The Iowa patriot. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1839-1839, 1839-06-13
CORNELIUS.
"REMINISCENCES OF THE EARLY SET
ELEMENT OF BURLINGTON /. T.


Mr. EDIToR,-1am in hopes, Sir, that number
two will be somewhat more interesting to your
readers than the former number, as attention to
the Black Hawk country became mere general
ly excited in 1884. After close, hard winter
the river remaining blocked over until late in
the spring, when Steam Boats began to ascend,
prospects began to brighten. We however en-
joyed ourselves through the winter very COM
fortably with our native friends in smoking the
pipe, and talking over ord war skirlnshes, and
having a chase almost every day with our dogs
after the wolves that would appear opposite our
village on the river I recol!ect well on one
morning there appeared five or six wolves on
the river we gave chase, and with fair rum
ming one of our dogs overhauled and killed
three wolves before we reached him, and then
put in pursuit of the fourth, but was SO exhaus.
ted when he overlook him, about two miles
above here among the Islands, that he could
not keep his hold, and tho wolf disappeared
after the loss Of much blood the dog belonged
to Mr. Isaac Crcnshaw, our worthy friend, who
had previously settled the Barrett farm, and
was one of those sufferers by the soldiers from
Rock Island. Notwithstanding we were, as
supposed and expressed by some individuals,
beyond the Government of the United States.
without Law or Gospel, we were governed bv
that principle which reigns in the breast of
every American Citizen, to do unto others as
we would wish they should do unto us and
among other particulars l would notice in
passing, that there were few of the fair sex
who attracted the notice Of the boys, but the
quere was, how could the nuptials be perform.
ed? AS for my own part, was willing to be
governed by the custom that prevailed, but
not being satisfactory to all parties. we crowd
ed the fiat boat and padded over the river to
the opposite shore, and there saw the ceremo-
ny performed by Judge ---- Of Monmouth,
IL, which was on the third December, A. D..
1888. The parties were VIM. R Ross and Ma
tilda Morgan, presume the first couple that
We're united in wedlock in the Black Hawk
Purchase. In the Spring Of 1884, we petition
ed the Post Muster General for a special office
to be established at Burlington, recommending
VIM. r. Ross for P. NJ, our wishes were graf
flied, but the P. M. at Shok .ko-kon P. O. re-
fused giving up the law, books, lock, key, &c. !:
his excuse was that he had no right to send the
mail out Of the United States it would be NAL
feasance in office but by hard persuasion he
established branch Of his office at Burlington,
receiving the profits Of the same, ind appoint
ing Wm K. Ross, Deputy, at whose expense
the mail was carried once week for six months.
until ne was ordered by the proper department
to give up the packages or he would be rem ov-
ed from Office
In the Spring Of 1884, the Black Hawk Pur.
chase was attached to the Territory of Mich;-
gan for Judicial purposes, and divided into two
Counties, Dubuque and Des Moines; Dubuque
included all the country north Of a line due
west from the lower end of Rock Island !: Des
Molnes, the rema inder Of the country south Of
said line, to the Missouri line. The same
Spring public Documents were sent VIM. r.
Ross from the Legislature of Michigan ut De.
troit, containing instructions to notify the cit.
liens throughout the county to hold elections
for their officers elections took place accord.
ingly in the fall, but it was some time in the
winter before we could have return OF our
commissioners, at which time there being no