Jay County IN Archives History - Books .....Chapter III Pioneer Coon Hunt 1896
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Book Title: Reminiscences Of Adams, Jay And Randolph Counties

CHAPTER III.
PIONEER COON HUNT.

    Forty-seven years ago to-day, November 15th, 1842, I, with my brother,
Reuben Whipple, went out to hunt for coons. Our mother protested against us
going, as it was almost one vast unbroken forest for miles in any direction. But
as we had made up our minds to have a hunt, away we went, and when we were once
out in the woods all was alike to us. We started for what was known as the old
Geo. Knapp place. There was a small patch cleared, and a cabin. This was
situated on the north bank of the big Salamonia, below the old Robert Jones'
farm, about two and a half miles above Portland. We had not gone very far before
things did not look right to us and it grew very dark and we were compelled to
start a fire to light a hickory bark torch, so I got out my old jack-knife and I
had a part of an old Indian dart in my pocket and some tinder, that father had
got of old Joe Flesher, that was made out of linen rages. Father had a small
apartment in his shot pouch to carry it. We "hooked" some of it and had it with
us, there was no matches then. We started a fire and lit a torch of hickory
bark. One carried an ax and the other the torch, but we had not gone far before
we run into a nest of wild hogs and small pigs that got run over in their fright
and squealed, and then fun did commence in earnest. The dog ran back to us and
the hogs after him, and if it had not been for the torch that frightened them
away, Heaven only knows how the matter would have terminated, but we shied off
and left them and went on, but we had gone not gone far before we heard a
strange noise, and back came the dog with his tail tucked between his legs, and
we could not induce him to hunt any more that night. So we wandered about,
thinking that we would come to some spot that would give us some idea of where
home was, but nothing could be found, and it grew darker and began to rain and
continued to rain harder and my brother began to cry and said that we were lost
and we would have to lay in the woods and would be eaten up by wolves before
morning. The situation was not a pleasant one by any means, and what to do I did
not know as this was the first time I was ever lost and knew that if we did not
get in by midnight mother would be nearly crazy, wondering what on earth was
wrong or had happened to us; still we walked on and on, nothing turned up that
gave us any clue of where we were. Tired and hungry, cold and wet, we thought
that we would build a fire and dry our clothes, so we came to an old dry beech
stump that was hollow and it was a small task to start a fire, and when we got
warm sleep made heavy demands upon us and we soon fell an easy prey, so we
curled up by the fire and the dog laid close by our feet. It had turned much
colder and the rain slacked up. When daylight came the sun came up from the
east. We knew that our home must be west from where we were, so we started the
contrary way from where the sun came up, and after a long walk, we came to the
old Greenville state road that run in former days through the lands of Andrew
Reid and a part of Jason Whipple's. We came to it just north of the residence of
Daniel Miller, we knew that the south end would take us to the old wheat road
that passed or left the state road at College Corner, right where old Judge
Bowden first settled in Jay County, I think, in 1835. The tomahawk path that led
you through the woods of Isaac Myers, Robert Jones, Thomas Wheat, Joseph Gillets
and how much further I cannot say. We soon were in sight of home, and were glad
once more to see something to eat. Mother had a thousand questions to ask, where
we stayed and why we did not come home. Time in its onward march has wrought
many changes, the old have many of them gone to their reward. The young have
grown to man and womanhood and have been identified among those that early and
later have brought about many and lasting improvements of our county. Few are
left to bear witness of those pioneer days and the hardships that were
experienced by those that lived at that date. Of what would seem strange to many
when they become conversant with the ages of us. I, Olney Whipple, was 13 years
and 4 months, my brother, Ruben Whipple was 9 years and 11 month old.

    Now, Mr. Editor, let me say one word in conclusion. No greater plasure could
be participated in by me than to speak to my many old, tried and true friend of
some little incident of days long ago. May the blessing of a Merciful Heaven be
their portions is the wish of the grateful heart of him who penned these lines.

                     I am ever yours,
                            OLNEY WHIPPLE.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Reminiscences of Adams, Jay and Randolph Counties

Compiled by Martha C. M. Lynch

Ft. Wayne, IN: Lipes, Nelson & Singmaster

Circa 1896

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/jay/history/1896/reminisc/chapteri481gms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/

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