Cattle Drives

The flow of settlers through Bedford County increased yearly as the roads were improved. We saw many improvements during the 1820's to 1860's and even later periods. Cutting new and shorter distances and easier grades between certain points and using broken and crushed stone as road beds, particularly in sections where the heavy wagon wheels would sink to the axle in rainy weather.

The building of taverns along the roads all meant better means of providing a place to rest and relaxation for the weary traveler. The tavern owners were the ones who would profit most, thus they were the ones who would contribute most to the expenses of building these roads.

During this period there began a different flow of traffic, now in a west to eastward direction. This was the heavy flow of live stock to the eastern markets. There were thousands of cattle, horses and mules, sheep, hogs and turkeys driven over this road. The feeding of those animals and the boarding of the drovers meant money in the pockets of the farmers along the road as well as the taverns. Because of this heavy traffic and the damage to the roads, Sollgates were erected at certain intervals along the road. A small charge was levied on each animal.

These droves began mostly in Ohio, but there were others which began in other states such as Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and there were reports of several droves from as far as Texas. As the roads became stone based it caused injuries to the feet of the animals. Word soon spread among the drovers that in many areas they could take detours over country roads where the roads would be softer to the feet of the animals and also they could avoid the tollgates. When these animals used such roads in dry weather large clouds of dust would be raised thus forcing many farmer's wives to quickly take her family wash indoors. In the rainy weather or after a rainstorm the road would become a sea of mud and sometimes quite deep. This practice of driving droves of cattle continued in many areas of the county sixty to sixty-five years ago. We still remember the times when many cattle were driven through our little country village. For days the roads were so smeared by the 'droppings' that we could not run our iron tire rims or go barefoot. Many times the people would gather wheelbarrow loads of dust or even sawdust to make paths so that they could cross to the opposite side of the road.

The livestock was driven through the state to three main points-Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New York City. They could average about 10 miles per day. There were many farmers along the road who offered their fields to hold the livestock over night. The fields around the old farm, now owned by Carl Amick, west of Wolfsburg, provided feed for hundreds of cattle. We have been told that the large area back of the Union Hotel in Bedford also contained hundreds of livestock during the cattle drive period.

An old register book of the Union Hotel, with V. Steckman as proprietor, contains verification of these facts-under the date of August 8, 1848, one Heinley, a drover of Ohio checked in with 125 heads of cattle. On the following day A.W. Bryson of Mahoning County, Ohio had 148 head of cattle, registered here. According to a notation in the book, this lot was bound for Chester County.

A David W. Summers registered with 130 fat cattle bound for Washington County Pa. No address was given for this man. Also, on August 22, Calvin Timmons of Madison County Ohio had 198 head of cattle corraled for the night in the back yard of the hotel. His destination was not given. We found also on August 11, Samuel Garner from Illinois was a guest. He had with him 'stock cattle-199 head bound for Jersey'. The date of August 22 shows too, that J.P. Paron of Athens, Ohio had 136 head of cattle and one James Floyd of Beaver county 'going east with six horses.'

The register for September 3 shows a John Smith from Washington County with sheep and Thomas I. Lewis of Columbus Ohio was bound for Lancaster with 700 stock hogs. Three days later George Harper from Green County was bound for Lancaster with 200 stock cattle and a Peter Paugh of Madison Ohio was bound for the same market with 140 stock cattle. On the 18th S. Murry of Green County had a drove of 180 stock cattle. The following day George Willison, also of Green County had a herd of horses. The same evening Harrison Curry of Madison County came in with 160 head of cattle and the next day Soloman Walker of Knox County was taking 10 horses eastward.

The next entry was dated October 7. On this date Thomas Bowen from Green County Pennsylvania stopped over night. He was driving a herd of 600 hogs and Asa Balchari from Mahoning County was headed east with 145 cattle.

We found no other entry for drovers until December 6th, when George Wheeler of North Sonining County stopped overnight. He had 60 horses and mules.

One entry shows a large quantity of oats was sold at .35 cents per bushel.

We also found reference from another source of a tavern owner near Somerset who kept a diary of the number of livestock fed during one month's period in 1843. According to his record he fed 2,300 head. Sometimes he would have as high as 400 to 500 hogs. The highest number was 1.323 by actual count.

One can readily see the damage the hooves of these large droves could do to the roadbeds. This led the state to pass a law in 1831 to begin to collect a toll for the purpose of paying for road repairs. The collection of a tax on each head per drove every five miles certainly cut into the profits of the drovers.

Because of this fee per head, many drovers sought roads and detours around the toll gates.

Great parties must have been held occasionally. We suspect that perhaps some of the returning drovers with large sums of money set up drinks to all who would care to join them. We found one reference that 100 drinks cost one man $4.00. Another for 73 drinks at $2.51 and a third 70 drinks at $2.40. These drinks could have been paid for by stock brokers from the east.

Entries show that drovers made purchases of whiskey for the road trip. One purchased three pints at eighteen and three quarter cents, another three quarts for thirty seven and one half cents. One had two drinks for six cents. These must have been for clearing the dust from their throats.

These numerous entries are mentioned here to show the amount of livestock traffic which traveled over our highways. Remember this was just one stopping place. There were dozens of other places in the county where drovers, with their stock, stopped overnight, but history about them has been lost or destroyed.

The average cost for a herd of 100 cattle and lodging for one horse and three men would be about $30. Many times a herd would have as many as two hundred. In the summer when the fields provided sufficient pasture the daily expense was less.

In taking these cattle over the roadways a leader was usually an oxen with a long rope fastened around his horns. A driver was on the rear and the 'boss' usually rode the horse. It was his job to keep the livestock from straying from the herd.

Flocks of sheep might go as high as two thousand. The daily expense for pasture and lodging for the drovers might average about $25.00. Horses were usually taken in lots of six being tied to a lead horse. One rider was responsible for six horses. They were capable of traveling more than twenty miles per day. The daily rate paid to a farmer for providing pasture or other feed was forty cents per animal. Mules were driven in larger numbers. The eastern markets had quite a demand for these animals, particularly around quarries, forges, furnaces and factories.

Quite often hogs and cattle were driven as one herd. The drovers found that the hogs would eat the corn or other feed in which the cattle did not eat. When hogs were driven separately, they might number up to several hundred. Many times this gave the farmer an opportunity to buy or perhaps trade the cost of the overnight lodging for several hogs for his own winter's supply of meat for his family.

The demand in the eastern markets became so great that they sent buyers out into the country to meet the drovers at taverns and farm homes to look over the flocks or droves and perhaps make a purchase thus beating out their competitors. These men were called 'speculators'. They traveled on horseback or where the roads permitted and lodgings were available, they would travel in sulkies.

Tavern or inn keepers profited financially from the large quantities of ale, gin, brandy and local made whiskey purchased by these speculators for the drovers. Many transactions were closed over the tavern tables. Many taverns in Bedford County became very famous for their excellent service to the drovers and purchasers. Also many taverns provided many forms of entertainment for their guests.

These drivers received an average of forty cents per day and 'found', meaning that all their meals and lodging were paid while they were going to and from the market. Not only was the life of the drover exciting but dangerous. Many times the men returning home with large sums of money from the sale of their stock were targets of highwaymen who relieved them of their bundle but on one or more occasions they were murdered. One such incident took place in Bedford County.

It happened on August 25, 1841. Two little girls wandered away from their home located on the highway on Ray's Hill to pick wild flowers along the roadsides. Just as one attempted to pick a flower on the edge of the road she suddenly screamed. She had discovered the body of a man lying face up in the undergrowth. Both girls were frightened. They ran to their home to tell what they had found. Soon the entire community learned the tragic news. A bloody club was found beside the body.

After some difficulty it was learned that this man was one of the drovers who had passed through the area several weeks previously. He was identified as James McBurney from Ohio and that he had been hired in Coshocten by Benjamin Ricket, a stock dealer to drive a herd of cattle from that place to Lancaster, Pa. Also hired was a young man by the name of James Rice. After they reached Lancaster both McBurney and Rice were paid for their job so they started back to Ohio. They were last seen together near Ray's Hill. Rice was carrying a club in one hand and saddle bags over his shoulder. Rice was seen along the road early the next morning near Mrs. Defibaugh's tavern east of Bedford. (Willows) Another traveler on horseback caught up with Rice and they both came to Bedford. However, the rider rode up Pitt street but Rice walked through the back streets of the town so he would not be noticed.

Word soon spread out for the apprehension for this man. He was finally apprehended in Connellsville, Fayette County. He was returned to Bedford and placed in jail. Several possessions belonging to McBurney were found on Rice, including several pieces of clothing and more money than had been paid to him.

Rice vigorously denied he ever killed his friend. He claimed that McBurney said he wanted to wait for a stage coach while he insisted on walking until a stage caught up with them.

The local paper carried many columns about the murder and the trial. It was proven at the trial that several stagecoaches had passed on the road and that neither man had made any attempt to get a ride. Rice claimed that the extra money he had in his possession came from winning at a card game near Harrisburg.

The trial began on January 26, 1842 and the verdict was received on the 29th. He was found guilty as charged. The attorneys on both sides were the ablest from Bedford and Somerset Counties. All the evidence was purely circumstantial. However, the jury deliberated only for two hours before reaching a verdict.

A motion for a new trial was made but the judge denied the motion. When the Judge asked the condemned man if he had anything to say why the sentence of death should not be passed upon, Rice replied that "he never killed any man and that all witnesses who testified against him were all liars." However the Judge sentenced the prisoner to be hanged. The governor set the date of execution as June 17. However due to strong feelings in favor of the condemned man he granted a reprieve. Petitions containing hundreds of signatures were obtained, not only in Bedford but from as far as Green, Washington and Fayette Counties. The governor declined to interfere and thus set the execution date for September 2, 1843.

When Rice was led up on the scaffold, the sheriff asked him if he were guilty or not guilty, to which he replied in a trembling voice "I am Innocent".

For several hours prior to the hanging, the town of Bedford was a hustling town. People came from all sections of the county to witness the hanging. The walls of the jail yard and the surrounding houses were crowded with people. None of Rice's friends or relatives came to offer their condolences in his last hours. Some believed a brother was in the crowd, but if this were true he never made himself known.

According to stories, for years the spot where this murder took place was marked so that travelers passing over the hill could easily find it. Someone had placed a crude outline of a coffin on a nearby telegraph pole. In the old English days crosses were erected to indicate the place where a violent death had taken place.