USA > Ohio > Mercer County > History of Van Wert and Mercer counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 67
USA > Ohio > Van Wert County > History of Van Wert and Mercer counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 67
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E. R. Wells, Es, thus describes his journey, accompanied by Stephen Gleason, E-q .: Atter he had reached his home our route lay through an unbroken wilderness, without so much as a blazed tree to guide us some five or six miles. Our course was south by west until we came to the 27th prairie, then nearly west along the north side of -aid prairie until we came to a narrow place in it. ceross which the beavers at some pre- vious time had constructed a dam Crossing there, we took our hearings for the cabin of J. M. Chilcote, four miles north of Wilshire. We arrived at Wilshire, found the post office. and remained in the town over night. On our way back we came upon a flock of wild turkeys. and with our rifles, which we had carried with us, killed several, which we took home with us.
We may mention a fact not generally known, that in the eastern part of the county a large strip of land, some eight miles in width, had been granted to aid in the construction of the canal that was on the east side of the county. The work was not commeneed for some years later, consequently it was an unbroken, wilderness from the Big Auglaize River to Mr. Oliver Stacey's residence, a distance of eight pile, in which there was no ridge nor bridge, although three small streams were to be eversed, besides the country being low and wet.
Settlers followed an Indian trail as near as practicable along Nagar Ridge. The trail was ten or twelve inches deep, made by the single-tile travel of the red man. The usual mode was to cut bushes ail remove some of the smaller log-, and by so doing a zig zag track was made, which enabled wagons to pass over the ground, which necessarily leme by travel so eut up and miry that a new track had to be cut alongside of the first.
This township is the oldest settlement in the county, which commenced about 1:30. The principal thoroughfue of travel for this settlement was on the waters of the St. Marys River in large cances. By this means they basi communication with the town of St. Marys, in Mercer County, ma Fort Wayne. hut.
Mr. Charles Mount come to Wiltshire in 1993 unexpectedly to himself. It was his determination to that down the St. Marys to Fort Wayne. links with a small lot of dry-goods and groceries and engage in bottomless at that point. When he arrived at Will-hive be tied up for a little rest. and in a short time concluded be would stop there, and engaged a corner of Mr. Major's bar-room, And opened out his goods and commencal In ine-4. He continued in this business thirty years and became quite wealthy, and after wards removed to Western Missouri.
Wilshire-South Addition
is laid ont upon a variation of 12 degrees to the west of north, and con- tains 12 lots, each of 9 rods square. The streets and alleys are con- timed from the original plat, and in the same angles, Giverne Street is 4 poles wide, and is added on the south side as laid out by me this 230 day of July, 1923.
JAMES RILEY.
Cholera in Willshire in 1854. BY Di. J. W. PLARCE.
We have been requested, for the benefit of inquiring friends, to write as near a concise history as time and circumstances will permit, of that terrible scourge. Asiatic Cholera, which came so near depopulating the otherwise peaceful and prosperous little town of Will-hire in the year 1×56. That many circumstances of a minor consideration connected with the ravages of that fell destroyer, should in the Lapse of twenty- seven years become etlaved from the tablet of our memory, could not be otherwise expected. From the time the dark mantle of death dropped into our midst on that ever-memorable evening of July 19, and its dark shadows bezan to fall athwart our every pathway, and forever hide from our eyes those faces we loved most tenderly, and whose living smiles were the joy and sunlight of our existence, it became to all a source of sorrow and gloom, the like of which has never been known in the hi -- tory of our town. And whilst pungent sorrow reigned supreme, and the pale horse and his rider knelt at our doors, and the song of mirthlidl- ness was no longer heard in our midst, nevertheless many amusing inel- dents occurred, which we shall notice in their proper place. It has been claimed by some, and especially the credulous, that cholera made its ad- vent into our midst as a corrective measure of the avenger of wrong- doors, without apparent cause or provocation. This assertion is not founded on facts. 'That the season was very remarkable for drouth is notorious. No rain fell from the latter part of May till the 24th of July. during which time there was not a cloud to intercept the sun's rays. which poured down upon the earth's surface and her carpet of herl 120 and green, until all things terrestrial appeared really for spontaneous combustion. The wells, cisterns, and fountains of water were in like condition. The St. Marys River was low and unhealthy, being covered with that almost ever-present green seum, the harbinger of disease and death. It must be remembered that the winter preceding the cholera had been an unusual one for its continuous cold weather. Rivers, crocks. and fountains of water were all alike frozen up. When our spring freshet came the St. Mary's River rose to overflowing, and being gorged with ice and drift wood. the waters spread out, and thousands of aeres of land became inundated.
The country at that time being sparsely supplied with ditches or under- ground drains, the waters of necessity Jag upon the low lands until it disappeared by the slow process of evaporation. The condition of our little town, like all others, unprovided with town ordinances, was in a most unhealthy condition. Our streets, alleys, and byways were filled with animal and vegetable remains, and the laws of hygiene were en- tirely overlooked. Thus it was with our town when hot weather and drouth set in. The atmosphere in time became surcharged with mal urin. or the germ of disease, which commenced pouring out its ummer sitel fury on the fatal 19th. At this date, Dame Nature, with all her surtout- ing concomitante, appeared unmistakably to shadow forth something unusual. Men's countenances were overshadowed with Kartal suspense. and there was a fearful looking for something out of the common order of things. The red glare and almost scathing host of the sun's rays were poured down, and reflected back, as if in mockery, from the already parched earth. The cattle went lowing to and fro, as it in sentch of fand and water. The birds flew screaming through the air as though pursued by some demon of hunger. The very dors, as it in mockery of the fear- ful doom that awaited us, sent up from their kennels their dolotul how/s. Willshire up to this time had remained in state que, whilst her people retained their accustomed measure of the milk of human kindness and their liberal share of hospitality and generous feeling, for which she had always been proverbial: get we must confess that in point of morals and religion Willshire had never been so low.
Our mercantile men consisted of C. Mount and H. Banta, whilst HI. Reichard. D Nichols. D. Weimer, and . Lillen were the senders of bad whiskey, which wasad Her time the staple article of commerce. It was bought at fifteen cents per galion, and retaded at three cents per drink. It was not only popular at that time to drink, but no man could take his place in high life, unless he could gulgodown twenty-five or thirty . tasses of rot-gut whiskey per day. Hence, as a sequel, the midnight shock and silly twadalle of the drunkard, with the bla garnas . the of the vulgar and profan, could be heard upon the streets both day and night, whilst the sound of the age, and the sloup crack of the hunter's life would resound through the forest on the Lonit's day. Thus it was until the eve of that memoralde day, Judy 19th, when the sound of mourning was first heard upon om street ..
243
HISTORY OF VAN AVERT AND MERCER COUNTIES. OHHO.
Before proceeding to notice individual cases, with the circumstances attmaling each of tum, we will call stration to one of the most fe- markable as also the most unaccountable phenomena connected with the history of cholera, viz, the migration or disappearance of the en- tire feathered trabe, together with the house this. By the 25th of the month not a bird or house fly could be seen or heard anywhere, and they remained in blissful seclusion antel about August 7th, when our cars were again solaved by the merry song and musical chirp of the hints. But, alas for Willshire, out of a population of about seventy five souls, forty had migrated to that " bearne from whence no traveller returns." On the 21st, at the suggestion of L. D. Pearce, a comunittre, consisting of ha Blossom, R. MeManuis, and Willis Major, was nero- tisted with to over-se the burying of the dead, and to assist those in distress as occasion might require. And never in the history of any age did three brave spirits merit a greater state of gratitude than did this brave trio, as they went forth in the discharge of their perilous under- taking. No money consideration alone could have induced them to enter the cabin of Starker, and remove therefrom five dead bodies, already in an advanced stage of decomposition, and that, too, after they had re- ceived orders to fire the building.
They believed, however, that humanity and order demanded of them a different course. Two of them have long since gone to their reward. All lived, however, to receive the plandit and homage they so richly de- served from a generous community.
At this time Dr. Mocheimer and myself were the only practising phy- sicians in town. Ant, as might be expected, our sleep we got in the saddle.
On the evening of the 19th of July, Mr. Barklow, a hard-working man, and also a hard-drinking man, was led by his friends from the bank of the St. Marys River, where he had been quarrying stone, to his house, and in a few hours expired with a well-marked are of Asiatic cholera. We ordered his remains to be laid in some secluded piace, and to be buried with the greatest possible dispatch, hoping thereby to prevent its further spread, but to no effect.
Old Dan Tucker, of plantation notoriety, who played the fiddle for a " hoe-down" in the suburbs of town, was taken with cholera next morn- ing at his home in the country, where Reuben Wood. Esg., in his kind- ness administered to his wants, spiritually and temporaliy. and after death, laid him in a box of his own making. Then three or four of the neighbors followed por obl Dan to his last resting-place.
We now became satisfied that our only safety consisted in fight. Ilence we advised the people to flee and seek safety in the country.
Win. Aynesworth generously threw open his doors to all who wished to accept his charities. Many fout shelter under his hospitable roof. and. as a consequence, he lost a lovely daughter; two others also died in his house.
Joseph Jones was a man of herculean strength, square built. and a lover of whiskey withal. Joe dofied the cholera as long as he could keep four inches of whiskey in his stomach. This he did for forty-eight hours, but at last he was found by his friends in the last stages of the cholera. So terrible was the contraction and contortion of the powerful man's muscles that the insertion of the exor muscles of his legs were broken up or torn loose, and his shrieks were terrible indred.
The night of the Both we passed in the country, giving aid and succor to the sick and aftheted. Next morning we returned to town for the purpose of changing horses and replenishing pift-bags, when we received a mild reproof from our couliding wife, for having alrented our-ch' the night previous from our little family circle, declaring she had not closed her eyes during the night. fearing we had taken cholera, or the chil- dren might take the same, and die before we could get to them. After quieting her fears as best we could, we were hurried away by messen- gers that had been in waiting from emily morn. A short time after we had left the house, a lady friend called for medicine.
Mrs. Pearce at this time was in apparent good health, and left her parlor for the office, where she prepared the lady's medicine. On turning to band her the same, she was noticed to reel and storzer, when on behold- ing her countenaner, the lady was horrified to see the change, from the florid red to a dark haden hue. Mrs. P. was now in last stages of cholera. and was led to her bed in a dying condition. Messengers were innedi- ately dispatched for us. w lere we were found zeven miles in the country. By the fleetness of our house we were able to be by her lealside in a few minutes, when and where she expired within a three hours' illness.
A strange coincidence connected with her death-one hour after Mrs. Pearce had ceased to breathe, as she lay with her hands crossed upon her bosom, so powerful had been the contraction of the muscular sys- team during the last throws of that fell destroyer, that the invite action of the nervo-vital fluid, brought to hear upon the exten sor muscle of the arm, was withcient to rate, the right arm from her basom, and las it at full length upon my brent as we sat by her bedside. Nevertheless life had been extinct for one hour.
Mrs. Daily, an aimable lads, living a few miles below town, became almost frantic with fear for the safety of her family and Friends. On hearing of the death of Mrs. Pearce and J. Medellin, she took the
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cholera, and after suffering her terrible allotment of pain, she peacefully foll asteep.
George Miller found he was taking the cholera, and left for bis sister's in the country, where he was refused admission. He forced his was in. and threw himself on the trundle-bed. The inmates left, and on their retain next morning George was found dead on the floor beside his best. He was buried in the garden withont coffin or box. Indiananity at that time could not be overlooked. The author of this ontrage was driven from the country, and not allowed to return. Unele Billy Limetall Jost an only son, amiable, and respected by all. Milton Major, true to his native kindness, was ever at his post preparing the last resting place for departed friend -.
We had a poor drunken fellow in our town called " Bill." To get drunk and whip his wife was the order of his time. He was a terror to his family and a pest of the town. Bill took the cholera, and we were called to see him. This was the first time he had ever been sick. and to him it was a disserreable surprise. This was our time, as we sell y believed. to assist him in passing in his checks, heure we rolled up right or ten pills of assaftida and red pepper, and ordered them to be given two hours apart, and tried as best we could to prepare the mind of the prospective wilow for the great change that awaited her little family circle, and departed.
On calling around in due time to see if Bill was still alive, to our great surprise and no little chagrin we found him about, well, and in due time he was restored to his whiskey and shillalah; and it has ever been a question with us whether Bill got well from pure contrariness. or whether assafetida and pepper pods was the proper treatment for cholera.
Mother Ruby lay dead three days, one mile from town, before burial; then, wrapped in a sheet, she was buried in her own garden.
1. Banta left town, went to Van Wert, remained till the malignity of the disease had to some extent abated, when he was again made welcome in our town. On his return, as the giant oak before the storm, he, too, was brought down by the fell destroyer. Owing, however, to his great life-force he fought back the disease, and in due time we rojojeed to find our friend convalescing. and at last restored to family and friends.
Frederick Nichols and two sons, David and James, all fell victims.
David Nichols was one of our best business men, and his death was greatly lummented by all. " Old Pap Nichols." as he was familiarty called. was highly esteemed. He was a Universalist. and ever ready to defend his faith. After suffering his full allotment of terrible pain. he revised some minutes in that fatal collapse which always precedes death. When put forth his withered hand and said " Good-by, mother. I'm going now." and peacefully fell asleep. reclining on that bosom he believed to be too merciful and kind to forever cast away his erring chillien.
David Weimer. a saloonist, became frantie with fear for himself and family, turned over his stock in trade for the benefit of the distressed, and left for Pleasant Mills, where he fell a victim in a few days.
On the 224 of the month the old Widow Dateher, a stranger to fear. who kept a saloon, agreed to open her doors for the reception of all in distress, upon condition that she be allowed to go anywhere in town to take what she needed for their benefit. This appeared reasonable, ani the arrangement was entered into. The old lady's house was som : . 1 with cholera patients, six of whom died. But mark the sequel. W ... the disease subsided, and the people began to return with their families to their deserted homes, they had nothing to eat. The old woman had appropriated the entire stock of provisions to her own use, and had laid in a stock of groceries and provisions sufficient to stand a five-year siege. Nevertheless. she received our united thanks.
Henry Reichard, whose memory we all respect, and L. D. Pearer were both taken sick. They both recovered, to give aid and succor to those who so much needed their assistance.
Thus it was with our town and vicinity until the twenty-eighth day. when, to our unutterable joy, the heavens became aglare with lightning. the thunder rolled its deafening roar, the long-coveted rain began to de- scend upon the parched earth, and the atmosphere became cold and healthy. The malaria germ was either burned up or beaten down to be trodden under foot. for the disease now disappeared as if by mnie. Men with their families logan to return to their once happy, but now desolate, homes. There were to be found but two remaining fon . - Henry Reichand and the evermemorable old woman. Isto: ppl destitution were everywhere to be seen ; doors were thrown open. It's beds were standing in the streets; sidewalks were white with lime need as disinfectant; no merry song or cheerful voier to be heard: sorrow and gloom reigned supreme. Stout hearts quailed before the description and gloom that every where met their gaze. " Ra hel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted because they were not." for about forty kind friends from the town and vicinity had left never more to return.
One more incident and we are done. Richard Hall, a gentleman hom Bucyrus, had married a daughter of Frederick Nichols, of With are. where his wife had come to visst friends but a few days before the cholera broke out.
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244
HISTORY OF VAN WERT AND MERCER COUNTIES, OHIO.
On the day Mrs. Pearce died Richard Hall came for his wife, and. having to remain overnight. he, in his disinterested kindness, accompa- niedl Dr. Nicelands to my house, and assisted in burying Mis. Prater. Then in company with his wife he left forthwith for Bueyrus, where he died of cholera the following night. Dr. Nichols also took the cholera and died.
Reminiscences by W. Wiltshire Kiley.
My father removed his family from Upper Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut, in May, 1>20, to the town of Chillicothe, Ohio. in two-house covered wagens, via New York City, thence through New Jersey and Pennsylvania to Cumberland, Maryland, and thence followed the line of the Cumberland or National road (which was being built in different sections, and large gangs of Irish laborers with some negroes were at works. These mon often committed outra ges upon tha- vellers by felling trees across the road, and demanding pay for their re- moval. They tried the game on father, but as he was a large and pow- erfut tan, well armed and resolute, he soon tought them better manners, and we were suffered to pass, where others had been forced to pay the se highwaymen. There were very few houses (cabins) along the road, our journey was very slow. We usually encamped at night, sleeping in our wagons, building emmp fires and setting a watch to guard against horse thieves, then numerous in the mountains, Near the top of baurel Hill we passed a new grave, surrounded with new pickets, wade out of oak, said to be the grave of a'traveller munlered for his horse and money but a few days before. When we reached the summit of the Alleghenies father pointed out to us the great valley to the West, and explained how the waters divide on either side, reaching the sea through the Ohio and Mississippi rivers at New Orleans, and by the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay. at Norfolk, Virginia, We children, viz., brother Horatio, myself, and sisters Amelia and Pheby, had learned a little song, which we sang. beginning thus --
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" I have often heart them say that there's lions in the way, And they Inik in the Allegheny Mountains, O."
We renched Wheeling on the Ohio River, were ferried across on a scow driven by the current, by means of a rope extending across the river, to which the boat was attached. and carried by the current. Thence we followed the line of the National Road to Zanesville, where we rested a few days to recruit ourselves and jaded horses. This town was the largest. place sino: we left Cumberland, It was known that father was appointed to survey the newly-cedet lands on the St. Mary's and Maumee rivers, We were very cordially received and welcomed by the leading citizens. Thenee to Laneaster, then quite a fine place, thence to Chillicothe. having been about six weeks on the journey. Father rented a brick evt- tage on the west side of the town, sent the children to the academy, and went to the forest to his field of labor, taking my oblest brother, James Watson, Mr. John Powell. Stephen Louis, and his son, William Louis, who had accompanied is from New York, and were Quakers of West- bury, Long Island.
We remained in Chillicothe until January, Is21. when we removed to the Devil's Race Gromint, as the Indians called the Rapids, where father had purchased the land, and had Messss Louis, who were willing to build a log cabin aud stable, and fence in with brush about an aere of the woods. We had two covered wagons, drawn by two-horse teams; the winter was mild. We went via Circleville then.
The town was built within the ancient circle: in the centre was a publie circular place, with at flag-staff' in the centre; the embankment in- cluding the round and square forts, as they called them, was perfect in many places, large trees growing upon their summits. Here we stayed over night ; father was partienlar to show us small children the wonder- ful place, and took us around it in all directions. We crossed the Scioto River and went via Springfield and Troy to Piqua on the Great Miami River. Here were a few log cabins strung along the west bank. A hewed two story log house was Tompkin's Tavern, where we look lodgings, one stone house, the old Council House. occupied by Dr. Sha- pie as a residence, John Johnston, Esq. ( Indian Agent), Samuel Young, Stephen Widney, an Irish gentleman, and some few others, While we were at supper, in rushed Mrs. Wednes, bringing her hands, crying out: "Oh, gentlemen, my poor son John is lost in the woods, och hope! och hone! what shall I do, the opossums will kill him, and the deer will eat him; och houe! och home! It will be such a disgrace to the family !" All turned out, fired guns, made a bonfire, and in about hatt an bour Jolm Widary made his atqueance, a strapping fellow of six- teen years of age. Here father bought two caus, a yoke of oven, six sheep, and about a dozen longnosed, longlegged hogy; hired sevenat mich to drive them and the oxen with a load of provisions; hired a mill- wright called Major Low, a large healthy man. of forty years (thought himself capable of inverting a perpetual nation, as be called it ). Huh- erto the roots had been in tair condition, but now our travel became tedious and tiresome in the extreme, we were foundering in the mad. which had not frozen hard enough to hear, and could not travel more than ten miles a day, frequently got stuck, when we had to double teamy
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and oxen and pull oue wagon through at a time. We stopped at the crossing of Lormmie, where a man was living, this was an off French and Indian trading post before the Revolution. Some of the old stock- ade was to be seen yet. We finally reached the Fort St. Mary's ( Barber). Here part of the old Mock house was standing on the bluff bank of the St. Marys River, just north of the present bridge. Here there were three or four cabins, a Mr. Chales Marry kept a trading station, and received goods by pirogue from the lake, and sent pork in barrels down in flat-boats when the waters were high; a Mr. Houston and two Mir. Armstrongs and James Laird, are all the names I remember.
From here we went to Shane's Crossing. Through the timbered por- tion we had to clear a way by cutting down saplings, cutting fallen logs and rolling them out of the way by hitching our cattle to them; ou Shane's Prairie (where the town of Mercer now is and vicinity), lived Mr. Hayes, Mr. Calvin Dennison. Mr. Ruel Roebuck. Mir. John Roebnek, and Samuel Roebuck ; also a Mr. Chivington and Mr. Hanson, all bad families and were living on or in sight of the road; a few miles east on the St. Marys River (now Mendon) lived Mr. Justin and his brother William Hamilton and families. At Shane's Crossing lived an Indian chief named Shane and half-breed wife and family. They had a field of considerable size, and had raised corn, potatoes, and garden "sass." as the people called it. Sacateha, his nephew, was hired as an interpreter and guide, his parents were camped in the vicinity with quite a large number of Indians (Shane's wife was a Moravian Christian). The old Wayne road, or a trace leading to it, crossed the St. Marys here; but as the distance was greater and no wagon had ever passed, father laid bis line by his compass, and meu went ahead and hacked away through the brush so that we could drive. The weather had become cold, and ive froze thick enough to bear our teams, so that by working all day, just before night in a driving show-storm, we crossed the St. Marys on the ice to the cabin that had been prepared, which was built where the dam was afterwards built, about one-fourth of a mile south of the present bridge, in the town of Willshire. When crossing the river we saw the remains of a deer which the wolves. had been eat- ing, and had probably been seared away by us. Major Low took the remnant of the deer and hung it up on a sapling at the bank, so that the wolves might jump for it, and he could, by watching, shoot them. We got supper in our cabin. The storin ceased and the moon shone brightly. The major loaded his gun and went out to kill the wolves, whose howl- ings could be heard calling the pack together. He had high hopes of killing at least one or more, but in a short time they came in such numbers as to cause him to be completely panie-stricken. He turned and ran with all his speed through the brush. expreting the wolves would seize him at every step. So great was his fright that he failed to fire his gun. but dropped it in the snow, came dashing into the cabin, breaking in the clap- board door, and fell sprawling on the floor. He was a large man, weigh- ing over two hundred, and had never hunted wolves before. The wolves followed him to our cabin and kept up their howlings, but as our animals were secured in log stables, they were safe. The wolves found the major's gun and dragged it around, gnawed the tallow-box out of the stock, and stole the flint and ramrod, rendering it useless for a time ; and although lis gun had no stock, he became a laughing-stock to the old hunters. The wolves prowled around all night, keeping the children pretty well scared. This was the first night of the first settlers in Van Wert County at the " Devil's Race Ground." The winter proved rather a wild one, and by spring a large two-story log cabin had been built on the east bank of the river, at the foot of the rapids, near the site of the mill. This cabin was, I think, sixty feet in length, built in three sections of twenty feet each. The doors were split and hewed punchcons, with clipboard doors, with windows with sach and glass, the first glass windows seen north of Piqua. Men were busy clearing land between the first and second cabin, rolling logs into heaps, and we set to work to keep the fires going, so that by spring several aeres had been cleared. about twelve plowed and planted in corn, and a fine garden. The woods swarmed with Indians, who came to grind their knives and tomahawks on the grindstone, the only oue north of Piqua. They would camp around for weeks, but we never allowed them to have any whiskey. although it was always on hand by the barrel, and each hand had to have his rations. They always treated as with the utmost kindness. My mother often doctored their papouses, and they appreciated it. My father's portrait, a very fine likeness, looking straight at the behabler, hung in our big room. The Indians had all seen him while surveying, and all crowded in to see him, or his spirit. as they believed was there to report to him in the woods that they were depredating upon his fields or in alting his family. Finding that to be the case he did not deny it, and in the wlade eight years that we were surrounded by thousands of them, we were never injured to the value of a dollar, but treated politely and kindly by all tribes. So far as meats were concerned. we had will game in the greatest abundance, brought in by the Indians or sunt by our hunters. Wild honey was plenty off through the woods, also eran- berries, blackberries, with wild plans and crab apples. The great difficulty was to furnish bread while the mill was being built, as it was impossible to pack or baut from Papirer Dayton meat and done enough for so many mouths ; therefore we made honny by hutling corn in lye
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