John HOLDREN, Athens Co OH Biographical Sketch
My son and I were splitting wood a few days ago and I thought about this excerpt "could then cut his six cord of wood a day and help load it" at least a hundred times.I don't remember seeing the following article on the list and thought perhaps several of you might enjoy reading it. I always envision John, and old man of 91, sitting on his porch in a rocker telling this young whippersnapper of a reporterthese wonderful stories!
My late mother-in-law, Mae Chesser Gibboney was a daughter of Daisy Holdren and Amos Chesser, and granddaughter of John Holdren and Sarah Penwell Holdren.The following is taken from her records from a Holdren reunion many years ago.
Enjoy, Lois
BIOGRPHICAL SKETCH OF JOHN HOLDREN
The following is a true and exact copy of the record given on pages 478, 479 and 480 of Walker's History of Athens County, Ohio; published by Robert Clark and Co., Cincinnati, Ohio 1869.
John Holdren, now living in Lee Township, was born in Bucks County, Pa., Oct. 15, 1777; came to Athens County in 1789. Accompanied by another young man named John Ponker.Soon after reaching Athens, they took up land in the southern part of Alexander Township and made a temporary settlement on the waters of Margaret's Creek.Their neighbors at intervals of several miles, were the Hannings, the Brooks family, Joseph Long, Merritt and Henry Cassal.Mr. Cassal built a gristmill soon afterwards in Lee Township, on the place now owned by Wm. Minear.Mr. Holdren was engaged during six or seven years working at the Scioto salt works, at the site of the present town of Jackson and "could then cut his six cord of wood a day and help load it."He went out there the second year after salt was discovered by the whites.Previous to this, the Indians had produced scanty supplies of salt by drilling holes in the rocks 15 or 18 inches deep when the cavity would gradually fill up with brinish water, which evaporated by heat of the sun, would produce salt.The whites bored wells to some depth, built furnaces and for many years furnished salt to the surrounding settlements to the distance of 75 or 80 miles.Mr. Holdren settled permanently in Lee Township in 1820.His nearest neighbors were James McConagel, Israel Bode and soon afterwards came David Doughty, James Luckey, Thos. Jones, John Havner, John and Ephrim Martin, Daniel Knowlton, Jacob Lentner and the Robinets.When a young man, Mr. Holdren was a successful hunter.He and John Jones, a brother-in-law to Judge Isaac Barker, killed 46 bears in six weeks; hunting on the headwaters of Sunday, Monday and Rush Creeks.They sometimes killed in fall season 40 to 50 deer for their winter's stock of provisions and turkeys beyond count.Mr. Holdren killed four deer in one day; he and two of his boys in hunt of two weeks, killed 30.On one hunting expedition having shot and wounded a large black bear, his dog ran in to seize the animal but Bruin, though hurt was full of life and was making quick work of the dog; sprang on the man when Holdren rushed in, knife in hand to finish him.The bear released the dog and sprang on the man, tearing his large blanket entirely from his body.Holdren plunged his knife hilt deep into the animal, then turned to run.He made his escape but says it was the narrowest he ever had.The bear got away.At that time the skins brought from three to five dollars each and good hunters made it profitable.Mr. Holdren served in the War of 1812.Mr. Holdren is the oldest person in the county, being now 91 years old.He and his aged wife live with a married daughter on a comfortable from about two miles from Albany, and the old man aided by a staff in each hand sometimes walks to the village.
This history also records one Geo. Holdren, as a Justice of the Peace of Athens County in 1847.This record was secured from the above history by J. W. Holdren, Representative of the 29th district, Kansas, 1907.