Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-08-01
From the Columbus co., Journal.
JACOB STRAWN, THE GREAT
." -DROVER

The papers frequently mention this
wonderfully successful farmer and drover,
who emigrated, some time since, from
Muskingum county, Of this State, to Illi
nois. In a letter to the Tribune, a cor
respondent thus tells of him:
In the vicinity of Jacksonville is the
most noted man ofIllinois, not excepting
the" little giant" am told he is a ma
tive of MuSkingum county, Ohio, and that
he migrated to the prairies many years
ago with money enough to buy quarter
section of land. He is ofmedium stature,
but his frame has been of immense pow
er and toughness. Some times when he
has been purchasing cattle, he has accom-
plished the almost incredible feat Of ri
ding on horseback nine successive days
and nights, with no sleep but what he
got in the saddle. Hisjudgment of cat
tie is almost infallibe. He will ride into
drove of cattle, glance over it with in
credible quickness, hunting the number,
singing out the average OK, computing
from him the whole drove, and offering a
price for the whole, more promptly than
many would for an OK. He has the repu>
tation of being a fair dealer, and will not
haggle with those who sell and buy Of
him. If his customers like his terms,
that ends the matter, and if not it certain
ly ends it. He measures out his plans
weeks ahead by the half hour, never
failing i'll his engagement, and never for
giving the Iaggard who keeps him wait
ing. His cattle business enlarged enor-
mOusly, until he purchased and sold ma
ny thousands a year. All the money not
needed in this business was invested in
lands, and it is said that he never has
been kown to sell an acre. His home
farm contains ten thousand acres, and a
gentleman told me that one field on that
farm, planted year after year with corn,
contains three thousand acres, and anoLh-
cr, four thousand. Near La Sale he has
tract of some six or seven thousand
acres, and besides these many smaller
fArrs Of section, less or more. His
landed estate is said to be worth a mil
lion Of dollars.
His mode Of dealing with tenants is
| characteristic. He assigns them certain
tracts, and tells them he wants them to
put in so many acres of corn. agreeing to
pay them SO much Il bushel for the crop
when ripe. In the fall he brings each
man his money, and then drives 10 each
man certain number Of cattle and hogs,
and says " l will pay you SO much head
to feed these this winter all they can eat,
and you are to have them at my house
on the first day Of next May" On the
specified day his droves are coming in from
all directions, and buyers from the East
and cities are there, attending the great
est cattle market in the West, if not in
America. The beef cattle on the grounds
amount to thousands, and the drovers
are able to get just what they want.
and what is singular. this man never
keeps book accounts, retaining the mi
nutest details of his business in his mem.
ory, and filling up his engagements with
perfect exacntesS.
A few years since such protractings Of
mind and body broke him down. and 1
am told he is showing too many signs Of
aye for a man said to be 50. In some
respects he is the most remarkable man
iii illinois, the like of whom will not be
seen again. His name is Jacob Strawn.