Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-28
A Lancaster Bou is Years fl Traveller.

MIS-. LDliOhi sixteen years nave
elapsed since was citizen of old
Lancaster. | was born land partially
, raised) five miles south of Lancaster
on the old Lancaster and Potosi road,
where my father settled in A. ID 1888.
] was my fathers fourteenth child,
which superstition is an unlucky
number. Without doubt | was a
wild bad boy, which seemingly
caused my predecessors and those Of
consequently to look upon me as an
outcast and unworthy of their consid-
GRAFTON, but Errare est htsD,dnuat SO
at the early age of 16 years wi no
friendly hand to lead or piteous voice
to soothe, wandered dnaensd et Hsor0
nor did | stop until every western
! state and territory had been ira
versed in search OF wealth and con-
tentment Thus circumstance was
soon associated with all classes of de-
graded humanity. My name soon be-
came ''by-word' in the valleys Of
California as well as the rocky regions
OF Wyoming, also throughout the
prairies of Nebraska, Kansas, Texas,
Indian Territory, New Mexico, Ari-
iona and Oklahoma. Occasionally |
returned to my old haunts only to re-
Iceige the same reception that had
on former occasions.
! There was one family for which too
much praise cannot be said in assist
ling in my redemption. Judge Cox's
family always had an open door and
a word Of consolation, while old moth-
er Cox gave me many kind but NOR
al lecture. Should be permitted to
cross the threshold of the pearly gates
and enter the celestial city / shall
surely search the golden streets for
! Mother Cox.
Do not think that am attempting
to escape any of the responsibility
due for the degradation of my boy
hood days. Yet had it not been for
the kind and encouraging words of
w. n. Stone, Joseph Book, Col. j. G.
Clark, Dave Schreiner, Jed Barnett
and Hon. G. w. Ryland, would long
since have been in the gall of bitter
ness and in the bond of iniquty
During all of my life up to the present
time | have never been tried for any
crime but once in my life. That oc-
Cured at Jefferson, Ashatakula coun-
ty, Ohio, in 1888, in which | was
found guilty of assault and battery |
Sixteen years ago (minus one hand)
took my wife and two little babies
without dollar Except nv ticket to
Terrell, Texas) and started with new
| determination, set afloat for better or
worse. ! have lived among the
mountains and the valleys, the wind |
swept prairies of the west; have Wis
tied Cuba and Porto Rico; | have
drlfted with many excitements; have |
left but few honorable occupations /
untested. | have run an auction
store, practiced law, been Justice of
the peace, surveyor, kept dry goods I
and grocery store, hotel, livery stable,
life insurance office, real estate office. I
postmaster, editor and proprietor of
newspaper, pastor of a church. dep
uty marshall, | have tried politics. |
have been delegate to one state and
one territory convention. While
deputy marshall | followed the Pow
ers gang of cattle thieves from Indian
Territory into the wilds of Colorado,
where with but one man to assist me
! captured them and brought back
kidnapped girl, 16 years of age and
delivered her to her parents in Indian
Territory.
l Travelled three years as an evan
gelist and held many successful Cos
pei meetings in different states of the
Union. have been employed under
the direction of the Lecture bureau
and delivered many successful lee
lures. In the year 1896 received
calls from nearly half of the states in
the Union to assist in the political
campaign.
When very young began the study
of skepticism and tried to believe
in it. First, Atheism, Deism, Pan
-theism, Spiritualism and Agnosti-
cism, but after thorough investigation
| became more orthodox than ever.
There are over fifty ministers in the
different denominations today spread
ing the Gospel that God converted in
meetings conducted by your humble
servant.
/ tried to be broad, fair and up to
date, taking the scientific side of all
questions knowing that the best def
milton of science is tested truth.
Thus | keep free from fanaticism both
in politics and religion. My motto
in Itics is, God first, country by
M side and almost forgotten party"
Yet | am always lenient to those
who have righteously become cranks
by studying too long upon one idea.
Let me say to the youths of your
community, as one who has tested all
sides of life in nearly every cline UNI
der the stars and stripes, be content
ed in your old home, you will never
find better place for all purposes
than old Grant county.
The silvery tint is on my head
With burrows on my brow:
IL soon he numbered with the dead