The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-03-01

tire country was an unbroken wilderness II
has always been my endesvor to promote it-
dustry and intelligence.
The speaker here narrated an anee1ote OF the
following import: While Superintendent OF the
Poor. some years ago, and while engaged IN
digging ditch mile from his residence q
well dressed man came along and inquired how
far IL was to Judge Monroes. about mile"
replied the Judge, ''but yon will not find him
he Ia away from home" The man said he was
pauper and wanted the Judge to provide for
him. Then said the Judge, "Get right down
here II this ditch and go to shovelling the
judge requires all the men ho has charge OF to
work Said the msn ~ that is SO, 1 VIII go
to Kalana2oo;" and then sadod ''you are tho
dirtest and raggedest specimen OF a man ever
met with" lie turned back and took the trail
! for kalamazoo.
After the completion OF tine organization and
the transaction of such business as vas deemed
necessary. The afternoon was spent in social
intercourse Singing aud the relating OF in
| dividual experiences or "The Olden Iime."
Mr. Joseph Woodman, OF Paw Paw, aged 81
| years, related his experience as follows: 81
came into this county IN the eprng or 1885;
| landed at Detroit, and made my way TO Kala-
mazoo through mud and mre, with two teams,
q horse-team and An ox-tean. The mud was
terrible, and frequently had to double up my
teams in order to get through. Frequently met
stages with the passengers going on foot carry
ing rails and poles They said it WAS hard fare.
| and the driver wanted them TO carry two rails
apiece, but they couldn't see It. ! had my
family with me-wife and siX chidren-and,
! after much difficulty, succeeded IN getting my
family INTO an old log house; started from Kal-
| amazoo for Paw Paw the first evening ter
getting my family under shelter at Kalamazoo; (;
WAS told Mt Grand Prairie that could not get
| through that night, that would be eaten by
the wolves, but being young and vigorous
pushed on, and without serious mishap finally
reached log cabin known as Dodge's Hotel,
| where the hourishjng villsge Of Paw Paw pow
stands; on Saturday, III company with Silas
Breed, went land-vlewing. and returned to
Dodges IN the evening; asked Dodge II they
had any meetings., and was answered In the
| negative; told him we bad minister In our
party and We would like to have meeting on
the Sabbath which We accordingly did, holding
it in slab shanty. On Monday, la company
with Joshua Bangs, went out on the Territorial
road to locate Land, and each selected piece;
that evening We met two men who informed us
that they had located some land, and on inquiry
We learned that they had selected the same
land that we had located. Accordingly the next
morning We started for the lsnd-office at Kala-
a IaJ md
on our arrival thsre located and pad for our
land. On our return we met the parties who
had selected the land on their way to kalama-
ZOO but they wero too late. then brought
my family from Kalamazoo aud established
them in black-smith-shop at Paw Paw. and
went to clearing the land, plowed seven acres
in the woods with wooden plow, and ra sed
fine crop OF turnips, pumpkins, melone. etc.
My frat crop OF wheat yielded 70 bushels per
acre, aud turned under the stubbe and dragged
it. and next year harvested from t1e same land
Is bushels per acre from the htterngs OF the
first crop without having sown kernel OF seed.
"As soon as | arrived With my family at Paw
Paw / proceeded to erect house on my land
which had completed to occupy IN just four
and family to Breedeviile. The first night out
| it rained terribly. Made shlnty for the women
| and children with the wagon box, and kindled
| fire to warm ourselves and keep of the wolves.
You can't think how the wolves did howli
| women were scared, and withal it YVES a very
| uncomfortable night. Arrived 10 safety at
Dreedsve the next day, whera left Mr. Breed
4 eAor II
the Paw Paw River swollen by the rain 20 as to
| be almost impasssble bur ford 1t must. Drove
1 the oxen in. wagon upset, lost my AK and every
| thing out OF the wagon. and went In myself
| head and heels, and now here am yet, and 1t
] seems almost . miracle that am, but am
glad and rejoice to meet 60 many Of my old
friends once more"
| Charles u. Cross said, he carne to this coun =
| ty in 1884, and in company with Judge Monroe
| surveyed the first route from Paw Paw TO South
Haven in the spring Of 1885. The march oocu
pied IL days, and the anow WAS about 10 inches
in depth. "We carried a pack consisting of q
tea-kettle, tin pal, fry,ng-pan, az ard compass.
We reached the lake shore after dark. The
SHOW was melting with heavy rain. We final
ly succeeded IN starting fire and in construct
| ing shelter Of bemiock boughs and eot our
! supper at about midoi9ht. Ia those days,
| when we were all young, We used to be happy
aud enjoy life, there was but one class Of So
ciety and we we're all unitsd- / sometimes look
with regret to thoee days OF yore and cannot
think out tbat we were moro happy then than
f., now"
Wm. Il. Hawkips related some OF his expii-
enceS and trials of pioneer life.
lie SAID he took the Micb4an fever ia 1886,
and o,me to the State aud locltel some land
~ Texas. Kalamazoo County bcopyht his
family in 1887 and settlet on nus land.
He related how it took n m 90 da1sto reach
tho present tito OF Mattly.u III. how his entire
stocl OF household COOL consisted of ono chair,
one chest and Que Clock how he hac span OF
horses, and hearing of maa on the prairye
who wanted 20 swap oxen for horses, he went
in pursuit OF him and proposed ,rads, but to