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| Sylvester and Isabelle Osborn |
Dry weather in the great forest of northwest Ohio made possible the expedition with which a pioneer caravan composed of Sylvester Osborn, his father, Elijah Osborn, and five daughters, Mary, Adaline, Julia. Elmira and Jane forged through the wilderness in 1848 to their new home in Richland township (Defiance county, Ohio).
The trip of approximately 200 miles, was made from Mahoning county, with horses in a week. Rivers were forded. No cement roads were encountered, the party followed the old Indian trail down to the Maumee and crossed at Samuel Kepler's ferry.
This old road which crossed at the ferry ran north along the ridges all the way to Adrian Mich.
Sylvester Osborn, now in his ninety fourth year (1932), says that he has killed three black bears with his old fashioned muzzle loading rifle. He has no record of the number of deer, wild turkeys and wolves he has slain with the same weapon.
At the dinner table on the Al Young farm in North Richland it is customary for generations to assemble daily. These are Sylvester Osborn, Mr. and Mrs. Al Young, Mr. and Mrs. August Klintworth and daughters Thelma and Beulah.
Sylvester Osborn who has resided in Richland township for 85 years, recalls that when he came to Independence the grocery store in this thriving river town was operated by Adam Wilhelm. Other pioneers of that day were John Botteler, Philip Young, Ben Abbel, Henry Egler, Pierce Evans, James Henderson, Samuel Rohm, Isaac Braucher and others, whose names escape his memory.
Roads were unknown, all traffic was by water on the Maumee and the canal. A daily packet passed down the river and was thought to be a highly efficient means of communication with the outside world.
Indian Jake was well known to Mr. Osborn who never had the privilege of using his services because he was never sick. He says that the cause of this Indian doctor's death was not poisoning as the Rambler has been told, (more on Indian Jake soon Dave) but pneumonia. He died without receiving medical attention, would not go to bed, but lay stretched on the floor before the open fireplace until death eased his suffering.
Indian Jake, as is commonly known was very fond of firewater and when under its influence was quite quarrelsome, was always in a scrap and always came out second best. He usually got away to the river and being a proficient swimmer would remain in the water until those who sought him gave up the chase.
Mr. Osborn remembers when tract of land over in northwest of Jewell was known as Allen's prairie, much of this land was swampy and offered an ideal refuge for wild game. The outlet for this swale was at what was termed the "waste way" about two miles west of Napoleon. At this place the early settlers caught thousands of fish which went by the name of "grass pike."
In his early manhood a terrible cyclone passed through the region to the north of Jewell, sweeping everything before it and as it went through an unsettled region, no list of possible deaths among the Indians could be recorded. It was really a benefit to the incoming pioneers as the force of the wind saved them much labor in felling the giant trees, many of which were burn.
What timber was sawed was taken to the sawmill operated by Kepler and Woodward at Independence.
Mr Osborn clearly recalls the day when he and his father, Elijah Osborn, hauled the first load of ties for the Wabash railroad from Okolona to Jewell.
A popular type of craft on the river was a pirogue made from a hollowed poplar log and capable of moving a cargo of supplies. On one such occasion the pirogue operators brought a boatload of lime to Independence: the Indians under the mistaken idea that it was flour insisted on taking home a supply. Unfortunately the outcome of the amusing incident is unknown.
Sylvester Osborn was afraid of Indians. He says that one of the most terrifying incidents of his boyhood was the occasion he went with his father to Independence and there were seven dirty and greasy squaws sitting in font of Wilhelm's store. He took his father by the hand and would not relinquish his hold until they were well on their way home.
His memories of the cholera epidemic which raged along the Maumee in 1849 are rather vague; but he recalls the fact that Philip Young, father of Al Young, nursed the sick and came safely through without contracting the malady. The only reason given for his escape from this age-old terror is that he was naturally immune from it.
In the year 1870 a boat laden with 2,000 bushels of wheat sank in the canal lock at Independence. This was a severe problem to the pioneers as the canal traffic must be kept moving. The first attempt made was to pull it out; so all the available mules were hitched in a string 30 rods long and more than 100 men took hold of the ropes to move the sunken boat. It could not be done. Dead-eyes, an inch and a half in diameter, by which the ropes were attached to the boat were snapped off as though they were glass.
Boats soon extended to the westward for a mile and for three-quarters of a mile below the lock awaited the river traffic; something must be done! So all hands were called to the mighty task of unloading the boat: the wheat was spread in every possible place to dry, much of it was spread along the dam. The water was low, and this helped with the unloading. At last the boat was lightened enough to be pulled through and river traffic resumed.
But the damp wheat instead of drying began to sprout and as rain threatened the entire supply was given to anyone who would remove it. The whole cargo was a total loss to the shippers.
This old road which crossed at the ferry ran north along the ridges all the way to Adrian Mich.
Sylvester Osborn, now in his ninety fourth year (1932), says that he has killed three black bears with his old fashioned muzzle loading rifle. He has no record of the number of deer, wild turkeys and wolves he has slain with the same weapon.
At the dinner table on the Al Young farm in North Richland it is customary for generations to assemble daily. These are Sylvester Osborn, Mr. and Mrs. Al Young, Mr. and Mrs. August Klintworth and daughters Thelma and Beulah.
Sylvester Osborn who has resided in Richland township for 85 years, recalls that when he came to Independence the grocery store in this thriving river town was operated by Adam Wilhelm. Other pioneers of that day were John Botteler, Philip Young, Ben Abbel, Henry Egler, Pierce Evans, James Henderson, Samuel Rohm, Isaac Braucher and others, whose names escape his memory.
Roads were unknown, all traffic was by water on the Maumee and the canal. A daily packet passed down the river and was thought to be a highly efficient means of communication with the outside world.
Indian Jake was well known to Mr. Osborn who never had the privilege of using his services because he was never sick. He says that the cause of this Indian doctor's death was not poisoning as the Rambler has been told, (more on Indian Jake soon Dave) but pneumonia. He died without receiving medical attention, would not go to bed, but lay stretched on the floor before the open fireplace until death eased his suffering.
Indian Jake, as is commonly known was very fond of firewater and when under its influence was quite quarrelsome, was always in a scrap and always came out second best. He usually got away to the river and being a proficient swimmer would remain in the water until those who sought him gave up the chase.
Mr. Osborn remembers when tract of land over in northwest of Jewell was known as Allen's prairie, much of this land was swampy and offered an ideal refuge for wild game. The outlet for this swale was at what was termed the "waste way" about two miles west of Napoleon. At this place the early settlers caught thousands of fish which went by the name of "grass pike."
In his early manhood a terrible cyclone passed through the region to the north of Jewell, sweeping everything before it and as it went through an unsettled region, no list of possible deaths among the Indians could be recorded. It was really a benefit to the incoming pioneers as the force of the wind saved them much labor in felling the giant trees, many of which were burn.
What timber was sawed was taken to the sawmill operated by Kepler and Woodward at Independence.
Mr Osborn clearly recalls the day when he and his father, Elijah Osborn, hauled the first load of ties for the Wabash railroad from Okolona to Jewell.
A popular type of craft on the river was a pirogue made from a hollowed poplar log and capable of moving a cargo of supplies. On one such occasion the pirogue operators brought a boatload of lime to Independence: the Indians under the mistaken idea that it was flour insisted on taking home a supply. Unfortunately the outcome of the amusing incident is unknown.
Sylvester Osborn was afraid of Indians. He says that one of the most terrifying incidents of his boyhood was the occasion he went with his father to Independence and there were seven dirty and greasy squaws sitting in font of Wilhelm's store. He took his father by the hand and would not relinquish his hold until they were well on their way home.
His memories of the cholera epidemic which raged along the Maumee in 1849 are rather vague; but he recalls the fact that Philip Young, father of Al Young, nursed the sick and came safely through without contracting the malady. The only reason given for his escape from this age-old terror is that he was naturally immune from it.
In the year 1870 a boat laden with 2,000 bushels of wheat sank in the canal lock at Independence. This was a severe problem to the pioneers as the canal traffic must be kept moving. The first attempt made was to pull it out; so all the available mules were hitched in a string 30 rods long and more than 100 men took hold of the ropes to move the sunken boat. It could not be done. Dead-eyes, an inch and a half in diameter, by which the ropes were attached to the boat were snapped off as though they were glass.
Boats soon extended to the westward for a mile and for three-quarters of a mile below the lock awaited the river traffic; something must be done! So all hands were called to the mighty task of unloading the boat: the wheat was spread in every possible place to dry, much of it was spread along the dam. The water was low, and this helped with the unloading. At last the boat was lightened enough to be pulled through and river traffic resumed.
But the damp wheat instead of drying began to sprout and as rain threatened the entire supply was given to anyone who would remove it. The whole cargo was a total loss to the shippers.
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