co., 580 acres, $170,000: Adam Stocker, 600 acres, $60,000; Paul Weatherby farm, 400 acres, $25,000; J. A. Wyant, 300 acres, $30,000.
Union Township .- William Brock, 340 acres, $20,000; Leslie Mccullough, 340 acres, $20,000 ; H. J. Oliver, 384 acres, $20,000 ; J. Pyle, 462 acres, $25,000; William Rutlidge, 400 acres, $25,000.
Warren Township .- William Carnes, 450 acres, $30,000; Jacob Riggle, 435 acres, $25,000; David Machaman, 300 acres, $23,000; J. M. Mills, 300 acres, $25,000; A. Machaman, 440 acres, $30,000 ; Richard McClelland, 360 acres, $30,000; William Strawn, 450 acres, $33,000; George Steece farm, 330 acres, $24,000; Micajah Seran, 360 acres, $28,000; William R. Kennedy, 300 acres, $25,000.
Warwick Township .- John Edie, Sr., 340 acres, $25,000; John Knause, 360 acres, $27,000; Godfrey Everett. 640 acres, $48,000 ; John Minnich farm, 350 acres, $40,000.
Washington Township .- H. C. Asher, 300 acres, $20,000; Isaac Blair, 320 acres, $20,000; Solomon Corley, 300 acres, $15,000; Lee Hudson, 300 acres, $20,000; Daniel Keese, 350 acres, $24.000; Benjamin Murphy, 300 acres, $15,000; John McCollough, 300 acres, $20,000; James H. Quigley, 590 acres, $40,000 ; James Taylor, 620 acres, $40,000.
Wayne Township .- Peter Fleck, 300 acres, $30,000; Amos John- son farm, 300 acres, $25,000; Frederick Rirchenbach, 310 acres, $25,000; Caleb Jones, 390 acres, $35,000.
York Township .- George Ankeny, 620 acres, $50,000; George Fachler, 300 acres, $30,000; N. Winkler, 380 acres, $35,000.
A number of land-owners have land in different town-
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ships in smaller quantities than three hundred acres ag- gregating over three hundred, but this list includes only such men as own three hundred acres in any township.
LIST OF COUNTY OFFICERS FROM 1808 TO 1875.
ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
The following is a list of the associate judges of the court of common pleas of Tuscarawas county from its organiza- tion to 1852, when the new constitution abolished that office :
Johh Heckewelder from 1808 to 1810; Aquilla Carr, 1808 to 1811 ; Christian Deardorff, 1808 to 1824; Godfrey Haga, Jr., 1810 to 1813; Conrad Roth, 1811 to 1812; Robert S. Caples, 1812 to 1818; Joseph Wampler, part of 1813; Henry Laffer, 1813 to 1829; Nicholas Neigh- bor, 1818 to 1832; Thomas Cummings, 1824 to 1833; Jacob Blick- ensderfer, 1829 to 1836; Peter Williams, 1832 to 1839 ; Rezin Pritch- ard, 1833 to 1840 ; Israel S. Lappin, 1836 to 1852; Walter M. Blake, 1839 to 1846; Isaac N. Roberts, 1840 to 1847; James Patrick, Sr., 1846 to 1852; Morris Creter, 1847 to 1852; Jacob Blickensderfer, 1850 to 1852.
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LIST OF FIRST PRACTICING ATTORNEYS IN TUSCARAWAS.
Sampson S. King, 1808; Lewis Cass, 1808; Fisher A. Blocksom, 1808; E. W. Herrick, 1810; Robert Bay, 1810; John C. Wright, 1812; Alexander Harker, 1812; Samuel W. Culbertson, 1812; D. Redeck, 1816; M. D. Pettibone, 1817; John M. Goodenow, 1817 ; Walter B. Beebe, 1818; Ephraim Root; Wright & Collier, 1818; Wright Warner, 1818; S. Johnson, 1819 ; John C. Stockton; J. W. Lathrop, 1819; Samuel W. Bell, 1819; John Harris, 1820.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
The following is a list of the men who have served as commissioners of Tuscarawas county since its organiza- tion, in 1808:
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John Junkins, Michael Uhrich, Philip Minnich, Booz Walton, Isaac Deardorff, Gabriel Cryder, Samuel Lappin, Jacob Blickens- derfer, George Davis, Michael Smith, William Summers, Peter Wil- liams, James Rippeth, Jacob Uhrich, William Albert, William Rouse, Michael Doll, Abram Knisely, Benjamin Ream, John M. Patton, Samuel Miller, Andrew Creter, Charles Korns, George Welty, John Wallace, John Dearth, George K. Fankboner, Thomas Bayes, Milton Smith, Lewis Conwell, Henry Lupher, Cyrus C. Carroll, David Gram, George Wallack, Jacob Houk, George Fernsel, Robert Seaman, John Shank, Joseph Kollar, Samuel Schweitzer, John C. Zutavern, Daniel Swaim, George Troelich, Joseph Kinsey, Martin Kugler, William Rankin, Matthias Rudolph.
COUNTY AUDITORS.
The following named men have served as auditor since the organization of the county, in 1808 :
Godfrey Hoga, Jr., from 1808 to 1809; Christian Espich, 1809 to 1813; James Clark, 1813 to 1818; Jacob Blickensderfer, 1818 to 1820 ; Sylvester Johnson, 1820 to 1822; James Patrick, Sr., 1822 to 1823; Walter M. Blake, 1823 to 1825; Thornton Whitaker, 1825 to 1826 ; Azor Abell, 1826 to 1832; Joseph Talbott, 1832 to 1836 ; Thomas King, 1836 to 1840; John Everhard, 1840 to 1847; David Judy, 1847 to 1851; John Hildt, 1851 to 1855 ; Philip Uhrich, 1855 to 1859; Benjamin F. Helwig, 1859 to 1863; Jesse D. Elliott, 1863 to 1867: Oliver H. Hoover, 1867 to 1871 ; Philip Getzman, 1871 to 1873 ; Solomon Ashbaugh, 1873 to 1877.
COUNTY TREASURERS.
The following is a list of the men who have served as county treasurers since the organization of the county in 1808:
David Peter, from 1808 to 1811; Peter Williams, 1811 to 1823; Gabriel Cryder, 1823 to 1836; Jacob Overholtz, 1836 to 1842; Joseph Demuth, 1842 to 1846; Edward Peter, 1846 to 1850; John Buthler, 1850 to 1853; Simpson Harmount, 1853 to 1858; Levi Sargent, 1858 to 1860; Henry Anderman, 1860 to 1864; Martin Hagan, 1864 to 1866; Nicholas Montag, 1866 to 1870; William II. Crisswell, 1870 to 1874; Josiah Murphy, 1874 to 1878.
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COUNTY CLERKS.
The following is a list of the men who have served as clerks of the court since the organization of the county in 1808:
James Clark, from 1808 to 1818; George W. Canfield, 1818 to 1826 ;. Charles S. Frailey, 1826 to 1827; James W. English, 1827 to 1843; Charles H. Mitchener, 1843 to 1851 ; Joseph Walton, 1851 to 1852, Emerson Goodrich, 1852 to 1855; Hosea T. Stockwell, 1855 to 1858; John D. Langhead, 1858 to 1864; Peter Kunz, 1864 to 1867 ; James M. Kennedy, 1867 to 1873; Daniel C. McGregor, 1873 to 1875 ; Thomas C. Ferrell, 1875 ; Jacob De Greif, 1875 to 1878.
PROBATE JUDGES.
The office of probate judge was established by the consti- tution of 1851, since which time the following named men have served :
James Moffitt, from 1852 to 1855 ; John H. Barnhill, 1855 to 1861; Oliver P. Taylor, 1861 to 1867; Abraham W. Patrick, 1867 to 1870 ; William B. Brown, 1870 to 1876.
COUNTY SHERIFFS.
The following is a list of the sheriff's since the organiza- tion of the county in 1808:
Henry Davis, from 1808 to 1810; Henry Laffer, 1810 to 1813; Henry Shetler, 1813 to 1817; Frederick Maish, 1817 to 1819; Thornton Whitacre, 1819 to 1823; Walter M. Blake, 1823 to 1827; John Butt, 1827 to 1832; Jacob Knisely, 1832 to 1833; Jacob Kitch, 1833 to 1838; Elisha James, 1838 to 1842; John English, 1842 to 1846; Levi Sargent, 1846 to 1850 ; Philip Uhrich, 1850 to 1852 ; Dorsey Wilson, 1852 to 1854; Charles H. Mathews, 1854 to 1856; John W. Lytle, 1856 to 1860; Philip Getzman, 1860 to 1864; Simon Fackler, 1864 to 1866; Charles Howard, 1866 to 1868; John Howard, 1868 to 1869; James Truman, 1860 to 1870 ; Jacob De Griff, 1870 to 1874; Robert Price, 1874 to 1878.
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PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
The following is a list of the men who served this county as prosecuting attorney, from the organization to the pres- ent:
Edward Herrick, from 1808 to 1810; Alexander Harper, 1810 to 1811; Robert Bay, 1811 to 1814; Wright Warner, 1814 to 1816; William B. Raymond, 1816 to 1818; John C. Stockton, 1818 to -; Sylvester Johnson, 1818 to 1820; Wright Warner, 1820 to 1825; Booz M. Atherton, 1825 to 1831 ; Francis D. Leonard, 1831 to 1836; John D. Cummins, 1836 to 1842; Joseph C. Hance, 1842 to 1844; Isaac Hartman, 1844 to 1846; Lorenzo C. Davis, 1846 to 1848 ; John A. Bingham, 1848 to 1850; James B. Gray, 1850 to 1852; William Helmich, 1852 to 1854; Matthias H. Bartilson, 1854 to 1858 ; Abraham W. Patrick, 1858 to 1862; David W. Stam- baugh, 1862 to 1864; Alexander L. Neely, 1864 to 1866; James Patrick, Jr., 1866 to 1870; John J. Robinson, 1870 to 1874; John W. Allbaugh, 1874 to 1878.
COUNTY RECORDERS.
The following are the names of the recorders who have held office since the organization of the county :
James Clark, from 1808 to 1818; George W. Canfield, 1818 to 1826 ; James Patrick, Sr., 1826 to 1836; Bower Seaton, 1836 to 1845; Joel Warner, 1845 to 1851; Simon Bugher, 1851 to 1854; Matthias S. Nabor, 1854 to 1861; Asbury Insley, 1861 to 1867 ; John Mygrantz, 1867 to 1873; Peter W. Himes, 1873 to 1879.
A FIGHT WITH ELKS ON THE (MUSKINGUM) TUSCA- RAWAS IN 1761.
It is well known that some of the Indians called the Muskingum "Elk Eye," while others called it "Moose- kingdom," from the fact that the elk or moose inhabited these valleys at one time, and by reason thereof they be- came the important hunting grounds of the red men in
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Ohio, and on that account were deemed of such value that the aborigines fought a generation before surrendering their elk country to the white man.
When Gist passed down the Tuscarawas in 1750 he was fed on elk steak, and in 1755 Smith speaks of them as making excellent meat, the Indians preferring it to veni- son. A full-sized elk or moose was six feet high and seven in length, and weighed from eight hundred to one thou- sand pounds, the large, spreading horns often weighing seventy pounds, and protruding upward and outward from the head several feet, so that when the animal was run- ning its nose was thrust forward, to have the horns fall along the back, thus protecting the body to a certain ex- tent from thorns and briars, and preventing the horns from catching in the limbs overhead. They were very fleet, and it is said could travel two hundred miles in a day. When suddenly aroused or frightened the horns were kept erect, as a defensive weapon, and woe to the hunter who came in contact with an enraged animal. In the rutting season the males became furious, fighting each other, or even man, as they rushed with a noisy roar through the woods in pur- suit of a female, who likewise became furions in defense of her calves, two of which were born yearly, in May. The elks fed on grass, the bark of the maple, buttonwood, and twigs, and lived to the age of twenty years. They were hunted in March and September by the Indians, and were most easily overtaken in times of deep snow. They were sometimes caught by slip-nooses attached to saplings bent down in the path the animal frequented in going to and from the river.
In January, 1761, Major Robert Rogers and his hunter, while visiting the Seneca capital, near Bolivar, went out hunting on one of the streams emptying into the Tusca- rawas. They were old hunters, and one moonlight night stationed themselves by the creek and began imitating the noise of the bull elk or moose, knowing that he would come rushing, if in the vicinity of the sound, to the spot,
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to give battle to the intruding bull who dared to venture near his females (the elk being more jealous than man). In a short time they heard the twigs and limbs cracking on the opposite side of the ereck, and prepared to get a shot as he approached. Bounding down the declivity and into the water came the male, female and calves. The hunters fired, hit the calves but missed the parents, who in a moment were upon them, and the rifles empty. There was no time to run or tree, so taking out their knives they roared and rushed, each man plunging his knife at what he wanted-the heart of his animal; but before either could reach it they each were tramped down by the fore feet of the elks, who struck in unison.
As quick as thought the elks receded a few feet, to give play to their horns, and catching the hunters thereon tossed them both into the air, but among the spreading limbs of beech tree, to which each adroitly clung in an instant, and soon climbed out of reach. The infuriated animals pawed, raised on their hind legs and bellowed, but all to no pur- pose, and after some time, hearing a noise over the creek, they bounded across and were soon out of view. The hun- ters got in next day, bruised but not hurt, each having his elk calf for his adventure.
WOLVES AND WOLF HUNTERS OF THE VALLEYS.
The early pioneers were greatly annoyed by the wolves, and they embraced every opportunity to get a shot at the beasts, first to save hogs, sheep, and calves; and second to get the sealp premium paid by the State, as a mark of hunter's merit. Whoever killed a wolf, by presenting the scalp, and making affidavit before the clerk of the court, within twenty days, stating age and sex, and that the affiant killed it in the county, got an order on the treasury.
Between 1808 and 1843, four hundred affidavits were filed, after which the sealp law ceased.
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Premiums were also paid for a few years upon the scalps of panthers, and wild cats, or catamounts, but they were rarely killed.
John Mizer, in his time killed 47 wolves; Adam Reemer, 35; Jacob Hoopengarner, 20; Henry Willard, 15; George Miller, 13: John Purdee, 16; Jonathan Andrews, 10; Chris- tian Yotter, 11; Christian Royer, 9; Jacob Troyer, 8; Ben- jamin Johnson, 8; Jacob Mizer, 7; Benjamin Wallick, 7; Abijah Robinet, 7; William Fler, 6; John Sommers, 6; Henry Kail, 6; Abram Harshberger, 6; Samuel Huff, 5; John Goodage, 5; John Bevers, 5; David Neeshaum, 5; Samuel Deardorff, 5; and scattering hunters 139, making in all 400.
Many traditions have passed down to this day, at the fire- sides, of the adventures of the wolf hunters.
In 1810, it is related that on Laurel Creek, in the present Rush township, there was a wolf den in a cave, where num- bers lived securely, no hunter being bold enough to enter. On one occasion, a hired man of John Perdue, going along the creek on a Saturday night, to a neighbor's house, to fiddle for the dancers, was attacked by a pack of wolves, who surrounded and were about to make a meal of him. He had no weapon but his fiddle, and as he was looking for a hollow tree butt to shelter himself from their front and rear snaps, he kept them at bay for a time by drawing the bow over the strings, making the most unearthly noise possible, which, scaring them off some yards, he commenced climb- ing a sapling, when a wolf seized him by the foot. It was life or death with him then, and, making a last effort, he shook the wolf off, and reached a height out of their way. They then began circling him, barking in concert as they ran around his tree, every third or fourth round one would break out of the circle, and leaping up against the tree, en- deavoring to reach him. Having continued in this way for some time in their war-dance, the pack suddenly scampered off, to the great relief of the treed man. He soon heard dogs bark, and then the report of a rifle; he yelled, and
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attracted the party, who came to his relief and escorted him home. The next day the settlers surrounded the hill where the den was located, smoked the cave so strongly that the wolves came out one by one, and were shot, to the number of seven. The entrance was shut up with large stones, and the settlers were troubled no more by the pack.
On Huff's run, in 1815, one of the Huff's heard a noise at his stable in the night. Quickly getting his gun he crept out and found five wolves tearing a hog to pieces. He shot one, and the four left. He lay in wait and soon the four returned when he shot a second, and lay in wait until morn- ing but no more came back. The next night he put the bait hog out, and waited. Soon came a pack of half a dozen, of which he shot three before morning. He put the five in one affidavit and got twelve dollars, about the price of his hog.
HENRY WILLARD'S FIGHT WITH A BEAR.
Henry Willard emigrated to Tuscarawas County shortly after the year 1800, and settled in the present Lawrence Township. He was a hunter, and the county records at- test that he killed, and received premiums for, fifteen wolf scalps in his time.
On one occasion in the winter, when the snow was sev- eral inches deep, he started across the country to Killbuck Creek, near the present Wooster, where there was to be on Christmas day a great shooting match. In the afternoon he was on the west line of the county, and the walking hard, a crust having formed on the heaviest snowfall, on top of which there were some two inches of snow of the night before. Ascending a ridge he stopped to rest, setting his rifle against the body of a dead tree; and spying a bear track which approached the tree and turned off at right. angles, he was curious to see if it was fresh, and finding that the bear track turned off down the hill he followed it
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a rod or so, and then went back to get his rifle, satisfied that it was the track of a bear made that morning. Hear- ing a noise, he looked toward the dead tree and saw a bear descending it, and in a moment bruin was at the butt, standing guard over Willard's rifle. As Willard eyed him he set himself on his haunches, and seizing the rifle with his paws, began to wallop it against the tree, then cast it from him down the hillside some feet, and started for Wil- lard, who had unsheathed his knife and was waiting for the charge. As the bear raised to embrace the hunter, he received the knife in his abdomen, the blood spouting on the snow. Feeling the wound, bruin grappled Willard, squeezed him, and began to gnaw his neck, then falling, pulled him down, holding Willard with a death grip. He soon ceased biting, and in the effort to get the knife from Willard they both rolled in the snow, some feet down the hillside, and by chance the hunter's knife hand became disengaged, and he pulled upward, making a gash in the stomach and flank which let out part of the animal's en- trails. The bear and the hunter had in the scuffle rolled against a sapling, and for an instant both were still, the bear having Willard's arm in his mouth, and Willard work- ing the knife around as well as he could in the belly. Sud- denly the bear rose, still holding the hunter, but letting go his armhold, he gnawing the face of Willard, who at once made a lunge with the knife in his released hand, and all was over. The bear's hold relaxed; he attempted to get the knife out of his body, but fell forward and expired. It was now sunset, and Willard, seeing that he could not reach Killbuck Creek that night, made a fire, and by its light skinned the bear, roasted and ate some bear steak, went to sleep, and in the morning returned to his home, traveling some nine miles in the cold, with his face hacked and his right arm useless, but no bones broken. His boys went out and brought in the hide, which was long shown to neighbors as evidence of the most desperate fight he had ever been in.
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