| Winneshiek County IAGenWeb
1844 this page was last updated on Thursday, 01 April 2021 |
| A PIONEER STORY. |
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Told by T D Peterman, in the West Union "Argo," in which Decorians Appear.
T. D. Peterman in last weeks’ Argo, tells a pioneer story with a local tinge, which we condense into the following It was In 1844 that a pioneer named Hensley, living on the border line, close by the Indians, “lined” a bee tree, that when cut down gave his family all the honey they had vessels to fill, and the surplus was put Into a large trough made from a butternut tree. The next spring this was reinforced by a batch of maple syrup. Soon after, while the father of the family was absent after supplies, a band of Winnebego Indians vis-, ited the home and insolently demanded food. The mother was both fearless and fearful and resented the familiarity one of them exhibited. As nightfall came on and her husband and oldest son did not appear she judged It wise to get nearer to some neighbors. Taking her six-months old baby in her arms, she started with four other children by her side—Reuben, a boy of nine years, Elizabeth, of six, another son of four, and a third son of two-and-a-half years. A part way in her journey the mother came to a half-built, unoccupied bouse In which she made up a hay-bed. wherein she left thechildren, and the family dog, while she went on her way. At about midnight she reached her destination, found her husband, who with two neighbors, at once set out for the relief of the children and the protection of the pioneer homestead. The building In which the children were left was reached by sunrise, and they found safely sleeping. The home, too, was all right but it had been robbed of all its store of sweets and eatables Tho mothers nerves were somowhat unstrung, and she objected to living so near tho Indians, and shortly after another home and claim, nearer to civilization, was secured. The nub of the story so far as we are concerned is told by Mr. Peterman In this concluding paragraph:— All of these children lived to grow up with the country, In fact they are all living now except Richard, who enlisted, August 11, 1862, In Company C 38th Iowa Volunteers, and died July 8, 1863, at Vicksburg, Miss. Good lives in California, Reuben lives on a valuable farm near Lima, Iowa. Dan, who was the baby, lives in Idaho. And Elizabeth is the highly respected widow of Mr. Russell, late of Decorah, Iowa, and her son is principal of the West Decorah schools, and he is a most worthy son of a most worthy mother. |
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