The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-06-09

Written fer the Indianapolis Journal.
Il

prise that William Smith recommends rafting
down the Ohio river to his brother Sias, should
he determine to come TO Indiana. Well. Silas
did come; and, later. two of bis Rrandsons be-
came distinguished journalists, Publishing the
vsvay Reveille for years, while one OF
them, F. j. Waldo. 10 now publishing
the Rising Sun Recorder. and the other, Silas.
IL . successful merchant in vevay. A history
Of real rafting experience. two years later than
the date Of that letter. may strike all who read
it, even at this late date. with feeling Of deep
sor row for the sufferers by that experience.
And, that the reader may judge whether, with
that sorrow, feeling of censure should not &C.
accompany it-censure for them. that they
should leave comfortable homes. with oil their
attendants. for sach far-away. great uncertain
ties-ths previous history, in . few words, Of
the participants in that rafting may not
details of those terrible scenes. Ny
father, silvanus sabin Kingsley. was bora
in Rutland county. Vermont on Oct. %. lIS6,
and raised by . Mrs Jones until Of age. In
his early teens he developed the strength OF an
ordinary man, and about doubling that at man.
hood; while during all that growing not drop
of sweat was ever seen on his person, until one
when. in TIE evening, Mrs. Jones, In reply to Q
neighbour. who spoke of the great heat of the
day, said: "Yes, know it bss been q very hot
day because saw wet streak on Sabins back
a. long as my finger
After & few years in laying mp some money.
he found himself in Erie county, New York. He
bought, Of the Holland Purchase Company, 100
of land. located on Eighteen mile creek,
twenty miles from Buffalo. An impedrnent in
his speech kept him out of the army of 1872.
uaf wh a "a
preparing to cross over to Black Rock, be vol
unteered to aid in the defense OF that place.
and while there. saw the magazine explode
which killed General Brock. His land
Betsy. he married soon after the war.
Grandfather Abbot was In the army
that was cut to pieces and scattered at the
burning OF Buffalo, and was wounded In the
breast the bullet lodging within q half inch of
his heart. In attempting to make his way
through the woods to the road that led out to
his home, and to escape the British Indians. he
met three friendly ones, who, upon learning
his condition. carried him, by turns. two miles,
to the road, when he was fortunate in being
overtaken by neiehbor. who helped him home.
By his superior strength and energy, father
soon had large improvement on his land, and
q comfortable cabin. all before his marriage.
My elder sister aud we're born in that cabin,
while our parents had come to realize the bless
edness of that home; nor until the fatsd sum-
mer of 1918 did they think of auRht else but its
being their future and constant home. But
neighbors who had sought the ''Eldorado" Of
their hopes in the fer-of "Iniiany" wrote back
such glowing accounts of that promised land
that grandfather and father determined to leave
their new and pleasant home for the '-Hoosier
land" but against mothers fearful protests
father, mother, brothers. SISTERS all bound
to 60 to the then star West" yet mother clsaved
to her home, and begged father to stay.
But, no; and, in consequence Of that mo, there
followed floods of tears. terrible sufferngs, death
after death, and years Of poverty, with untell-
able sorrows.
to pay him $500 and the balance Of the purchase
money, but uncle soon died. and the land went
back to the company, while father never re-
ceived one cent. In October they. or I'VE" per
haps. all wendell OUT way to ''Olean Point
on the Allegheny river, where they built family
boat. But. delayed by low waters. Pittsbure
Was not reached until the middle of November.
Then the ice was running in such quantities
that it was deemed unsafe unless the boat was
dashed to o raft-aud finally, to save il from
certain destruction, it taken to pieces, and
rebuilt on the raft And there soon began .
scene that no pen can picture-no mind con-
ceive-the anguish of the women Of that COM
pany. while the silent sufferings Of the men,
whose superhuman efforts were required all
those weeks to save their all from being
crushed to death by the ice or sunk beneath it.
was only known to themselves. For
six weeks that struggle went on,
while the ice. piling itself cake upon
cake climbed upon the raft in such quantities
as to require all the energies of the men, day
and night, to keep it from buryipg the raft be-
meath its weight. That struggle barely let up
ere they landed at Cincinnati, on the 1st day
Of January, 1919. Many times they were in
speaking distance of settlers. who expressed
great solicitude for them, and proffered assist
ance were it possible, while il was certain
death to attempt to approach or leave the raft
They did succeed in touching shore at Lime
;n1o hsH IL 40 <h>x,
and there grandfather and father attempt-
cd to lead Noah Knapp, moth
ers brothsr-in-law. plank walk
to shore to see . DOCTOR but the ice surged SO rs
up to his neck. They were rescued. the sick
man returned to his bed and the doctor came
Those terrible scenes and sufferings were in
delibly fixed in mothers mind in all after years,
and while relating them-always trembling and
in tears-would declare that during those weeks
Of . seeming death-struegle of the men with the
ice in the middle of the river, away
from all possible human aid she had
come to believe that they were doomed to an
inevitable destruction; and when she retired II
was only to spend sleepless night expecting
every moment to hear that the men were over
powered and the raft was going down under the
ice. After arriving at Cincinnati, the ice let mp
so the emigrsnts left the raft and proceeded on
their way to Vevay, where they arrived on the
9th of January.
Then, after those terrible mental aeones in
all that six weeks of ice-bound travel, there be-
gan their counterpart, physical sufferines, on
land-the land of promise graphically
pictured to them, few months before, while in
their comfortable homes in Holland Purchase.
Only three months had passed since all was
health and comfort there; but in those months
moro than lifetime Of mental suffering, usual
ly allotted to man, had they endured, yet SO
soon was intense PHYSICAL suffering also to fol-
low. In a few days one OF their number was
laid in his grave, TO be followed in four years by
| Eve others, including grandfather and grand
mother within three weeks of each other;
| while in all that general suffering, In the ex-
| tremes of restitution, hunger and sickness, not
ono escaped the effects of the malaria
| that then prevailed in this country.
| have a vivid recollection. when, less than
| five years old, saw father and mother on a
| very poor bed, unable to belp Themselves q
| baby brother In bis coffin, while sister and /
with not one mouthful OF anything TO eat in the
house, excepting what kind neiRhbors brough.
| when they came to care for Us. OF those neigh
| bors father and mother ever after spoke in q
| spirit of deepest gratitude, and impressed on
| our minds reverential love for them. As years
| passed. and father was enabled to enjoy . com
| Portable competence. he then showed thai
| he had not forgotten the days of want
| but responded to the wants OF others with the
like open hand thatewas extended to him; and
| by precept, well as example. he grated the
| same spirit iuto the hearts OF his children.
Now, right here. Is IL not proper to inquire
| whether il is not in keeping with the attributes
of God to punish. with the Affections our famii.
| endured in the wilds OF Indiana for Q spirit o.
| ingratitude TO Him who enabled them to acquir