"Mrs. Laura Christie, formerly of Springfield, Ohio, under date of Sept. 12, 1884, describes their first settlement in Ohio, Dec., 1811. Two brothers had preceded them and located in the beach woods between Worthington and Berkshire, near the north line of Franklin county.
'We found them in a log cabin about 20 feet square, with a floor of logs split open in the middle, with the flat side up. We ascended to the loft above on pegs driven in the wall. Fourteen of us lived there until April, among the wolves, panthers, coons, opossoms, deer, wild turkeys and wild hogs.
'I was a little girl in my ninth year. It was the fashion to send a bunch of flax to the neighbors to be spun into thread, and take it home on a certain day, and then have a good time. My mother not being well enough to go to the party, sent me through the woods. When about half way I saw a drove of wild hogs coming towards me with their noses up snuffing the air, grunting loudly. I was directed by Providence to a large tree that had fallen. I climbed into the roots, and sat there on my perch until the hogs got tired watching me and went to their lodgings. My mother became uneasy about me, and sent my brother, Havilah, to hunt me. I was glad to see him. I do not remember just how I felt, but I was a noted character for some time.
'The next spring we moved about eight miles into another house, similar to the one we had left. I think it must have had a larger door and fire-place, for father used to blindfold an old horse and haul in the back logs to burn in the fire-place, which was made of sticks and daubbed with mud, and extended clear across the end of the house.
'The war of 1812 commenced that year. My father used to prepare for war every night by getting tubs of water in the house in case the Indians should set us on fire before morning, and slipped each one of us with implements of one kind or another, such as pitchforks, shovels, tongs, axes, guns for himself and Havilah. We little ones felt pretty brave.
‘The next year we moved to Urbana, and there remained until the war closed; then came to Springfield, Clark County, Ohio, where father, mother, and other members of our family lived, died, and are buried.
‘My father was in the Revolutionary War. He was one of the boys that helped to throw the tea overboard in Boston Harbor. My brothers, Darius and Heman, were in the war of 1812, and three of my sons were in the Civil War, enlisting in 1861.
‘Our family has been justly celebrated for their Christian virtues. They were mostly Presbyterians. We have a good hope that our children and relations, gone before, are safe in heaven.
‘I am, your sincere friend,
Laura Christie'
"This interesting letter was written at the remarkable age of 81."
