The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1883-01-24
MRS. DOBBINS.
An Interesting Sketch Concerning
Her History.

A visit to this energetic and en-
tertaiuing lady put the reporter of
the TIMES in pos .ession of the toll
lowing.
Samuel Debbins was born in
Tennessee about 1905. Ann Car
ter was also a native of Tenn. her
father. Thomas Carter, emigrated to
Missouri IN 1887 and settled near
Pleasant Hill. Cass county.
In 1889 Samuel Dobb,ns came to
Cass county, and Dec. 18th, IS4o
married Ann Carter. They lived
near Pleasant Hill until the spring
Of 1888 when they moved to Bates
county and bought claim of Ignat-
ius Turman. The latter with Week
ley Smith and John Morris were the
first settlers on Miami Creek.
In 1884 Mr.. Dobbins entered 100
acres in sec. 2, of Charlotte town.
ship, being the first land entered in
that locality. Indians were plenti-
full but made no trouble and the set
tiers rather liked to have them come
about.
Upon the TIMES man remark,ng g
that some of the old settlers did not
speak 50 we'll OF the Indians, Aunt
Ann replied with great warmth and
energy that IT such people had treat
ed the Indians with honesty and
kindness they would have had no
cause of complaint.
No corn could be ground nearer
than Bailtown and then only when
water was plenty. There was one
mill on Grand River, but it could
only run two or three months in the
year. In IS4s they had no meal or
-four in the house from the last of
August to Christmas. They would
take the pest corn, put it in scalding
water and let it stand over night,
then spread it ln the sun TO dry aud
used CRATER as substitute for the
burr stone. 1t made as good bread
AS any meal but was a slow process.
There was not much wild fruit
at first but after the settlers checked
the pgairie fires it became ahundaat.
The chief valuable game was deer
and turkey. Wildhoney was very
plenty
There was always plenty to live
enup to 1856 which was the frsr
time the corn crop tailed, At oat
harvest the corn was shoulder high,
but no more rain tell, the ch,nch
bugs multiplied and in SIX weeks
the fields were as bare as if corn
had never been planted. Bread
and in the spring of 1857 they paid
81 IS per bushel tor seed corn.
Mr.. Debbins died in 1888, and his
widow and ch,ldren carried on the
farming and stock raising successful
ly.
Mrs. Dobbins affirms positively
that there was mue.1 more piety and
pure religious devotion existed in
early hnes, than in these degenerate
days. Notwithstanding we were
called heathens, there was among
them enough of the "milk of human
kindness" SO that lumber did not
have to be bought to make coffin
nor did they have to ask tor help to
bury the dead.
men among them who were skilled
nurses and could aid in sickness, but
there was no doctor within reach un-
hi DR.. Hogan, came to Papinville in
1886.
In early days the settlers had but
little market tor their pruduce but in
1871. William Shewster. started u
Trading post at West Point. which
was great help - them. Fat
stock was plenty. COWS and c:iee
Year OIL steers were worth from TO
, Sioper head. Pork STA, per hum
drsd, net. Upon the discovery of
sold IN California everything sudden
~ Wen, up in price. Settlers made
great profits furnishing supplies for