Ligonier, PA "Echo" issue of 6 September 1893

Old-time Recollections. [unnumbered]

Mr. Editor: -- Interfering with my supply of copy for your growing interesting Ligonier ECHO in closing up my valley remensences was the very sad information sent me that my aged sister Mrs. Nesbit had fallen, when descending the stone steps in front of her house and endured one of the worst bone fractures of the human system, the thigh bone near the upper joint. Although not being considered able to travel any distance for some months, yet under these circumstances I could not rest at home and in two hours fixed for the trip, and arrived safely by sundown. I have spent some weeks there and around to learn and see that every thing possible was done for her comfort and relief. I found her under the care of a young but careful practitioner -- son of doctor -- that is generally of good quality in practice and with every appliances necessary to secure success and comfort, which was surely of immense importance for the hot days of August and a time of all the severest for a person of active life to be bound to the surgeon's splint or board, nearly the length of the body, for weeks without shifting position. The house however is on the right bank of that finest of Rivers of Pennsylvania from which circulates refreshing breezes through the house of many doors and windows and well shaded all around with large shade trees that was affording all possible comfort, in hot weather. For a time she was not expected to live but of a remarkably good constitution I had when leaving a good hope she would recover and be able to go around -- but likely for one 82 remain somewhat lame the balance of her days. She was devotedly and well nursed by her oldest daughter. I must yet remark during my stay while often sitting on the front portico and viewing one of the finest landscapes perhaps ever seen on the old Pennsylvania canal being large river bottom owned by Elders & Lairds from the first settlement of the country bordered on the South by Conemaugh river, along which was the Pennsylvania canal and now west P.R.R. in full view for many miles, the remembrances of former times when canal boat of freight or passengers with head light large and brighter than the moon floated along, their approach by the melencoly sound of a boat horn or the more lively sound of passenger boat bugle now supplanted by the Railroad with much the same style of head lights. With roaring sound of wheels and screaming whistle sound and commotion enough to split the head of nervous people. I could not but think how the World moves on yet would say this canal should never have been abandoned and the day is not far distant when it will be necessary to reopen and hold it and compete with New York State with canals and many railroads in operation.

Your readers may be interested in a brief history of this southern part of Indiana county. This Mrs. Nesbit is a native of Ligonier valley born in sight of the noted Ligonier Fort. At age of 20 was married to Maj. Samuel Nesbit sixty three years ago and after raising a large family on the old Nesbit homestead. At the close of the war, on the return of their son, left him in possession of the farm, the parents and one daughter moved to this beautiful location, having bought a good house and fair quantity of lots for vegetables and fruit. The balance of family all married and doing for themselves. This same daughter being married many years ago, the husband also dead about ten years ago, the widow preferring to live in her own house with a quiet tenant in part of it to accepting urgent request to live with any one of her family in their homes.

There were two noted Nesbit families in very early times settled in this Conemaugh township -- John and Nathaniel. Maj. Samuel was the son of John, and Maj. Nathaniel son of the same name in the loop of the river where Penn'a canal and R.R. tunnels through Laurel Hill, very picturesque region. The Major's sons both commanded battalions of fine dressed soldiers during the early craze of this style of mustering in the third and fourth decade of this century, both being men of stalwart growth and fine voices to command in field parade, and with fine military dress, and the triangled set of the half moon head dress, and feather of white, red and blue fifteen inches high on top, was said to be truly magnificent in a field commanding soldiers. These were sights and scenes boys in early youth do not soon forget. While delaying made some visits to my nephews and grandnephews and was admiring the grand advance in the farming business in latter times to what it was in my early days of handling much heavy work on the farm in harvest times. Now the farmer can do all his own work with a few sons to help, and thus avoid the contention often had with lazy laboring men never willing to work only at extraordinary wages. I remember of hearing about one of these kind of men who father hired soon after my leaving home, to cradle wheat. The man talked large and thought brother Rob was not fit to go with him into the wheatfield. I had left an excellent cradle at home and Robert knew how to handle it, too. They worked together till near dinner time and so much was going wrong with the "big man's" cradle, had to go to the house to fix it; then worked half the afternoon and sent home. I need not mention all the easy ways of saving heavy sweats in harvest field and places the same in the barn mows, as all this is well known throughout the country, and town people don't care to even read in the papers.

A NEIGHBOR.

Ligonier, PA "Echo" issue of 20 September 1893

Old-time Recollections. No. LXXVI.

Mr. Editor: -- In closing these valley reminiscences which are to some extent a history of the valley, with some remarks of wanting wisdom in the construction of the railroads through the State; taking also State interests into consideration on the subject of a canal for commercial transportation to meet great and growing demands in the future, also when we travel over into the Mount Pleasant country and other parts of Westmoreland county that might be interesting reading, if in book form, as it is hoped it may be if the hard times do not continue too long. Some say the Democrats are to blame and some that it would have been worse if the Republicans had continued in power. So you see doctors disagree and so do politicians. It may be a providential visitation that would have come no matter which party rules. Let us hope the darkness will soon pass.

In my early remembrances of the second decade of the present century, the valley did not bring forth great abundance for man and beast. As a general thing, in the valley before steam power was used in place of water power, in the long cold winters the water-wheels of mills would freeze up with large bodies of ice and frequently they could not grind until everybody was out of breadstuff, then the people would have to turn out with axes, mattocks, picks and shovels to cut away the ice and then have a large wood stove placed in a shanty constructed over and around the water-wheels and every man and boy to take his turn in gathering wood and fixing up the fire, while their grists were being ground until all would be supplied. In our house at home, we always had plenty to eat, if not of wheat bread of buckwheat cakes and honey, pone and pork and rye-bread, hominy and all manner of substantial food, and perhaps no more healthy family could be found in the valley. We always had plenty of work before us, but no hurry or drive; no lounging around with nothing to do -- a thing calculated to destroy any boys. Father was one to consider well and manage work to good advantage. He was careful not to provoke to wrath in any way, but indirectly, I have sometimes thought, he did unthinkingly, as it were, by keeping false black "Coley" on the farm, that would not always pull in the wagon when most needed. There was an immense difference between her breed and the English "Kate" mare, not one of whose breed was false. No farmer should keep false animals for his boys to work, for they often cause the boys to "say bad words" unless they are converted and will not use bad language, but endure the great worry in silence. Perhaps I should not mention these things, but it may be useful to some people who would not think of it if they did not notice this experience.

Our parents began in a self-built log cabin and were poor, yet as their children grew up and went out from home to do for themselves, they were able to give them all a good start with things necessary and with their home training in industry and economy, they have reason to be thankful to their parents, their Heavenly Father and Divine Savior for their comforts and blessings of so many years of a changeful life. I may add this to be the general character and principles of the two old churches embracing the valley throughout in those days. We hope they may be able to adopt and enjoy the divine song which is found in another column of this paper. The song was composed from the dying words of a celebrated minister and bishop.

This closes my writing for the ECHO unless it may be I will offer you for publication a lecture on physiology for the Institute College here that might be interesting and instructive.

A NEIGHBOR