The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-01-10
coipInpslicafiops.
Lester lrom Down soush.
PorTowAToMIE, Kansas, !
o.

PoTTDWAToAiEs Kansas,
january and, 1856.
EDrToRs HEaALD OF FREEpoN:-As
there are many, both in the Territory
and States. who still doubt the truth of
what has been said concerning the
sufferings and destitution of the set
tiers In Kansas, permit me to add, as
confederation of what has been previ-
ously said, some extracts from the his
tory of few who have been residents
in the Territory for two years, and
since the troubles began in 1856. l
have never asked permission to make
these statements public, but am salts
fed from the short acquaintance which
I have had with the subjects of
these, that they will not be dissatisfied
because I make use of their names. if
it will conduco in enlightening the
public mind concerning the previous
endurance and actual condition of
those Martyrs" of Freedom who have
sacrificed their temporal welfare for
the liberties of the future generations
in Kansas. Besides, ! am satisfied
that these individuals will not be SEN
sitiye on account of these revelations,
as they tend, under the circumstances,
only to honor, and should cause those
who have been subject to like misfor-
tunes to- he ambitious of similar dis
finetlen. / took these narratives from
request of Mr. Hyatt, in order to as
certain the facts as they exist in rela-
ton to the trials and sufferings OF the
settlers.
Mr.. Hyatt's heart is wide open to
the sympathies Of the destitute in the
Territory, and he has adopted the
method of employing canvassers to as
certain the truth that his sympathies
may not be abused or the wants of the
real sufferers neglected.
Ny field of labor has been on Pot
towatomie Creek, in which locality |
am satisfied that the people have seen
as much trouble and been subject to
more destitution, if possible, than any
other in Kansas. l would like to
give the history complete of some
residents there, that the truth of the
above might be verified, but will be
compelled, from my limits, to abbre-
viate and make a few quotations of
only two or three of the families. |
will first notice the case of David B.
Davis.
MIR. Davis has a wife and four chill
dren. Came to Kansas by the River
Route, on the 7th day of April, 1855.
Mr.. D. says that he had just fifty cents
when he landed at Kansas City. But
he set Immediately to work and placed
his family in comfortable circumstan-
ces. He located claim on Pottowa
tonne and succeeded admirably until
be was taken sick. This sickness oc-
Cured after he had planted field of
corn of about six acres. His sickness
was bilious fever, and continued so
that he was considered dangerous for
over month; after which his whole
family, excepting the oldest boy, four-
teen years of age, was attacked by
the chill fever. From this time until
the spring of 1856, this boy was their
only dependence. He managed to
save a portion of the corn, but all of
this, excepting about ten bushels.
went to pay for what they were ne
cessitated for and had consumed be-
fore the winter set in. And this, with
what little game he would occasionally
shoot, such as rabbits and the like,
was all of their dependence during the
winter. The poor boy Sas also oblig-
ed to furnish wood to keep the family
warm, and he worked so hard to pro-
vide for the rest, that his parents fear
his constitution is impaired. During
the first winter IN Kansas, the family
lived for the most part on parched
corn Jotnny-eake. When spring open
ed, Mr.. Davis says: 1--WE began to
recover from the low state to which
sickness had reduced us. We began
to grow strong and felt happy in the
anticipation that we could now work,
and be once more prosperous. l i'm.
mediately took job at splitting rails,
at eleven shillings per hundred, taking
my pay in corn meal Myself and
two boys, began the job Immediately.
averaging $50 per day. We contin-
ed busily at this employment, for four
weeks, during which time, we subsist-
ed almost exclusively on johnnycake.
and corn coffee. After a little we
sent some of our earnings to Kansas
City, and got something better. We
soon placed ourselves, considering our
past misfortunes, J in comfortable cir
cumstances and began to hope for
much happiness and enjoyment in the
future. We dismissed the many re-
grets that chad expressed on account
of bad luck, during the severe winter
that had just passed. and were now
Joyous and thankful that Providence
had cast our lot in so beautiful eoun-
try. We had scarcely realized even
a .forcshadowing of our anticipations,
when troubles broke out in new
quarter. Our neighborhood was inva-
ded by prowling and blood-thirsty
ruffians, who Were constant terror to.
the inhabitants. I was obliged to
rally with the rest of my neighbors In
its defence, and have been, of necessi-
ty, absent during much of the sum-
+mer, marching and assisting generally,
in defence of Kansas rights. Nv
family have several times in my alb
sence, taken that which was most val
liable from the house, and secreted it
in the brush, on account offear caused
by the threats of our enemies. I can
scarcely tell how we have lived through
two summers. We have had much
hard times but are not discouraged
yet. We have received some assist
ance from a brother in Rhode Island,
also, from the did Society, and viii, if
our present good health continues