The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, Part 173

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899, [from old catalog] ed; Western historical company, chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1104


USA > Wisconsin > Columbia County > The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement > Part 173


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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in Buffalo, Marquette Co., and 2} acres with his residence on Sec. 31, in Fort Winnebago ; Mr. Perkins came to Wisconsin in 1847, and lived in Dane Co. ten years, then in Richland Co., five or six years, then came to Columbia Co., and lived two years in Dekorra, and she lived after that in Marquette Co. till her marriage with Mr. Hume ; Mr. Hume came to America in 1850.


A. Z. MALTBY, farmer, See. 15; P. O. Portage City; born March 5, 1833, in Cayuga Co., N. Y. Was married in Cortland Co. N. Y., at Cincinnatns, in 1852, to Lois Rogers, who died in June, 1857, leaving three children-Herman, Belle and Ada; Herman died in 1872, aged 19; Belle is now Mrs. E. S. Baker, of Portage City, and Ada lives at home and is unmarried. Mr. Maltby was mar- ried the second time in Tompkins Co., N. Y., in 1857, to Deborah Bangs, who was born Feb. 27, 1825, in that county ; came West in 1867, and settled in his present location ; has three children by the second marriage-Elisha, Mary and George ; lost one child, Adolphus, died in 1866, at the age of 6 months. In polities, Republican, and is the present Assessor of the town; has 85 acres of land ; Mrs. Maltby is mem- ber of the M. E. Church ; he learned the cabinet-maker's trade when young, commencing it at the age of 14, and followed that business till he came to. Wisconsin.


AARON SANDFORD (deceased), was born Aug. 21, 1832, in Oneida Co., N. Y., in the town of Dalton ; son of Aaron and Sarah Sandford; came to Wisconsin in 1850 and located in the town of Ft. Winnebago. Was married June 2, 1856, to Sarah L. Eastman, daughter of Calvin Eastman, Sr., whose biography is given in connection with that of his son, Calvin, Jr .; she was born Aug. 11, 1833, in Poultney, Vt. Mr. Sandford enlisted in March, 1863, in the 3d W. V. C., Co. B, and died on the 23d of the next August, at Little Rock, Ark .; he left two children-Calvin Irving, born April 7, 1861, and Charles Gilbert, Sept. 20, 1862. Mrs. Sandford and the two boys are living on the homestead; own 30 acres of land; P. O. Portage City. Mrs. Sandford is guardian for Miss Carrie A. Spicer, daughter of Avery T. and Laura C. (Eastman) Spicer.


RUSSEL SPICER, farmer, Sec. 1; P. O. Portage City ; born Nov. 6, 1814, Otsego Co. N., Yo .; son of Shubel and Sally (Coates) Spicer ; when 6 years old, his parents removed to Allegany Co. N. Y., where he spent his carly life, and was married there, July 12, 1840, to Christiana Wright, who died Dee. 16, 1859, aged 39 years; was married again, Feb. 6, 1861, to Catharine Collins, who was born March 26, 1820, in Tyrone, North of Ireland, and came to America with her parents when 2} years old. Mr. Spieer came to Wisconsin in September, 1849, and settled on the farm he now owns, and has resided there ever since ; has eight children-Amos, lives in Monroe Co., Wis .; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Ross Gamble, of Nebraska ; Christiana, now Mrs. John W. Chase, also of Nebraska; Tacey, at home ; Wm. S. in Nebraska ; Mary A., Joseph R. and Clinton R. at home, the last two by the second wife. He is a Republican, and has 160 acres of land. Both are members of the Baptist Church.


JOHN SWEANEY (deceased), was a native of County Derry, Ireland, and his wife was a native of the same county ; came to America in 1842; lived temporarily in Clinton Co., N. Y., near Plattsburg; also in St. John's, Canada East, and New Hampshire, near Concord; came to Wisconsin in June, 1849, and about the 1st of the next September settled on Sec. 26, in the town of Fort Winnebago, where he resided until his death, Dee. 3, 1874, aged 82 ; leaving eight children-Lawrence (now in Texas); John ( in Pittsburgh, Penn.); Charles (in Fort Winnebago) ; Isabella C., James A. and Michael A., are all living on the homestead, which consists of 600 aeres of land ; their mother, at the age of 70, is living with them ; the youngest daughter, Mary J., is a member of the Dominican Order, and known in the order as "Sister Mary Philip," living in Galena, Ill., at present. Had lost one son before his death-Barnard J., who died May 26, 1865, in his 20th year ; Andrew, died March 20, 1873, aged 44. For the last few years of his life, he had been studying with a view of entering the priesthood of the Catholic Church, and had nearly completed his studies, having attended St. Francis' Seminary, in Milwaukee, Wis., Seminary of the Holy Angels, at Niagara Falls, N. Y., and spent some time at East St. Louis, Mo. Are members of Catholic Church, and Democrats. P. O. Portage City.


JONATHAN WHITNEY, farmer, Sec. 3, and Postmaster at Port Hope ; was born July 20, 1820, in Windsor Co., Vt .; came to Wisconsin in 1844; taught school two winters, making his home in Milwaukee, and being engaged in buying wheat during the summer and fall of each year. In May. 1846, he bought some land in Machford, Green Lake Co., then went East and stayed till September, when he returned to Wisconsin and settled on his land ; lived there two years, and, in September, 1848, came to Columbia Co., and settled in his present location. He was married, May 7, 1848, to Ellen R. Rood, who was born in Cayuga Co., N. Y., March 7, 1829; has seven children-Ellen M., Mary L., Guy, Cooper, Clara L., Hattie E. and George M., alt at home except the first two; Ellen is Mirs. F. Bloom, of Fort Winnebago, and Mary L. is Mrs. Charles E. Perkins, of Colby. Marathon Co., Wis. ; has lost three children : Almeron W. was in the 37th W. V. I., Co. A, and was killed in the three-days battle before Petersburg, Va., June 18, 1864, aged 16; Culver died in 1854, at the age of 10 months, and one died in infancy.


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TOWN OF LOWVILLE.


Mr. Whitney is a surveyor, and was engaged in that business from 1850 till 1863; was afterward County Surveyor two years ; was Chairman two terms, 1850 and 1851; was Justice of the Peace two years, and has 96 acres of land ; is a Republican, and has been Postmaster ever since 1849, except three years of the time.


ALFRED WILLCOX, farmer, Sec. 12; P. O. Portage City ; was born in Somersetshire, England, June 24, 1812. Was married in England, May 23, 1840, to Ann, daughter of William and Sarah A. Savage, born in the same county he was ; he was hired as a farmer ; came to America in 1855, and settled on the farm he now owns; first bought 120 acres with only 8 acres cleared ; had heavy timber, but has kept adding to it till he now owns 532 acres, 150 acres of it under improvement, and has good farm buildings ; 160 acres of his land is in Sec. 8, in Mareellon, adjoining the farm of William Goodman, where they are mining for silver; has the west half of the east half of section ; has three children-John Alfred, Albert and Sarah Ann, the last two at home. Mr. Willcox is a Republican, and has been Supervisor and Justice of the Peace ; both members of the Baptist Church.


J. B. WOOD, farmer, Sec. 22; P. O. Portage City ; born Dec. 20, 1831, in Windsor Co., Vt .; came to Wisconsin in 1854, and settled in Marcellon Village, where he followed teaching three years, Was married, June 14, 1855, to Almeda C. Kincaid, who was born in Berks Co., Penn., Feb. 14, 1832; daughter of Usebius Kincaid, who came to Wisconsin in 1851. Mr. Wood was Town Clerk in 1860. and Town Superintendent in 1861, being the last one in the town to hold that office ; was also Town Clerk in 1862 and 1865, and has been Justice of the Peace the last two years. Is a Republican ; has 120 acres of land ; was enrolling and drilling officer in his town from the beginning of the war in 1861, till 1864; his first wife died March 9, 1874, leaving two children-Emma Eugenia, born Nov. 26. 1857, and Edna Lillian, born Aug. 25, 1861. Was married again, March 13, 1878, to Margaret C. Davis, who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, March 19, 1833, daughter of William Denny, and widow of John N. Davis, of Port- age City.


TOWN OF LOWVILLE.


ELBRIDGE CURTIS, farmer, Sec. 18; P. O. Poynette ; born Nov. 2, 1826, in the town of Maine, Broome Co., N. Y., son of John C. Curtis; came to Wisconsin in the fall of 1849, and settled in the town of Lowville, the next winter, where he made his home with his brother. Was married, in 1857, to Mary E. Bennett, who was born in 1841, in Chemung Co., N: Y .; has seven children living .- Irene (now Mrs. Harrison Cutsworth, of the town of Pacific), Alma, John C., Tinie, Lewis B., Harry and Edgar, all at home except the one married; lost one daughter, Sarah, 15 months old. He is a Republican, and has been Supervisor and Assessor, and has been Pathmaster for the last twenty years ; has 180 acres of land.


F. C. CURTIS, farmer ; P. O. Rocky Rnn ; was born Sept. 3, 1819, in the town of Stock- bridge, Berkshire Co., Mass .; his father's name was Harvey Curtis, who was a descendant of Miles Standish, of the Mayflower Pilgrims, of the seventh remove from that somewhat distinguished personage ; his mother's name was Fannie Warner, of Canaan, N. Y. His father removed to Canaan, N. Y., when he was 4 years old. At the age of 7 years, the subject of this sketch went to live with his grandfather, Lupton Warner, who was a farmer, where he remained until he was '15, attending school winters and working upon the farm the rest of the year. He was then apprenticed to F. B. Walbridge, of Pittsfield, Mass., to learn the saddlery and harness trade. At the end of about two years, his employer removed to Ohio, and he was left upon his own resources ; he had made such good use of his time that he was master of his trade, or at least a pretty good workman. His compensation was $35 a year and board, with some opportunity for overwork when trade was good. He was very industrious, and, when not otherwise occu- pied, studied. his books. These spare hours and the winter's school were all the opportunity he had for acquiring an education. When his employer left Pittsfield, he gave him his time ; he was to have remained with bim until he was 21 ; he then went to Hudson, N. Y., and engaged work with Conklin Terry for six months ; this was extended for one year longer, which carried him over the depressed times of 1837 In the spring of 1838, trade was still dull, and he found his old employer, Walbridge, was at Cleveland, Ohio ; he went there and worked for him about six months, and should have remained longer, but the fever and ague greatly impaired his health, and he returned to Canaan, where he worked at his trade until the fall of 1839, when he went out to Columbia, S. C., upon a contract with Levi Hanley, in whose employ he remained near eight years. During those eight years, he spent three summers at the North to recuperate his health. Although his business was of a mechanical nature, he never lost sight of the farm, and was known or considered as an agriculturist, and was often consulted by planters. J. S. Preston used often to con- sult him, and made him a very lucrative offer to go on to his Louisiana sugar plantation as manager, and


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many other flattering offers were made him to induce him to settle permanently at the South, all of which he declined, mainly for the reasons that he thought the slavery question was bound to make trouble, and he had become tired of the competition in trade. He left South Carolina in the spring of 1847, and Canaan July 3 of that year for Wisconsin, designing to purchase land and improve it with his own labor. He went to Fort Wayne, Ind., where he purchased a horse, which he rode to his present home, arriving here July 28. He was acquainted with Jacob Low, with whom he had had correspondenee, and came to his house, where a hearty welcome awaited him. At that time, there were considerable many settlers who had settled upon and claimed the land, but had not purchased it from the Government, holding under a higher law. Mr. C. purchased the land upon which he now resides and has resided sinee ; he erected a house, and expended all the funds he had with him; expecting a remittance from New York to enable him to return East, but, not arriving, he started for Milwaukee, with only 35 eents in his pocket; put up the first night with Mr. Alfred Toploff, of Fountain Prairie, who made him welcome, and walked the bal- ance of the distance in two days. At Milwaukee he shipped for Buffalo as an employe at $14 per month; received $2 and borrowed $5 from an acquaintance, and thus he was supplied with funds for the balance of his journey, and arrived in Columbia Co., N. Y., the latter part of September. He was married at Canaan Four Corners, Columbia Co., N. Y., Oct. 18, 1847, to) Miss Elizabeth Lea, daughter of George Lea and Ellen Hallenbeck, of Richmond, Mass., who was born at Athens, Greene Co., N. Y., April 7, 1828 ; they left for Wisconsin on the same day, and arrived at Milwaukee Nov. I, after a very boisterous passage around the lakes of eleven days. Their children are Mary Anna, now Mrs. O. D. Orvis, of San Francisco, Cal .; Emma, now Mrs. A. H. Carman, of Morgan Park, Cook Co., Ill .; Ella C. Curtis and Lizzie, residing at home; George L., who died Dee. 20, 1860. Mr. Curtis is a Democrat; has been Chairman of Lowville quite a number of times, and was nominated for the Assembly in 1853; in 1856, he was nominated for State Senator, twiee for Sheriff and again for Senator in 1868. He was elected Chairman of the County Board of Supervisors in 1856 and 1857, when the members of the board were strongly in the majority, and were opposed to him politically. Mr. Curtis' business has been mainly farming ; has taken an active part in the Columbia County Agricultural Society, and was one of the gentlemen who helped to establish it in 1851 ; was President of it for four years, and has been one of its Executive Board ever sinee ; lias attended every executive meeting and fair of said society, which has been held yearly since its organization. His farm consists of 270 acres ; his buildings are mainly of stone, made in a substantial manner, which have the appearance of lasting as long as they are well roofed.


JOHN CURTIS, farmer ; P. O. Poynette; born in the town of Canaan, Columbia Co., N. Y., July 19, 1830, son of Harvey Curtis. He was married Sept. 14, 1854, in Berkshire Co., Mass., to Sta- tira Davis, who was born June 26, 1834, in the same county in which she was married; Mr. Curtis resided in his native county till the spring of 1864; then came to Wisconsin and located in the town of Lowville, where he still lives, and has 140 acres of land ; has two children -- Anna, born Feb. 16, 1855, and Edith, born Sept. 23, 1867. In politics, a Demoerat.


PETER DRAKE, farmer, Secs. 8 and 17; P. O. Rocky Run ; was born in the town of Rox- bury, Morris Co., N. J., July 10, 1818, son of Peter D. and Charity (Wilkerson) Drake ; came to Wis- consin in September, 1848, and located on the farm he now owns ; he first built a cabin of poles, in which he " kept bach " about six years ; then built his present residence ; his parents afterward came to Wiseon- sin and resided awhile in the town of Lowville, and his mother died at his home. He was married in the town of Pacifie to Martha A. Porter, daughter of Amasa Porter; she was born Nov. 3, 1838, in Catta- raugns Co., N. Y .; they have four children-Earl W., born Sept. I, 1867; Carl A., born Nov. 10, 1868 ; Mark L., born Oet. 3, 1870, and Kitty May, born Jan. 14, 1878; lost an infant son Jan. 14, 1875. He has 447 aeres of land, and is a Republican every time.


SAMUEL DUNN, farmer, See. 8; P. O. Roeky Run ; born in 1821 in County Tyrone, Ire- land, son of Samuel aud Lattia (Campbell) Dunn ; came to America in 1840, and in December of that year he settled in Portage, and has lived in Columbia Co. ever sinee, except about one and a half years he spent in the pinery. He was married Nov. 20, 1856, to Sarah Campbell, daughter of Robert Campbell, who was a native of County Tyrone, Ireland ; they have three children-Samuel C., born July 28, 1860 ; Mary L., born Sept. 25, 1865, and Sarah, born Nov. 25, 1872. He has 480 acres of land. He is a Demoerat and has held the office of Chairman about seven years, and Town Clerk eighteen or twenty years. In 1855, he made a visit to the old country, leaving home in November and returning in April, 1856; he visited his parents in Ireland, who were both living at that time. He now holds the office of Town Clerk.


WARREN GILBERT, farmer, residence on Sec. 26; P. O. Rio; was born June 22, 1827, in Herkimer Co., N. Y .; son of Erastus and Nancy Gilbert. When he was only 3 years old, his father was accidentally killed by a fall in his barn. After the death of his father, he went to live with his


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grandmother, where he lived till he was 14 years old, then went out to work by the month, and continued at that till 1848, making his home with his grandmother during that time, and taking her advice in all his business operations. Having saved up about $500 from his earnings, he coneluded (still taking his grand- mother's advice), to come West and " grow up with the country." With that end in view, he came to Wisconsin in 1848, bought 60 acres of his present farm, for which he paid $250, then pre-empted 160 acres more, which cost him $200, and settled down to business. In 1849, he married Miss Mary Widrich, of the State of New York, by whom he has five children-George Henry (living in Lowville), Albert (in Minnesota), James W. (at home), Charles L., (in Iowa), and Eugene. Mr. Gilbert is one of the largest farmers in Columbia Co., having in his home farm 2,500 acres of land, all in a body, all improved, and 300 acres more, near enough so he works it all together. He also has about 2,300 acres in Freeborn Co., Minn., with about 1,400 aers under the plow, and 1,200 acres in Martin Co., Minn., 800 acres of which are under the plow. He considers his real estate alone worth upward of $100,000; sold $10,000 worth of produce in one year during the war, from his home farm, his wool amounting to $3,300 of it ; sold $3,000 worth of timothy seed in 1839, but which was a part of three years' crops. Keeps twenty-five horses, about sixty head of cattle and 400 head of sheep. He has never followed any other business but farming, and never had a dollar given him by friend or foe. His motto has always been to " never go in debt," and always " live within your means." He gives his personal attention to all the details of his business, and keeps a diary, in which he records all his business transactions. He finds but little time to devote to politics, but is of the Democratic persuasion.


JOHN B. HALPIN, farmer, Sec. 9; P. O. Rocky Run; born May 10, 1832, in County Meath, Ireland ; son of Bartholomew and Mary M. Halpin ; came to America in 1851 ; lived about a year in Onondaga Co., N. Y., then came to Wisconsin, and lived in the town of Pacific till 1860, since which time he has been in his present location. He was married in 1857, in Portage, to Marcella Timmons, daughter of Phillip Timmons. Has ten children-Mary, Catherine, Lucy, Marcella, Charlotte, Nellie, Ambrose, Bartholomew, John and Philip, all at home. All members of the Catholic Church. He is a Democrat and has 120 acres of land.


OLIVER CUMMINGS HOWE (deceased) was among the first settlers of the town of Lowville, and one of the most prominent men in the town; he was a native of Attica, Wyoming Co., N. Y., and was born Dec. 18, 1813; his father's name was Jacob Howe, and his mother's maiden name was Azuba Sprout; in early life, he was engaged in the mercantile business in his native town, and afterward carried on the same business in South St. Paul street, Rochester, N. Y .; failing in business there, he con- cluded to seek his fortune among strangers, in a strange land ; he accordingly left that State, and came to Wisconsin in the spring of 1846, landing at Sheboygan, from which place he made his way on foot to Columbia Co., arriving in what is now the town of Lowville, with only $6 in his pocket ; he at once located some land on Sec. 36, and commenced breaking; the next fall, he built a cabin in which himself and brother, James N. Howe, who joined him about that time, resided, and kept house by themselves till the death of Ja nes, which occurred in July, 1845, being struck by lightning and instantly killed while going from his own home to one of his neighbors ; his father (who had been living with them two or three years) died the next April, leaving him entirely alone. ' His first wife, Lydia Tobias, to whom he was married in 1841, having died about a year after marriage, before he left Attica. March 31, 1857, he was married to his second wife, Juliette Barber, who was born April 6, 1826, in Greene Co., N. Y., town of Durham, daughter of John and Clarrissa (Virgil) Curtis, and widow of Brazilla Barber, who died in New York in 1854; her mother, Mrs. Curtis, is still living with her in Lowville, at the age of 94. Mr. Howe left two daughters-Jeanette C., who is now Mrs. Elliott Scott, of the town of Leeds. and Julia F., who is living on the homestead with her mother. His death occurred April 21, 1879, of apo. plexy. In addition to his farming, Mr. Howe practiced law, the last twenty-five years of his life, having been admitted to the bar April 13, 1854; he figured conspicuously in polities in the early history of the State, and represented his distriet in the Assembly three successive terms, being in the Legislature of 1856-57, during the celebrated " Barstow administration." He made a public profession of religion and joined the Congregational Church of Leeds in 1863, but afterward severed his connection with this church and joined at Rio, where he held at different times the offices of Deacon, Clerk and Trustee, and contributed about $1,100 toward building the Congregational Church at that place; he left an estate of about 1,000 acres improved land, which is occupied by his widow and daughter, Julia F. ; P. O. Rio.


JESSIE F. HAND, farmer, Sec. 5; P. O. Rocky Run ; was born in New Lebanon, Column- bia Co., N. Y., on the 24th day of March, 1816; went to Akron, Summit Co., Ohio, in 1840. Was married to Mary Wheeler on the 8th of November, 1841; removed to Lyons, Walworth Co., Wis., in 1845 ; thence to Lowville, Columbia Co., on to the quarter section of land he now lives on, purchased from the Government in 1846 in 1849 ; in politics was a Whig until the organization of the Republican party ;


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sinee that time has been a Republican ; was a member of the Methodist Church about twenty years, and for the last twenty-seven years has been a member of the Episcopal Church ; was the first Town Clerk of Lowville; elected a Justice of the Peace at the same time, and now holding that office for the third or fourth time ; was three years Town Superintendent of Schools; was Chairman of Supervisors often; two years was Enrolling Officer in 1861 ; was Postmaster of Rocky Run Post Office nearly twenty-six years; was elected Member of the Assembly in 1864, and voted in favor of the ratification of the Thirteenth Amend- ment of the Constitution of the United States, abolishing slavery. His oldest son, George, died at Ander- sonville, Ga., January, 1865 ; the names of the others are Antoinette, Martha, Willis, Harper, Mary Alice, Isabell and Edwin Wheeler, all living in Wisconsin but Martha.


F. L. HENRY, farmer, Sec. 34; P. O. Lowville; born Sept. 22, 1823, in Lewis Co., N. Y., town of Martinsburg; son of William and Anna Henry, who were among the first settlers in that town ; Mr. Henry came to Wisconsin in May, 1846, located a part of his present farm in October of that year, but made his home in La Grange, Walworth Co., for about two years. Was married there, April 2, 1848, to Eliza W., daughter of Elisha Cronk ; she was born in Seneca Co., N. Y., July 22, 1825 ; immediately after marriage he came to live on his farm, and has been there ever since; has three children-Margaret A. (now Mrs. Wm. H. Evarts, of Lowville); Florence Louisa and Frederick William; he lost two at home. Mr. Henry is a Republican, and has been Town Clerk and Town Superintendent several terms ; he has a receipt for the tax of 1847, which he thinks was one of the tax receipts issued in the town ; himself and wife both belong to the Presbyterian Church, and he has been a member twenty-two years ; has 270 acres of land in his farm, with first-class farm buildings; keeps 400 head of sheep and thirty head of cattle.


SILAS W. HERRING, farmer, Sec. 28; P. O. Lowville ; born April 23, 1821, in Low- ville, Lewis Co., N. Y .; son of Henry and Polly Herring; came to Wisconsin in the spring of 1844 ; lived in York, Dane Co., till the fall of 1845, then came to Columbia Co. and settled on the farm he now owus ; at that time there was only four other settlers in what is now the town of Lowville; he helped to organize the town, was its first Treasurer, and since that has held the office of Chairman and Assessor, two terms each. Was married, Dec. 28, 1855, in Wyocena, to Miss T. M. Webb, daughter of Sylvester P. Webb; she was born in New Lebanon, Columbia Co., N. Y., Dec. 12, 1829; has two children-Hubert C., born Oct. 30, 1859, and Carl E., born Aug. 28, 1863, both at home. When he was 12 years old, his parents removed to Chautauqua Co., N. Y., town of Cherry Creek, where he lived till he came to Wis- consin. Mrs. Herring is a member of the Presbyterian Church. He was an old-time Abolitionist, and has been a Republican ever since the party was organized ; has 295 aeres of land.




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