The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-20
FOURTEEN YEARS AGO.

The Hennessey, o. T., Press-Democrat
has the following:
Fourteen years ago when Clerk county
was filed with anxious farmers, and the
range was mostly taken up, drouth seiz-
ed that country, and Oklahoma was de-
clared open for settlement. One among
the many homeseekers was Mike Sewers.
Having made up his mind that that was
no farming country. he bought two yoke
of good oxen. and loaded up his wagon
with double sideboards, and with his four
oxen hitchsd to it, he started, having
with him his wife and two little boys,
Roy, aged FIVE. and frankie. aged 3. Also
one COW. six hens, a rooster "a turkey hen
and gobbler and a mocking bird
Slowly the march progressed toward
the goodly land At Buffalo Springs the
night before the opening. could be seen
a white city-tents. wagons. stores. bar
Der shops, etc, waiting for the signal
from the soldiers 10 forward march
The next morning all loaded and hitch
ed up and the bugle sounded the note.
onward What sight! a city on
wheels, all moving in one direction Mike
and his oxen in the crowd to the line,
then a standstin. and then the bugle
sounded Go" Gee, whoa, haw." Slow
ly he marched 10 his homestead, and on
the 23rd ne unloaded on his claim, ten
and a half miles east Of Hennsesey. He
lived on the prairie in a wagon sheet for
three months and cooked out of doors.
1t rained a great deal, and sometimes he
and his wife and children went TO bed
without supper, for it was raining and no
chance to cook. Now, don't feel sorry
for they were happy. They had home
in Oklahoma any joy overpowered hard
ships, and hope was buoyant- His VIE
dug a place in a little bank and made
hens nests, covered them with sticks and
bark and raised a number of chickens
and turkeys and then planted garden AMI
corn They had a good corn and good
garden of fifteen acres Of sod Then he
built a log house himself and set out trees
and so on. For fourteen years he has
lived on his homestead and now has sold
him farm. without the crop. for the sum
of $4,000, which he thinks is a small
price but he has made up his mind TO
make another move
Mike is certainly one of the pioneers Of
lied l reckon. the first Baptist church
in Oklahoma. Preaching and prayer
meetings were held there. His wife and
two little boys stayed alone on the prairie
many nights. Mike freiShted some ana
would be gone four days at a time Prai-
ne chickens made their nests close by the
camp, and coyotes and deer gazed az the
strange sight on their grazing ground.
and scampered away.
Very few yoemen made the adventure
to stay in the beginning. Mike went back
after his horses and cattle to Kansas
in the fall. and his wife and boys stayed
on the claim. He was gone tNenty-one
days. and while he was away $40 Indians
surrounded the house. begging for pump
kins and turnips and butter and chickens.
They were told to help themselves to
all the vegetables they wanted. but paid
for the butter and chickens. and then
went on The two little boys hid behind
the door. for they were afraid. and left
mamma to deal with the Indians
This is some OF the efforts in building
NJ a new country Well 90 they earn
their homes with the hardshiDs which
they have to undergo. Two little girls
claim Oklahoma as their birthplace. Mary
and Alice Sewers.
Mike and his family will. as they leave
Oklahoma. II they do. cherish fond mem
Dries OF pleasures and friendships. while
strugglIn. on the old homestead. among
MANY Others who have had similar ex-
rerfence