Iowa
Old Press
FRONTIER GUARDIAN and IOWA SENTINEL
Dawsonburg, Fremont County, Iowa
May 20, 1852
Original Poetry. For the Guardian and
Sentinel
COME TO THIS LAND OF OURS
"Come rich and poor to this Western part,
..Come to this fruitful land;
Enjoy this comfort in the heart,
..That God has given to man.
"Our country calls on all to come,
..Both high and low renonwn;
All that wish can have a home,
..On this productive ground.
"We have honey here and lasses,
..And every thing that's sweet;
The fish abound in masses,
..And every kind of meat.
"Carpenters: Come to the County Seat,
..And come it with a tilt;
For wages here are hard to beat,
..And all want houses built.
"Blacksmiths here would be well paid,
..For they are very scarce;
In cattle, hogs, and best of trade;
..And often out the purse.
"Come all to Fremont County,
..For that's the goodly land;
There all receive a bounty,
..Yes every industrious man.
"Here land lays high and rolling,
..And is extremely good;
Here wives are never scolding,
..Except when out of wood.
"Timber is all that's lacking,
..And that is all we mind;
The trees are rather scattering,
..And sometimes hard to find.
"We need not live expensive,
..And who would better that;
Our pastures are extensive,
..And cattle always fat.
"Our meadows are unbounded,
..The land is rich and cheap;
The soil can not be sounded,
..So evenly and deep.
"I ask you all to come and know,
..It is no more nor less;
Your dimes to dollars soon will grow,
..And plenty in the desk.
"This verse my composition ends,
..My names intitials, J. W. B.
A friend to true Americans,
..A friend to Mr. D_______."
(Mr. Dawson, please find a place in your valuable columns for this short D_______ucktail.) FREMONT COUNTY, Iowa, May 8th 1852.
[trancribers note: Dawsonville is now part of Tabor;
transcribed by W.F., August 2006]