EARLY SETTLEMENT.

     But to return to the early settlement of this tract of land now known as Dallas county.

After the last period of Indian occupancy of these lands had expired, on October 11th, 1845, as was before stated, emigrants were at liberty to go up the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers, or any place west, to select and secure their claims on the public domain of now western Iowa.

     In the enjoyment of this liberty, therefore, during the fall of that year the more adventurous of the land-viewers and claim-seekers came out this far, looking at the country and hunting the best localities in order that they might be better prepared to make an intelligent and satisfactory selection before settling permanently on a claim. But nearly all of these either returned again without taking any definite steps toward settling here, or else went further on viewing in other places, while some, perhaps selected such claims as would suit them best if they should afterward decide to move here, and then returned to their homes farther east without making any arrangements for securing them, intending that if they found no better prospects elsewhere, they would come back in the spring and make a settlement.

     A very few, however, did select their claims that fall and remained long enough to secure them by building a claim-pen, as we learn from some of the old settlers themselves who are still living in the county.

THE FIRST SETTLER.

     As to who was the veritable "First Settler" in this county, accounts differ widely. Though the various statements regarding this are almost, legion, yet no two of them seem to fully correspond when placed side by side. And after examining so many authorities and interviewing a number of the oldest settlers now living in the county, with regard to this much vexed question, it may not appear very singular if the following

288

statement of the case should differ, in some particulars, from all the rest. It is impossible to get at all the facts, and therefore very difficult to relate the circumstances just as they occurred; but so far as we have been able to learn, after careful and diligent investigation, the facts are about as follows:

     "Sometime during the fall of 1845, not long after the Indian title was extinguished, two brothers, Daniel and Lewis Stump, came through the south part of the county prospecting, and finally selected and staked out claims in what is now Van Meter township, a short distance below the forks and north of the Raccoon river in the well known Stump bottom.

     "They were, of course, in a very uneasy position during that fall in attempting to settle here so early, as the Indians were still here; though their title had run out they had not been removed to their reservation in Kansas when the Stump boys came, and these pioneers were in some danger of being driven from their claims.

     "They remained, however, and during the early part of that winter made rails for fencing, and built a cabin on their claim, sixteen by eighteen feet, one story high, and sometime during the following February, 1846, their sister Mary came on with their brother John and kept house for them,"

     These are the only ones of whom we have found any authentic account, who came in the fall of 1845 and remained on their claims. John Wright also came and selected his claim early in the winter of 1845, but returned again soon to the East, and moved out with his family in March, 1846, settling first within the present limits of Van Meter township, but soon afterward moved into what is now Boone township and settled near where J, O. Goodson now lives.

     Sometime in January, 1846, Samuel Miller and his brother William Wilson Miller, then residing in Jefferson county, Iowa, and Eli Smithson, of Fort Des Moines, and son-in-law of Wm. W. Miller, came through here to look at the country and finally took claims in and adjoining the timber on the opposite side of the North Raccoon river, east from the present site of Adel.

     None of these, however, remained here long at that time, but returned again to their homes, and on the 12th day of March following, Samuel Miller returned here with his family, arriving about noon of that day, and settled permanently on his claim which he had selected some two months previous, in what has since, been known as the Miller settlement, in honor of which a branch near there now bears the name of Miller's Branch.

     Soon afterward, on the 25th day of March, of the same year, W, W. Miller and family, accompanied by his son, John Miller, and his son-in-law, Eli Smithson, and perhaps others, returned and settled on their claims as before selected, John Miller taking, as at least part of his claim, the principal portion of the land on which the county seat now stands, and afterward turned over to the county his claim on what is known as the "town quarter," when the seat of justice was finally located here by the county seat commissioners.

     Early in February, 1846, Levi Wright, and his brother James Wright, deaf mute, came to the Stump cabin, and finding the door and windows (or light-holes) securely barred against the Indians, in the absence of the inmates—who had gone to the woods to work, or on a hunt—the Wrights found entrance to the cabin by climbing in through the roof and patiently awaited the return of their host.

289

     They remained at the Stump cabin a few days, and then went a short distance to the west, across North Raccoon, and took claims near the forks of the Raccoon river, on section 16, township 78, range 27.

     They then built a claim cabin, made a few other improvements on their claims and soon afterward returned to their former home in .Polk county. In April of that year they returned here. Levi brought his family along with him and settled on his original claim, where he still lives as one of the oldest settlers now in the county. Tristram Davis and John Longmire also made their claims in February, 1846, but returned again to their former homes and arrived here with their families on the 18th of May following, in company with a number of others.

     During the spring of 1846 small settlements were made in some four or five different localities in the county.

     There was one, as just referred to, in the southeast part of the county within the present boundaries of Boone and Van Meter townships, which consisted in the main of the Stumps, the Wrights, George and Shubal Haworth, who laid claims and settled on the land now owned and occupied by John Barto. William and John Ellis also came in February of this year, selected their claims, made some improvements and went back, returning here in April following with their widowed mother, Mrs. Sarah Ellis, and her large family of eight sons and two daughters. They settled on the claim previously taken by the boys, and prepared a comfortable home.

     About the same time, or soon afterward, Noah Staggs, Henry Garner, Mr. Clark, Henry Stump and the rest of his family, Greenbury Coffin, William P. McCubbin, James W. Black, John Juvenaugh, Henry Busick, George Gresham (1847), John Johnson (1847), William Brown, James Moore, John Crane, Nathan Moore, and others, settled in that vicinity during that spring, summer and fall, increasing that settlement to quite a community, though considerably scattered.

     In the spring of 1846, also, a small settlement was made north of the South Raccoon in what is now Adams township, consisting in the main of John Longmire, Tristram Davis, George S. Hills, John Davis and Levi A. Davis, all of whom came with their families May 18th, and settled on and adjoining sections 10 and 11.

     Archibald Crowl and others joined their number soon afterward. Along the North Raccoon, also, in the central part of the county, and principally near the present site of Adel, there was quite a thriving settlement during the spring and summer of 1846, consisting chiefly of Millers, the most of whom were among the first settlers in the county.

     There was a host of them who nearly all settled in one vicinity, Samuel, Isaac, Eli, William W., John, Martin W., and Jesse K. Miller, besides Eli Smithson, Isaac Tribby, William Galway, Joseph O. Corbell, and others.

     Their number was rapidly increased so that this settlement soon became the largest in the county, as it had the good fortune to secure the location of the county seat near at hand.

     In the northeast corner of the county, near the Des Moines river and within the present bounds of Des Moines township, O. D. Smalley settled May 18, 1846, on the northwest quarter of section 26, and for a good while held sole possession of that part of the county as one of its earliest pioneers. He was re-enforced that fall, however, by a number of pioneers.

290

     John and David Spear settled near him on section 11, in September, 1846. Jerry Evans settled on section 2, August 15, 1846. Judge McCall settled on section 12, in September, 1846. Samuel Ramsey settled on section 26, in October, 1846, and Judah Leaming settled on the southwest quarter of section 23, March 1, 1847.

     Others, doubtless, should be added to the foregoing list, whose names, dates of arrival and places of settlement we have been unable to obtain, but the above named persons-with the respective households of those who were then fortunate enough to have such blessings-constituted the principal portion of the inhabitants of' Dallas county during the year 1846. The entire list of inhabitants at the close of that year would not number, perhaps, more than sixty or sixty-five persons.

     To one looking back over the situation at that time from the present standpoint of progress and comfort, it certainly does not seem very cheering; and yet, from the testimony of some of these same old settlers themselves, it was the most independent and happy period of their lives.

     At that time, it certainly would have been much more difficult for those old settlers to understand how it could possibly be that thirty-two years hence the citizens at the present stage of' the county's progress would be complaining of hard times and destitution and that they themselves, perhaps, would be among that number, than it is now for us to appreciate how they could feel so cheerful and contented with their meager means and humble lot of hardship and deprivation during those early pioneer days.

     The secret doubtless was that they lived within their means, however limited, not coveting more of luxury and comfort than their income would afford, and the natural result was prosperity and contentment, with always room for one more stranger at the fireside, and a cordial welcome to a place at their table for even the most hungry guest.

     During the year 1847, and the early part of 1848, there was quite an increase of emigration, and not only the different settlements already made were reinforced, but also new ones were started in various other localities, so that the work of' improvement and enterprise continued to move gradually forward. Some of these newcomers were as follows: J. O. Goodson, William D. Boone and others settled in what is now Boone township. S. K. Scovell, Horatio and Barney Morrison, Chelsea Shelton, Isaac Magart, James A. and Thomas Butler, "Chris." Fowler, "Jeff." Jones, Rud Lathrop, Thomas J. Drummond, William O. and Daniel James, Anderson Kelley, E. J. Fowler, Ira Sherman, John and Valentine Cline, Benjamin Greene and others settled near Penoach, in what is now Adel township.

     In the fall of 1847 George P. Garroutte settled on the North Raccoon, very near what proved to be the geographical center of the county; and early in the preceding spring, Harvey Adams, Zebin Babcock—better known as" Squire Babb "—and Judge Lloyd D. Burnes were the first settlers in what is now Sugar Grove township, all corning about the same time.

     Not long afterward, Adam Vineage, with his family, John Bevens, a single man, Milton Randolph, J, V. Pierce, and perhaps others, settled in the same vicinity. "Dutch Henry" also came to Sugar Grove township about this time, remaining for a while, but making no permanent settlement. He finally ventured off by himself toward the north and took a claim on the edge of the prairie west of Perry.

     During the summer of 1848 the first settlement was made in what is now Washington township, by John Sullivan and sons, who were soon fo1-

291

lowed by James McLane, Jacob Winters, Samuel Mars, John S. Sammies and others.

     Union township was also first settled in the spring of 1848. About February of that year, Humphrey Smith (more commonly known as "Yankee" Smith), and his son-in-law, Henry Owens, settled near the mouth of Cottonwood creek, where they put up a mill in company, on section 11, on the South Raccoon river, known as Owens's mill.

     This mill, however, only endured for a few years, when it was swept away entirely by the flood.

     In February, 1848, Leroy Lambert, now of Adel, settled on section 6, near the west line of the county, and in October of that year, David Daily came and settled on section 4. About 1850 John W. Hayes, Elisha Morris, Mr. Wilcox, J olm F. Willis, Uriah Stotts, and perhaps others, joined their number. Mr. Stotts had come to the county in 1847, and settled in Van Meter; but moved to Union township in 1850, and settled on section 8, where he still lives.

     George B. Warden also came to the township about this time, Or perhaps before, and located on section 1, three miles east of Redfield, his present home. Previous to this he had lived two years in Adel.

     In 1850, also, Samuel Carpenter, James Brookes, W. W. Harper and others located near this settlement just across the line, in what is now Linn township.

     The Cavenaugh brothers, Patrick, Thomas and Michael, entered the land on which the town of Redfield now stands, in, the year 1850, and laid out the town of New Ireland on that site in 1852-3. They afterward sold the town site, and large tract of land adjoining it, to Col. James Redfield, his brother, Luther, and the colonel's father-in-law, Thomas Moore, about 1856 or 1857.

     During this time, in other parts of the county, and especially in and around the first settlements, the population and improvements had been increasing so rapidly that it is impossible to find trace of their names, locations and dates of arrival. If enough has herein been given to indicate to some degree at least, the order in which the different parts of the county were first settled, with a partial list of the first settlers in each locality, the aim intended has been accomplished.

     Thus we find that during the fall of 1845, and early in the spring of 1846, pioneers began to ascend the highlands west of Fort Des Moines, and continued gradually extending the new settlements out still further along the woodlands bordering the main branch of the Raccoon river, until they soon passed its forks and began to follow these up still further to the north and westward, generally settling close to the rivers and timberlands which skirted them, and finding no decrease; but rather an improvement in the value and attraction of the land as they advanced.

     During that and the following years the work of improvement thus begun, continued gradually progressing until it has attained to its present stage of advancement with the growth of thirty-three years, and many of Dallas county's earliest settlers still live within its bounds to enjoy something of the fruits of that growth of years which they have helped to make. In those early pioneer days, however, the outlook was not altogether a cheerful one.

     There were none of the conveniences and facilities of the present then with which to aid and comfort the settlers.

292

     During the year 1846, and perhaps not until some time afterward, there was not a public highway established and worked, on which they could travel. And as the settlers were generally far apart, and mills and trading points were at great distances, going from place to place was not only very tedious; but attended sometimes with great danger. Not a railroad had yet entered Chicago, and there was scarcely a thought in the minds of the people here of such a thing ever reaching the wild West; and, if thought of, people had no conception of what a revolution a railroad and telegraph through here would cause in the progress of the country. Then there were less than 5,000 miles of railroad in the United States, and not a mile of track laid this side of Ohio; while now there are over 100,000 miles of railroads extending their trunks and branches in every direction over our land.

     Supplies, in those days, came to this western country entirely by river and wagon transportation. Mail was carried to and fro in the same way, and telegraph dispatches were transmitted by the memory and lips of emigrants coming in, or strangers passing through.

     There was not a mill, store, post-office, school-house, church, road or trading point then in the entire county.

Return to top

THE NEAREST TRADING POINT.

     Fort Des Moines was the nearest trading point where mail matter, clothing, groceries and the necessary family supplies could be secured, and the stock in trade at that point was oftentimes not nearly sufficient to supply the urgent demands of the settlers.

     It was, at that time, a very small place, with only a single row of cabins extending along the west bank of the Des Moines river, and another row extending along the north bank of the Raccoon river, forming an angle between the two rivers, little dreaming that before many years it would bear the honored title of the Capital of Iowa.

     These cabins had been built for the accommodation of the garrison, and in them all the business of the place was then transacted. In one of these cabins, on "Coon Row," occupied by P. Y. Casady, the post-office was kept, he being the postmaster of that general delivery.

     The mail matter was kept in a dry goods box marked "Phelps & Co., Fort Des Moines, Iowa," from which he gracefully distributed the precious missives to the anxious inquirers, who had traveled, perhaps, many weary miles on foot to receive from the rude box the long delayed letter that brought a message of love from the deal' ones far away.

     The place being so small, and the means of transportation to it being so limited and irregular, they were unable to supply, regularly, the now increasing demand from all around them, and settlers in these parts thought themselves happy if they were not compelled to go on far beyond there to Oskaloosa, Keokuk or Burlington to obtain the necessaries of life.

     Corn, the staple article among the pioneers as food for man and beast, was a scarce, high-priced article then in the new country, especially where the first crop had not yet been raised.

     In order to secure this and other .necessary provisions they were often under the necessity of going to Oskaloosa, and sometimes as far down as the Mississippi river to Keokuk and Burlington, a. distance of about two hundred miles, to supply the wants of their pioneer homes. After stores and trading points began to be established in this county, the merchants

293

for many years were in the habit of going to these distant points on the rivers to purchase their stocks of goods and bringing them through by wagon transportation.

     Occasionally a number of families in a community would club together, make out a list of what they needed and send off to the trading post as many men and teams as necessary, or as could be obtained to procure and bring home supplies for all, and thus to a great degree they worked together, and to one another's interest as one great family.

     In this way, also, they took turns, in going to mill, to the stores, for the mail, etc., and when a cabin was to be raised, or a neighbor assisted in any way, all, within reach or hearing, turned out with one accord, quite willing to lend the helping hand and enjoy in common the feast and frolic that was sure to accompany all such gatherings.

     In this isolated condition, pioneer life here, as elsewhere, was one of stern realities and serious trials, especially for the sick and aged ones, while so far removed from points of supply, and almost completely cut off from communication with the outside world. If a stranger from any distance came into the new settlement he was treated with unusual cordiality, and questioned with unabating zeal, with regard to the great world-matters without; and if he saw fit to accept the urgent invitation of the settlers to share their humble hospitality in welcome for many days, he might rest assured that he must pass through that long siege of incessant questioning by the inquisitive settlers, from which he, doubtless, would derive as much pleasure and profit as they.

     The claims occupied by the first settlers were supposed to contain about 320 acres; but these were run off "by guess," and as a consequence often included two or three times that number of acres. The general improvements on these, for a long time, consisted of old-fashioned worm fences made of rails split by the settlers themselves, and snug, though humble, cabins.

Return to top

LOG CABINS.

     Of these pioneer log cabins and their general furniture, one of Dallas county's old settlers says:
     "These were of round logs notched together at the corners, ribbed with poles and covered with boards split from a tree. A puncheon floor was then laid down, a hole cut out in the end and a stick chimney run up. A clapboard door is made, a window is opened by cutting out a hole in the side or end, about two feet square, and it is finished without glass or transparency. The house is then 'chinked' and 'daubed' with mud made of the top soil.

     "The cabin is now ready to go into. The household and kitchen furniture is adjusted, and life on the frontier is begun in earnest.

     "The one-legged bedstead, now a piece of furniture of the past, was made by cutting a stick the proper length, boring holes at one end, one-and-a-half inches in diameter at right angles, and the same sized holes corresponding with these in the logs of the cabin the length and breadth desired for the bed, in which are inserted poles.

     "Upon these poles clapboards are laid, or linn bark is interwoven consecutively from pole to pole. Upon this primitive structure the bed is laid. The convenience of a cook stove was not thought of then, but instead the

294

cooking was done by the faithful housewife in pots, kettles and skillets, on and about the big fire place, and very frequently over and around, too, the distended pedal members of the legal sovereigns of the household while the latter were indulging in the luxury of a cob pipe, and discussing the probable results of a contemplated elk hunt up and about Walled Lake. These log cabins were really not so bad after all.

     "We have seen a good deal of solid comfort about them which, we presume to say, in many cases money could not purchase for the millionaire. Still, as 'contentment is happiness,' wherever one is the other must follow, as a matter of course, whatever may be the condition or location in life."

A PIONEER MILL.

     The first water-power grist mill built west of the Red Rock reservation line in Iowa, was built and run by John D. Parmelee, on Middle River, in Warren county, some ten or fifteen miles southeast of Fort Des Moines.

     It was both a saw and grist mill and, for a long time, made the meal, flour and lumber for all the region now included in Warren, Madison, Polk and Dallas counties, and sometimes for settlers living even in more distant parts.

     To a good extent, this mill, on account of its convenient location and capacity for grinding, stopped the rush of travel to Oskaloosa from these parts, especially of all those who had found it necessary to go there for milling purposes and breadstuffs; and being the only mill in all these parts as a consequence it was crowded night and day with anxious customers, each desiring to get his grist done first so as to return home.

     On account of the great rush of work it had to do, and possibly because it was not built and run altogether in the most systematic and commendable manner, this mill finally got so completely out of repairs that they were compelled to stop running it. This brought a sad state of affairs for the settlers in the communities and country around about, who were now in the habit of getting all their grinding and sawing done at this place.

     Something must be done to put it in running order again so as to accommodate the customers.

     Finally Judge L. D. Burnes, the pioneer mill-wright, was sent for to put it to rights again, and after a two weeks siege of as thorough repairing as the circumstances and conveniences would permit the mill was again found in running order, to the delight of the owner and the eminent satisfaction of his numerous and dependent customers.

      With regard to this circumstance the judge gives the following interesting account:

     "The miller, poor Mordecai Disney, seemed to be overwhelmed with trouble, at times, to know what to do amid the babble around him, and this deserving class of people are apt to get, as a general thing, more cursings than blessings anyhow.

     "Poor Disney had learned to make the most of his position under ordinary pressure, but this was rather too much for his trained equanimity, and he would get off, now and then, some of the most chilling expletives that we ever heard.

     "This mill was finally run down with constant overwork and no care, and [and] it became so relaxed that it stopped business altogether. This was a

295

terrible blow to the settlers, as its stoppage implied the going away off to Oskaloosa for breadstuffs.

     "Several machinists were called in but the patient got worse and worse. We were finally called to the sick bed of this frontier mill in consultation. We found the patient completely prostrated, its nervous system was sadly out of sorts. We administered alteratives and cardiacs.

     "The patient, under this radical treatment, and in the course of two weeks, got entirely well and was ready to go to work again with increased vitality.

     "But, alas! when we were ready to try the ability of the convalescent mill to eat corn, we were brought to realize the fact that

" 'Life is a drama of a few brief acts,
The actors shift, the scene is often changed.
Pauses and revolutions intervene,
The mind is set to many and varied tune
And jars and plays in harmony by turns. '

     "John D. Parmelee was not in calling distance to come and see the ex-patient survive.

     "John had put in most of his time, during the sickness and convalescence of the mill, up at the Fort as a zealous votary of the fiery god Bacchus.

     The excellent woman and wife, Mrs. Parmelee, sent Jack, an old bachelor domestic, to go up to the Fort and bring John D. home to 'see the mill start.' Jack went, but delayed his coming. Another messenger was sent by the good woman to hasten Jack's return.

     "The second messenger found John D. and Jack on a protracted' bust,' deaf to all entreaty. John refused to come home to 'see the mill start.'

     "The second messenger, too, was soon overcome by the furious god, and joined in the debauch. The miller, Mordecai Disney, was finally sent up to the Fort to bring- back the three loyal disciples of jolly John Barleycorn. He was successful, and John D. saw 'the mill start' out with new life and vigor, to his perfect satisfaction, muttering all the while to himself:

" 'There is a tide in the affairs of men
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries. '

     "Suddenly John D. yelled out at the top of his voice, 'See boys, how she chaws!' "

     This mill, being again repaired and ready for effective service, was not long in regaining its former rush of custom from the citizens of the frontier who were anxiously waiting for this event, and the settlers of Dallas county for a long time got most of their milling done there, until others were erected and prepared for service nearer home.

     Of course, at the very first, all sorts of means were resorted to for grinding and grating corn as the staple article of food; and not unfrequently it was boiled whole, and prepared in various ways which the ingenuity of the hungry ones would devise in the absence of better means.

     Hand mills and horse mills of various kinds were also constructed and procured, some of which would serve for the accommodation of several families by turns.

     One of these horse mills was constructed by Samuel Miller, and started in use December 24, 1846, being, perhaps, the first one of the kind in the

296

county. It was called the" Stump Mill," as it had one small set of burrs prepared and fastened on a stump, and constituted a regular old-fashioned "corn cracker," run by horse power. The event of starting this mill afforded an occasion of a great Christmas jollification the next day among the settlers of that vicinity.

     This little mill was a great convenience in that neighborhood, and did the corn grinding for many a pioneer home. In 1848 Mr. Miller sold it to Buel Lathrop, who moved the burrs up to his claim on Hickory creek, and built the first water mill for grinding corn in the county, using what he could of the old "stump mill" for its construction, and with it did some grinding for the surrounding community, but seems to have been too negligent and too much occupied in advocating Mormonism to accomplish very much as a pioneer miller, so that his mill soon ran down and stopped grinding altogether. But a fuller account of this mill will be given further on, under proper date.

     After this, both grist and saw mills gradually increased in number in the county until they became quite numerous, and milling privileges became reasonably convenient to most of these settlements.

Return to top

GOING TO MILL.

     Going to mill in those days, when there were no roads, no bridges, no ferry boats, and scarcely any conveniences for traveling, was no small task where so many rivers and treacherous streams were to be crossed, and such a trip was often attended with great danger to the traveler when these streams were swollen beyond their banks. But even under these circumstances some of the more adventurous and ingenious ones, in cases of emergency, found the way and means by which to cross the swollen streams and succeed in making the trip. At other times, again, all attempts failed them, and they were compelled to remain at home until the waters subsided, and depend on the generosity of their more fortunate neighbors.

     One bold attempt of this kind, which failed of success, is described in the following account by Mr. Greene, in the Dallas County News:

     "The Ellises had been on their claim but a few months when it became necessary to go to mill, for, though hominy is a pretty good substitute for bread, the corn they brought with them was about out, and not only had they to go a hundred miles to mill, but they had first to work to buy the grain when there. It was common to be gone three or four weeks on such a trip. At the outset, in this case, North Raccoon, then 'out of its banks,' had to be crossed. They had as yet no ferry boat, not even a canoe, and wagons, yokes, chains and camp furniture, had to be taken over on a log raft. The central current, too deep for setting poles, swept them a long way down stream. The wagon had thus been crossed and debarked in shal1ow water, the four oxen driven across, yoked and chained together, the 'traps' were being loaded upon the wagon, when the oxen, with bovine stubbornness and stupidity, took it into their heads to return. When they struck the main current, it swept them irresistibly down stream. They soon became entangled in their chains and the floodwood. Thus they struggled and strangled for several hours, till all but one gave up and seemed to have a through ticket for the Mississippi. 'Old Ben' (the boys, to this day, can scarcely refrain from both laughing and crying when they relate it) would paddle for the west bank whenever he came

297

round in sight of it. They finally got fast in some drift, and made no effort to get loose.

     "Isaac Ellis (next younger than William) stripped and swam a long distance to them, and with a pocket-knife he carried with him cut the bow keys, unyoked the oxen, and got them all safely to land.

     "Late in the night, naked, hungry, tired and scratched, he called at the cabin for the boys to bring him out some clothes.

     "Isaac Ellis will be remembered by those only who were here more than twenty years ago. About that time he went west of the Missouri, hunted with the Indians, and supplied for some time several stations of the overland stage company with deer, buffalo, and other wild meat. When last heard from he was with the Indians in British America.

     "Of Wm. Ellis-sound, joyous, whole-souled Will—little need be said. Who that lived here within twenty-five years of the first settlement did not know him? Who has not shouted at his uproarous merriment? Who was not gladdened by his constant cheerfulness? And let cynics say 'every man has his price' ; those who best knew the subject of these comments will point to him and answer, 'There's an honest man.'

     "It is significant that the mother of this large family of boys says 'thee and thau.' "

Return to top