The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-03-17
of the True Northerner.
LOCAL HISTORY.


Being RecOilectfOns and "Reminiscences
Of the Early settlers.
Human life in its most quiet phase is
strange medley Of ups and downs. Some would
hardly accept existence here as gft did they
know half OF the heart-aches and reverses
that tickle fortune has in store for them The
vat unyritten history Of thousands OF hfe-
battles has in it thrilling interest to the man
q, woman whose heart beats in sympathy with
the great heart of humanity. Though well worn,
the adage that truth is stranger than fiction,
ia none the less real. Probably none OF the
Incidents we are about to relate have ever be-
fore met the public eye, and, some OF our
readers will say, that they never ought TO- put
history would be no history at all without the
darker shades to relieve the sunny side.
Among the most venerable IN age OF the
eit,zeps Of Van Buren, County, and we'll known
20 tina community are John Reynolds and Capt.
Barrett. OF Paw Paw. To them and Mrs. hey
nolds. who live near neighbors to each other,
three miles south OF the village, we are In
debted for the facts pertaining to pioneer lie
herein recorded.
"reminiscences was September, 1885, when Mr.
REYNOLDS and his wife first came into Lawrence
from sandusky. Ohio They stald the nrst
night in Van Buren, County at Mr.. Dodges
Hote, in Paw Paw. Here Mr.. Reynolds met
Mr.. Palmer. Of whom we spoke in FORMER
article, and went with him to Lawrence Wnere
,be family staid IN the 4" old mansion pulit py
John Allen, the first dwelling in the town or
LAGRANGE. then called Mason. Other families,
ons after another, had vacated the house and
found homes elsewhere; at that time MIS-
REYNOLDS was the only woman IN the village.
:Judre HAYNES was there on some business ana
,,.s either unmarried or had not yet brought
b,s family to taste the Joys and sorrows Oh
,ioneer life. He would sometimes laughin8y
tell Mrs. REYNOLDS that she was the best LOOK
ING woman in the place. This state OF thlnes
did not last but few weeks and whether or
not Mrs. Reynolds any longer enjoyed the
snnerioriey OF being the bandsomest woman IN
town. our record does not state but two 1am-
lies soon found their way to the banks Oh tue
Paw Paw and Brush Creek. MIR. Dexter uiop
and wife, two daughters and son, ana MI
and Mrs Eaton Branch, and some others,
moved into the "old mansion with tue hey-
noIds making in all thirteen persons. "''
bouse was fourteen by sixteen feet, all IN one
room There was second floor but no chim-
nov and the smoke, which could not all escape
throuph hole in the roof, made the chamber
rn,nhabitable night and day. The united FUR
,;t,,o of tbe three families consisted OF Blk
beds. two tables, and few chairs ana osnes'
and when not In use the beds were packed w.
cetber between the legs OF the tables turned
bottom upwards. Their cupboards were mace
NJ " shakes" put across round sticks inserted
IN anger holes bored in the logs. Az nieh'
when the beds we're wanted for the tWr'eeh
sIeepers. 1t took all the room on the moor 10
mako them up except narrow pathway from
the outside door to the fire place. While the
women we're making up the beds, and gong 70
bed the men stad out Of doors by the side OF
burning log heap to keep warm ana Keep ou'
Of tie way. II you have good laugh over
this. Miss Flora McFlimsey, think at the same
time how much more Of all that constitutes
trina womanhood YOU would have had II some
If lies sterner discipline had fallen to your
lot, It's pity you had not now something IL
the way of bard work to do and less time &c
think in what shade OF new dress you Wouio
snnesr at the next ball or party, and how mucf
of papa's money it will take to buy 1t.
rhese three families lived in this way to-
gather five weeks as one happy family and nc
disagreement An hour or more each evening
was spent in singing from note BOOKS theS
h,onpbt with them to the new country. IheJ
encountered all the Inconvenience lncideht u
snew country. but did not complain. insects
and reptiles were numerous and some OF 'heii
trehtful. Thousand-legged worms lntruoeC
,bemselyes into every nook and corner, no"
ever sacred TO neatness-on the pillow-on TIT
table--eueryuhere. Mrs. Reynolds looked TIT
bod and the logs over carefully every night be-
fore retiring to search out the unweicoine III
truders. Once during the time or their hVins
in this house, when she was alone, except ne
babv s,eening in the cradle, she heard rustlini
,oise in one corner OF the room near the 700
~ the bed and looking around she saw par
nt the body Of large snake in coll Oh .n
floor. In an instant she caught tue sieepin
infant and went across the road TO piachsli''
shop. carried on by Mr.. North. de went U
the rescue also some neighboring women wn
discovered
fore she could speak. They al en'ereo VI
recently vacated house and looked around som
time before they discovered the object OF tne'
search When they did find him he was iai
out as straight as he could be on the bed' wner
his snakeship appeared to be about to rechn'
By sudden blow from shialeh held IN MI
North's hand the serpent soon made cnane
Of base OH the floor. When he was killed an
Strengthened out he measured FIVE feet min
inches in length and as large around as man
wrist This W, kind called house snake
and probably 4offensive except to the sight.
The women 81 the settlement suffered more
fear Of snakes than oil other things beside
and yet there were comparatively few b'
what wes4 harmless.
H. after part of this year-1S35-Mr. a
HON we have had occasion to speak
Blk mail contract by which he was
mail Mt stated periods, either once