USA > Wisconsin > Grant County > History of Grant County, Wisconsin, preceded by a history of Wisconsin > Part 82
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CENSUS OF GRANT COUNTY.
Population .- In 1836, the number of residents of this county was 1,643. The early Ter- ritorial Legislature soon after its organization, ordered that a census be taken throughout the Territory. By these returns, it was shown that Grant County then had a population of 2,763. The census of 1840 showed 3,926. In 1842, this had increased to 5,937. Four years later. in 1846 the population was found to have more than doubled itself, the county then containing residents to the number of 12,034. One year later, this had dropped away to 11,720. At the Governmental census in 1850, the returns for the county showed 16,169 for its population. From that time on, censuses have been taken every five years, by which Grant County shows the following steady increase: 1855, 23,170; 1860, 31,207; 1865, 33,618; 1870, 37,975; 1875, 39,086. From various causes, but principally owing to the fact that Grant County's population has ever been composed in a large per cent of miners, whom "fresh fields and pas- tures new" in other localities will call in that direction, the census returns for 1880 show a slight percentage of loss, the present population being reported as 37,852.
547
Assessment Rolls .- Following are the abstracts of the assessment rolls of the several cities, villages and townships of Grant County, as returned to the County Clerk for the year 1880 :
HORSES.
NEAT CATTLE!
MULES AND SHEEP AND LAMBS. ASSES.
SWINK.
CARRIAGES WATCHES. AND MELO- DEONS.
& SLEIGHS.
Number.
Value.
Number.
Value.
Number.
Value.
Number.
Value.
Number.
Value.
Number.
Value.
Number.
Value.
Value.
Value.
Value of Merchants'
and Manufactur-
Value of all other
Total Value of all
Personal Property
Number of Acres of Land.
Value of aforesaid
Acres of Land.
Village Lots.
Beetown ..
576
19618
1740
19409
17
730
2436
2905
7765
251
4322
19
12
285
1625
9362
67731
30357
239929
9695
Bloomington.
668
19931
1724
16319
17
488
1112
1888
3549
283
5560;
82
954
40
1713
16723
47337
116729
14787
349955
65845
Boscobel ..
208
6880
275
3261
11245
4
210
270
440
1450
2290
210
3330
27
175
25
960
7950.
11805
55120
22403
136525
40720
Castle Rock
325
9946
1264
9720.
590
590
954
999
118
1567
2
55
1
35
1200
3944
28056
22702
51204
875
Clifton ..
486
18450
1660
20341
15
680
991
1984
1938
225
4415
29
230
18
630
6140
20377
78102,
23003
269760
14060
Ellenboro ..
355
11065
1291
13591
6
160
1044
1581
1389
2117
284
3991|
13
125
21
790
13900
7974
76571.
22940
235347
26520
524
20395
1440
15368
15
545
1722
5166
2289
239
4630
21
270
14
545
9345 14058
76935
21790
309155
17910
460
13640
1339
14877|
12
575
850
1700
250
4773
18
135:
46
1095
7550
39406
109341
22854
317587
43415
378 13070
1353
12625
7
235
423
932
852
1771
107
2127
6
30
2
45
116
1200.
8125
32722
19618
189615
5875
018 38435
2954
2'
1510
2805
5604
1298
937
1912
4238
280
4572
23
308
15
325
10100: 12267
61406
22971
196745
4355
373]
1605
19270
20
965
1547
2475
1437
2875
102
2350
8
195
65
3650
45030
22: 65
154275;
346
940
9191
677
1015
1095
2053:
2776
6
21
63
899
6
35
3
100
839
3141
11288
13308
26258
550
16917
1446
11938
28
905
743
1486
2625
192
2735.
12
91
10
175
1249
4139
44275
23040
162780
318
8536
1004
9474
20
620
1317
1942
1596
2064
194
2413
10
81
14
384
6395
31909
19:04'
69110
3853
343
9510
1139
10142
5
165
262
345
1004
1680:
181
3211
57
488
16
513
18702
21741
66197
21104,
77964
72985
399
800
7217
14
335
227
227
1658
1657
198
1270
6
27
6
79
1000
480
5030
8520
64645;
71006
215854
21663
335630
388820
Potosi
780
27715
2005
21477
19
837
1186
2324
1102
3496
8532
351
5277
2285
14
68
13
540
800
5305
32088
26437
104965
Waterstown
210
7239
703
6879
5
210
175
238
563
1106
61
2
20
25
995
9760
9900
72256
22938
247845
15050
Woodman
259
6250)
775
7566
2
75
250
369
878
1180
99
1100
9
50
4
85
870
2325
19870
17181
35215
5735
Wyalusing.
381|
11919
940
10151
13
575
420
610
812
1260
229
2872|
11
115
11
360
105
9029
36996
25339
117869
3865
Totals.
14848 490386|
43672 459176 404
15088
25119
47354 64557 128741 7444 131080
806| 9637|
660 30646
500| 1250 285698 607499
22065551
732052|
5684432
1102178
26
40
144
423
161
4255
95
1485
22
2525
1250
38070, 48444
106633
5868
42695
172695
Cassville ...
458
16715
1216
22075
8
22135
24
725
287
616
4901
9275
399
6672
231
1734
19
94
1702
69
4890
42300
86811
241156
45548
511188
141695
408
16225
1746
2002I
10
425
2013
52:24
147
3570
16
95
10
330
3440
7673
58301
22986
139750
980
447
14970
1330
13129
6
2786
4
130
324
324
366
569
601
14173
124
27
360
40
40
1406
9305
65917 .
130260
22993
304373
8293
Waterloo ..
435
11272
1024
8837
9
280
353
559
1732
2142
245
3385
.296
3'02
29
288
2120 156
1945
12745
25000
109640
34108
205336
45412
Smelser.
655
20214
1706
17792
23
715
572
838
2092
1923
4404
298
4648
10
Wingville.
561
20740
1429
19407
6
873
1188
229 1
486
873
3535
3960
7264
491
9973
...
...
Marion.
1917
30826
22548
82048
82
2.465
301
10155
22
565
276
393
1799
2709
228
14699
403
12435
Liberty
Lima.
Little Grant
13185
13853
14738
1737
19860
28
19848
18
715
Platteville ...
789
27290
1746
300
2262
19720
18438
66383
2265
Hazel Green ..
713
21702
2102
Hickory Grove
7084
37920
23030
80667
398
7665
911
32770
528
260
501
1172
2124:
102
2276
7
36
9
265
740
9153
40991
22977:
130200
1300
Fennimore.
583
2050G
2027
Glen Haven.
7
8
320
6-132
45320
23060
132724
Value of City and
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
WAGONS,
PIANOS
SHARES OF BANK STOCK.
Number.
Number.
ers' Stock.
Personal Property.
as aforesaid.
4490
5816
4855
5481
6613
1688
2984
Jamestown.
Lancaster.
Mt. Ida.
Mt. Hope.
Muscoda
Paris.
118130
20953
243205
6960
Patch Grove
10
31311
81661
25351
23140
1965
6661
150
Millville.
4640
462
9330
4209
12
6209
340
693
Harrison.
TOWNS.
125
500
1466
70
240
548
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
Products .- The following table shows the acreage of products growing in Grant County in May, 1879 :
NUMBER OF ACRES.
MILCH COWS.
Apple Orchard-
TOWNS.
Wheat.
Corn.
Oats.
Barley.
Rye.
Potatoes.
Acres.
Bearing Trees.
Flax.
Grasses.
Growing
Number.
Value.
Beetown.
804
3017
2153
49
101
216
92
3292
709
1509
5226
378 $
4737 00
Bloomington
600
4454
2371
139
252
71
119
3167
1002
1564
· 2916
467
5837 50
Boscobel
178
249
17
132
6
3
70
76
198
2415 00
Cassville ..
2393
2243
1517
144
144
90
92
4380
132
527
10120
437
5410 00
Castle Rock
1719
849
946
124
48
32
5
250
109
691
2179
404
4848 00
Clifton ..
1247
2764
2232
61
62
85
3283
1483
199
3764
495
6765 00
Ellenboro
617
1274
1012
64
60
9:23
3546
232
1082
3933
250
3740 00
Fennimore.
1498
2793
1887
18
134
59
1384
6077
925
2861
4924
525
7885 00
Glen Haven.
1853
4068
2449
144
162
103
147
8805
1211
1949
931
478
7250 00
Harrison.
680
2209
1801
35
145
108
200
120
11499
165
1200
614
8985 00
Hickory Grove.
2957
1492
1410
24
121
74
121
2715
155
1562
5170
572
6730 00
Jamestown.
1791
2591
2391
160
137
2233
102
6235
177
1823
507
5134 00
Lancaster.
1285
6760
3125
23
216
152%
70
43.3
1821
382
1664
362
6516 00
Lima ..
1083
2476
1867
111
132
112
3603
687
1794
4147
438
6498 00
Little Grant
1144
372
2723
6777
576
7242 00
Marion ..
2014
1400
1071
19
123
48
31]
58
125
4870,
1137
3263
2809
446
5414 00
Mount Hope.
846
1617
940
57
112
563
673
2540
949
2029
491
7200 00
Paris ..
1098
1254
1784
186
77
90 693
92
3346
162
342
5445
445
6923 00
Platteville.
654
4445
3420
2710
74
220
218
152
6203
363
1783
7820
658
8095 00
Smelser
878
5442
3842
240
92
128
85
4179
1860
1910
361
538
6946 00
Waterloo
1364
2462
1023
20
138
105
93
2249
68
181
351
4212 00
Waterstown
1564
1156
784
50
162
41
68
2270
16
6580
6599
257
3227 00
Wingville
1067
2368
1748
40
50
48
59
2298
1681
1167
3326
456
7167 00
Woodman
1244
943
980
40
114
56
29
10
555
228 2825 00
Wyalusing.
796
1397
967
78
232
95
97
4402
1498
6361
275
4222 00
Tota
38189 82150 56695 2316 3923
29872 27605 115358 14470 46934 109356 13553 $188791 50
The vote of Grant County at the different gubernatorial elections since the admission of the State into the Union, is as follows :
1849-Nelson Dewey, Democrat, 1,030; Alexander L. Collins, Whig, 1,103; Warren Chase, Free-Soil, 16.
1851-L. J. Farwell, Whig, 1,026 ; A. J. Upham, Democrat, 985.
1853-E. D. Holton, Abolition, 1,026 ; William A. Barstow, Democrat, 988 ; Henry S. Baird, Whig, 195.
1855-Coles Basford, Republican, 1,581; William A. Barstow, Democrat, 1,145. 1857-James B. Cross, Democrat, 1,260; Alexander W. Randall, Republican, 1,681. 1859-Alexander W. Randall, Republican, 2,496; H. C. Hobart, Democrat, 1,715. 1861-Lewis P. Harvey, Republican, 2,907; Benjamin Furgeson, Democrat, 741. 1863-James T. Lewis, Republican, 3,404; Henry L. Palmer, Democrat, 1,313. 1865-Lucius Fairchild, Republican, 2,577; H. C. Hobart, Democrat, 1,131.
1867-Lucius Fairchild, Republican, 3,093; J. J. Tallmadge, Democrat, 1,649.
1869-Lucius Fairchild, Republican, 4,404 ; Charles D. Robinson, Democrat, 1,476. 1871-C. C. Washburn, Republican, 3,154; James R. Doolittle, Democrat, 1,971.
1873-C. C. Washburn, Republican, 2,405; William R. Tavlor, 2,104; Scattering, 1. 1875-William R. Taylor, Democrat, 2,318; Harrison Ludington, Republican, 3,182.
358
4759 00
Millville.
233
340
262
132
1344 00
Mount lda
999
2937
1850
11
103
191
53
213
308
521
177
988
967
257
3198 00
l'atch Grove ..
531
3135
1863
160
64
175
1723
119
7105
339
2327
2379
560
12972 00
Potosi.
16°4
4161
1928
113
37
553
571
44
1642
556
506
7770
724
11104 00
Liberty
1319
1912
1571
40 48
148
22
193
458
275
1200
9645
417
6020 00
Hazel Green.
1068
5827
4546
84
35
184
6715
641
3840
259
3071 00
Muscoda
1490
1065
727
83
107
685
2950
1935
247
31
143
6365
No. of | No. of
Timber.
549
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
1877-William E. Smith. Republican, 2,630; James Mallory, Democrat, 1,938.
1879-William E. Smith, Republican, 3,111 ; James E. Jenkins, Democrat, 1,703 ; Col. May, Greenback, 625.
The Presidential vote, for the same period, has been as follows :
1848-Zachary Taylor, Whig, 1,649; Lewis Cass, Democrat, 1,148; Martin Van Buren, Free-Soil, 144.
1852-Winfield Scott, Whig, 1,341; Franklin Pierce, Democrat, 1,379; John P. Hale,
Free-Soil. 129.
1856-John C. Fremont, Republican, 2,809; James Buchanan, Democrat, 1,419; Millard Fillmore, American, 186.
1860-Abraham Lincoln, Republican, 3,579; Stephen A. Douglass, Democrat, 1,922; John Breckenridge, Ultra Democrat, 33.
1864-Abraham Lincoln, Republican, 3,247 ; George B. McClellan, Democrat, 1,561.
1868-Ulysses S. Grant, Republican, 4,640 ; Horatio Seymour, Democrat, 2,071.
1872-Ulysses S. Grant, Republican, 4,307 ; Horace Greeley, Liberal, 2,319.
1876-Rutherford B. Hayes, Republican, 4,723; Samuel J. Tilden, Democrat, 3,108.
1880-James A. Garfield, 4,654; Winfield S. Hancock, 3,038 ; James Weaver, 179.
AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION.
November 6, 1855, a meeting was held at Beetown for the purpose of organizing a society which should be known as the Grant County Agricultural Society. Mr. J. E. Dodge was elected ·Chairman, and John Dodge, Secretary of the meeting.
On motion of Mr. James Prideaux, a resolution was passed averring the expediency of such an organization. A constitution was then presented and adopted, after which the following offi- cers were elected : President, J. E. Dodge; Vice Presidents, William Humphrey and Edmund Harelson ; Secretary, John Dodge; Executive Committee, Henry Patch, Sr., George Morris, William Carter, E. Kilby and Dr. Young. The first fair under the auspices of the new society was held at Lancaster, October 7, 8, 1856. Premiums on stock and farm produce, to the amount of $69, were offered at this meeting. Since that date a fair has been held annually at Lancaster, generally during the latter part of September. The fair grounds lie about a half-mile east of the city on a high, commanding site, and, from its dryness and general location, is well adapted for this purpose. This tract was purchased by the society, and fitted up especially for exhibition purposes. The leading men of the county have taken considerable interest in the association, and its list of life-members has numbered among the roll many of the illustrious names of the county whose bearers have passed on before.
The business of the association is managed by a board comprising the President, Vice Presi- dent, Secretary and Treasurer, and the Executive Committee. All the officers are chosen annu- ally on the second day of the fair. The present officers are President, L. M. Okey, of Cassville; L. J. Arthur, of Lancaster, Secretary ; Executive Committee.
550
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
CHAPTER VI.
PERSONAL REMINISCENCES-JAMES GRUSHONG-COL. JOSEPH DICKSON-ORRIS MCCARTNEY-SAM-
UEL DRUM-HAWKINS TAYLOR-IRA W. BRUNSON-T. M. FULLERTON-J. W. SEATON-ILLUS- TRIOUS DEAD-JAMES GATES PERCIVAL-MAJ. JOHN R. COONS-M. DE TANTABARATZ AND THE DESERTED VILLAGE-ASA EDGERTON HOUGH.
PERSONAL REMINISCENCES.
The following interesting sketches were prepared by the pioneers whose names appear at the beginning of each paper, and are descriptive of early experiences, privations and successes incident to those times :
BY JAMES GRUSIIONG.
It was in the spring of 1826 that I started from Missouri for the newly discovered mines near Galena. The country was then uninhabited, only few places showing evidences of the previous presence of the white man. From the lower rapids to Rock Island there were no signs of settlement. At the latter place there was a fort garrisoned with United States troops. From Rock Island again to Galena there stretched out on either side a wilderness broken only by the numerous Indian towns which lined the west or Iowa side. Those little docks with their long piles of wood which are now so numerous along the great river's banks were then unknown; and the means of obtaining the supply of wood needed for the steamer's furnaces was as primitive as the country itself. Fifteen axes were included in the list of necessaries needed by the steamer, and when fuel run short the boat would be "laid to" alongside one of the numerous islands that dotted the bosom of this broad estuary, and fifteen pairs of stout arms would bring the ashes in crashing ruins at the feet of the choppers. These trees would then be cut into two or three lengths and rolled onto the lower deck, where they would be worked up more at leisure as the boat proceeded up the stream.
On arriving at Galena, we found that present thriving city to contain only three houses, and a smelting furnace, owned and run by a man named Comstock. It was an old-fashioned log furnace, but little better than the carlier furnaces in use by the Indians. All the land was owned by the government, who stood ready to give lots to any one who would occupy. In case min- eral was found it had to be delivered to a licensed smelter, who was supposed to turn over to the government the sixteenth then demanded as rent for the land. A strong suspicion grew up among the miners in after times that these agents did not allow the government to benefit much by this tax, and as the mines became filled with the miners from all quarters, this practice of paying government rent was more honored in the breach than in the observance.
As I have said when I first arrived at Galena, there were but few residents there ; in fact, they might almost have been counted on your fingers, but during the year a great immigration set in that soon built up the town.
Just about the time of my arrival the Hard Scrabble mines had began to show indisputable signs of heavy leads of ore, and accompanied by Henry W. Hodges, Thomas Shanley, Eli Per- kins and Kidge Williams, I started for these mines. After having first obtained the following permit :
James Grushong is hereby permitted to dig or mine on United States land which is not leased or otherwise rightfully occupied. He is not to set fire to the prairie grass or woods, and deliver his mineral to a licensed smelter and comply with all regulations. CHARLES SMITH,, Acting Agent and Superintendent Lead Mines, Fevre River. FEVRE RIVER, April 30, 1826.
There were no teams in the country, or at least none that we could get, therefore we pro- cured a pirogue and loaded it with provisions, including a barrel of pickled pork and a barrel of
551
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
flour, and started for the Hard Scrabble. Arriving there we found two or three cabins, in one of which were John Ewin, McKnight and Steve Thrasher. Another was occupied by a French- man, who was married to a Menomonee squaw, and speaking of the Frenchman reminds me of a joke he played on some Indian friends who had come to pay him a visit. Having first worked upon their imaginations until they were fully inoculated with the belief that the whites were conspiring to attack and massacre them, and had hid themselves in a hazel thicket near by, the Frenchman came to the miners' cabins and induced us to come over and furnish the grand finale to the plot. Accordingly, armed with a few fowling pieces, unloaded save with powder, we crept to the thicket where the Indians were lying in a tremor of fear and excitement. With a yell and a discharge of firearms we broke in upon them. Our yell was nothing to theirs, as with a bound like a frightened deer, each one of the crowd broke from the covert and struck out in a bee-line for Galena, fully persuaded that their pursuers were close on their track. Some of them did not stop running until they got to Galena, where they reported the other portion of the party massacred by the miners. They found out their mistake afterward, while we all had a hearty laugh over their scare. Although they learned of the trick that had been played, they were too thoroughly frightened ever to return.
I remained mining with fair success at the Hard Scrabble until September, when I returned down the river. Light-draft steamers, capable of running at all times of the year, whether the river was high or low, were then unknown. The few boats running could only ply between the up-river places during the high water of spring and early fall. Consequently my compan- ions and myself secured a pirogue and started down the river. We passed canoes without num- ber, laden with corn and Indians. but they were peaceably inclined, as in fact were all the In- dians in early times, their weaknesses being whisky and tobacco. The last part of our trip we were without provisions for two days and nights, and got nothing until we reached " White's," at the head of the rapids, where we obtained a " square " meal, that tasted extremely good after our long fast.
I came back in the spring accompanied by my brother, and started mining on the Coon Branch of the Fevre River, now included in La Fayette County. While here the Winnebago scare broke out. One night we were awakened about 12 o'clock by a great noise, cattle low- ing, dogs barking, and a terrible racket generally, and upon turning out in the morning, found it was settlers fleeing from the Indians. Not being particularly frightened ourselves, we re- mained where we were, and continued raising mineral, and soon after the country quieted down, with the surrender of Red Bird and We-kaw, and settlers gradually returned to their homes.
When coming up the next spring I took the land route. There were eight of us in the party. We were obliged to head all the rivers, as we did not care to expose ourselves to an in- voluntary bath in attempting to ford them. Not a house was seen from the foot of the lower rapids until we reached Apple River. Previous to reaching the Apple our provisions ran low, and for a two days' stretch we were obliged to tighten our belts, as the only way of counteracting the gnawings which beset us in that portion of our anatomy, which should have been filled with something more substantial. At Apple River we found a sort of tavern kept by a landlady. Upon reaching it one of the party went in and ordered dinner for sixteen persons. The meal
was prepared, and after we had filed in and taken our seats, the landlady instituted inquiries as to the whereabouts of the other eight. We told her that we thought those present could do ample justice to the preparations which had been made, and if anything was left we would in- stitute a search for the others. The landlady saw the joke, and it is needless to say that .there was no reason to look for any more of the party. The meal was disposed of by those present.
This season my brother and myself went on a prospecting tour up to the Pekatalic. On our return trip in the fall we passed over the present site of Lancaster, where no indications of the present village were visible, the only inhabitants being wolves, deer and other wild animals. We crossed over what is now known as Boice's Prairie, and while looking for a place to camp for the night, we heard a dog bark, and upon following up the sound, found a cabin inhabited by a man named Allen and his wife. Allen's father also lived with them. From the appearances
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
about the house, I should think they must have come there at least a year before, although I do not recollect whether we asked them the question. The men were engaged in mining. Further on down the Platte, my brother's horse was bitten by a rattlesnake while we were following a path through the woods. We killed the snake, and feeling sure the path must lead to a cabin somewhere, I told him to take my horse, ride on, and get some sage tea and sweet milk if he could ; he was gone some time, but came back with the tea and milk. In the meanwhile the horse had swollen to an enormous size, but we dosed him with the sage tea and the milk. The tea did its work, as I felt sure it would, and by sundown the horse was able to move, and we started on for the Menomonee diggings. I did not go to the cabin where my brother got the sage, but it was situated on the Platte, and they must have been living there a year or more.
In 1832, during the Black Hawk war, I was at Coon's Branch, about two miles from Hazel Green. There was a great excitement, and companies were formed for defense against the Indians. Two men were needed at Hazel Green to make out the complement necessary to draw arms and equipments. My partner and myself enlisted, but did not do any fighting, as the company was not ordered out, and all through the trouble we continued our work on the Branch, and raised 47,000 pounds of mineral out of a hole we only paid $40 for. The Indians were pretty thick, and frequently we would not see white men for a week. A Mr. Cottell was my partner here. I went back to Missouri again, and, in the spring of 1833, I came back. Dur- ing the winter following, I and my brother mined again on Coon Branch, and raised 40,000 of mineral. I went back and returned in 1836 to Galena, and brought up a considerable number of cattle and horses. When I got to Galena, I had about $100 in " wild-cat" money, and while fooling around there, lost my pocket book. I went to Farnsworth & Furguson, and told them I was broke, and they let me have $50. I then helped my folks, who were on the way to the
Hurricane, up as far as Hazel Green. There I determined to get that money back some way, and so went to prospect for a lead. I took an auger and went out, and the first hole I dug into I raised a chunk weighing 100 pounds. We took out 15,000, and then sold it out. I struck another lead and raised considerable mineral out of it, and then let my brother have it, and he raised 60,000 out of it, and, in three months after I left Galena, I had $500 ahead. We went to the Hurricane district in 1836. I think Harvey Bonham went there in 1833. I know he was there some time before we came, as sixteen of his hogs strayed down near us, weighing about 120 pounds apiece. I bought them for $60. I had to pay $1 a bushel for corn that winter for them, and my brother thought it was a poor transaction ; but the next fall pork went up to $10 a hundred and I had 1,000 pounds to sell off from this drove, besides what we wanted for our own use.
There were but few families in that section then ; but little farming had been done. People were just beginning to find out that they could raise good crops in this country. Deer, wolves and wild-cats were plenty in those days. I have seen, often, droves of from thirty to forty head of deer running through the woods. Wild bees were also numerous. Bee-trees could be found most anywhere in the woods. A bee-hunter who came here in early times found seventy-five bee-trees in the woods west of Lancaster, between there and Beetown, which he afterward sold for a horse. Although others were not quite so lucky as this, still no one had to go long with- out honey, if they cared to look up the trees.
In 1839, myself, Joe Bonham and Gen. Brown struck the Pigeon Diggings. The first hole I sunk I struck mineral in good sized chunks. I first sunk a claim on the old Bonham range. There has probably been 3,000,000 pounds of mineral taken out since. George Cox, of Lancas- ter, and a man named McMillan owned two forties, and George Jones, with a partner, struck a good lead on it, but kept it covered up for awhile. Finally, I secured a sixth interest for $300, after some dickering. The lead was as good as I expected. At one time we had 300,000 pounds of mineral on the ground that we had raised out of this lead. We raised 18,000 pounds one day with five or six hands. Mineral then averaged about $16 a thousand. Altogether a million and a half pounds were raised from this lead. Among other lodes of importance there is the Black lode, owned by Maj. Anderson, Clark and Roundtree, which turned out about
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