Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-11-14

PiohSCl lESfCHdlJ OWHSu SSHeIdl
store opposite where the Iowa Nation:
al bank now stands. This store was
run by Fl. B. Graves and B. White.
George d. Hackworth father of j. f.
Hackworth of this city conducted al
general store where the Meeks dry
goods store is now.
Where the Baker block is located
the only hotel or tavern as it was
known then, and called the 0ttumwa
house, was run by David Hall David
Hall and his wife. Aunt Becky Hall,
as she was Familiarity known, conduct-
ed this tavern for many years. They
quarreled finally and separated and
then for years Aunt Becky ran the
house alone and made it one of the
famous places OF southeastern Iowa.
An Early LAY Murder.
East OF the Ottumwa house George
and James Devin had hardware
store and next to that was the land
office for the sale of the river bottom
lands, managed by Col. George Gillas-
pie and Capt Brown. The last quar-
ter section sold was the one on which
the ferry house was located and it was
at this sale that DR.. Wright was killed
w capItlli itces. iiul uCl SdSc
became famous in the early judicial
history OF the state
Experience With Deer.
In the carly days when Lair was a
young man farming ON the claim
which he had taken on Village Creek
for his mother game was very plenti-
full and great tiocks of deer and ante
lope roamed over the prairies. In the
fall of 1S47 young Lair was hunting
on what was known as the Linn claim
in Village Creek bottom. He crawled to
the top of a little mound and hid be-
hind a clump OF bushes. Out on the
prairie a little below and in front OF
him there gathered in a short time a
bunch of fifty-two deer. Lair was ac-
companied by big black dog. AS he
crouched behind the bushes he held
his rifle in one hand while on the 9th
er side of him he held the dog firm
and fast. Lair waited Tor long time
but the deer did not come close
enough for shot. Finally wearied of
waiting Lair knowing the curious ma
| ture of the deer raised his hat and
moved it slowly over the bushes. II
was not long till one OF the deer spied
| it and in an instant The entire herd
| had their heads in the air watching
! the waving hat. Lowering it trifle
| he continued the waving. Soon the
] deer grew more curious and began TO
move closer. The start made by a
| few, the whole bunch took it into their
| heads to see what the object was and
they started direct for the clump OF
bushes on the trot. The moment was
| q IN,
a big seven-pronged buck had come
within about eighty yards. an easy gun
| shot when the excitement suddenly
| became too great for the dog and with
enc tremendous lunge he freed him
self and threw Lair prone to tbs
ground. In the fraction OF a second
there wasn't deer in sight, Lail
leaped 10 his feet grabbed his gun and
just for luck took a shot at the dog
as he disappeared over the brow OF
the hill.
The Great Freeze.
4 Mr. Lair states the game was never
so plentiful on the Iowa prairies aftel
:. the great freeze in the latter part o
the winter of 1913. A warm season
!. had caused great quantities OF snow
to melt. The warm spell was follow
ed by a season eff extreme cold which
froze everything solid. Thousands
and thousands of deer starved tt
: death because they could not gel
through the ice and snow for then
} feed. All kinds Of wild animals suffer
ed and never after was there sucl
quantities of all kinds of game as be
fore the freeze.
Mr.. Lair was married to HeStei
Jane Walker January 81, 1857, by Rev
: Osborne. who was probate judge ant
Methodist Episcopal minister Maio
Hamilton, S. w. Summers and Eliial
Walker We're present and saw the mar
riage. Four boys and three girls were
born to Mr.. and Mrs. Lair: w. S
Lair, OF San Francisco; T. ]. Lair
Portland. Oregon; Charles Lair, Hert
zog; B. T. Lair, Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Mrs. Mary Cottle, who resides at thu
: family residence on West Secon'
! street; Mrs Abigail g. Young, Fol
bush and Mrs. Francis Miller, of Gin
!, cinnati.
Mr.. Lair is an extraordinarily tai
man. He carries the weight of his Z
: years well and while he does but littl
| work he enjoys good health and take
great pleasure in relating the expert
5 ences of the early days when h
farmed and hunted on the prairies an
t fished in the prolific waters of the De
4 Moines.