The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-04-18
The hermlt 81 Dlckerson.. Branch.

lS93s agSd u years. Such is the simple
inaylption carved upon q monnmsnt
Of Ihountain granite; 10 the village Gem
etAry at Davis City. Iowa..
Ghe monument occupies the highest
pal1t in this quiet acre, where reposes
theSdust of pioneers, their children and
their children g children. From lis side,
on sunny day, one may look beyond
tRef wide Grand river bottom and its en-
cehpting scenery. beautiful when dress
eailn summer verdure or winter SHOWS
tosthe cragged hills, which sweep In a
sseai-circle about the rude cabin where
WHY'S Dckerson, the recluse, lived u
seaHary ifeienshrouded in mystery for
Wnfe than tfty years, and where his
p9ise less body was discovered one cold
WifteE's day when the dream of lite
worn footpath leads to the Permits
gesRets,.sIhere is q fascination in the
vague stofiesfof his life which makes
TINS gfdsSy mound an object Of idle curl
Only taa4any; it has sometimes been
!tHsetRk 1lace for lovers, and about it,
lnth9 pleasant days Of summer, little
ctaldrspnPlaY upon the daisy coverlet. !"
Avery many years ago, when this
south IN seetion of Iowa was believed
tSkbe a portion Of Missouri, when Indians
sAn h1@tedt and fshed in the woods and
W4ters or this region; 80 very many
We4rsk THAT no one now lives to fix
NTH e1aeinty the date of his coming,
WtllYauzpickerson settled near a little
saS&ap (which runs through extensive
WNpdIands . few miles to the east of
Dyis City.
sAt lsst time but few settlers had built
thAlr 6nnes "beyond the Mississippi"
and tA1egi0n with its wealth of woods
az sQbtade appeared land where one
If4kheN fthdraw from the busy world
ana its distractions to dream away the
Ne1rssM 9fe, lor nurse a sorrow in seclu-
1EheH4sing years had brought other
flekS Yhoi surrounded the hermit's
nfpe. Those who remember him as he
stbeared before the flight Of years and
.t19st&At visitation of sorrow had. fur
i9NedAls features speak Of him as hav-
iAY beaSsa man. in many r. spects re-
iN4fkable; 6fIfine personal appearance,
4Rps4M intellectual gifts and literary
whine rarely known among the pioneer
N4tie4saf the West. He was ever kind
tVevery living creature and just in ali
ny neaeesaIy dealings with neishbors,
a49idingf however, mingling much with
his fellow men.
Mhe hermit built rude cabin and cul.
lfAtqd sufficient of the soil to supply his
siMp WANTS. About his humble home
lh6hy Wild birds built their nests, and
lAthls Day it is the popular belief
aRonkzhde children of the rural neigh
ASfhQ 1dsthat the robbins come earliest
"a. the jimmy knobs of Dlckerson's
HvAnch. that more orioles anchor their
lsRpe in the swaying branches of the
gseat trees about the old man. clearing,
lF5fe wrens.a and blue birds nest in the
inflow trees than in any other locality,
AND that when comes the season Of buds
~ flowers the great woods about the
OH, mans cabin are filled with a sweeter
rhSloay of wild birds song than is any
otter forest in als the country about.
An the cold mid winter of 1898, when
ivy snow lay deep upon the earth it was
observed one day that no smoke curled
up, from the great stone chimney.
NGghbors came and found the latch.
suing pulled in, indicating that the &C.
cup1nt xessRt. home, The door being
forced hermit of Dickerson' s
Branch was found reposing upon the
pusaelleea~aesr, hewn by his own hands,
before the wide fireplace upon whose
tleasth the spbers had died out long
&qt efE1X His hands we're folded
hbOp his tlrRd heart ANU his. lcsssssssssss;s
White as Tue snow which drii
crevices of his cabin, fell 70 sss1 y
aiout the sad cold face Of one whose
Fhe life had been for long years a mys-
49,.
aFrom papers found about the cabin
Epeserved with collection of choice
s-it was learned that the hermit
Nd passed his boyhood days among the
New England hills. Distant relatives
IRE discovered who inherited his estate,
I'D enough was learned of his early life
~ now that he had sought the west
b wildernesssand hermit's life be-
llse of buried love, gentle girl who
Iffished in her youth and whose men,
~ he had carried in his heart for more
an seventy ais.-Homer A. Dye in
IDE Joseph Gazette. Herald.