Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-11-14
How a Home Was Lost and Regained.

Fifteen years ago, says the San Francis
co Bulletin, ''there was certain family
of plain farmer folk working on rented
land in one of the central counties north
of San Francisco bay, and having been
fortunate in obtaining one or two very
good crops in seasons when the most OF the
State was a failure, they had perhaps
twelve or fifteen thousand dollars in cash,
teams and Implements.
At this juucture the head Of the family,
being of tins restless Western type, conclu-
ded that it was advisable to make money
faster. S,i.appenlng to travel across the
lower San Joaquin in early spring ofthe wet
season. he Was charmed with, and forth
with rented, for term OF years. u large
tract of Lana in that valley, paying cash
rent Thrle ~as good crop the hrst year,
but three successive failures followed.
Then half crop came, aud more failures
Hoping a ,aiiist hope, they stayed, unable
to leave, unwilling to acknowledge mis-
take, until every dollar Was gone.
This Was in 1871, the process OF losing
all they had having taken seven years.
There were five children. the oldest girl
capable Of teaching school, three boys old
enough to earn mems wages, and a little
girl. Tnr oldest daughter obtained a
school in an adjoining county, and made
regular relDittances home. The boys
sought Work, but everything In tie neigh
bOrhOOd WAS at Stand-Still. The father,
upon whom successive msfortunes had
told heavIy. went to the nearest town and
sold his fife, saddle and some long treas
ured valuables Then. Harvesting up their
old team. they left the barren place, called
by courtesy farm.
Night after night, as they sat about the
roaring camp fires they asked each other,
What shall we do?" at last the mother
spoke, with woman 8 keen home love and
longing, as one night they camped in the
dry bed OF a stream, near a shaggy peak,
above valley of fertile farms: I'VE are
wandering without a 'motive," she said.
LET us all work and win a home and be-
gin Tomorrow" So she unfolded her
plan.
The next morning they went into a large
valley town where they had
Within week the father and the three
boys were at work in the harvest field; the
mother became houSekeeper in a wealthy
family, where she kept the youngest child
with her; the oldest daughter was still
teaching at an increased salary. A family
farm accompany was organized, it being I'M
derstood that every possible dollar went
toward the one purpose of buying a home
which all should own. This was the mo-
theirs plan, and its effect was marvellous.
1t made men of the boys; it made the ia
Their forget his former losses: it frightened
| the whole outlook. Every cent saved was
deposited where it drew interest. Before
long, some leading gentlemen Of the town
became interested in the home buying
plan, of which they had heard. and did
| what they could to procure steady work for
| the family. This, however, was seldom
needed, for their steadiness and anxiety to
earn their wages were remarkable, and
they were soon in constant demand.
At the end of the first year the home
purchasing company made creditable
showing. The daughter, teaching at $50
a month, had sent $500. The three sons
and their father had averaged $50 month
apiece, besides their board, and they had
spent nothing they could help, SO that
81 200 had represented their pile; while
| the mother added $3.50. These three items
aggregated, together with the interest
| 81 1903. The beginning was made.
Four years Of steady. accomplishing toll
followed. In 1875 their Accommodations,
compounded semi-annually at seven pei
centum, amounted to $3.50 u. 1t would
| have been more but for some sickness in
the family. They then chose quarter
section of good fertile land lying north OF
Range valleys. The price was $50 an acre
or So 900 in all. They paid $4,000 down,
bought teams, moved on the place, paid
the balance in one year from crops and
outside work, and are making it one OF
| the prettiest farms in that whole region.
This is truthful account of how farm
was lost and another gained in its place by
plucky American family, whose idea OF
| a ''home-buying company" ought be re-
membered.