AUGUSTUS SKIVER
"Augustus Skiver was born among the hills of old Hocking county three days before Christmas, 65 years ago. Shortly afterwards, he moved with his parents to Athens county, where he resided till he was 14 years of age, gaining some notoriety for his daring bravery in wolf hunting.
At one time, he crawled 60 feet into a cave among the rocks, where the passage was too narrow for one of larger proportions and slaughtered a den of cub wolves. Shortly afterwards, the old she-wolf was crippled by some hunters and chased into the same den.
About two hundred men were congregated at the mouth of the cave to dispatch her. Five dollars was offered to any one who would crawl in the cave and kill the wolf. With torch in hand, young Skiver accepted, entered the cave, shot the wolf through the brain, and drug her out before the cheering spectators.
In his 15th year, young Skiver with his parents, began their journey to Iowa, where they had purchased a pre-emption tract, paying $400 for it. In moving, they missed their way and became lost in the woods near where Mr. S. now resides. This was fifty years ago last November. Winter came on and they found it necessary to provide shelter.
They soon discovered that they had squatted on an excellent hunting ground. The land about here had nearly all been entered. His father purchased forty acres and left his tract in Iowa go back to the government. With young Skiver, hunting became the chief order of the day.
Furs commanded a good price, and he had brought dogs with him from the east. Coon skins brought from $1 to $1.38 apiece. Deer hides about 60 cents, otter hides $1 a foot in length and wolf scalps $8.25. Four dollars and twenty-five cents of this was paid by the State and four dollars by the county in which they were killed. But the boundary lines were so indistinct that mistakes were often made as to the county in which they were killed.
Young Skiver one day killed five deer, one turkey and one bear. Another day he killed three otter. At another time 20 coon in two days. Of all game, coon was the most profitable and the Skivers always aimed to have about 300 of these by Christmas and 100 in February and March, making 400 in the season. These netted them about $500 per annum. One season they killed 63 wolves which brought them $520.
Augustus Skiver was perhaps the most successful hunter of his time in this county, and to his skill in this direction, he owes much of the success in after years. He first bought 40 acres of land where he now lives, and added to it by skillful industry in hunting and trading, piece by piece, until he at one time owned 1,400 acres. This he later reduced by sales to 720 acres, the amount he now owns. This he has in large part under cultivation with the best and largest orchard in Highland township.
Mr. Skiver is the oldest survivor of the pioneer settlers of that day. He lived in the county when Defiance had but one store, two groceries and two saloons, and over 15 years before the State put the canal through. He went to mill in a canoe via the Auglaize River to Wapakoneta, and finding the mill out of repair, he did not get back home for two weeks.
He earned his first pair of shoes in his 13th year by splitting rails. Such inconveniences coupled with the distance, made his school advantages rather meager.
He once saved the life of the prettiest Indian squaw he ever saw by three times knocking down her drunken husband, who was standing over her with a drawn dagger while she was saying her prayers to God. Such is some of the remarkable experiences of one of our most successful farmers - a pioneer of over 50 years and always and honorable and respectable citizen.
David Skiver, the father of Augustus, was perhaps the equal of his son in nearly all respects, as to hunting. He could imitate a wolf howl precisely and if the mates were not together, they always answered him or the cubs would. This imitation was one of the secrets of their success as wolf hunters. The father died at about 65 years of age.
The younger and only other son, Isaac Skiver, staid at home for the most part and run the farm. He is about four years the junior of his brother, Augustus, and resides near him on a fine farm of which he owns 120 acres."
From the Defiance County Republican and Express - March 3, 1888
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Augustus was the son of David and Eleanor (Nellie) McCulloch Skiver. His father died in 1870 and his mother in 1880. Augustus (Gus) first married Alzina (Elzina) Porter who died in 1856. On March 16, 1858, he married Susanna Giltz (Gils). His name appeared in the Civil War draft registrations of June 1863 from Highland Township. He was 41 and farming. No record could be found of his service. His land was in Section 19 and 20 of Highland Township.
Augustus Skiver died on May 11, 1906 and his obituary appeared in the Defiance Democrat on May 18, 1906.
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