George M. Johnson bought of the government the west ½ of southwest 1/4, of section 28, in February, 1824. The village of Wayne stands upon a part of this. I do not know whether he made any improvements on this. In December, 1825 he bought the east ½ of northwest 14, of section 1, on which he built a log house with two wings; all fronting south on the territorial road that ran through the south end of that farm. In this he kept tavern many years. His wife died here early in the thirties. He subsequently sold his farm and ran a small grocery at Schwarzburg. This was before the days of temperance lectures, and he dealt in whisky and became one of his own victims. He went west. When and where he died I know not.
John Fisk came from Brandon, Vermont, and bought the west ½ of northeast 1/4, section 3, May 30, 1830. He commenced making improvements immediately. By mistake his first chopping was on the south side of his line on my father’s land. He chopped about an acre and a half before the error was discovered. My father paid him for his work. He boarded with us during his stay. He suffered so much with fever and ague that he became discouraged, and returned to his old home before winter, where he married and soon after died. His brother,
Hiram Fisk became possessed of his land, and in 1836 placed his family and effects in his wagon, with a good span of horses, traversed the intervening space between the Green Mountains and his Nankin farm, where they all arrived in good condition. His family consisted of a wife, and two daughters of about four and six years. He found accommodations for his family at my father’s while building his house. After a few years his wife became insane from which she never recovered. He returned with her to Vermont in 1848-9 where she died. He returned with another wife. She lived but two or three years. He subsequently married a widow of the vicinity. He sold his farm and bought another a couple of miles further west on the plains. He was a respectable and hard working man, and prospered as such men should. He died in recent years at over 80 years of age.
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