Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-07-16
HAROsRIPs OF A NEW CONFER PIONEER.
At the Old Settlers Reunion Hon. Phillip Bouflleur
Tells Of HIS Early Experiences.
MR. PREsrnENr Am Nn1cunnn.

Mr.. PRESIDENT AND NEIGHBORs
About four asys ago | was requested
to have a pape3 Tor this occasion. But
my time has been so much occupied thai
found it impossible to say auyth ng of
interest to you A few items ii NV ar
rival and stay IN Vernon county NAV
not be out Of I1sce My subject was to
be Disappointment of New Conner
from Germany That is contrary 10
my style / had rather speak of the ioys
and happy part
In 1887 in company with Adam Doerr
his wife and two little girls, now Mrs
Joseph and Neal McLpes. the steamer
Key City landed us 1T O'Clock a IN =,
April 9th bitter cold night, at Bad
Axe city, now Genoa The only hotel
was not even plA~tered We stored
away our wives and children, took off
our coats 70 eeep them warm, white
Adam and | walked the door looking for
/ morning to coilie, f'r which we were
| glad After payiug 81 90 each hotel bill
| John Greenmsn took us to our destiua-
tion at Sptingyille, with his horse team,
which We're rather scarce in those days.
| We Were weii cared for by John Graham
and his wife Lamech Graham and
James Barry were keeping tore at that
time and / hited out for 81 per dav as
| shoe maker, and remember we'll while
on my way TO Dubuque for leather. a
man on the John Hayes farm gave me
$40 to buy him barrel Of pork An
other man at Genoa gave me money to
buy him two sacks of corn meal I
worked for Graham & Barry only a
short me, as they failed and left me
without a cent of money. no work, no
friends in new country, not able even
TO talk English 3nd in debt S7J for part
of house built Tor me TO live in. Then
1t was that begun working for farmers,
my wife worked for folks for whatever
they We're willing to pay us. We act
ually suffered for the necessities of life
Finally we got $50 from the east and a
few dollars fr m the sale of a pair of
shoes / had made for my fe, but she
insisted on turning them into money.
that she could go barefooted a while
longer. James Lowrie had been work
ing for Graham q Barry and was in
about the same fix, financially. that |
was, and his wife, like mine, had been
bare footed for some time Mr. Baus-
man former shoemaker of Virouua. let
me have leather enough for pair of
shoes for my wife, which | sold to Jim
Lowrie for $3, Airs. Bouffleur being will
ing to go barefoot while longer and
insisted that make the shoes for Mrs.
Lowrie. With this same $23 went to
La Crosse on foot and carried home a
roll of leather on my back. This | did
quite nu obe- of times. Some of you
may possibly remember about it. I
worked with a determination to get
! start. Many times | worked clear
| through the night, as had plenty TO do.
A man coming in TIRE evening and want.
ing pair Of boots the next morning and
having the money to pay for them, | got
them ready, Folks would talk among
themselves aud wonder if that Dutch
man ever slept They could see my
hit and me working away, but like
many others fooled away some six
years building hotel and other impro-
ftable doing, 80 that all had to show
for my hard " 1rk was about 5000, and
by that time lite a family which seems
to be the lot Of poor men. My income
was light and AlFy c.tPOs1soa in ..si4rss
| millinery blIl Tor tho season was ten
cent straw hat with five cent ribbon
for our daughter Dora, which was all
satisfactory. In 1854 / bought out Mr.
Bardolf and started store keeping; went
in debt about s., 900, kept up my shop
in connection with the store, myself and
two men running it while Mrs Bouftleur,
Nels Day and wife did the work in the
store. For a while after the store closed
evenings we employed our school master
to teach us English and other branches.
Being quite successful after few
years, ! bought out Alex. and William
Lowrie aud moved in our present Spring
vile store then employed four ard
five clerks, including Capt. Alex Lowrie,
our sales running to some $50, 900 year
for quite number Of years. | was
proud os my business customers coming
| from quite distance-Esofea, Coon
Valley, Liberty Pole. West Prairie. New
ton, Genoa, Kickapoo, Coon and Round
Prairie.
Fhis busy life of 3e years Of store
keeping had it's ups ana downs, but
more up than downs / have been IA
vored through these years by many
| friends, privileges and honors, for which
feel grateful, and shall as long as
live. l am now 70 years old and feel
my strength failing and must come to
the conclusion that my race is nearly
run, but otherwise am happy and con-
tented and glad | am with you on this
| occasion.