The Grant County herald. (Big Stone City, Grant County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1883, 1879-09-27

lied for the war with Mexico; soon
raised from the position of private to that
of blrgadier, and came out OF service at the
close of the war major general. My first
battle, Bucna With, was under Taylor, then
transferred to Scots line, and saw and
helped to fight as many, il not more, bat
ties than any officer of that war. Very
soon after peace was made with Mexico
l was appointed by Mr.. Polk, then
President, governor of Oregon ter
ritory and exotficio superintendent of In
dian affairs. The trip to reach my post
OF duty had to be made across the plains
in the winter. q feat that had not before
then been accomplished. But l had at
the request of Mr.. Polk undertaken the
journey, and with hurried preparations an
| escort OF twenty men, under Lieut. Haw
| klns, lett Fort Leavenworth on the 10th
day OF September, 1S4S, and after u hard
struggle arrived at Oregon City on the ed
of March, 1s49, and on that day issued n
proclamation making known that the
laws Of the United States, by act OF Con-
gress, had been extended over the terri
tory OF Oregon; that had been duly el-
ected governor, had taken the oath Of Of
flee and had entered upon the duties
thereof. Well, continued in office, at
tended to the interests of the good people,
and also to the Indian affairs, brought
the murdercrs Of our people, Chief Tilo-
kite and tour of his braves, to trial
and the gallows. had several fights with
different tribes, came near being killed,
was very badly wounded, placed rela-
tons on good footing with all the
tribes, and in 1851 was elected delegate
to Congress; was four times elected dele
gate, and then elected one of Oregon's
first United States Senators; retired from
the Senate III 1861. In 1870, on the 10Th
of August, my good and beloved wife
died Since then lived alone on nv
ranch in the mountains, twelve miles
from this place, until now. | have just
finished neat little home, where | think
| Shall spend my days unto the end
am in a quiet part OF our town near some
OF my children, with whom | shall take
my meals, and still live alone IN my
pleasant little home. My son Lafayette,
who represented this state in the Forty
fourth Congress, lives near my house; he
is the youngest of my ten children, u
good lawyer and kind son.
And now, returning to the old family
visited IN 1860, North Carolina and my
fathers birthplace, the old home of my
grandfather, four miles from Raleigh.
In Raleigh visited the house in which
Joel Lane lived at the time he decided as
4 present to the state GAO acres of land,
on which the city now stands; called at
the state house, where the records are
kept, IL look at the deed of conveyance ):
| saw many relatives, and spent several
days with my cousin, David l.. Swain, at
Chapel Hill. and learned much about our
| family, and intended to visit Buncombe,
but did not. Had carried out my pro-
grammc | might have enjoyed the pleas
ure Oh seeing you.
OF my grandfather's family there were
eight sons and eight daughters. Ny
| aunts married gentlemen named yespec-
| lively as follows: Rhoda was married to
| Rakestraw, Patience TO John Hart, Re-
becca to Lucky, Sally and Polly to broth
ers named Fitzpatrick, Winnifred to Rog
crs, Elizabeth to Parson Montgomery
and your grandmother, Carrie, married
David Lowie. My father and Uncle
John Hart, Matt. Barber and one other
gentleman, whose name | forget, and
Uncle Lowry, were in pursuit of indians
who had been stealing and robbing the
| outside settlers, and-all five were good
Indian iighters-venturlng too far were
attacked by large party ot warriors,
Barber, Lowry and the other, after hard
fighting, We're killed; my father and Hart
made good their escape. Sometime after
Aunt Carrie married Swain, whose son.
David l.. Swain, had corresponded
with for many years before | made
his acquaintance at Chapel Hill, as
above mentioned. All the eight sisters
We're noble, good and true women. !. oft
EN- saw your grandmother, but was to
Young to remember her. Gov Swan oft
en- spoke Of her with much love and re-
spect and esteemed her one of the best
mothers and most loyable Of women.
The eight sons Of my grandfather were
named rs follows: Charles, Joel, iona
than, Simon, John, Richard, Joseph and
Jessie. Gov. Colquitt OF Georgia is the
son OF the daughter of my uncle 10. Lane
| met him IN Mexico and served with him
III Congress. My grandfather moved from
Georgia to Illinois when he was 81 years
Of age, and killed many buhaloes in that
then new and uninhablted country. lie
died at SO. | know but little Of the
whereabouts Of many of my cousins.
They ara scattered over the Southern
States.
Iliffarnunn in DuckS