Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-08-12
PRESIDENT GRANT AS A FARMER AND
WOOD CHOPPER.

correspondent of the Missouri Dem
ocrat, who visited President Grants farm
at White Haven, ten miles from St. Louis,
has the following about Capt. Grant as
iarmer and wood chopper:
shortly after his marriage, in 1857,
Capt. Grant resigned his commission in
the army and engaged in the occupation
OF falmer. Mr.. Dent gave his daughter
eighty acres of land heavily timbered,
situated mile north OF the homestead.
Upon this tract the future President, about
iour years alter his marriage, built house,
which still stands on the roadside, on the
crest OF green elevation, commanding
an extended view of the spires of the Car
ondelet and St. Louis, the bluffs of Illinois
and glimpscs ofthe Mississippi This house
is an ordinary double log house, story
and a half high. and differs out little from
hundreds Of farm houses in the county
The windows, however, are larger than
usual. and the sash wider and higher than
III ordinary houses. In this Capt. Grant
and bis wife spent one summer, and then
returned to the Dent mansion. As farm
tf The Captain was not very successful.
tie had not read Horace Greeley's book,
What Know About Farming,"-if he
had. he would have been even less sue
cessiul.
But, as a wood-chopper, he surpassed
the most daring feats VI the Sage OF Chap
paqua. 1t is true, he never used ladder
TO cut the top of a tree off first, and the
butt last, nor used "Giant Powder" in
blowing up the stumps, but chopped down
trees i'll the old fashion, and did it to make
money, not to make himself President.
In front OF The log house alluded to is a
jffr # xrrI,t ,t<sl,
stands the stumps left after the cutting
The trees were oak, and second growth
now partially conceals the stumps. Old
wood choppers profess to be able to tell
mans character by examining the stump
ol Il tree he has feled-pretty much as
experts pretend to diagnose mans traits
10y his hand writing. If there is anything
III this. we should say that the Presidents
stumps indicate man noiindomitable OF will,
hard hitter. and square feller of trees.
tie has left no struggling sapling, no
knotty oaks, no crooked or twisted trees
to tell OF carelessness or laziness, but the
clearing shows that he went to work and
chopped down all before him, making q
square cut in the forest. For six weeks,
without the loss of u single day, he cut
wood on his farm, in all kinds of weather,
and piled it up to be seasoned. He then
hauled it to the city in Il two horse team
OF his own, and sold it at five dollars
load. In this way he cleared portions of
his farm and supported his family
An incident is related oi General Grants
wood, chopping days, which shows that
he sometimes is impulsive, and can be
moved by the story of the distress of .
fellow creature. One day Judge Long
met on the Ield a neighbor who was
collecting money for the relief of Mrs.
Muhala Cadwaller, whose house, in the ad-
Joining county of jefferson, had been de-
etoyed by fire, leaving her homeless and
destitute; while they were talking on the
roadside. Captain Grant approached with
his wagon on his return from the city,
where he had disposed of load OF wood.
lie halted to speak TO Judge Long. whom
he had familiarity called Fenton, his middle
name. The Judge was telling the neigh
Dor that he would contribute his mite to
the distressed widow. but suggested that
the subscription should have been started
IN Jefferson county, where she lived. Cap
tain Grant leaped from his wagon, and
sterny said to The Judge, "Fenton, that's
not the way to talk. 1t don't matter where
the subscription is started; the woman
must have help, and. although am total
stranger TO her, she shall have the proceeds
OF my load of wood. And taking from
his pocket a five dollar bill, he gave it to
the neighbor, and jumping upon his wagon
drove home without IL centn his wallet.
The sum was small, but mt this time five
dollar bills Were not as plentiful as oak
leaves in the Grant cabin.