The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-05-05
Correspondence Of the True Northerner.
LOCAL HISTORY.
Being RecOifectiOMs and Rem fnisccnces
of the EarIv settlers.

preceded 1t, lnasmuch as 1T Is q PLAIN
statement of interesting facts, for which
we are indebted to the widow of John
Southland, now living on the same farm
which her husband purchased of govern.
ment in 1887. If any body knows
what the trials and Inconvenience of
pioneer life are, it is the mother of a
large family who has had to struggle
and labor under difficulties, as no other
can labor, for, like Martha of old, "she
is careful and troubled about many
things" which never come to any body
in the wide world, but mother Who,
but she, listens, waits, watches and prays
for fathers safe retuan, from the thous.
and perils of cold, food, hunger, the
devouring wild beasts and the falling
monster tree of the forest, which his
axe has severed, and which makes the
grand old forest, tremble, and echo, as
it lies PROSTATE before the one glitter.
ing weapon which he yields alone?
Who but mother goes on tiptoe, with
silence and tremulous approhensions, to
the bed side of each little sleeper, and
tucks in the scant bed covering, and
listens to every breath lest cold, or
Group. or fever has stolen into the house
hold, and fingers among her heart treas,
ures for victim ? And, who but
mother, when baby is laid away forever
in its little narrow bed, appointed for
all living, finds every broken toy and
worn out shoe, to put away as ne
mento?
Michigan and every other place on
the hasitable globe, is scattered all over
with these small and large graves, and
sad memories, for the fountain of per-
petual youth and beauty has never yet
been found, however favored the locality.
John Southland came into this state
in March 1887, with his family, which
consisted of his wife and six children.
They lived one year in Lyndcn town
ship, Washtenaw county, though Mr..
Southland came into this county at that
time on foot with Mr.. Lyndon, a brother
in.law, and located his land in the town.
ship of Bangor, then called South
Haven, because there were not inhab.
itants enough to organize a township by
itself. When the Southland family
moved into Michigan, they came with
horses and wagon from Cayuga Co., n.
Y, starting in the month of February.
The snow fell SO deep while they were
on the way. that they procured sleds to
put under the covered wagon. The
youngest child of the six, was baby
five months old and the Oldest a boy
thirteen years of age. There will be
no need of a statement that Mrs South
ard did not have very easy time, for
the nature Of the case is sufficient
guarantee of that. When Mr.. South
ard first came to Bangor, he brought
his provisions in a sack strung over his
shoulder. His first step in VanBuren
county, was at Paw Paw, and Rodney
Hinckley came to the same town with
him, to help him look land. About
that time, or perhaps at the same time,
Mansell Briggs, Mr.. Wallace and Mr..
Amidon, went with the same intention,
of making them home. They staid
first night at Charles u. Gross who
had been in the woods about a month,
consequently his experience runs nearly
in the same channel with that of several
others who went the same year into the
untried wilderness. The next day after
his arrival, Mr. Southland looked around
the woods and found the present South
ard farm, on the line now of Arlington
and Bangor, all grown over with heavy
timber. III hollow near the south
east corner of the farm, the pioneers fell
large maple tree and built fire against
it and made their bed for the night on
the softest side of the ground they could
find, and after their homely supper, they
rested as well as they could under the
circumstances. That cold nights lodg.
ing, which was in the month of March,
was in sight, and but few rods from
the present cheerful dwelling of the
remainder of the once large family
Mr.. Southland paid for four hundred and
sixty.seven acres of land at government
price, and got his deed of "Uncle SANS
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