Trading
Meshach Browning History Center
"I collected all my venison . . . a respectable load of fine, fat and fresh deer meat... I had eighty-seven saddles of venison and three whole deer...I also had with me seven saddles of bear-meat, together with butter, beeswax and furs of different kinds. At Hagerstown it met a ready sale, and in Frederick City we disposed of over eighty dollars' worth, all for cash, at twelve and half cents per pound. We then went to Georgetown, where we sold out without trouble...By this means I raised money, paid for my land, and had something left for the family, besides being able to hire a hand in a pinch of work"
Meshach Browning, Forty-Four Years of the Life of a Hunter
Walk in Meshach’s moccasins
Although the Savage River and Mountains were named for a surveyor working to settle a boundary dispute in 1736, the area lives up to its name with wild and untamed terrain. Meshach recounts hunting a family of panthers up and down the Savage River valley in the book. Today, you’re relatively safe from a panther attack, but can experience many great hiking trails throughout Savage River State Forest.
Commentary
By his own account, Meshach Browning killed over 500 bear during his hunting career. Although he clearly relished the sport of hunting, it was also a necessity which put clothing on his family’s back, food on the table and money in his pocket. Even in the early 19th century, city-dwellers were willing to pay premium rates for fresh, quality food from the western mountains.
To find out more
Visit Friend’s Delight Store on Sang Run Road to get a glimpse of what a pioneer-era trading post looked like. Part of the Sang Run State Park, the store was run by the Friend family which originally settled in the area in 1769. Browning also built and operated a grist mill along Sang Run .
Visit Friend's Delight Store to see an early trading post
Hike the Big Savage trail in the Savage River State Forest