Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-11-27
An Old Story of Daniel Webster.

nor Curtis Life of Daniel Webster
will remember John Taylor. Mr.. Web
ster's tenant and factotum at Frank
lin. N. H., and Robert Wise. the old
revolutionary soldier who came home
from the war with Capt Ebenezer Web
ster, Mr.. Webster's father, and built
for himself little cottage ON one cor
ner of the Webster farm. where he
lived and died. Skirting the Webster
property. and passing by the spot where
Robert Wise took up his humble abode,
there bad long been a ferry-way. lead
ing to ferry across the Merrimac
river. The ferry was established DUR
ing the last century, and after Robert
Wise had lived there for some time it
came to be called Wise's Ferry. The
ferry-way was originally fenced on
both sides, and it ran between the
Webster farm and farm belonging, at
the time of which we are about to
speak, to Deacon Farley. The fence
on Webster's side of the ferry-way had
been allowed To fall into decay, but the
fence on the Farley side had been well
kept up. In the year 1S4S. after q
bridge had been built across the river,
the town voted to discontinue the ferry
way and the ferry, and the land re-
verified, of course, to the original owner.
Deacon Farley. assuming that the land
belonged 10 himself, removed all traces
OF the fence on his own side, and in
cluded the whole of the land in his own
territory up to the line where the Web
ster fence formerly stood.
Mr. Wahcfar 10 mo nv
soon after this had been done and was
greatly incensed by what he saw. He
ordered John Taylor into his sitting
room and said to him sternly: John
Taylor, how came you TO stand still
and let Deacon Farley steal my landP"
Mr.. Webster was in one of his blacklist
moods. Poor Taylor was frightened,
for in all his life he had never seen his
great friend in such towering passion.
MIR. Webster ordered him, in tones of
thunder, to bring Deacon Farley.
The deacon came. and he, too, was
saluted with n burst of wrath that
made him tremble. He modestly re-
piled that he believed the land was his;
but Mr.. Webster could not be pacitied.
Thercupon the deacon and John
Taylor jumped into wagon and drove
in great alarm to see young lawyer
of the name of Pike (now Senator in
Congress from New Hampshire), who
lived two and half miles up the river.
They told Pike he must 90 down and
see Mr.. Webster and explain the mat
ter.
Pike went, but as soon rs he was in
Mr.. Webster's presence the latter
roared out: Young man, did YOU adj
wise Deacon Farley to steal my landP"
No, sir, said Pike. Il did not.
But if the statements that were laid be-
fore me are true, the land belongs to
the deacon"
"Wcll. sir. replied Webster, eff
can find lawyer in this county,
shall bring an action
There is no need of that, Mr. Web
ster." said Pike. II will get the proper
documents, and submit them to you, if
you will hear me. and | believe that
you will be convinced that the land is
not yours"
You are bold man, sir, if you pro-
pose TO leave the case to me,n said MIR.
Webster. but do as you please.
give you fair warning that / consider
this land mine. and l will fight for
every inch of my fathers property"
Pike went away and procured copy
of the record which showed the laying
out of the ferry-way, aud that all the
land was taken from the property of
Farley's grantor, and none of it from
the Webster property, n copy of the
yofn of tho TOWN 1iconpt;,,,;no~ tI,n &c..
ry, and an affidavit of former tenant
of Webster's, showing that the fence
on the Webster side had been removed,
and the whole ferry-way taken into the
Webster field. The strip of land which
the discontinuance of the ferry-way
took off from what Mr.. Webster had
already regarded as his own property
extended the whole length of one of his
best fields.
When Pike submitted the documents
to Mr.. Webster, the latter read them
very carefully, and Then said: 'Mr.
Pike, in half an hour the jury will be
ready to render their verdict. Go and
get Deacon Farley, that he may hear
In half an hour Pike returned with
the deacon, who expected nothing but
q repetition of what he had met before.
Gentlemen. said MIR. Webster,
''hearken to the verdict. The jury find
that the land is Deacon Farlcy's and is
not the land of Daniel Webster. So
says the foreman, so say all the jury.
And now, Deacon Farley. have an
apology to make to you for having
treated You very roughly. But l never
dreamed that this land was not part
of my fathers farm. and you know
what my affection for this property is.
l was very angry but / hope you will
excuse me. "-M1rper'S Monthly.