SIMON SHOVER
Simon Shover was one of the most eccentric and reckless characters that lived in Union County. It is said that he served in the Indian wars and was once captured by the savages and only escape death by jumping on a log, flapping his arms and crowing like a rooster. This novel antic pleased his captors and made him a favorite. He enlisted early in the war of 1812, was taken prisoner at Gen. Winchester's defeat and paroled. Returning home, he found that most of his acquaintances were in service, and becoming discontented he disregarded his parole, went to the front and re-enlisted. For several years his whereabouts were unknown to his friends, but at the close of the war he returned. He served under Gen. Harrison in the Northwest, and was one of the body of fifty men who made a sortie from a garrison to spike some cannon, in which only nineteen men returned. Simon was a good scholar and an excellent scribe, but too fond of the cup that cheers and inebriates, and when under the potent spell of alcohol his daring recklessness was at its height. On a favorite black horse, he would plunge into Darby and swim across when high waters made the stream utterly unsafe, but from frequent practice the horse had learned to swim like a duck and always carried its rider safely over. He could give the genuine Indian War whoop, and once rode horseback into court and astonished the dignified Judge, the bar and spectators by uttering this savage watery at the top of his voice. He was constantly playing all sort of queer tricks, regardless of consequences, but his humor and popularity usually kept him out of trouble. He never married, and ended his days in one of the charitable institutions of Union County.