River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-03-12


Is now ChcEoyEan county.
The hardy pioneer made the long
journey Of 600 miles-mostly through
an unbroken wilderness-vith an OK
team and cart. in which last we're stored
a few simple farming implements and
household goods. pair of Oung pigs.
n stock of -four and such other neces-
saries as he could afford 10 buy, while
behind the cart walked wife and son.
leading a mich COW and heifer calf,
which all looked upon as the Iounda-
tion of herd to be raised in their new
home.
The trip occupied IS days. and each
night of those days the little family
rested on the ground beneath the cart
enjoying such sweet sleep as is happily
the blessed reward of honest toll. For
flesh food they depended then, and for
many months afterward, solely upon
the long. hintlock rifles carried by IA
ther and son, as deer, bears. wild tur-
KEYS and other game were extremely
plentiful in most parts of the country
through which they passed.
After many stirring. though not dan
gerOus. adventures, the immigrants
finally arrived at the prcyiously-se-
lected tract of densely-wOcded land.
beautifully situated On the west banh
of Indian river. Then father, mother
and son went vigorously To work, and
in four DAYS had crerted water and
weatherprOOf log shanty which was to
be their home for the next three years
l.
cure shelter fOS the cattle. which, al
though finding abundant plsturage ON
the open spots along the river, had to
be brought i'm every night, for at that
time fierce gray wolves still numer-
Gus in many parts of Nichis roamed
everywhere through the primeval FOR
est.
During that first summer John Mead
ows and his sturdy Doy, aided by the
oxen, cleared of five acres OF land. and
early in September sOwed the patcn
with fall wheat. BY the middle of
MAY next spring they had three acres
more in seryiceable shape, though fully
one-third OF the area was encountered
by stumps and piles of such large green
logs a. could not he burned until par
TALLY dried 10y TIE coming summer sun.
However. all the available space was
planted with potatoes. Indian corn.
pumpkins. tUrnips, onions and such
other seeds as the settlers had been able
to procure from travelling traders in eN-
change for furs. Moreover. Mrs. Mead
ows now had leisure to prepare little
fower-garCien in front o! the house.
and this, by the Fourth Of July, was
n glory to behold.
As is generally the case with we'll
directed industry, Providence smiled
upon the labors of the woodland farm
ers; all their crops turned out splen
didly. and the second winter not onlS
the family. but tin, cattle-now ia
creased to five heaG by the addition ~
spring calf. lad an abundance OF
vegetable food, while the two parent
pigs and a large litter of thrifty young
ones gave promise that not for long
would the household have TO depend
solely upoI, game for meat.
The wheat, thrashed partly by hand
fails. partly in the old patriarchal fash
ION of treading out by oxen, was, in
default of tanning mill, winnowcd by
tossing high IN air while the autumn
breezes blew; and after laying by
enough of Il for years bread and that
seasons seeding, the surplus was
traded 10 Thomas Owen, p lateiy-ar
rived and well-to-do settler. for a couple
of sheep. a pair OF ducks and half =
dozen chickens
Que immigrants were getting on in
the world. After being only is months
in the bush, they new had 25 acres of
rich land cleared, years stock of pro-
visions on hand, and, best of all, fam
ily of friendly neighbOrs within the con
venicnt distance of three miles. a space
that in the backwoods is reckoned no
greater than as many blocks in big
city.
But. meantime, they were almost out
of white -four. Some of the wheat
must be ground, and the nearest mill
and country store. located on the pres
cnt site of Mackinaw City. were so miles
away.
So. when. toward the end of Novem-
her, the first heavy snow fell. John
Meadows borrowed ten bags from Mr..
Owen, put therein - bushels of wheat.
piled all on HON, made sled. drawn
by the oxen. and. with his wife. set out
for n tourney to the grist-mill. leaving
Julian. now a stout fellow of 15is years.
10 keep house and care for the live
stock
The couple carried with them the
first money they had seen for months.
ueighlsor Owen having gladly pail
them hard cash for ali the garden truck
hey could spare.
Mrs Meadows. being thus in posi-
ton TO buy some long needed arti-
cles at the distant store, cheerfully
braved the perils OF the trip. though
well knowing that IN going and coming
she must at least sleep four nights
in the forest-utteIly tracLlcss. save by
an old Indian trail But the travellers.
being well provided with food. ami hav-
ing plenty of warm bcarskin robes,
did not fear the cold
Apart from the ordinary risks of
bush travel. the only possible danger
lay in the fact that wolves might unex-
Irctedly attack the oven. and then.
crazed by the taste of blood. gobble up
their owners. Meadows however. SC
well knew the cowardly nature of these
hurtes. and had so much confidence in
his own resources, that he attached ne
Importance whatever TO this contiE-
gency. He did not rely much on his
sN and rifle as means of defense, but
pinned his faith TO the flint, steel and
punk, with which he could at any time !
Sindlc a protecting fire in a few min
utes; and he also knew of another sure !
plan of keeping wolves at n safe dis |
lance. He never once considered that |
the hungry creatures might attack in |
daylight, at a moment when he would |
not have those few minutes" TO put |
either of these plans into operation.
During the first day of his parents