The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-22
YANKEE PIONEERS IN THE WEST.
Incidents of Life in Illinois Nearly Half a
Century Ago.
Newburyport Mass. } Herald.

Newburyport (Mass) Herald.
Henry G.. Little and wife, of Grinnell, Ia,
lately paid short visit to the original home OF
his family in Newbury. They are wellpr
served couple of about three score and ten years,
whose lives have not been essentially different
from many of their age of New England birth
and parentage who have lived in the great West.
Mr. Little was born in New Hampshire and be-
ing one of large family on a small farm, was
early thrown forsupport upon his own resources.
Managing In one way and another to get suffi
Gent education, he drifted to Connecticut to
teach school, and there found his wife, and they
were married in 1886, and joined a company,
most of whom were from Connecticut, and emil
grated to Illinois. They settled in Henry county
and formed township, and remembering from
whence they came gave it the name of Wethers-
held. No other settlement was within fifteen
miles The rich virgin soil of .he prairie
brought forth luxuriant crops Game was
abundant In short, nature poured into their
laps all her treasures in rich abundance; yet in
the greatest plenty there was also great want.
for there was practically no market for their
crops, and hence no money for other wants. The
postage of % cents on every letter from homo
was serious tax to meet Some of the COM
pany were lovers of the weed, but dollar or
two year was more than could be afforded for
this qualification Tobacco could be raised in
plenty, but they could devise no pressure to give
it body and flavor, till one day Kentuckian
came along and told them to take the toughest
log that could be found, and with wedges split
tobacco and then knock out the wedges, and
they thus had a press that met all
their wants. 1t may well be doubted
whether the late William w. Huse, OF
Hawkswood fame, with all his mechanical
ability and knowledge of tobacco could devise
an ything better suited to the end desired After
ward some of the settlers kept cleft log, witlA
tobacco free to all corners, in their front yards
for years. A market for their pork was one Of
the first obtained and by teaming it about forty
miles, they obtained the great price of 81. 30 per
hundred weight.
Mr.. Little told humorous story of his efforts
to get himself a pair Of trousers and coat He
first shot deer and then undertook to tan it's
hide. and finally succeeded, and himself made
the trousers. For the coat he was more fortu-
nate, for Indian came along with an
extra deer skin, and they soon made
trade, and the coat changed owners
Thus they lived-gradually but steadily better
ing their condition as Settlers increased in NUM-
bers, and after while county organization
was formed, and all the paraphernalia of courts,
officers, etc, was maintained. For two of these
years Mr. Little was chosen to the Office of
sheriff, and this included the collection of tho
State and county taxes, amounting to about
$50, 900, all paid In CON- For the performance
of these duties his accommodations would
hardly satisfy MIR. Sheriff Herrick or Collector
jenkins, of Essex There was not bank or any
other place of deposit, not even a safe, in the
whole country, and he was compelled to keep
the portion due the State until the close Of the
year. How, then could he safely care for SO
large an amount of money! In his own graphic
language, there were always in the West men
that he could ''tie to-" He would take bag of
gold or silver, of So, 900 or more and go to one
of these men and ask him to take care of it for
him. not daring to take receipt lest it should
be stolen, and his friends thereby get into
trouble; and in no case was there ever a
failure to deliver the money when it was
called for. One time he asked friend to
take charge of bag OF gold. The friend
was somewhat nervous about taking such
trust, and said his wife could hide things better
than he could. He turned to the wife, and she
took it and said she would keep it as safely as
possible. After some months he called for it,
and she led the way to the attic of her log cabin,
and taxing down the family rag-bag, said: II
put your money in this bag" and putting in her
hand took out the money SAFE The farmers
workmen had slept every night in the room.
with no idea Of the value in the room.