Click Here to Return to Milestones
I first read about the fox hunt in Bausman's Beaver County History and about forty years ago I found the same account on microfilm at the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh. I found the write-up about the fox hunt most fascinating.
The reason that this item caught my attention was that I live within the limits of the fox hunt area. At the time of the hunt, the area could be described as Ohio and Brighton Townships. Today, the hunt would be from The Four Mile Presbyterian Church in Ohioville Borough to a direction of the Montgomery Island Dam in Industry Borough.
From Tusca Road ext (midway) in the direction of Smith's Ferry the hunters would meet at Hoge's Bottom which is the present part of industrial Midland. This includes all of Midland and about 95 percent of Industry Borough, plus parts of Ohioville Borough and Brighton Township.
By Clyde Piquet
A Fox Hunt will -take place on Friday, the 28th of February, 1834, commencing on the Ohio River at the Widow Spencer's; thence along the state road to Nevill's Sawmill; thence to Samuel Hoyt's Sawmill; thence to intersect the state road, opposite the Four Mile Meeting House; thence along the state road to Andrew Ingle's; thence along the state road to Fairview; thence to Ohioville; thence along the state road to Amos Dawson's; thence to Smith's Ferry.
Officers to take charge of the line from Widow Spencer's to Nevill's Sawmill: Robert Potter, Arthur Campbell, John Spencer, William Sutherland, John Wilson, William Vance and Adam Montgomery; from Nevil's Mill to William Reed's: Richard Knight, George Ingle, David Knight, John T. Nevill, Michael Eckler; from William Reed's to the state road opposite the Four Mile Meeting House: William Reed, Washington Phillis and Jesse McGaffick; from the Meeting House to Andrew Ingle's: John Reed, Milo Reed, Alfred Lyon, George Barclay, Joseph Barnes, Henry Vance, William Vance and Thomas Marker; from Andrew Ingle's to Fairview: John Marker, John Thompson, William Thompson, John Vance, Henry Ingle, Alexander Moore, John Slants, Hugh Graham, Noble Graham, Michael Mason, Samuel Duncan and James Russell; from Fairview to Ohioville: Samuel Dickson, Hugh Ferguson, Samuel Wherry; from Ohioville to Amos Dawson's: William C. Moore, James Johnston, Matthew J.Johnston, Dr. John Clark; from Dawson's to Smith's Ferry: Benjamin Dawson, James Todd, Nicholas Dawson, Daniel Biddle, Samuel McFerron, Thomas Foster, Samuel Smith, Andrew McClure, John Barns and Isaac Alexander.
All sportsmen are invited to meet on the lines at 9 o'clock, the starting signal to be given at 10 o'clock, the signal to be started at the crossroads (Ephriam Thomas) by blowing of horns five minutes without intermission. The blowing of all horns is forbidden until that hour. The men are requested to march slow and in good order, and examine the thickets and rocks carefully; the closing ground to be in the glades, near Pott's Island, where it will be marked plain. The first closing line will be from Samuel Campbell's up past Sampson Marker's; thence around the river hill to Alexander Moore's; thence around the foot of the hill back of Richard McClure's and around to the river, the line to be well marked.
The men will form into the first line and will not march into the closing ground line until a signal is given from the center of the closing ground by the beating of a drum or the sounding of a horn. They will then march in slow and with as little noise as possible. The officers all keeping their places an the lines. The dogs must not be let loose until a signal is given after closing. Any dog let loose before this signal will be in danger of being shot. The men will all be careful to keep their places on the lines closing. We request all, that conveniently can, to come on foot; persons on horseback will please put up their horses before marching into the closing ground. The officers will be careful to keep their places with the men on the lines and use their best endeavors to keep the lines unbroken.
All sportsmen are invited to attend with their dogs and horses.