Mower County transcript., 1900-02-14
To the Old Settlers of Mower County.

- We reprint. by request, the follow.
ing poem written in 1884 by Mrs. Mercy
Green, who died in Lyle last week.
She was one OF the very earliest set-
tiers of the county and her remini-
scenses OF those early pioneer days
will be read again with great interest
by the surviving pioneers:
1t was November::the 18th, 1854.
In what is now Austin, county::of Mower,
Calvin 6. Powers and his little band,
Te get home and till the land,
Landed at the farm called the Sweet Water
Claim,
To keep of intruders and hold the same;
and in the river by'Oficer's mill
He catched the 6sh-we ate our fill.
We all went to Eb. Aerry's to get some hay,
And the red men came along that way,
And in our house top they did break
And our provisions they did take.
So it was hard for us to survive
Until the spring of ffty-dve.
But thanks to the Wilders who helped us tbro'
Kind hearted and generous when country was
On the eth of May-that happy morn We hailed
with joy,
When Huntington and wife and little boy
And Lott and wife with hogs and cattle and
goods,
Came picking their way down through the
woods.
They brought supplies for one and ALL
To last us through till the coming fall.
To breaking they went, and thought it was fun
pioneer S life they had just begun.
With plow, and spade and axe, and hoe,
They dug up the ground SO corn could grow,
So they went on, like wind.and fire,
To raise a crop-their hearts DESIRE
Huntington built on the brink of the hill,
Across the run from Officers mill.
From beneath which the sweet waters flow.
And Lott at the mouth of Rose Creek did go.
Then in the fall of fifty-flve
We moved to Rose Greek and built us hive:
He made his claim and stuck stake,
And there farm and home began to make.
Together we worked through snow and rain
For ourselves and children home to gain.
Era Ames and family came next to stay,
And took claim across the way.
In a month or two, about the time of roses,
There came another man-that was brother
Moses.
His wife and children with him he did bring;
He stopped with us at the boiling spring.
The spot and place you cannot miss
For it is now owned by neighbor Bliss
John Rose,
qnarter section for farm each one of them
chose.
Each labored hard his land to break
And in our log cabins much comfort did take;
10 mill and to meeting with oxen did go
Give me new country, true worth for to show.
We Travelled together when country was new,
The hardsbips were plenty and neighbors were
few.
Provisions we're scarce and the country was
.s s.s.. wet; @ u -. er3 -, -, - >. =: .
C. G. P.went to Winona load for to get. -
He waded' and swan through water up to his
chin,
The comforts of life to his family to bring;
Oh, well do now remember the time
That rainy Fourth of July in 1ifty.nine.
Oh, then there came to us a sad blow,
When sickness came and laid him low
And left me with his children dear,
To struggle on the wild frontier.
A good many changes since then have seen,
Whilst swiftly gliding down life's rugged
stream.
Ny boat will soon anchor on yon bright shore,
Where peace will reign forever more.
On the same farm where was left,
When he was laid away to rest
The ups and downs of life we're passing thro'
And now I'll bid you all kind adieu.
MERCY GREENE.