Thursday, May 9, 1951
A way back in the early years of the 1800s, a big bear came out of the Black Forest to a home high on the mountain above Bridger Gap in the Marvin neighborhood. The great beast caught a little child playing in the yard of a cabin home, killed it by crushing its head by a single bite and started to carry his prey to the nearby forest. Pursued by frantic mother, father and dogs, the bear dropped the little body; however, it made escape back into the Black Forest.
That is the story I have heard since childhood. Mrs. Ed Boblett, of the Marvin neighborhood, asked for the name of the family; I said, “Waddell.” She said wrong answer, there was a Waddell family in the neighborhood and prominent people too, but they did not live on Little’s Mountain, where the child was killed…
Anyway, if anyone is familiar with this well authenticated tradition of a bear killing and attempting to carry away a three-year-old child, will send in the family name as they heard it from their grandparents, I would be much obliged.
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Along in the 1880s on Bridger Mountain just a few miles from Bridger Gap, a mother and her relatives were given the scare of their lives. A great hungry bear came out of the Black Forest straight toward the house where a baby boy lay asleep on the porch. However, this bear passed by the house and on to the pig pen. There he killed a shoat and carried it away. The helpless horror of the women who saw the bear from a distant hillside can be imagined; also, their inexpressible relief when the bear took a hog instead of the baby boy. The visitors were one of the McKeever families coming back to visit home folks. – Rev. Allan McKeever’s, I expect.
Since the above was written, I have been checking on history and tradition with my friend, William H. Gilmore, of Stony Creek. He did not remember ever hearing the name of the child killed by a bear on Little Mountain. However, there was a family by the name of Pate on Stony Creek, whose little child was killed and carried away by a bear. This family lived on the farm now owned by Lee Barlow. The time was in the 1790s. The family was out planting corn. One of the older children saw a big black “dog” carrying off the baby. The McCollams, Griffins and Youngs came with their dogs and they killed the bear.
SNAKES
A party of scientists from Pittsburgh was here last weekend. Being as they were snake specialists, they came to check up on the rattlesnake situation in these parts. Attorney J. E. Buckley gave the visitors the right steer and sent them to interview William Crigger on this fire tower, White Rock, Beaver Lick Mountain, elevation 3,800 feet. This is the week rattlers are supposed to check out of winter dens, with mud on their backs, and seeking summer pasture. Early next fall, the females will return to give birth to young at rocks below the den. The males will return later at the approach of cool weather. The rattlers will congregate at a den from a radius of several miles.
Mr. Crigger’s record of twenty-odd years, shows the rattlers have not come out of winter quarters on the Beaver Lick before May 4 and not later than May 7. However, with cold air going this May 7th morning, I have the idea the rattlers will be showing up a little later this year.
WEDDING
Mr. and Mrs. George H. McCoy, of Esty, are announcing the marriage of their daughter, Miss Gladys Mae McCoy, to Carl A. McMillion, son of Mr. and Mrs. Orvil McMillion, of Lobelia. The wedding ceremony was performed Monday, April 23, 1951, at Lewisburg…
BIRTH
Born to Mr. and Mrs. G. Louia Hilleary, of Hillsboro, a son, Robert Anthony.
MARLINTON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1951
BOYS
Robert Bright, Sterling Broyles, Curtis Curry, Robert Gay, Collett Gibson, Gray Jackson, Fred Johnson, Eddie Linebaugh, Brooks Mason, James Malcom, Louis McClure, Curtis McKenney, Kendall McNeill, Clyde Mullens, John Mullens, Craig Sharp, Norman Shaw, Eddie VanReenen, Robert Viers, Robert Williams, Ralph L. Moore
Huntersville: Marshall Deputy
Clover Lick: Jonas Dilley, Wiliam Reynolds
Dunmore: Eldon Fertig
Slaty Fork: Howard Gibson, Ray Hannah
Mace: Robert Raines
Buckeye: Harry Tyree
GIRLS
Marlinton: Nancy Adkison, Mary Ann Biggs, Evelyn Curry, Anna Jean Daetwyler, Betty Jackson, Cecille LaRose, Betty Liptrap, Peggy Madison, Virginia Mullens, Creola Schumaker, Dorothy Stuart, Kathleen Ware, Ramona Wooddell.
Buckeye: Betsy Clark, Jenny Howard
Huntersville: Grace Dean, Betty Shinaberry
Clover Lick: Betty Long
Mace: Naomi Mace
Slaty Fork: Barbara Nelson, Betty Pennington, Glenna Rhea
