The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-11-06

He remained at Fort Welburn, mounting
guard in his turn and doing the other duties
Of a soldier, and having been regularly en-
rolled in the volunteers militia, served until
relieved by the government troops, and soon
after the war came to an end
STRIKES OUT FOR HIMSELF.
Albert had discovered by this time while
knocking about with others, that he was as
good man as the average, and having pass
ed into manhoods lawful age, felt that it was
time to "strike out for himself" Accord
ingly, he left Cedar Point and went to Day
ton. Here John Green, one Of the earliest
pioneer settlers of this county, had estab-
lished himself in 1929, and built grist mill,
the first in the entire northern part of this
state. 1t was visited by farmers for nearly
a hundred miles around He had also built
a saw mill. Albert had acquired consider.
able skill in managing a similar mill of his
stepfathers' ut Cedar Point. Mr.. Green
wanted hand, and Albert wanted the situa-
ton, and got it. Here he worked about two
and one-half years, and then made another
move towards growing up with the country
by winning the heart and hand Of his en-
ployers second daughter, Miss Nancy
Green They were united in marriage on
January Goth, 1884. 1t is a singular fact
that Mr.. Green's three older daughters each
captured Dunavan boy; VIM, the eldest Of
the Dunavans took the eldest Green GIRL AL
bert, the second, the next; and George the
third, the third girl. About two years after
Albert's marriage he settled permanently on
his present fine farm. Dunavan's present
house is the third which he has built upon
that farm and each on exactly the same spot.
He used each house till his family outgrew
its limits as to room, and it became the worse
for wear and age; then he tore down, build.
ing larger each time. He never changed
locations because Of we'll of remarkably
pure water upon this spot.
BUILDING MS BARN
His barn, still in excellent repair, was
built in 1886. 1t is now 4Ox60 feet, Of oak
timbers solidly put together, and is o good
height. For many years 1t was the largest
barn in La Sale county. He cut the logs for
it himself in the timber near by, and with
good span of horses hauled them to the build. |
ing place. The roof was of oak shingles, |
made on the Ambrose Trumbo land by
Jesse johnson. He made the shingles and
built the barn for the wonderfully low price
of $500! II has been reshingled once since
and slightly repaired at cost Of $500. 1t
could not be built now with all our boosted |
improvements in transportation, cheap price
Of lumber, etc., for 81, 900!
GETTING THE NAILS.
In those days nails were valuable article.
Mr.. Abe Trumbo, south Of the Illinois river,
below where Msrseiles now stands, had a
keg of nails brought by wagon from Ohio.
Albert took bag, got on horseback and
started to get asupply Of them for his new
barn. Arriving at what is now odd town.
in Marselles, above the beginning Of "the
rapids" he tied his horse to tree, crossed
the river in small canoe and then scram.
bled through swamps, brier patches, fell over
logs, got tangled in wild vines, scratched by
thorns and had tough time generally, in
making his way out to Mr.. Trumbo, dis.
lance of what he thought the longest two
miles on record!' He was received with
genuine old fashioned hospitality and invited
at once to supper. That over, he made
known his errand, and they skinned" up a
ladder where, upon the loose boards IN the
loft of the cabin, they found the nails,
guessed at about three dollars worth"
which were disposed in Albert's sack and
they then decended. Mr.. Trumbo would
not hear of Albert going alone in the dark,
as it was by this time and as Albert would
not have his mag" tied out all night, two
horses were saddled and they went to the
river by path familiar to Mr.. Trumbo
Here getting Albert and the nails aboard the
canoe, the former showed it off with the bow
pOlutluB well up stream, MT. 1TumDO hu-
monishing Albert to "keep her that way and
row like old scratch, or you will be SWEET
into the rapids!'
ROW FOR LIFE.
Albert young and streng piled the oars
with all the power that was in him. Now
and then he fanced he was being carried
into the boiling flood, whose roar as it lash.
ed against the obtruding rocks was deafen.
ing and deadly to his ears, and he could not
help planning what to do if his strength
should fail, or, imagining how he could cling
to capszed boat, and now and then a stray
thought would come Of his wife and baby at
home! But steadily and vigorously he pull,
ed his ours, and on he sped, till, when pant
ing for breath he gained the deeper shadows
Of the other side and presently with thrill
Of joy and thankfulness as his boat grazed
the sand and pebbles Of the bank, he sprang
ashore and awoke the echoes with Joyous
shout Of "all right" TO his friend across the