My Ahnentafel
Definition | 14-gen | GEDCOM

1.1. Michael Hugh COOLEY 1.2. Lonnie Rae COOLEY
2ND GENERATION
2. Allison Claude COOLEY 3. Billie Dell HOGUE
3RD GENERATION
4. McCabe COOLEY 5. Marie Henrietta HENNEQUIN 6. Hugh Wallace HOGUE 7. Birdie Nina MCDOWELL
4TH GENERATION
8. Joseph William COOLEY 9. Araminta D JOHNSON 10. Louis Francois HENNEQUIN 11. Marguerite STEWARD 12. Robert Irwin HOGUE 13. Nancy Joanna FOSTER 14. William Ellis MCDOWELL 15. Euphemia Ruth ASHENHURST
5TH GENERATION
16. Greenbury COOLEY 17. Amelia Mohler PETTIT 18. Wesley Phillip JOHNSON 19. Susan Isabel FISK 20. Louis HENNEQUIN 21. Maria Theresa DRAVIGNEY 22. John Joseph STORDEUR 23. Stephany LAURENT 24. John HOGUE 25. Ann R SIMPSON 26. John A FOSTER 27. Martha Jane STRUTHERS 28. William Erwin MCDOWELL 29. Maria HART 30. Oliver Taylor ASHENHURST 31. Sara Eva SOUTHERN
6TH GENERATION
32. David COOLEY 33. Laurinda AIKEN 34. Joseph PETTET 35. Elizabeth MOHLER 36. Elijah JOHNSON 37. Anna Jane FOSTER 38. Edward Curtis FISK 39. Araminta D WOOD 40. Xavier HANNEQUIN 41. Marie Magdeleine BELOT 42. Pierre Joseph DRAVIGNEY 43. Marie Therese GILBERT 44. Joseph STORDEUR 45. Marie Therese HUENS 46. Jean Baptiste LAURENT 47. Jeaninne VANDERMEULEN 48. James HOGUE 49. Margaret IRWIN 50. Isaac SIMPSON 51. Elizabeth RICHARDSON 52. Samuel FOSTER 53. Nancy ____ 54. James STRUTHERS 55. Elizabeth SAVILLE 56. John MCDOWELL 57. Anna CURRY 58. Joseph HART Sr 59. Susan PICKENS 60. Oliver ASHENHURST 61. Euphemia BISHOP 62. Charles William SOUTHERN 63. Ruth Ruema HOOVER
7TH GENERATION
64. John COOLEY 65. Sela WRIGHT 66. William AKINS 67. Rebecca MCCLINTICK 73. Ruth ____ ? 76. John R FISK 77. Mahala KEMP 78. John WOOD 79. Charity CORSON 80. Claude HENNEQUIN 81. Marie JUILLARD 82. Jean BELOT 83. Jeanne HUOT 85. Jeanne Claude DRAVIGNEY 86. Josph GILBERT 87. Agathe LANGARD 88. Mathieu STORDEUR 89. Marie SNAPS 90. John Joseph HUENS 98. John IRWIN 99. Mary ELLIOTT 102. Matthew RICHARDSON 103. Ann STOCKTON 104. James Couples FOSTER 105. Jane MORROW 108. William STRUTHERS 109. Janet LINDSAY 110. Robert SAVILLE 111. Deborah ____ 112. John MCDOWELL 113. Jane ERWIN 116. Edward HART 117. Nancy Ann STOUT 118. John PICKENS 120. William ASHENHURST 121. Nancy ASHENHURST 122. Peter BISHOP 123. Elizabeth MYERS 124. John SOUTHERN 125. Elizabeth DUNCAN 126. John HOOVER? 127. unknown
8TH GENERATION
128. Edward COOLEY 129. Martha RAPER 130. William WRIGHT 131. Martha MORGAN 132. William EAKIN 133. Mary WALLACE 134. John MCCLINTICK 135. Mary Jane MCDOWELL 152. Richard FISK 154. William KEMP 155. Sukey DAMANT 158. Eli CORSON 159. Christianna THOMPSON 198. Robert ELLIOTT 199. Mary RAINEY 204. Matthew Richardson Sr 206. Richard Witham STOCKTON 207. Mary Ann HATFIELD 210. Samuel ? MORROW ? 218. James LINDSAY 219. Margaret WATSON 220. Samuel SAVILLE 221. Ann BOOTH 224. John MCDOWELL 225. Esther HARRISON 226. William ERWIN 227. Mary ERWIN 228. Dr Robert CURRY 229. Ann CURRY 232. John HART Signer 233. Deborah SCUDDER 234. St Leger Codd STOUT 235. Susannah SIMPSON 244. Peter BISHOP 245. Margaret 246. Christopher MYERS 247. Euphemia LINGO? 248. William SOUTHERN 249. Magdelaine FORD 250. Charles DUNCAN 251. Margaret KIRK 252. Michael Hoover Sr 253. Mary Jones 252->255. unknown
9TH GENERATION
256. John COOLEY 257. poss Sarah MATTHEWS 258. Thomas RAPER 259. Martha HAM 260. Richard WRIGHT Sr 103 261. Ann 262. James MORGAN 263. Mary DAVIS 264. William EAKIN 265. Isabel Morrison 268. William MCCLINTICK 316. Jacob CORSON Jr 317. Charity STILLWELL 318. Benajah TOMSON 319. Prudence ELDREDGE 412. Samuel STOCKTON 413. Rachel STOUT 414. Joseph HATFIELD 415. Phoebe CLARK 442. Robert BOOTH 443. Ann GASTON 452. John ERWIN 453. Jane WILLIAMS 454. Francis ERWIN 455. Jane CURRY 456. William CURRY 457. Sarah YOUNG 458. John YOUNG 459. Elizabeth KINGDOM 464. Capt Edward HART 465. Martha FURMAN 466. Richard Betts SCUDDER Jr 468. James STOUT 469. Mary Ann CODD 496. John SOUTHERN ? 497. Margaret KIDD ? 500. Charles DUNCAN 502. John KIRK Sr 503. Margaret BROOKS 504. Sebastian HOOVER 505. Catherine MEULLER 514. James MATTHEWS Sr ? 520. Philbert WRIGHT 521. Esther BECRAFT 504->517. unknown
10TH GENERATION
518->823. unknown 632. Jacob CORSON Sr 633. Naomi 634. Nicholas STILLWELL 635. Sara HAND 824. Richard STOCKTON 825. Susannah WITHAM 826. Col Joseph STOUT 827. Ruth BRYMSON 828. Abraham HATFIELD 829. Phoebe OGDEN 830. John CLARK 904. Edward ERWIN 905. Frances FRANCIS 908. see 904 909. see 905 910. William CURRY 911. Sally YOUNG 914. John YOUNG 920. See 914 928. John HART 2nd 929. Mary HUNT 930. Josiah FURMAN 2nd 931. Sarah STRICKLAND 932. Richard Betts SCUDDER Sr 933. Hannah REEDER 936. see 826 937. see 827 938. Capt St Leger CODD 939. Mary HANSON 992. John SOUTHERN 993. Catherine BARRON 940->1035. unknown 1042. Peter BECRAFT
11TH GENERATION
1036->1263. unknown 1264. Jan CARSTENSEN 1265. Maria Elias DAAS 1268. John STILLWELL Jr 1270. George HAND 1648. Richard STOCKTON 1649. Abigail ____ 1650. Robert WITHAM 1651. Ann STRAINERIDGE 1652. Jonathan STOUT 1653. Anne BOLLEN 1654. Daniel BRYMSON 1655. Frances GREENLAND 1656. Matthias HATFIELD 1657. Mariken MELYN 1660. Richard CLARK 1856. John HART 1st 1857. Mary ____ 1858. Ralph HUNT 1859. Elizabeth JESSUP 1860. Josiah FURMAN 1st 1862. Edmund STRICKLAND 1863. Hannah ____ 1864. John SCUDDER Jr 1865. Joanna BETTS 1866. John REEDER 2nd 1867. Hannah BURROUGHS 1876. Col St Leger CODD 115 1877. Anna BENNETT 115 1878. Col Hans HANSON 1879. Martha Kelts WOODARD 1984. Capt John SOUTHERN 1986. Andrew BARRON 1988. Thomas KIDD 1989. Jane WILLIS 1990. Robert CHOWNING Jr 1991. Ann POOLE 1880->2071. unknown
12TH GENERATION
2072->2079. unknown 2528. Carsten JANSEN 2529. Barbara 2530. Elias DAAS 2536. John STILLWELL 2537. Elizabeth PERRIN 2540. Thomas HAND 2541. Katherine STUBBS 3304. Richard STOUT 3305. Penelope ____ 3306. Capt James BOLLEN 3308. William BRINSDON 3309. Margaret ____ 3310. Dr Henry GREENLAND 3311. Mary BAREFOOT 3312. Thomas HATFIELD 3313. Anna ____ 3314. Cornelius MELYN 3316. John OGDEN 3317. Jane BOND 3320. Richard CLARK 3321. Elizabeth MOORE 3718. Edward JESSUP 3719. Elizabeth BRIDGES 3720. John FURMAN 3721. Susan BUSH 3728. John SCUDDER Sr 3729. Mary KING 3730. Capt Richard BETTS 3731. Joanna CHAMBERLAYNE 3732. John REEDER 1st 3733. Hannah THORPE 3734. Jeremiah BURROUGHS 3735. Hannah WAY 3752. Col William CODD 115 3753. Lady Mary ST LEGER 115 3754. Gov Richard BENNETT 3755. Mary Ann 113 106 3756. Andrew HANSON 3757. Annika ____ 3972. Robert BARRON 3980. Robert CHOWNING Sr 3981. Joanne HITCHCOCK 3982. Thomas POOLE 3758->4143. unknown
13TH GENERATION
4144->4159. unknown 5072. William STILLWELL 5073. Hannah 5074. Daniel PERRIN 5075. Elizabeth 5080. John HAND 5081. Elizabeth GRANSDEN 6592. John STOCKTON 6593. Eleanor CLAYTON 6608. John STOUT 6609. Elizabeth BEE 6622. Capt Walter BAREFOOT 6632. Richard OGDEN 6633. Elizabeth HUNTINGTON 6640. Richard CLARK 6642. Thomas MOORE 6643. Martha YOUNGS 7456. Thomas SCUDDER 7457. Elizabeth LOWERS 7458. William KING 7459. Dorothy HAYNES 7460. John BETTES 7461. Mary BIGGS 7462. Rev Robert CHAMBERLAYNE 7463. Elizabeth STOUGHTON 7466. William THORPE 7467. Garthered BLITHE 7468. John BURROUGHS 7469. Johanna JESSUP 7470. James WAY 7504. William CODD 7505. Hester LAMPORD 7506. Sir Warham ST LEGER 115 7507. Dame Mary HAYWARD 115 7508. Thomas BENNETT 7509. Anstie Tomson SPICER 7512. John HANSON 7511->8287. unknown
14TH GENERATION
8288->8319. unknown 10144. Nicholas STILLWELL 10145. Ann 10148. Pierre PERRIN 10149. Andrienne JUBRIL 10160. John HAND 10161. Joan SIMMONS 10162. Henry GRANSDEN 13284. Thomas MOORE 13624. Edward OGDEN 13624. Margaret WILSON 14912. Henry SCUDDER 14913. ____ LOWERS 14914. John LOWERS 14920. Alexander BETTES 14921. Joan LARKYN 14926. Rev Thomas STOUGHTON 14927. Katherine 14936. Jeremiah BURROUGHS 14938. John JESSUP 14939. Joanna KERRICH 15012. Sir Anthony ST LEGER 115 15013. Mary SCOTT 115 15014. Sir Rowland HAYWARD 115 15015. Katherine SMYTHE 15016. Robert BENNETT 15017. Elizabeth EDNEY 15024. Col. John HANSON 15025. Frances PRICHARD 15026->16575. unknown
15TH GENERATION
16576->20289. unknown 20298. Jean JUBRIL 20299. Juvine LOMBARD 20326. William GRANSDEN 20327. Ann 26528. William OGDEN 26529. Abigail GOODSALL 26530. Richard WILSON 26531. Margaret 29792. William de STIRKELAUNDE 29840. Robert BETTS 29876. Francis JESSOP 29877. Frances WHITE 30024. Sir Warham ST LEGER 115 30025. Lady Ursula NEVILLE 107 115 30026. Sir Thomas SCOTT 115 30027. Elizabeth BAKER 115 30028. George HAYWARD 30029. Margaret WITHBROKE 30030. Sir Thomas SMYTHE 30031. Alice JUDDE 30032. John BENNETT 30033. Margery 30034. John EDNYE 30048. Thomas HANSON 30049. Janet G GLEDHILL 30050. John PRICHARD 30051->33151. unknown
16TH GENERATION
33152->33279. unknown 53056. Richard OGDEN 53057. Mabel de HOOGAN 53058. Henry GOODSALL 59584. William de STIRKELAUNDE 59752. Richard JESSOP 59753. Ann SWIFT 59754. Alexander WHITE 59755. Eleanor SMITH 60048. Sir Anthony St LEGER 111 60049. Agnes WARHAM 112 60050. George NEVILLE 60051. Lady Mary STAFFORD 60052. Sir Reginald SCOTT 115 60053. Emiline KEMP 115 60054. Sir John BAKER 115 60055. Elizabeth DINLEY 115 60056. John HAYWARD 60060. John SMYTHE 60061. Joan BROUNCKER 60062. Andrew JUDDE 60057. Agnes GLOVER 60096. John HANSON 60097. Agnes SAVILE 60098. John GLEDHILL 60099->66303. unknown
17TH GENERATION
66304->66559. unknown 106112. Robert OGDEN 106113. Joan 106114. Johannes de HOOGAN 119504. William JESSOP 119505. Emotte CHARLESWORTH 119506. Robert SWIFT 119508. Thomas WHITE 119510. William SMITH 119511. Katherine PORTER 120096. Ralph St LEGER 120097. Anne HART 120098. Heughe WARHAM 112 120099. Mary Ann COLLES 120100. George NEVILLE 120101. Margaret FENNE 120102. Edward STAFFORD 120103. Eleanor PERCY 120104. Sir John SCOTT 115 120105. Anne (Amy) PYMPE 115 120106. Sir William KEMP 111 115 120107. Elynor BROWNE 111 115 120108. Richard BAKER 120109. Elizabeth DYNELEY 120110. Thomas DINLEY 115 120112. William HAYWARD 120113. Agnes BALLY 120122. Robert BROUNCKER 120192. John HANSON 120193. Catherine BROOKE 120194. John SAVILE Esq. 120195. Margery GLEDHILL 120196->132607. unknown
18TH GENERATION
132608->132608. unknown 239020. Thomas SMITH 239021. Margaret CLARKE 239022. Augustine PORTER 240192. Ralph ST LEGER 240193. Anne PROPHET 240194. Sir Edward HART 240196. Robert WARHAM 240197. Elizabeth ____ 240198. Geoffrey COLLES 240200->240207. Royal Lineage 107 240202. Hugh FENNE 240208. Sir William SCOTT 115 240209. Sybil LEWKNOR 115 240210. Reginald DE PYMPE 115 240211. Elizabeth PASHLEY 115 240212. Sir Thomas KEMP 111 115 240213. Emelyn CHICHE 111 115 240214. Robert BROWNE 111 240215. Mary MALLETT 115 240218. Thomas DYNELEY 240224. William HAYWARD 240225. Elizabeth BROCKTON 240226. William BALLY 240384. John HANSON 240385. Cicely RAVENSHAW 240386. John BROOKE 240390. John GLEDHILL 240391->265215. unknown
19TH GENERATION
265216->266241. unknown 480384. Ralph ST LEGER 480385. Margaret TYRREL 480404. Thomas FENNE 480400->480415. Royal Lineage 107 480416. Sir John SCOTT 480417. Agnes BEAUFITZ 480418. John LEWKNOR 115 480420. Sir William DE PYMPE 115 480421. Elizabeth WHETEHILL 480422. Sir John PASHELY 115 480423. Lowys GOWER 115 480424. Thomas KEMP 111 480425. Beathris LEUKENER 111 480426. Sir Valentine CHICHE 480427. Philippa CHICHELEY 480428. Sir Thomas BROWNE 111 115 480429. Alianor DE ARUNDEL 115 480430. William MALLETT 115 480448. William HAYWARD 480449. Jane WILCOCKES 480450. William BROCKTON 480768. John HANSON 480769. Cicely DE WINDEBANKE 480770. John RAVENSHAW 480826. Vincent CHICHELE 115 480827->530431. unknown
20TH GENERATION
516808. Hugh FENNE 530432->960767. unknown 960768. John ST LEGER 960769. Margery DONNETT 960824->960829. Royal Lineage 107 960830. Sir Walter D'EVEREAUX 107 960831. Elizabeth MERBURY 107 960832. William SCOTT 960833. Isabella HERBERT 960834. William DE BEAUFITZ 960842. Sir Richard WHETEHILL 960844. Sir John PASHLEY 115 960845. Elizabeth WYDVILLE 115 960846. Sir Thomas GOWER 115 960848. Sir John KEMP 111 960850. Sir Thomas LEUKENER 111 960851. ____ HOO 111 960854. Robert CHICHELEY 960858. Sir Thomas DE ARUNDEL 115 960859. Joan MOYNE 115 960896. John HAYWARD 960897. Margery WEVER 961536. John HANSON 961537. Alice WOODHOUSE 961538->1060863. unknown
21TH GENERATION
1060864->1921537. unknown 1921538. James DONNETT 1921648->1921661. Royal Lineage 107 1921662. John MERBURY 107 1921666. Vincent HERBERT 115 1921688. Sir Robert PASHELY 115 1921689. Philippa CERGEAUX 115 1921690. Sir Richard WYDVILLE 115 1921691. Elizabeth LYONS 1921696. Raulf KEMP 111 1921702. Sir Thomas HOO 111 1921716. John DE ARUNDEL 1921717. Elizabeth DESPENSER 115 107 1921792. James HAYWARD 1923072. Henry DE RASTRICK 1923074. Henry DE WOODHOUSE 1923075->2121727. unknown
22ND GENERATION
2121728->3843075. unknown 3843076->3843327. Royal Lineage 107 3843328->3843375. unknown 3813382. Sir Thomas TUNSTALL 3843376. Robert PASHLEY 115 3843377. Anne HOWARD 115 3843378. Sir Richard CERGEAUX 115 3843379. Philippa FITZALAN 115 3843382. Sir John LYONS 3843432. John FITZALAN 3843433. Isabella MORTIMER 3843436->3846143. unknown 3846144. John DE RASTRICK 3846148. Alexander DE WOODHOUSE 3846149. Beatrice TOOTHILL 3846150->4243455. unknown
23RD GENERATION
4243456->7686151. unknown 7686152->7686655. Royal Lineage 107 7637760. Sir William PARR 7637761. Elizabeth de ROS 7686754. John HOWARD 115 7686756. Richard CERGEAUX 115 7686757. Margaret SENESCHAL 115 7686758. John FITZALAN 7686759. Maude DE VERDON 7686760. Roger MORTIMER 7686761. Maud DE BRAOSE 7686864->7686866. Royal Lineage 107 7386867->8486910. unknown


 
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Memoirs of J W Fisk

Cherie McNaul transcribed the following memoirs. The papers were given to her by her great aunt Gelene, who had gotten them from J W Fisk's daughter. Fisk, whose full name was John Wesley Fisk, was doubly-related to Susan Fisk—his paternal uncle, Edward Fisk, having married his maternal (half) aunt, Araminta Wood:

        J W's Ancestry

        John Richard Fisk
         /
    Henry C Fisk
       /
J W Fisk     Captain Stites
       \      /
    Julia Stites
              \
             Charity Corson
           J W's Aunt Araminta...

                 Charity Corson
              /                  \
     m1-Captain Stites      m2-John Wood
             |                    |
        Julia Stites       Araminta Wood
      m Henry C Fisk      m Edward C Fisk
             |                    |
          J W Fisk            Susan Fisk

          (Julia and Araminta were half-sisters)
  ...married his Uncle Edward

          John Richard Fisk
                  |
         ------------------
         |                |
    Henry C Fisk     Edward C Fisk
  m Julia Stites   m Araminta Wood
         |                |
     J W Fisk         Susan Fisk

I last find James W Fisk on the 1900 census for Pella, (Lake Prairie township, Marion county) Iowa, page 143. On the same page is a Harvey T Fisk, born Feb 1847 in Iowa. His father was also born in England so this could be a younger brother of JW's.

There were spellng mistakes in the copy I received. Whether they were committed by J W himself or the transcriber, I don't know. But errors of the nature are distracting and sometimes confusing. I made corrections where errors were obvious and left anything in doubt alone.

Memoirs of J W Fisk

Des Moines, Iowa. Jan. 10, 1915

         After a long lapse of time, I, J. W. Fisk, undertake to write my memoirs. I have but very little data at hand, as my father's house was burned in the summer of 1873 with the contents, the family records both of our own family and my grandfather Fisk.

         In the year of 1883 I procured a very accurate genealogy of my grandfather's family which was taken from the Church records in Great Britain, but I regret to say the same has been misplaced, and I am left at the mercy of a very defective memory. I will endeavor to do the best I can under the circumstances. Should any of the family become interested in these notes after I am gone, they can be assured that they are absolutely true, except that there may be a discrepancy in some of the dates.

         My grandfather, John R. Fisk, was born in or near London, England, in 1780 (the month forgotten). His father was Lord Richard Fisk. Said John R. Fisk in 1805 or 1806 was married to Miss Mahola Kemp, daughter Lord Wm. Kemp. To this union was born a family of six sons, to wit: Edward, William H., Henry C., James, George, and John R. Fisk, two daughters, viz. Ann and Susan. All were born in England except John R. who was born in this country.

         My grandfather was engaged in the Mercantile business in the city of London, and became involved and it took nearly all his property to pay his liabilities. It will be observed that he was closely allied with the blue blood of the Old County, hence very haughty and too proud to face his friends.

         He at once decided to emigrate to America, to which my Great Grandfather Kemp very strenuously objected and went so far as to insist on making up his lost fortune if he would consent to stay in London, but John R. Fisk was not built that way; he would rather face the world among strangers and die in a strange land. Accordingly he took what was left and secured passage to New York City.

         As the Reader has learned his means were so meager that it was impossible for him to go into the Mercantile business, therefore there was but one alternative left him, that was to go to the farm.

         Accordingly in the year of 1821 or 1822 he went into the interior of the state of New York and settled in Herkimer County, among the hills, rocks and timber where it frosted ten months of the year, but it proved a good hay country and it follows without saying a good dairy country. Here let me say that is has since become very noted for the fine quality of cheese that it produces. You can imagine a man that had never been outside of the great city making war on the rocks and timber of that country, but as you have learned, he had six husky boys, who all tackled the task with a will and finally after years of toil succeeded in establishing a fine dairy farm, that made for them a fine living. My grandfather was too haughty to perform manual labor. The blue blood was too thick in his veins for that, but he could find a market for their products at a good price.

         My father, H. C. Fisk, together with his brothers worked there until he was twenty-seven years of age, not on account of his father but wholly for the sake of his mother and the smaller children. I simply make a note of these hardships so that my children and grandchildren if any of them should care to know, could trace their lineage and thus be able to know from whence they come. I should state that I have several nephews and nieces that I am sure will be interested. After the farm in the hills became remunerative my father concluded that there must be a better country than old Herkimer. With that idea firmly rooted in his mind he bid good-bye to the rest of the family and started on foot and alone with his face toward the setting sun. Be it remembered that all the worldly goods he possessed were the clothes on his back, not a dollar in his pocket, but he possessed a strong and muscular body. His other assets were a fearless disposition and last but no least, an unyielding determination. It may also be said that his love of adventure was a very prominent feature in his make-up.

         I had forgotten to state that Henry Charles Fisk (my father) was born in the city of London, England, in 1809. I will now resume his wanderings.

         As I stated before he was determined to explore the great West. He worked his way across the mountains and struck the Ohio River not far from its source. He walked every step of the way until he reached the afore-said river. Of course he was not cumbered with a heavy pack. All he had was an extra shirt and pair of underwear, but you will wonder how he managed for board and lodging. People in those pioneer days were not like they are now. Every man you met treated you as a brother. Of course a part of the time the settlers were few and far between, but there was no trouble to ascertain what the distance was to the next cabin and if the distance was too great to make the trip in one day, the Lord of the manor would give him a liberal piece of corn-bread together with some dried venison or bear meat or a few potatoes which he could roast. As for coffee, they did not know what that was, but the water gurgled in every brook the same as now. After he passed the crest of the mountains, he by good luck, ran into a lumber camp and readily secured employment at what he considered remunerative wages, fifty cents per day and board. These colossal wages were all paid in cash. When he had worked a month in the lumber camp, he thought he had acquired sufficient means to warrant him in again striking the trail, which he did. On reaching the river he found a company of men about ready to launch a raft of logs destined for Cincinnati. He readily secured a job at the same old wages and in due time the raft reached its destination and he received his money and was happy. It was then late in the autumn of 1836. He thought he had found Milton's "Paradise Lost." It certainly was a great change in comparison with the sterile hills of the north woods of Herkimer County. He readily found employment at the unheard of wage of seventy-five cents a day.

         The next spring he engaged in truck farming on the shares with the landlord, he doing all the work and marketing of the produce. The farm being situated only a short distance from Cincinnati, the venture proved very enumerative and he was at the close of the season the proud possessor of six hundred dollars more money that he had seen since he had left London a mere boy.

         My father formed the acquaintance of a very estimable young lady by the name of Julia A. Stites. The acquaintance afterward grew into real friendship which resulted in marriage. This event occurred on the 25th of December 1838. He then rented a farm on the Miami bottoms where I was born Nov. 4, 1839. They farmed there two years and did very well, accumulating quite a little start in the world. If it had not been for his wonderful love of adventure our history doubtless would read quite differently. In the spring of 1841, he determined to follow the Star of Empire westward. At that time the wild-cat banking system was in full vogue, being one of the glaring monumental blunders, not to say swindles, of the time-honored Democratic Party. (Please excuse the diversion.) At that time the money that was a par today was not worth a continental tomorrow. Father was not a man to be swerved from his purpose, hence he proceeded to dispose of his holdings, taking the aforesaid representative money in payment thereof, and forthwith procured passage by steamer to Ft. Madison, Iowa, down the Ohio River to Cairo, Illinois, thence up the Mississippi to the head of the navigation. It will be seen that he went as far as he could by boat, another evidence of his love of adventure. To his utter consternation when he arrived at Ft. Madison, he discovered that the money he had received in exchange for the holdings in Cincinnati was utterly worthless. With his little family, one horse, a wagon, and a cow, together with some household goods thrown out on the wharf, he landed at Ft. Madison with just fifty cents in silver in his pocket. It can be imagined that things looked rather blue with nothing but the vast expanse of wild unexplored Indian country between him and where the sun dips into the great Pacific Ocean. Nothing daunted him. He proceeded to pack his little belongings into the wagon, together with mother, myself and baby sister, who was but a few months old. (pardon the digression.) As I have stated before I have nothing but my memory to guide me and I had forgotten to mention the little sister. She born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in ___. She was christened Sarah Ellen. Mother driving the horse, father bringing up the rear leading the cow, the caravan wended its way westward, traveling at the rate of fifteen to twenty miles per day. I think it was on the fourth day he was confronted with an impossible barrier in the shape of a large notice posted by the government reading; "Indian country. This far canst thou go and no further."

         It may be of interest to those that may chance to read these lines to know where this particular place was. It was in the south-west corner of Jefferson County, Iowa, about two miles north of the Des Moines river. At that time it was a heavily timbered locality. Father had gone as far as he could. Like the Arab he was forced to pitch hi tent, which he did, and then proceeded to build a log cabin from the stately oaks that grew in great profusion all around. It was but a few days until it was considered tenable and moved in. I think my father was happy, feeling that he had gotten as near sun-set as was possible for him or any other man to get and locate with a family.

         The aforesaid cabin is the place where the dawn of memory dates with me. The preceding pages were delegated to me by parents, hence may be termed tradition.

         The Sox and Fox Indians were located on the west side of the old purchase line, as it was then called, but the Indians roamed everywhere. A little incident happened there that I will never forget. One day seven or eight big husky Indians came to the cabin and unbidden walked in and sat down all cozy enough. Those fellows were decorated, with large snake skins stuffed with moss. They were as natural as life. The Indians were not long in discovering that I was afraid of them. Those snakes were very ingeniously wrapped around the Indian's body so that at a very slight movement the snake's head would dart out in any direction the Indian desired. The action was in keeping with his snakeship's movements when in the act of pouncing upon his prey, but was concerned be most was that I seemed to be said prey. You can imagine that those fellows had great fun at my expense. It scared me almost to lunacy. I saw little but those snakes especially at night time for more that a week. Those Indians were perfectly harmless as an Indian Agency was only a few miles distant, where Agency City now stands in Wapello County, about seven or eight miles from Ottumwa.

         Another little instance may be worthy of mention in connection with the Indians. One morning an old Squaw came to the shanty of a neighbor by the name of Betterton carrying her papoose on her back lashed to a board. As she entered the cabin she stood the papoose up outside of the door. While she tarried in the cabin an old, hungry hazelsplitter sow, that had never had anything to eat but meat happened along that way in quest of something to eat and I suppose that the papoose looked good to her. At all events she devoured the Indian all but the board.

         I will now try to describe the aforesaid cabin. As my memory serves me it was about sixteen by twenty feet and about seven feet to the caves, chinked and daubed with mud. It was covered with clapboards and held in place with weight poles. The door was also made with the same material as the rood, held in place by wooden pins in lieu of nails and swung on wooden hinges. There was not a single nail entered into the construction of the entire magnificent structure. As for windows, there were none, but as a makeshift, there was about six feet of one of the logs cut out and my mother took wrapping paper and greased it thoroughly and pasted it over said opening, which afforded some light. In one end of the cabin was built what was known as a fireplace provided with a stick chimney plastered with mud. This fire place had a face of about six feet in the clear by four feet in height. The virgin earth served for a floor. I remember father would cut large backlogs not less than two feet in diameter, loop a chain around them and drag them in with a horse. Then with the aid of a hand-spike roll them into the fireplace add about one half a cord of wood and start a fire. If you cannot understand the situation take a trip down into the Ozarks, then you will know all about it.

         I suppose by this time you will begin to wonder what kind of proinder we lived on and from whence it came. When we reached Fr. Madison, father by the merest accident met Henry Catimole, the pioneer of the town who had come over from the Old Country with grandfather's family and had shared the hardships of the north woods in Herkimer County for at least two or three years. Mr. Catimole gave whatever provisions they could transport and would have gladly given more. I may state here that Mr. Catimole urged father very strongly to go out west of Ft. Madison about ten miles where West Point now stands, and take a claim and he would help him start his new home, which he was abundantly able to do, as he had been one of the first white men there. In fact, he located the town which, it is well known, is at the head of navigation, hence the market of all territory west of the Mississippi river. There is but one reason why he did not accept Mr. Catimole's proposition. That his love of adventure, for that is a fine a country as there is in Iowa or anywhere else.

         Not very long after we had gotten settled in the cabin the rigors of an old-fashioned winter was upon us together with its usual compliment of about two feet of snow. By this time our larder was running low. We borrowed a sack of corn-meal of neighbor Betterton and a piece of salt pork of another neighbor by the name of Reprogel. Those people had preceded us to the western boundary two or three years, had raised two crops of corn and had quite a few hogs running at large in the big woods. In the fall of the year they had flesh up quite a little, feeding exclusively on mast as the nuts and acorns were called in that elder day.

         It is due many of the pioneers to state that they were generous to a fault as they would divide with a neighbor to the last mouthful. However there was a class of renegades, cut-throats and thieves that were there for the sole purpose of robbing the real settlers of which we will have more to say later on.

         To return to our story. It will be remembered that we had a cow I think she was the best one I ever saw. She furnished us milk and butter nearly the year round. Our sack of meal that we borrowed was not like the Widow's curse of oil, it grew less every day until it began to get dangerously near the bottom, and the neighbors' were the same as ours. It was so cold and the snow so deep that they thought they could not get to mill-the nearest one being thirty miles the way we had to go. The mill referred to was located at Keosauqua on the Des Moines River. There was also one at Bonaparte and another further down at Bentonsport, which was nearly fifty miles from our haven of repose.

         Father went around among the neighbors and told them if they would furnish him with three yoke of oxen, a large wagon and a load of corn, he would guarantee that he would get it ground, but of course he was to have a share of the meal. However, he didn't expect more than one or two sacks. But to father's proposition the settlers objected on the ground that he would freeze to death, but he finally convinced them that he was inured to hard-ships, as he had undertaken much harder tasks, and had never failed.

         Everything being ready the start was made for the mill. The roads were not broked for the first ten miles, consequently progress was slow. On the third day he reached the first mill a little before night. To his surprise he found it thronged with men on the same errand that he was, and the miller would only agree to grind two bushels for each man. Accordingly he left two bushels and they agreed to have it ground by the time he returned.

         He then started for the next mill hoping to find prospects better there, but to his consternation the same conditions prevailed there that did at Keosauqua. The mill at Bonaparte was owned by Mr. Meeks, an Englishman. Father concluded if there was anything in blood he would get his corn ground With this thought in view he sought and obtained an interview with Mr. Meeks, told his story and made a very favorable impression on the miller, who told him to unload about two-thirds of his corn and mark each sack to a different man. In the night when all were asleep he would dump it into the hopper and place the sacks in separate places, then he would drive down to Bentonsport. That arrangement suited him very well. Without losing any time he drove down to the next mill, but could not prevail on the miller to grind more than the two bushels. Of course he was compelled to wait a day for his grist. When he got back to Bentonsport, Mr. Meeks had his grist all ready, but he still had several bushels that were not ground. The miller told him if he would stay over night he would try to grind it all, and of course he did. Father and Mr. Meeks were ever fast friends. This same man was the one that years after wards established the famous Bonaparte Woolen Mills.

         The next morning before anybody was astir, father was on the road to Keosauqua and found his sack of corn ground. Then he was on the home stretch.

         Meanwhile, mother and the neighbors almost despaired of his safe arrival, but I think on the fifteenth day he drove in, none the worse for wear. Everybody concerned was happy as they would have plenty to eat until spring. Those neighbors that had furnished the team and corn insisted on father taking half of the meal, but he utterly refused. He told them that he would take two sacks. He said that he had established his credit now and if he ran short he could borrow.

         Now you can begin to understand about the hardships the pioneers were compelled to undergo to lay the foundation of the great state of Iowa. I cannot begin to tell you or explain so that you can comprehend the situation. Right here I wish to say that I am glad none of you will ever be called upon to endure such hardships. This was the winter of 1842 and 1843.

         Father went out on the prairie about two and one half miles from the cabin and staked out a claim of one hundred sixty acres. I think it was a fined land as I ever saw. A dog could be seen all over it from any point. By some means he had secured two yoke of oxen. (I do not know how he got them but I think he traded the horse for them that he brought from Cincinnati.) They could be bought for five dollars a yoke if anyone had the money, but there was no such thing as money in the territory at that time.

         About this time my Grandfather Fisk with his three youngest sons, my uncles, James, George and John, appeared on the scene on foot and without baggage. They had left their belongings at Ft. Madison which sometime after arrived all right. These consisted of house-hold goods, clothing, and a set of carpenter tools which in after years came very handy. Without delay father and my uncles made war on the mighty oaks that adorned the little hill upon which our cabin stood, for the purpose of making rails to fence the claim on the prairie, also to cut and hew the logs for another cabin.

         There were no homestead laws in these days as now, but the settler could hold a claim by building a cabin on same and making it a residence a specified length of time. When the land came into the market it was necessary to be on had with the price which was one dollar and a quarter per acre. A failure to do this meant the loss of the land and improvements. It is hardly necessary to state that perhaps two-thirds of the poor fellows found themselves without homes the next morning after the land sales; all owing to the loose, slipshod manner in which our government did business those days. It was a little better than mob-law which will be shown later on.

         The death of my grandmother occurred in 1841 back at the old farm in the hills of New York. That was the reason why my grandfather and uncles came to the territory of Iowa.

         By the time spring opened in April 1843 the rails and material for the shanty were all on the ground. While two of the men began breaking the virgin sod the other two build the house. Like the temple at Jerusalem it was built without the sound of a hammer, as we neither nails of money. In a few days we moved into the cabin. It is surprising how little people could get along when necessity stared them in the face, but we got along and were fat, healthy and happy.

         Father planted about forty acres of sod corn which yielded about thirty bushels per acre; sowed two or three acres of buck-wheat which made a fine crop; also planted a fine patch of potatoes which yielded a good crop. So you see we were in fine shape to live-another tribute to other soil which has never in the seventy-three years that I have had the honor to live on her beautiful prairies failed to produce plenty and to spare to feed her population.

         The next spring the government announced the sad news (sad indeed to the poor settlers) that the land sales would come off in the near future (I had forgotten the date.) Together with two-thirds of the people, as you have before learned, father was penniless, but he again proved himself equal to the situation by starting out on foot looking for some emigrant who had a little money. He finally came in contact with Sam Emler, who had some money and was looking for a location. He proved to be the man that father was looking for They were not long in making a deal. I think father received about one hundred and fifty dollars for his improvements. Mr. Emler went to the land sales and entered the land and of course wanted possession of the farm which he was entitled to, and he got it. That meant that we were out doors, but it was not the first time. Think of one hundred sixty acres of fine land, now worth two hundred dollars per acre, with cabin, fifty acres broke and fenced, all for one hundred fifty dollars and the entrance money. It looks incredible, but nevertheless, true. We had out teams, cow, and plenty to eat.

         At this crisis a man by the name of Darwin Fish appeared on the scene. The government had conveyed to Mr. Fish the old Indian Agency, which he proposed to lease to my father. It contained about three hundred acres in all. About seventy acres were under cultivation, and the balance in pasture. There were five log cabins built in ell-shape and one large log barn. He desired to lease this to father for a period of years or rather wished to farm in co-partnership, he to furnish the ranch and stock same with a dairy of cows, father to have half the proceeds and half the stock at the expiration of the lease. They consummated the deal and we moved in.

         This place was situated on the old purchase line about one mile east of the west line of Jefferson County. Mr. Fish employed father to go with him down into Missouri to buy cows. They made the trip on horse back and were not gone long until they returned driving forty head of very fine cows for which Mr. Fish had paid from two or three dollars a head.

         This ranch was a fine one, the old government trail running through it from east to west. We raised a fine crop that year and made quite a lot of cheese but it was a hard matter to dispose of the same. Mr. Fish sold a lot of it in Keokuk. Father hauled it down there and it was shipped to St. Louis netting a price from two and a half cents per pound. Not very enumerative as you see but it was cash and that was quite an item those days. We stayed on the ranch either four or five years, I am not certain which. During that time my three brothers were born; Henry, M.F. and Elm Kemp.

         I think it was in the second year that we were on the place, Mr. Fish sold the ranch to A.J. Davis, a boarder ruffian who was associated with all the thugs, cut-throats and mobs in the western country. Davis owned a little still house across the Des Moines River from Iowaville about two miles below where Eldon now stands, and had his emissaries out selling whiskey to the Indians in open violation of the government laws.

         In the autumn of 1844 a prairie fire came down from the Indian country accompanied by a stiff gale from the north-west which burned every vestige of fence on the ranch, but did not burn the buildings. Davis immediately notified father to vacate the ranch and meantime he could come and get the cattle, also hay and corn. Father informed Davis' henchmen that he declined to concede his kind advances, and further more that any time he wished to call around he would try and entertain him to the best of his ability. Davis knowing what that meant did not come. But the next spring sent a big boarder ruffian by the name of Fry clothed with what purported to be a legal notice, (subsequently proved to have been written by Davis himself) to serve on father. Fry came to the door and rapped. Father answered the summons and Fry with authority pulled out his document and instead of reading it, he endeavored to push father to one side with the evident intention of throwing us out bag and baggage. But the little scheme did not work. In much less time than it takes to tell it, father's left hand went out like a flash, and taking Fry on the under jaw, he lay at father's feet a quivering mass. Father picked up the great mass of flesh, carried it to the fence which was about twenty feet distant, and threw it over into the road. We were not bothered by Davis any more.

         We repaired the damage done by the fire and charged the same to Davis and lived out the unexpired time of the lease. When the final settlement came Davis settled without protest.

         I have before intimated that the country was infested with regular organized bands of marauders who gave the pioneers much trouble. Besides dis-possessing many of them of their little homes, murder resulted in some instances. (This was before the land sales.)

         I have in mind one instance which will show you how they conducted their nefarious business. There was a man by the name of John Mial who pre-empted a very fine one hundred sixty acres four miles west of the Old Agency where we lived and one mile south of Asheland in Wapello County. He had built a fine cabin and forty or fifty acres under fence ready for a crop. One fine morning in April Mr. Mail drove down to our cabins with his ox-team, wife and children together with his household effects. Father hailed him and inquired where he was going, supposing he had sold his claim. On the contrary he informed us that the night before a lot of ruffians had paid him a friendly call and ordered him to vacate under penalty of death giving him twelve hours to make his get-a-way. You will observe he was very prompt in obeying orders, knowing what would happen if he failed. Father told him to bring the family in and turn the oxen in the pasture and have breakfast, after which he would see what could be done.

         I was a small boy at the time but I was all ears, being very anxious to know what father was going to do, knowing full well that something was going to happen as father was a man of but few words. As I had heard him say before that it was time for such things to stop. After breakfast Mr. Mail and father retired a short distance from the cabins and appeared to be conversing very earnestly. I was playing around within earshot appearing not to notice the conversation, but be assured I was not as noisy as usual and managed to catch most of the talk. I heard father tell Mr. Mail to get the wagon and the oxen out of sight and stay under cover that day, and he would go and enlist ten or fifteen Germans that lived two miles north of us, and that coming night they would ride up to Mail's cabin, secrete their horses in the brush, go to the cabin and await the arrival of the mob.

         A little after dark ten or fifteen men passed the cabins. As I was expecting something to happen I was on the alert and saw the horsemen, but it was too dark to recognize anybody. I had not seen Mr. Mail all day but had every reason to believe that he joined the party, as our horse was not in the barn after those horsemen went by. From what little I was able to catch in after years I think I am warranted in making the following statement. They rode in a round-about way bearing to the north and approached the cabin from the west, it being heavily timbered on that side, hid the horses, went into the cabin, lit a very dim light, knocked out some chinking for port holes and quietly awaited the arrival of the mob. It was a star light night but the cabin being located in the edge of the woods was quite dark, and of course a man could be distinguished but a very short distance. Father had told the Dutchmen not to move a muscle until he gave the word. To cut the story as short as possible, in due time the mob appeared upon the scene but instead of approaching stealthily, on seeing the light, they held a short consultation and then charged the cabin but did not capture the fortress. The next morning Mr. Mail inspanned his oxen, took his family and went back to the cabin. I heard father tell him that he did not think he would be troubled any more, which proved true as Mr. Mail lived and died on the same farm. I may say I never was able to get father to tell anything about the affair. I did hear him and mother talking about it after we had all gone to bed and I was supposed to be asleep. They talked in a low tone and I could not catch it all. We are left to guess at the rest. Judging from the moral effect produced upon the outlaws of the frontier, it must have been quite serious as that was the last attempt to rob the settlers of their claims in that section of the country.

         Let us go back to our story on the old ranch. You will recall that it was located on the west line of the old purchase. As soon as the new purchase was opened for settlement father pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres immediately west of the old ranch, held the same until the land sales came on when he paid the price and received his patent from the government and proceeded to lay the foundation for a home. I think this happened 1845 or 1846.

         We built a log barn filled the mow with hay and lived in it the first year. We had previously broken and fenced about forty acres. The next year father built a frame house about twenty feet square, and one story high, the best house in that part of the country. We made our own shingles also the lath and burnt the lime. The dimension stuff was hewn out with a broad axe. Siding, floors, windows, and doors were hauled from a distance as there were no saw mills in those days. I mention these things so you will see how the father laid the foundation of the greatest agricultural state in the Union.

         It may not be out of place to give you an idea of how we managed to secure our wearing apparel. We killed about (?) beavers per year, sent the hides to the tanners and received half the leather. It was tanned with oak bark. Father owned a kit of shoemaker's tools and made our shoes on the long winter evenings, by the light of the tallow candles, which we also made at home. I may add that one pair of those home-made shoes was the compliment of the year. It was enough as we went barefoot in the summer. As there were no grand balls or receptions in those days, we did not need fine shoes for state occasions. When we got to wearing store shoes as they were called, I have seen the ladies carry their shoes in their aprons to within a short distance of the house of worship and sit down on the grass put them on and walk into the church with as much dignity as if they had been arrayed in purple and fine linen. As for the rest of our raiment, it consisted of home-mades exclusively. I will endeavor to describe the "Modus Operandi!" as nearly as memory will permit.

         We kept a few sheep, sheared them ourselves took the wool to Bonaparte where the Mr. Meeks referred to before in these memoirs had installed a cording machine. The wool was there made into rolls about thirty inches long and about one-half inch in diameter. These rolls were spun on what was then called a large spinning wheel, my mother being the operator. When the wool was converted into yarn we managed to buy what was then known as chain, which was put into a home-made loom. The woolen yarn was then wound onto bobbins that fitted the shuttle belonging to the loom. My mother then proceeded to weave the cloth which was no small undertaking. When the task was completed she had a fine roll of jeans.

         The warp and wool of the cloth was colored before it was woven. Not being able to purchase dye stuff we used hickory bark which produced a beautiful yellow, or butternut bark or the hulls of the nut which made a fine brown. Hazelnut hulls or pads together with peach leaves when procurable yielded a dazzling green. These were all fast colors. If women's time had had a money value those days, the cloth thus produced would have been worth at least five dollars per yard. The cloth would wear like buck-skin. To the credit of the women be it said that they were not too proud to patch frayed garments considering them about half worn when they reached the patching stage.

         As for sheeting, shirting, toweling, summer garments, etc., all were made of tow linen. The following will give something of an idea of how this primitive cloth was produced. First we sowed a piece of flax, using the long variety as it produced a fine fiber excelled by no other variety known. When the see was ripe or matured, men, women and children pulled it up root and branch, and tied it in nice straight bundles. After this it was taken to a pond and carefully spread out in the water and weighted down so that it was all submerged. It was left in that condition about six weeks. When it was supposed that the woody substance had become sufficiently rotted, it was taken out, spread in the sun and dried, after which it went through several operations which I fear would wear your patience if I should undertake to describe. Suffice to say that when it reached the women folks it was in the shape of fine hanks of fiber which the good old mothers proceeded to spin and weave into a very durable cloth that would outwear the shoddy stuff we now buy about a dozen times. (Don't think that I have exaggerated.) All this which looks to you as incredible is absolutely true, but the labor and sweat it cost the women folks is beyond my ability to describe. Nevertheless, thus were we clothed.

         It will be seen that we were not like the lilies of the field which took no thought of the morrow for what they should wear or what they should eat. I think that if we had followed the beautiful figure here used, I would not be here to pen these notes.

         The primitive method of threshing wheat in those days was as old as the hills. The first act dates back to Boaz's threshing floor, where Ruth the daughter of a widow woman was sent to glean the wheat field of Boaz. She being poor as well as beautiful to look upon, was compelled to sleep in the fields. Boaz observed this, and being a very kind man offered her the privilege of sleeping at his feet on his threshing floor. This may have been a primitive method of courtship. Turn to Ruth 3-2 and read the story yourself.

         Now without farther introductory remarks, I will try to describe the method. There were no threshing machines in Iowa at this time, and there were no barns, just the endless expanse of prairie as it had come from the plastic hand of the Creator. A level place was selected, the sod taken off to the depth of about two inches. It was then sprinkled liberally with water and tamped down as solid as necessary, after which it was allowed to partly dry. (I should state that it was made in the shape of a circle about fifty feet in diameter.) Then the sheaves of wheat were carefully placed around the margin of the circle, then there was about four horses ridden around on the wheat times without number until the grain was all shattered out of the straw. A boy to ride one of the horses and lead the rest and two men to turn and shake the straw could thresh from four to ten bushels per day, all depending upon the condition of the grain and weather. After the foregoing process, the wheat must be separated from the chaff, which was done by throwing it up into the air with a scoop shovel, and allowing the wind to blow the chaff to the four winds of heaven. The only difference between the method of threshing here described and the old Bible method, is that they used oxen in lieu of horses. In proff of which we quote from the scriptures, "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the wheat." So you see it was no snap to make a living in those days.

         You can readily understand why I do not sigh for the flesh pots of Egypt. When I look around me now and behold the stately dwellings everywhere that have superseded the cabins of the frontier, I sometimes am forced to rejoice that they that come after me will not be compelled to put up with the hardships that have been my lot to face. Again I find myself musing thus: Would it not be better for the rising generations if they had to help provide for themselves instead of calling on dad for everything they want? I unhesitatingly answer, "Yes". The young damsel or butterfly of today says, "Explain yourself old crank." Well, here goes. If you had to earn your own living, pay for your own board and clothing, you would learn to economize. You would dress decent. You would not appear on the street in hobble skirts up to your knees and thus expose your person to the gaze of everybody when you board a car or a buggy. Last but no least you would purchase good, substantial, as well as comfortable clothing instead of the worthless gauze that you now wear that is nearly as transparent as glass. Parents, do you wonder that your daughters attract to themselves a lot of worthless libertines that are a disgrace to the race and made thus by your dear ones exciting and inflaming the lower or animal passions of the opposite sex? Mothers, allow me to urge upon you the necessity of looking well to your daughters. Tell them while it is yet time the evil consequences of thus jeopardizing their future destiny.

         In the year of 1848 and 1849 the gold fever ran very high. Father and my uncle, Edward Fisk, were inflamed with the contagion, it being in keeping with their natural wandering dispositions, but of course their financial circumstances proved a very severe handicap, as it required considerable money to fit out sufficient teams and other paraphernalia for the long trip across the plains. Consequently, the scheme was blocked until the year 1850 when father and two other men formed a partnership, fitted out a very comfortable outfit, consisting of three yoke of oxen and a yoke of cows, one of the cows being the one we brought from Ohio. (It will be apparent later on why I mention this cow.) Thus rigged out on the first day of May 1850, they started for the goldfields of California, with hopes and aspirations running very high. All went well until they reached the Great American Desert, where the grass was so scarce that the cattle died of starvation or alkali poisoning.

         Among others was the old cow which some of the men had dubbed Mrs. Fisk, and somebody wrote home to their friends that Mrs. Fisk had died and they naturally enough read it Mr. Fisk. The word was not long in reaching us. We thought for several months that father was dead. Finally, we received a letter from him stating that he and uncle Edward were in the mines and doing fairly well. The letter contained a draft for $150.00 which we had to send to St. Louis to get cashed, as there were no banks in Iowa at this time, or at least west of the Mississippi River. Our merchants dealt exclusively at St. Louis, as all the transportation was by steamboats and our merchant was our banker, but he could not cash a draft for so large an amount of money, and we had to wait about six weeks before he could get returns from the city. I should state here that my sister Laura C. Fisk was born Oct 4, 1850, so you see that mother had used for the $150.00.

         But to return to the point where most of the cattle had died, of course the Californians were stranded. This was on the Green River. At this point the cholera broke out in its most malignant form and hundreds of emigrants died. Father was not immune from the terrible scourge. He too was stricken and lay in a dog tent on the bank of the river for about two weeks. The men that were with him, being afraid of the disease left him and reported him dead. A young man by the name of Ogg, a stranger, found the condition he was in and procured a doctor, and Mr. Ogg waited on him and administered the medicines. The second or third day the doctor told father that if he had any business to look after he had better do it at once, as he thought when the heat of the day came on that it would be all over with him. About two or three o'clock in the afternoon the fever raged intensely. It became so intolerable that it was unendurable and the cold ice water gurgling down out of the snow-capped mountains was too irritating to be endured any longer, it being but a few feet from where he lay in the hot sand. He made a desperate effort and rolled down the bank into the river. By some means he caught the willows that fringed the bank and held on like grim death. He said after wards that he never felt as good in his life as he did in the ice cold water, but after awhile it appeared to him that he had awakened from a troubled dream and hardly knew where he was, but his first impulse was to extricate himself from what appeared to be a perilous position. Not realizing he weakened condition, he scrambled up the bank and found that he could not walk. As he lay there in the sand he discovered the little tent. Then after a moment's reflection he rolled over two or three times and landed in the tent, covered himself with his blanket, fell asleep and did not awaken until sun was shining the next morning. About eight o'clock the doctor came to see if he was yet alive, expecting to find him dead. He looked at father, felt his pulse and said, "you are better. If you could be moved away from here and have any kind of care, you would get well." But as I have told you before, his partners had left him for dead and had taken their out-fit with them.

         Right here let me say that Uncle Edward did not go with father to California. He went at the same time, but with another outfit, hence they never saw each other until sometime after they reached the mines. I mention this in the connection lest the reader should conclude that Uncle Edward had deserted father in his dire calamity.

         Mr. Ogg came to the tent shortly after the doctor had left. When father told him what the doctor had stated, Mr. Ogg said, "Friend, I hardly know what to do, but be assured that I will not leave you here to die." As a matter of luck, that day a train arrived at the crossing which had come by a different route, and their teams were in better condition than those that had come over the main trail.

         It may be well here to explain what is meant by a train. When the gold seekers reached Platsmouth Nebraska, they formed themselves into companies or trains of some fifteen or twenty wagons and selected one of their number as captain and bound themselves together by subscribing to certain by-laws by which they should be governed, the captain having exclusive control to the extent that his word was law and could not be disregarded without a majority vote of the company or train. This was done for protection from Indians.

         Mr. Ogg found a man who had a very fair team and one of his men had died leaving a vacancy. He arranged to have this man haul father for one week for the sum of forth (?) dollars. He immediately loaded father into the wagon and they began their irksome journey, making from six to ten miles per day, Mr. Ogg following on foot carrying his pack. Father told Mr. Williams, the man own owned the team, if he would allow Mr. Ogg to put his pack in the wagon he would pay him any reasonable sum for the favor when they reached the mines. Williams finally agreed to accept the offer. (Mr. Ogg had lost his team.) Ogg thus relieved of his burden was foot-loose. He borrowed a gun, shot a sage hen, made a gallon of broth, took it to the wagon and told father that was his allowance for a week. At the expiration of the time allotted for him in the wagon, he had recuperated so far that he could walk fairly well, but he neither had money or provisions as his partners did not think a dead man had any use for either. Mr. Ogg bought him twenty pounds of flour and a piece of bacon, paying one dollar a pound for each. They then shouldered their packs and started for the mines, which were six hundred miles from where they then were. They made very slow progress the first few days, owing to the weakened condition in which the cholera had left father.

         When they reached the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the great sandy waste was behind them. The last one hundred miles that they had covered beggared description, as it was one sandy waste almost void of water and grass. They passed thousands of famished men as well as teams.

         Father suggested to Mr. Ogg that if they could procure a team that they could be the means of saving many lives besides their exchequer which had run dangerously low. They found a man who had preceded them two or three weeks. This man had a vine team of mules that had recuperated so that they were able to travel. Mr. Ogg bought them at a very low figure. They immediately started back to meet the emigrants with water which they were compelled to sell at one dollar a gallon, as there were so many who had no money and to them the water was gratis.

         They continued the business for three or four weeks. When they found themselves the possessors of about five hundred dollars, father told Mr. Ogg that the money and the team were his, as he could not take a cent of it and feel that it was his, saying that had it not been for Mr. Ogg his carcass would be lying on the banks of the Green River. But Mr. Ogg would not have it that way and finally persuaded father to accept one hundred dollars.

         They then started across the mountains. When they reached the summit, they fell in with the prospectors who had left them mines and were in quest of richer diggings. They persuaded father and Mr. Ogg to go with them. It was finally agreed that father would go with the prospectors and Mr. Ogg with the team. The prospectors had four good ponies and let father have one. Thus they started out into an unexplored region infested with Blackfoot Indians, they being a very hostile tribe. It was necessary to proceed with caution. When about fifteen miles from the trail they stopped for the night and having discovered fresh Indian signs did not start a fire, consequently ate their victuals raw.

         The next morning they washed a few pans of dirt which showed considerable color. The prospectors said it would pay for working. They then blaze the trail for the purpose of finding the place again. They then mounted their ponies and started further into the interior. On crossing a little creek they discovered quite a large camp of red-skins about a mile distant. They stopped and held a council of war. Father advised going back to the trail and organizing a sufficient force of men to awe the Indians. They stopped and held a council of war. Father advised going back to the trail and organizing a sufficient force of men to awe the Indians. They stopped and held a council of war. Father advised going back to the trail and organizing a sufficient force of men to awe the Indians. He contended that the result of their discovery the night before would be sufficient inducement to enlist all the men necessary to carry out the enterprise successfully, but those hot-headed prospectors swore they were not afraid of the red devils. The facts were they had never seen wild Indians, being old miners from the state of Georgia. Father on the other hand was familiar with the treachery and cunning of the wild Indian. The Georgians absolutely refused to hearken to his counsel. Accordingly one of their number road ahead at full speed and in a few minutes they heard the report of his rifle. In a shorter time than it takes me to tell it the fellow came back faster than he went pursued by an innumerable host of the red men. Father, realizing full well that the situation was precarious, urged the men to stand their ground and await their arrival, knowing that if they showed the white feather the day was lost. It being a wooded country the Indians would naturally suppose that the white men were in considerable numbers and would approach with caution. The sequel proved that father was right. He then assumed command of the little squad. He ordered the three men to see that their guns were well loaded, he himself led the ponies and the men were ordered to separate a rod or two in the brush so that the Indians would not know how many there were of them. He also told the men not to shoot until they could kill an Indian and if they succeeded in killing one or two they would not be likely to charge them. Finally the Indians got a little bolder and approached a little too closely and the men were lucky enough to bring down one or two which had the desired effect upon the skulking foe. The white men had but a few rods to go to reach the creek mentioned before, but on approaching the creek they found the Indians had beaten them to it and were concealed under the bank. It was now apparent that they were completely surrounded and trapped. It may be said that the Indians are not only treacherous but cunning foes. Father ordered the men to march on as though there were nothing to fear and he told them not to shoot until they were sure of their man. The prospectors suggested the abandonment of the ponies but father said no, as the Indians would then realize that they were whipped and all would be lost. The arrows were then flying thick and fast and the ponies were hit several times. Father had last his hat on the Green River. Mr. Ogg had secured an old fashioned velvet cap with a large roll stuffed with cotton and gave it to him which he was wearing at the time of this flight. One of the arrows struck that roll just above his right ear. The arrow penetrated the roll and left a scar which he carried to his grave. They were but a few rods from the creek when father ordered a charge, he leading way with the ponies. As they approached the bank and the Indians came into full view they fired and killed three Indians. The red-skins were so confused that they ran in every direction while the men crossed the creek and gained the opposite bank, two large husky bucks were trying to rally their hordes, yelling like demons. Father ordered the men to stop and shoot the two big Indians on the opposite bank which they did. Thus the fight ended with a clean victory for the pale-faces.

         They went back to the trail and the Georgians had had all they experience with the red-skins they cared for, so there was nothing said or done about raising a company to go back to investigate the find. They soon overtook Mr. Ogg and he and father pursued their journey to the mines without further incident.

         Uncle Edward and father came in contact in the mine at Hangtown. They staked a claim and unbed it in partnership which proved reasonably remunerative. A little incident in connection with that claim occurred which may be worthy of note. One morning Uncle Edward went down to the mine before father as he had some culinary duties to look after before he went to work. Uncle soon returned wonderfully excited. Father asked him what the trouble was, and he said the McCleary boys and Fry were filling up the ditch that drained their claim, and that would make it untenable. Father said that he would go down and see about it. Uncle protested saying that these ruffians would kill him, as they had been boarder ruffians in Iowa and were apart of the gang that I have referred to before. Notwithstanding the earnest protest of Uncle, and undaunted as usual, father took his brace of pistols and went down to the mine. He at once without parley ordered Fry to take the dirt out of the ditch which he proceeded to do without further ceremony. The McCleary boys joined in and they soon had the ditch clear. They took their tools and left for parts unknown and never troubled them again.

         There was no law of any kind in California at that time and every man became a law unto himself. Crime became so rife that decent men were obliged to organize for protection. They called a meeting of miners and father was elected chairman by a unanimous vote. There were about three hundred miners present. Father told them that if would be necessary to have some kind of code by which their deliberations be governed and the burden of preparing it fell upon the chairman. Father then told them that if it was agreeable they would assemble at the same place at the noon hour, and he would submit the documents for their approval or rejection and it would be their prerogative to amend or change the same to meet the approval of the majority. This appeared to be satisfactory. The next day at the appointed time they were all there. But one change was made. The law provided that punishment for robbery and murder should be forty-nine lashes vigorously administered on the bare back. That did not suit the miners. They demanded that the death penalty for the aforesaid crimes should me meted out when positive proof of guilt was forthcoming. Father with some show of dignity yielded. Then it was necessary to elect a judge. Father was nominated and elected by acclamation.

         There was never but one case that came before him for hearing. That was a case of one partner stealing all the gold dust that they had both accumulated and tried to get away but was caught. Of course, the court was convened and he was found guilty, but the evidence was not quite positive. I should have said the jury imposed the death penalty. Father was very reticent about signing the findings of the jury and forthwith laid aside his dignity as judge and assumed the role of attorney for the defendant. After an oral argument he finally got them (the jury) to change their findings to forty-nine lashes on the bare back giving him one hour to leave the camp never to return under penalty of death. The penalty was administered and most of the miners were satisfied.

         In the year and a half that father remained at Hangtown, there was no more crime in that jurisdiction. Sometime in March father made preparation to return to Iowa, reaching home in June of the same year (1853) without anything occurring worthy of note. I never shall forget that homecoming as we were taken unawares thinking he was California not expecting to return until Autumn. The greeting of the little sister Laura who had come to stay with us in his absence, appeared to be the center of attraction with him. Father had made up his mind to sell out and move to the coast, but times being hard he could not find a buyer. Therefore that enterprise fell through.

         December 25, 1854 sister Cynthia was born, the youngest of the family, she was my father's idol.

         In the summer of 1856 we sold our farm and moved to Marion County, Iowa, six miles north of Pella where he farmed with varied success.

         Father was stricken with Nervous Prostration rather early in life, I think when he was about forty-eight years old, from which he never recovered although he lived until he was eighty-four years of age.

         I will now impart what little I know of my mother's family which is not very much. I have always regretted that I knew so little of their family record. All that I know is what I learned from my grandmother, who was a very intelligent woman, and I think the best posted in both profane and sacred history of any woman I ever knew. Furthermore she was able to impart it to others. I was but a small boy when she died; hence I remember but fragments of the story.

         She was born at Cap May, NJ (the year forgotten) but it was not far from 1770. Her maiden name was Carson.1 Her ancestors came over in the Mayflower and underwent all the hardships incident to the blazing the way to laying the foundation of the new world. It will be seen that about one hundred and fifty years after the landing at Plymouth Rock that Grandmother was born. She saw General Washington many times as he was at their house often. Her father was a commissioned officer under General Stark.2 She had molded bullets many times all night to supply the soldiers rifles. She carried powder and balls through the British lines and also messages to the commanding officers at the Fort. She being but a slip of a girl and fearless as a tiger. Of course, it was attended with great danger but General Washington said she would be much more apt to succeed than a man. The guards knowing when the expect her would slip out as close to the enemy's lines as possible and meet her, thus relieving her of the burden as quickly as possible. This was a slow process of supplying the garrison, but you will see by consulting Smith's History of the U.S. that it was the means of enabling them to hold the Fort.

         Grandmother's people, that is the male element, were mostly military men. They emigrated together with quite a number of other families to Ohio in an early day. There being no defined roads they were forced to move with pack horses and finally settled in what is now Clark County, Ohio, then a stark howling wilderness.

         A little incident occurred on the journey. One night they camped near a cabin that proved to be occupied by a family by the name of Leeman. Shortly after they had eaten supper the young people from the cabin visited the camp. There being a young man of their number of marriageable age, he fell desperately in love with one of the emigrants girls and his advances appeared to be reciprocated. He was not slow in proposing to here. She consented provided that he would join their little band and settle with them in Ohio, which he did. Some time in the night Young Leeman procured the license and was on hand with a minister early in the morning. Without further ado the knot was tied. He mounted his horse, his fair bride in the saddle he riding behind. Thus the journey was resumed. As this couple died rich, I believe that short courtships are the best. The little band of wanderers in due time reached their destination. They finally succeeded in providing themselves with substantial homes. Thus the stately forest was made to blossom as the rose. Here is was that Grandmother was married to Captain Stites. To this union were born two daughters, Julie Ann and Doindia.

         The first mention was my mother, born in Feb. 22, 1815. She being a woman of very strong family ties made a devoted mother. She was a fine disciplinarian. Her children obeyed without the application of the lash. I think she never punished me but once. That was sufficient. She had the faculty of commanding the respect of all who came in contact with her. After grandfather Stites either died or became estranged from grandmother, (I do not know which) she as left in straitened circumstances. At the age of ten years (1825) mother went to live with Mr. James Langdon near Cincinnati where she and father were married. When my folks came to Iowa, Dr. Langdon a very learned physician (a some of James Langdon) told her that the doctors in a new country were not generally trustworthy. He said he would fix up a medicine chest with contents labeled and give a course of instructions that would enable her to administer to her own family in case of sickness.

         I think there was no healthier family raised in the territory than ours. For several years mother was the neighborhood doctor. It must be understood that the suffix M.D. was not necessary in the olden days to minister to the afflicted. She went for miles on obstetrical cases. I think she officiated in more than a hundred cases. She never lost a case. I believe with less dope and more common sense we would live longer.

         My parents were very devout Methodists, and my father's house was the home of the minister.

         Father and mother lived with myself and the youngest sister many years before they died. They both died at my house. Father died August 23, 1893 and my mother May 4, 1897. Both died as they had lived and if only their children have not been as they should, it cannot be said that the parents were to blame. I know of no finer tribute that I could bestow upon times than the foregoing.

         The reader will please bear with me as I have said before I have nothing but memory to guide me. What little I know was imparted to me when I was a mere child. Therefore many things are hard for me to recall.

         My grandmother was married a second time. It was several years after my grandfather Stites either died or became estranged. She married a man by the name of Woods. To them were born three children. John in 1824 or 1824 (?), I cannot recall the month; Minty two years later; Polly sometime in the year 1827 or 1828.

         Uncle John Wood was a man of sterling worth. He together with his mother's family moved to Iowa in 1844 and succeeded in establishing himself in later years on a farm in Marion County, Iowa.

         Uncle Edward Fisk married Aunty Minty Wood. They raised a large family. Their oldest son William served in the Union army during the Civil War, was a good soldier and an honorable man.

         Aunt Polly married a man by the name of Turner who owned a farm in Marshall County, Iowa. They have both been dead many years.

         It is with some reluctance that I will not try to give those who may chance to read this little pamphlet as near an unbiased account of my life as possible. When I think of the blunders and short comings which I have made since I reached my majority, I quail at the thought, but I guess I am not alone. However, that it poor consolation.

         In the spring of 1849 I worked three months for my brother-in-law, Mr. Havens. I received twelve dollars a month or was to. It may be stated here and truthfully too, that such a thing as money was not known among the common people. It was all barter and trade. People measured in dollars and cents. But no money changed hands. If the farmer's produce came to more than he cared to purchase the merchant handed him his change in the form of due bills payable in goods at C. D. Jones' store. This was in the latter part of Buchanan's administration. Another evidence of the effects of free trade which had been in uninterrupted vogue for about fifty years. You will see that I took my pay out of the store. This was the last of my working by the month. After that I worked by the job as I could earn about double that way.

         The next year being presidential year (1860) was a very hard one, as politics run very high. Everybody was excited beyond my ability to describe. People neglected their business running to political gatherings, and indulging in all kinds of riots and fist encounters, consequently everything went to the dogs, so to speak. The old people of today will bear me out in this statement.

         The next year, 1861, the Civil War broke out upon which it is not necessary for me to comment. In June of that year I enlisted under the first call for troops, and joined my company at Oskaloosa and stayed there about three weeks. At this time there came an order from the War Department to disband our regiment as the call was full and we would not be needed. I returned to the hum-drum life of the farm. In about three weeks our colonel notified us to appear on the scene and answer the roll call. I had learned in the meantime that we had only been sworn into the State's service; therefore, the U.S. had no jurisdiction. By that time my ardor had cooled. My dreams of military glory had faded, and above all other consideration I concluded that I was not big enough to stop the bullets. In plain terms I was too much of a coward. The consequences were I never saw or experienced the glories of military life. I have always felt ashamed of myself every time I met a man wearing a G.A.R. button as I had no legitimate excuse. I fain would have passed this matter by in silence but I have set out to tell the truth and nothing but the truth.

         On September 5th, 1861, I was married to Miss Rachel Price a very esteemed young lady of our neighborhood. She was beloved by all who knew here-a lady beyond reproach. She was one year my junior. She was born in Piqua, Ohio, in 1840. Her family was of Dutch, Irish and English descent.

         I deemed it my duty to pay a tribute in these pages to her mother. In the eighteen years of my acquaintance with Mother Price, I never say her out of humor, frustrated, or show the least sign of impatience. Besides these traits of character, she was methodical. She never made false moves. For instance, if she had a spoon, knife and a pepper shake, which were in the cupboard, she never made but one trip. In short, she killed two birds with one stone. In all these years I never heard her say a harmful word of any person. Always cheerful and pleasant-besides she was one of the best mothers in the world and I may add, mothers-in-law. I still love and revere the old lady's memory, though she has been dead many years.

         The next spring after we were married, my wife suggested that life was too short, that we should engage in farming, I said that was all the occupation that I was familiar with. She protested saying she could make a living by raising a garden and milking cows which she could as she was no wall flower or a useless piece of humanity as many of the young ladies of today are.

         I often think of the scanty outfit that we adorned our first house with. I think I could have moved our entire outfit on a push cart, but we were therewith content. Love in a hovel may not be as grand a thing as portrayed in song, but it is far preferable to hell in a mansion.

         However, I do not sigh for the Flesh-pots of Egypt, as my lot has for the most part been cast in pleasant places. I sometimes think in looking back at my past life that I have much to be thankful for.

         The few draw-backs have never entered into my home life which has always been a paradise to me.

         In the year of 1863 a very large majority of the able bodied men were in the army. The prices for farm products were thus inflated and the stay-at-homes were in a position to make good. We farmed that year (I say we - - my wife helped) and raised a good crop. After we invoiced our holdings we were quite a bit to the good. The next year proved a good crop season. We realized better prices than the preceding year which enabled us to buy a home of our own.

         It was situated near Galesburg, Jasper County, Iowa. That year we succeeded very nicely as prices were still advanced. In the year 1866 my wife's father concluded to move to Kansas as he owned some land there situated in Coffee County. My wife had a very strong desire to accompany them to the new country. However, she didn't insist but wanted to know what I thought about it, she appeared to think that with what we could command we could make quite a showing in a new country. I told her that pioneering was no snap, as I had not forgotten my father's experience in Iowa. I found that it was very hard to part with her folks. While she said nothing, I could see that she was greatly disappointed. Accordingly I sold our farm, made a sale and auctioned off what little stuff we could not take along. We moved down to Kansas with teams as there was no railroad those days, and we were about three weeks making the trip.

         We camped one night about twenty-five miles south of Lawrence, Kansas. That afternoon I noticed three of four Mexicans, I think three times, and of course I knew that they had an eye on our horses as we had some very good ones and I had learned that there were a lot of small bands of greasers that were in the habit of stampeding emigrants' stock and driving it off. That night I camped near a cabin and secured a place inside of the cabin for my wife and children to sleep and constituted myself a committee of one to watch the horses. About one o'clock in the morning the horses began to snort and I saw that it was going to require some effort to hold them, as I could see by the flashes of lightening some objects about one hundred yards distant moving very rapidly back and forth, every time coming a little nearer. I waited as long as I thought it was safe when I gave them a salute with my revolver. I do not know whether I touched any of them or not, but that was the last of my Mexican friends as far as we were concerned.

         The rest of the trip was made without further incident worthy of note, excepting that a few days later I was taken with a very violent case of fever and ague, which stuck to me for three weeks during which time all the nourishment I took was buttermilk which apparently cured me. Never before in my life could I drink buttermilk or any other kind of slop.

         Father Price found his land together with an old log cabin which had not been used since 1861. We set about to repair the old shack which we were not long in doing, camping out until it was tenable. We then built us a barn if it is worthy of the name. It at least served the purpose. I did not take any money with me, hence was forced to do something to make a living. I told my wife that we would leave our means in Iowa as I did not intend to squander what little I had in Kansas providing the country did not prove to be to our liking, and I did not want to adorn our wagon cover with the proverbial inscription of the Kansas emigrant - - "Busted" you know the rest.

         As I told you before I had to make a living. I noticed that there were no repair shops in the towns and father Price and I talked the matter over. We concluded to build a carpenter's shop adjoining the cabin. Then I hauled some saw logs to the mill which was about three miles distant. We soon had sufficient lumber to build our ship which we soon had in readiness for our enterprise. We put up notices far and near letting people know where they could be accommodated. It was not long before we had all the work we could do and this made a good living.

         That winter I helped move some families down on the neutral strip between Kansas and Oklahoma to where the city of Baxter Spring. This man was very homesick therefore he urged me to trade my team and wagon for his claim. I being young and greener than I was young, refused to let him make me rich. Three years later there was a town of two thousand inhabitants and three railroads there - - but such is life.

         On the return trip, myself and the two neighbor boys that accompanied me had a little experience that I shall never forget. We had two teams and wagons. I being in the winter time we were forced to camp on the creeks for shelter, fuel and water. The creeks were frequently a long distance apart. It happened one afternoon that we were compelled to go to camp about two o'clock. I noticed a large camp of Indians about one half mile below us. I was fully aware that they were strictly harmless and I thought nothing about the matter. We pitched our tent and had everything in fine shape. Early in the evening the boys were soon asleep. At about ten o'clock those red devils set up the most hideous yells that ever saluted the ears of mortal man; dogs howling squaws screaming, in short, pandemonium reigned; in spite of all the moral courage that I could command, I took the worst scare imaginable. It is not necessary for me to say that I did not sleep a wink that night. Every since I have sympathized with a person who was afraid. Notwithstanding, I was fully aware of the habits of the red men, having played with them when a boy. I know they were having a drunken orgy, further, I knew that when they were drunk they had no idea of mischief. When bent on some crime they never herald their coming. The next day we reached home without further incident. We did not like Kansas as there was a failure of crops that year. Corn could not be bought at any price. Accordingly, we made preparations to return to Iowa. Father Price disposed of his land the coming summer and joined us in Story County, Iowa, where I had bought some land, paying two dollars per acre for it. The same is now worth one hundred and twenty-five dollars per acre.

         Story County was one of the wettest and sourest sections of Iowa before it was drained. Now there is no finer county in the State. It may be said here that almost any country depends largely on the intelligence, push and thrift of the people who occupy it. To be sure it requires time to develop any country, but there is more in the community occupying it than there is in the soil. The New Englanders were thrifty despite the rocks, timber, hard unyielding clay soil, frost eight months out of the twelve. They accumulated a competency. Many of them died comparatively rich. If we had the draw backs in Story County that existed in the country just alluded to, I doubt if we would ever have made a livelihood, but fortunately all that (torn edge of original paper) a country was an excess of moisture, which was readily and easily (???) come.

         Nature provide old Story with a deep black sandy loam as she had nearly all of the entire state. Iowa comes the nearest being one eternal corn field of any state in the Union. I am glad that my lot was cast in Iowa. I never go out of the state, no matter which way I go, but that when I return it looks grander, greater and nobler than before. Then again I have a preference for her people. They are for the most part honest, industrious, frugal, generous and extremely friendly. To be sure I may be charged with prejudice. Be that as it may, give me Iowa first, last and all the time. Iowa never begged. She always had plenty and to spare. But why this tribute to Iowa? Because I cannot help it, and again it is true. I here challenge successful contradiction.

         Let us go back to the humble little home in the north-west of Collins Township, Story County, Iowa, where several years of my young manhood were spent. I was happy for several reasons. First, my family were also happy. Second, I do not think that anybody had better neighbors. We were on an equality always ready to accommodate one another, each owning a little principality in our own right. I will say in this connection that I have always regretted leaving that community, although nearly all the old neighbors are dead. Wyatt Carr, and Jake and Abe McCord are about all that I can recall at this time. They were young men at this time, and I may add, were fine fellows. To us were born, William H. Fisk, August 29, 1862; Mary, May 20, 1864; Joseph, March 15, 1868; Charles H. Fisk, April 28, 1871; Rose B., April 10, 1873; Alice C. April 17, 1875; James W. Fisk, April 10, 1878. William died January 15, 1868 and Mary February 16, 1868, just one month apart, with Scarlet Fever. Joseph died March 1, 1875 and James in infancy.


Michael Cooley's footnotes:

1. Fisk's grandmother's name Charity Corson, as proven by her 1818 marriage to John Wood.
2. I believe this is actually a reference to Charity's grandfather (not father), Captain Benajah Thomson, killed during battle in 1780.

KEEPFREE


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