Wednesday, August 16, 2006

"AN OLD CITIZEN TELLS THE STORY OF HIS LIFE, IN HIS OWN LANGUAGE"

The following article was found in the "Spirit Of Democracy" a Monroe County, Ohio newspaper, Tuesday, 18 January 1887.

"As I have not seen anything in your paper from the South-west corner of Wayne Twp., and as I am an old citizen. I thought I would drop you a few items for your many readers. I said I was an old citizen. I would add I was born in Belmont County, O., Dec. 29th, 1811. when about one year old, I was taken to Fish creek, Marshall Co., Virginia, and from Virginia, at eleven years of age, moved back to Rich-fork, this County, on Congress land - now owned by Mr. Peter Koehler, where the wolves howled and made the night dismal.

While On Rich-fork, I had to work out among the people where I could, to buy corn for bread, and then grind it on a hand mill, and then grind corn for the man that owned the mill to pay for the use of it. I helped to make the first brick that were made at Woodsfield, and I helped to raise and pack the first Tobacco ever packed at Woodsfield. But Woodsfield was small in those days.

Owing to there being no schools at that time I did not get much schooling. I never went to school a month in my life. When I became a little older, I ventured out further. I then went and worked three Summers on the old National pike, one mile west of Cambridge, on Crooked creek. From there, I went on the river. I made three trips to New Orleans on Flat Boats. I was married in the fall of 1832, and the next year I worked with my wife's uncle, on a farm. The next Spring I moved my wife to her father's and went on the river and cut cord wood, and made money enough to enter 40 acres of land on what is known as the Hartshorn Ridge, Wayne Tp. This was in 1831. At that time this part of the County was a howling wilderness. No roads - not even a cow path; no school houses, no mills, no stores nearer than Woodsfield, where I had to go to get everything we wanted, except milling. I went to where Stafford now stands, and got my grain ground, on a horse mill.

Since then, great changes have taken place; the dismal wilderness of that day has now become luxuriant farms, with bountiful crops of all kinds, school houses in abundance, with a free school system, where all our children, rich and poor, share the same advantages. Quite different from what it was in those days.

I have lived on this land 50 years. In that time I have seen many ups and downs. I have always had good health, until a few years past, and I cannot now complain, as others have come and gone long aqo. I never had the Doctor to see me but twice in all these years, and if I live until the 29th day of this month, I will be 75 years old.

In all this time, I have only missed two elections. Both were Township elections. My first vote for President was for Martin Van Buren. You now have a brief sketch of my life, so I will desist, and sign my name - OLD CITIZEN."

Samuel Hartshorn was my great, great, great grandfather. He was born on 29 Dec 1811. He died on 6 Jun 1891.

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