USA > Pennsylvania > Crawford County > Pioneer sketches : scenes and incidents of former days > Part 15
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Ace was a good swimmer, too. Ace, Sam. Wood- ard and the writer went down to Vaughn's pond one day in 1845 to take a swim in that pond and down the raging canal. On arriving we dove into that pond and swam across its deep water; when returning, about in the middle of the pond, a terrible stitch took me in the right leg, I said nothing, but flounced like a wounded sea serpent, the boys came to my assistance, and getting hold of me, I said the kink had left me; to which Ace replied:
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"Glad of that, but I guess we can swim along side, should you get kinked again we can nabb you; it is not a very nice spot to get a cramp in twenty feet of water." Not- withstanding we landed safely on the other side.
Soon after arriving at his majority he bought a patch of heavy timbered land situate on the four corners of roads near Michael's saw mill. Spring, Pa., afterwards called Millgrove, where he tasseled with the big hemlocks for a season. One night he had a dream of a beautiful western prairie where he could raise corn, wheat and potatoes without so much grabbing, and the admonition of Horace Greeley welled up in his throat, "Go west, young man, " and Ace went west.
Presently he turns up in Black Hawk County, Ia., on a fine prairie site and laid out the town of Hudson, Ia. The growth of the new city was phenomenal.
While the prairie flower did grow, And the farmer did plow and sow ; Asaph soon came to know It took money to make a city grow.
The countless acres of the prairie were then more numerons than dollars. In the oldest settled portions of Illinois and Iowa every farmer had a prospective railroad line running through his farm and improved farms ruled higher in 1854-5-6 than in the East. But the country was too large for all to reap the bonanza and many had to bide their time. As water seeks its level, so does commer- cial business and investment.
During the time, 1855-60, the growth of Hudson was not very rapid. One day Ace took it into his head to emi- grate further westward, wherefore he was soon snuffing the breezes in the mountains of Colorado. While there he had
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a good opportunity to recuperate his health with the invig- orating, elevated atmosphere, and to see the elephant in all his phases-the land slides, man slides and western ava- lanches.
Some years of mountain life had passed, with the ups and downs of mining life, when one cold day he was mak- ing a prospecting tour in the mountains through a forest range of fifteen miles. Darkness came on and he lost his course and was compelled to dig a hole through the snow to the leaves on the ground and bury himself therein to keep from freezing.
The next morning the sun was shining brightly when he looked at his compass, took his course and proceeded on his way to join his party, and found he had but two miles to travel to get out of the woods. He also found, on thaw- ing out, that the toes of both his feet were frozen.
That cold night he only lost all of his toes, Which was sufficient, Asaph well knows, Nevertheless he survied the terrible shock,
And when he got ready returned to Black Hawk.
Since the creation of the world revulsions in nature, revulsions in business; later, revulsions in booming through- out the great West have been in order. Many western in- land towns grew up like a mushroom, as it were, in a night; and when the storm cloud came they could only lay low un- til the cyclone was over. Those who were not prostrated by the blast in time would rise again, and profit by it be- for another panic should reach them. In course of time the miasma disappears, the resources of their country are brought out, commerce and wealth arc brooding near, when onward and upward they go
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With a feeling of security at last From the forebodings of the past. The great prolific West, However, is by far the best For the young man of pluck and ambition To better his condition.
The last I heard of Cousin Ace Was near Des Moines on his place: Married, farming, and well-to-do, With some children for company, too, Which, I think, must seem very nice to Ace Thus to settle in a prolific country place.
CHAPTER LXIV.
RITNER H. STURTEVANT.
R ITNER H. STURTEVANT, the eldest son of Daniel W. Sturtevant, was born at Spring, Pa., in 1832. At the early age of six years he commenced to go to the district school, which was only a few rods away, just across the gully, from his paternal roof. Thus favored in being so near to the school he could attend during all sorts of weather. He was not only fortunate in this respect, but he seemed to have been born in a pleasant time of the moon, as everything went off all right with Rit-that he enjoyed the even tenor of life, and could laugh easier and louder than any other lad in school, and he has retained that happy dis- position through life.
Well, Rit started off an easy learner and speller. He soon learned to spell every word in Cobb's Spelling Book; and geography, why he could sing geography from Maine to Mexico and from California to Egypt when he was twelve years old, so that he, with a good number of others in that district school, had mastered the common English branches when in their early teens.
Fortunate for Rit that everything went well with him; searcely ever getting angry or in a hurry, except in getting home to dinner and back again to play erack the whip, snow ball or ride down hill; not so much addicted to scuffling or wrestling as some of the other boys, consequently he gener- ally kept free from those entangling alliances that boys,
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men and nations frequently get into. He early learned the axiom of Josh Billing, that "the best place to have a boil was on some other feller."
His time during the summer months was spent on his father's farm, boating on the Erie & Pittsburg Canal, and attending school in winter. At the age of 17 he com- meneed teaching school, at which he was engaged for sev- eral winters: and when arriving to his majority, at an age that he could vote for path-master or a President, he took unto himself a wife, believing that it was not best to be alone.
In the course of ten or twelve years his companion died, leaving two small children. In course of time he married again, and during all these years Ritner has quietly and comfortably lived on his farm, on the pleasant western slope of Spring Valley, one of the most pleasantly situated spots on earth.
He officiated as justice of the peace for several years, and dispensed the technical compound of Blackstone. I be- lieve, in mild and intelligent doses to his constituents. Unpretentious, liberal in his views, social in his intercourse with his fellow-man, still remaining at his post tilling the soil remuneratively. still enjoying the even tenor of life and his faculties, good health, with a cheerful, hearty laugh, -the same old Rit of forty years ago.
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CHAPTER LXV.
SPARKS OF HUMOR.
A I'VE an idea that some of the folks in this graveyard havn't gone to heaven."
"You don't say ! what makes you think so ?" "Because I read it on the tombstones."
"No !"
"Yes I did, though; it was carved on ever so many, 'peace to . his ashes;' now there isn't any ashes 'cept where it's very hot, is there, ma?"
Cross-examining counsel-"Isn't your husband a burg- lar ?"
Witness-"Y-e-s."
Cross-examining counsel-"And didn't you know he was a burglar when you married him !"
Witness-"Yes; but I was getting a little old and I had to choose between a burglar and a lawyer, so what else could I do ?"
Schoolmaster -- "Yes, but look here my boy, suppose I were to lend your father £500, let us say without interest. but on condition that he should pay me £10 a week, how much would he still owe me in two months ?"
New boy-"'Five hundred pounds, sir."
"Tut, tut, my boy; you don't know the first principles of arithmetic."
"You don't know my father, sir."
CHAPTER LXVI.
JOHN C. STURTEVANT.
C. STURTEVANT was born at Spring. Crawford 1 County, Pa., in 1834. His father, Daniel Stur- tevant, was born at Cincinnatus, Cortland Co .. N. Y., and came to this place with his parents and others of his family in 1820 and settled on the Conneautville road two miles north of Springboro. Daniel Sturtevant married a Miss Susan Hall, who proved a great helpmate. They at once settled upon their farm, and being one of the pioneer families of Spring, they found for their vigorous and strong willing hands plenty to do, and ere long found themselves the possessers of one of the finest 150-acre farms in the township.
To this union were five children: Ritner, John C. Seth, Emaline and Almira, all of whom are now living and married, with a family of children enjoying the even tenor of life and in the enjoyment of good health.
J. C. Sturtevant was principally educated at the country school house. He was a faithful student and lost no opportunity in making the most out of everything he engaged in. What belonged to him he wanted and he proposed to get it. One day he and the writer went fishing down to the Conneaut Creek. On returning, our strings of fish were not very heavy, and I proposed to buy his string. A bargain was struck and two cents the consider- ation payable the first time we met. A few days thereafter he espied me with a "Halloo, Mart., have you got them
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two cents?" We settled that account on the spot. But on the other had, we always found him equally prompt and ready to pay up to the last penny due.
And no doubt this trait of character has aided much in all his subsequent transactions, which have proven suc- cessful. Young Sturtevant, when a boy, read Greeley's Political History, and he soon developed into a politician and took an active part on the Republican side. His first move on the checker board was sergeant-at-arms a couple of terms at Harrisburg. Next he was elected to the Legis- lature and served two terms. Afterwards he embarked in the hardware business at Conneautville, Pa., successfully, of course, and now and during the past twenty years at this and other places, he has been interested in the bank- ing business.
During the thirty years' business career of Mr. Stur- tevant, he seems to have had his share of administrative affairs to settle up for other people, and it has been done in a satisfactory manner, which is only wrought by correct business methods. Social in his everyday avocations and his relations with his fellow man, which has made him a useful, prominent and necessary factor in society and in the community in which he lives.
CHAPTER LXVII.
SAMUEL F. WOODARD.
LERALO,
CANNOT pass over the memo- ries of our boyhood days and scenes of the country school with- out a brief sketch of S. F. Woodard, who was born in Spring Township, Crawford County, Pa., in 1831.
When at a suitable age. he went to the country school. which, except the first two or three summers, was confined to the winter term, which was generally of three months' duration.
Young Woodard was a diligent scholar. and applied himself with wonderful vigor and calculation to the knotty problems of Dayboll, and to the orthography, syntax and prosody of Kirkham. The mouse that ventured to run across the floor, or the youth who was undergoing a course of sprouts from the teacher, apparently did not draw his attention from the work he had before him Every now and then the teacher would be solicited with, "School master. please show me about this sum or problem." But Samuel Woodard ciphered through his arithmetic and algebra with- out calling on the teacher to work for him a problem. He believed in Fowler's axiom, "Know thyself." If others would or could have done likewise it would have relieved the teacher very much in the district school in those days,
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as the teacher had to work most diligently during the hours of school to attend to the numerous calls. This trait of self-reliance of Mr. Woodard has characterized him in his subsequent career in life-unpretentious, but attending strictly to his business. He taught school for two terms in his youth, then engaged in selling books, and in 1855 com- menced teaching, near Dayton, Ohio, where he was engaged thirteen years. He afterwards embarked in the nursery stock business, in which he was successful-and, at the age of 59, he is now enjoying the even tenor of his life with his family, with the consolation that he possesses for them and himself a sufficiency for life.
CHAPTER LXVIII.
LUCIUS F. M'LAUGHLIN.
UCIUS F. MCLAUGHLIN was born in Spring Township, Crawford County, Pa., in 1836, in which place and immediate vicinity he has since lived. His father, Henry MeLaughlin, was a carpenter by trade, and also carried on a small farm near the Conneaut Creek, in Spring Township, Pa.
Lucins F. obtained a fair education at our district school, became a teacher, and later worked with his father at the carpenter trade, building houses and canal boats. Young MeLaughlin soon learned the value of a dollar and also how to figure in proportion, and the rule of three. He soon began a brokerage business at the old homestead, and would buy a good note or loan you money, if the security and rate of interest suited.
When the nursery stock boom struck Springboro like a western avalanche the pluieky MeLaughlin sailed out and at the close of the season came out in good shape. This he repeated year after year. His sales were large and his profits in proportion. At that day it was customary to sell a dozen different kinds of grapes from a Concord seedling.
Mr. MeLaughlin became quite a dealer in and owner of real estate. Always frugal, industrious and persevering in all his business pursuits, he has been enabled to accumulate a competency for himself and family.
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According to his natural shrewdness and frugality Mr. MeLaughlin did not venture upon the sea of matrimony until the fact was assured that his wife need not necessarily dream of a hard day's work or of a probable poorhouse.
He now resides with his family a Springboro, Pa., and is engaged in mercantile and other business pursuits, in which there is no doubt he will in the future, as in the past, enjoy a successful business career.
For Mac if he wasn't born in the radiant month of June And in his month a silver spoon; Show him a scheme, if there is money in it He will rig some sort of purchase to win it.
CHAPTER LXIX.
MR. FREY GOES OUT FOR HIS BREAKFAST.
AY BACK in the good old days of 1828, in the little town of Warsaw, lived an eccentric Mr. Frey, who was accustomed $to call on his neighbors frequently about meal time; and in course of time this practice became quite common with Mr. Frey in the neighborhood. One moning he Started out and fetched up at the door of Neighbor Simpkins, who bid him "come in," when he found to his dismay that Mr. S., wife and daughter were already seated around the family table to partake of their morning repast. The usual salutation, however, was extended by Mr. Simp- kins with a "Good morning. Mr. Frey," (who just then was rather hard of hearing.)
"I don't care if I do; I haint been to breakfast."
Mr. Simpkins (louder)-" I say, Good morning, Mr. Frey."
" Well," said Mr. Frey, "I don't believe in making excuses," and he took a chair and seated himself at the breakfast table to take his breakfast with Neighbor Simp- kins, wife and daughter.
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Mr. Simpkins soon realized that the old epicure had scored a point to get another breakfast, when he said to the old sinner:
" Please ask the blessing, Mr. Frey." When Mr. Frey glanced o'er the table his eye And discovered only three slices of meat
For the four persons to eat
He blessed it with a
" Bless God, there are three slices for four of us, Thank God there are no more of us,"
when he graciously partook of his breakfast with the trio. Mr. Simpkins discovered
That there was no use In pouring water on a goose.
CHAPTER LXX.
SPARKS OF HUMOR.
A SMART ALECK riding along on horse back, inquired of a boy sitting on the fence, "What time have you, boy?" "Us has all kinds of time. My sister Sal has standard time, that's the elock ; the hired girl has sun time, that's lookin' at. the shadows : Pap and mam, they have a.h-1 of a time, that's what they're havin' in there now, and if you don't want to hear somethin' strike, and strike mighty hard. you'd better be gettin' out of here."
"I'm something of a free trader," said Johnny, as he stole a bushel of apples from his father's neighbor's orchard. "but," he added, tapping the seat of his trousers, within which he had placed three towels and a sheet of tin. ".I be- lieve in the protective principles when protection is needed. -Jury.
"Pat, do you know what a cemetery is?" "Av coorse I do. It's a place where folks live after they're dead. >oor."
"Pat, what did you pay for your new hat ?" "Faith, an' I don't know. There was no one in the store when I bought it."
She-"I say, pet, what calamity would give you the most pain ?"
He-"As I idolize my wife, I should most of all regret her being left a widow."
CHAPTER LXXI.
TRADE IN FORMER DAYS.
T IS wonderful to note how business was carried on in former days, and the small amount of money used in the prosecution and completion of large jobs. For in- stance, the building of the numerous locks on the Erie & Pittsburg Canal at Lockport, Pa., in which Messrs. Bald- win, Himrod & Co. figured largely, in "Blue Crackee, " a sort of serip principally used by that firm in quarrying and haul- ing the great quantities of stone used in building the Lock- port locks in 1838-9. The "Blue Crackee" scrip issued by that firm was extensively used in payment for labor and material, and for some time was the principal factor in exchange for goods, and the circulating medium or cur- rency. It was a common thing to hear, among horse deal- ers, "I'll give you $10 'boot' to swap horses, and pay in 'crackee;' or, "I'll give you $13 in 'cracked' for that red cow." Or to the young man: "I'll give you 50 cents a day and board you, and pay you in 'Blue Crackec,' if you'll come and work for me."
In 1840 the raging canal was opened to commerce and the denizen and the ambitious youth alike were eager to set sail upon its waters as captain of the scow, with the papers in his hat.
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Presently there was a demand for more boats. The Reed line, also the Thompson and Metealf lines sprang into existence, offering numerous chances for gallant young and elderly captains to lease a boat by paying a certain price per tonage each trip. The black diamonds at this time were numerous and extensively mined at Clarksville, `Sharpsville, Sharon, Middlesex, Kenekanese and Pitts- burg. Lumber mills were erected and large quantities of the best quality of white ash and whitewood lumber, beech saddle trees, black ash hoops for nail kegs and flour barrels, also basswood logs for nail keg staves, white oak and red oak barrel staves, headings, etc., which had to be transported by canal to the Erie or the Pittsburg market. created a lively business on the canal, which in turn created a good market for the farmer for his hen's eggs and chickens (both day and night), his beans, pork, potatoes, cheese, oats, apple sauce and saur kraut.
By this time "Blue Crackee" had vanished and a silver dollar did not look quite as big as a cart wheel. Numerous wild cat banks were started. Like fiddlers in Tophet, cur- rency freely circulated, which stuck to many a poor fellow's grip too long, who declared he would be glad to trade it off for "Blue Crackee."
He would frequently get up in the morning, And read in the papers the solemn warning That his money bank had failed;
That through one night he had entailed The loss of his hard earned boodle.
Where is the Pennsylvanian who will not bear me out,
In saying 'twas a righteous weeding out Of Bank of Commerce, and many others that tumbled flat, From the ghastly wounds of a wild cat-banker.
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PIONEER SKETCHES.
The numerous bank failures in 1857-8 and the conse- quent war demand for an inflation of currency, created a uniform national currency, with which one could rest easy night and day, especially if he possessed enough of it.
The increasing business on the canal brought out a better line of boats, and nich pride was manifested in keeping them well painted and in good order, which was the home of many a family. There being no railroad in this section of the country some mode of conveyance, other than the stage, was desired and in 1848 a line of packets was run on the canal, making pretty good time, much to the delight and comfort of the passengers.
These packet boats would stop at any point along their line to let off and take aboard passengers and baggage. The boat would run quickly toward the birm, or to the tow path, when the sprightly bowsman would alight with a line with which he could generally, under his foot, hold the boat to place until all was in readiness, when off she goes at the shrill blast blown from the steersman's tish-horn bugle- a packet, a packet ahoy-and she glides down the raging canal to the next ancient seaport towns, then called Tight- hole, Albion, Cranesville and Lockport.
In fond remembrance we look back to those former days, The happy days we spent upon this waterway; When by one fell swoop a cruel Legislature Gave us conveyance of a different nature.
The good old canal they knocked out of the ring For a railroad, they said was a better thing; A blind man with one eye open can see that it is not, For when we want to go somewhere we have got-
To go over to Bigelow's Station.
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And we have to hustle and get into an awful straight, Then if we are half a minute late
Perhaps we will have to wait another day To take the cars on the fast railway.
But now the people as they go from state to state They want to go nt a rapid rate, O'er hills and valleys and o'er the plains, They take the rapid railway trains.
In an Intelligence Office-Agent (to female applicant) -"Are you married or single ? "
Applicant (blushing)-"Naythur, mum; o'im engaged."
"Yes," said a passenger in a tram car, who was argu- ing with a friend, "some men are born great. others achieve greatness and some"- just then a lurch of the car landed a fat woman in his lap -- "and some, " he continued. "have greatness thrust upon them."
Only one man in fifteen in the United States has a life or accident insurance policy of any sort or kind, and only two men out of every thirty-two could leave enough hehind them to buy a twenty-five-dollar cemetery lot and pay fu- neral expenses. This proves that the general average of men have no care beyond the present.
Hasty words often rankle the wound which injury gives ; but soft words assuage it, forgiving cures it, and forgetting takes away the scar.
CHAPTER LXXII.
SPARKS OF HUMOR.
Judge-"All the fools have not ceased to practice as attorneys, I see."
Lawyer-"No, your Honor, there are not judgeships enough to provide for the whole of them."
Patrick-(Just recovering from the effects of ether, in the hospital)-"Oh, where am I ?"
Dr. Savbones-(with a wink) -.. In heaven."
Patrick-(looking around)-"Then I'd like to know phawt you're doing here ? "
Psalmist-"Why do the heathen rage?".
Cynic-"Probably, because so little of the money sub- scribed for their conversion ever reaches them."
Ethel Reddy-"Mama, won't you please ask Dr. Dose to look at my little siek ducklings?"
Mrs. Reddy-"No, no, rim away, Dr. Dose isn't a bird doctor."
Ethel-"Well, papa said last night he was a quack doctor."
WORTH TRYING .- Rev. Longnecker-"Dear, I wish I could think of some way to make the congregation keep their eyes on me during the sermon."
Little Tommy-"Pa, you want to put the clock right behind the pulpit."
CHAPTER LXXIII.
JOHN P. LOCKE.
HE SUBJECT of this sketch was born at Spring Township, Craw- ford County, Pa., in 1852. He is another fortunate being, who was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but at an early age he learned the value of a dollar.
His father, Ira Locke, married Nancy Sargent in 1834, who were among the early settlers of Spring, and both of whom lived to upwards of eighty years. Mr. Locke was a carpenter by trade, and he owned a small farm. Young Locke assisted his father in carpenter, framing work and on the little place until he was about eighteen years of age. Then he began to look up business for himself, and engaged with L. F. McLaugh- lin to sell nursery in 1860, which business swept through Spring like a tornado with all the allurements of the com- ing bonanza to the agent.
The War of the Rebellion came, and he enlisted at Erie in Company I Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, on Oeto- ber .16th, 1862. He served until September 4th, 1865, as Quartermaster Sergeant. He received a sabre wound while in the service, but nothing serious, and was considered as one of the lucky in coming out of a three-year term of army service in a good condition of health.
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On returning home from the army he did not wait for something to turn up, but went to work at what he could get, and taught school in winter. Being an industrious fellow, he improved his time, consequently was seareely ever out out of a job. He bought some land and went to farming, buying additions to his land until now he has a good farm of upwards of 100 acres well stocked, and is well-to-do.
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