The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-02-02

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general store at Rochester and
Bellefountaine. ne was enterprisine
and became wealthy, but made nc
one poorer. The Boyer estate still
has over a thousand acres of land in
Mahaska county.
Van B. Delashmutt came at the
same time and was a neighbor OF
DR.. Boyer and they were lifelong
friends. Born in Virginia, he serv
ed two terms in the legislature OF
that state. Coming west to better
his condition, he became widely
known in Iowa and the west. He
was a typical pioneer, His son, W.
A. Delashmutt, states to the writer
that when he crossed the plains in
18f9 he was laid up for fourteen
days in Salt Lake City with noun.
tain fever. While in that condi'
ton, lying in his tent, he was visit.
ed by Brigham Young who placed
him under the care of a skillful ply.
stefan, gave him comfortable quar-
tiers and visited him every day of
his illness. The great leader told
young Delashmutt that when his
people were going through Iowa a
few years before a large party OF
them had camped for the winter
near his fathers house and that his
| kindness to them had made his
fathers name a household word in
many a mountain home. The young
man had been absent from home
that winter. The Mormon chieftain
also stated that the Iowa people had
been universally kind to his people
and they should be we'll treated in
passing through his dominion, but
that the people from Illinois and
Missouri should not be allowed to
camp nearer to Salt Lake City than
four miles because Of their cruel
and inhuman treatment of those
who had embraced the Mormon
faith. Mr.. Delashmutt says that to
his certain knowledge this rule was
adhered to during his stay.
Poultney Loughridge came from
Ohio to Iowa in 1912, w~intering in a
cabin four miles north Of Richland.
The following spring in March him.
self and three others, John McAllis-
ter and Edwin and Robert Mitchell
quietly slipped across the border of
the New Purchase in search for
choice claims. They made their Sc
lection in Spring Greek township,
but decided not to return home but
to, remain on the ground until the
land should be open for settlement.
Fearful of being discovered by the
Indians or the dragons, they select
ed the most dense thicket that could
be found in, which to build a small
porary shelter and seclusion. On
the night of April 80 they did not
sleep. Stakes, torches and land.
marks had all been selected. They
had brought with them a pocket
compass, which proved of much val.
ne in the wilderness. Mr.. Lough'
ridges father was a surveyor and
his o was versed in that science
AS soon as the hour of midnight had
passed they struck out, torch in
hand, and before daylight their
claims were all staked. Cabins were
built as O o as possible for the fam
lilies VINO were in waiting, and the
conquest of the new farms began.
For the first year letters were mail.
ed at Fairfield or Brighton. Letter
postage was twenty five cents, but
later reduced to ten cents. Produce
was sometimes hauled to Fort Des
Moines n exchanged for calico at
twenty-five cents per yard, and other
useful household supplies. Hogs
were driven to Keokuk and sold for
one dollar and twenty-five cents per
hundred pounds. Ague and fever
were mucn dreaded. James Tough
ridge still owns the farm which his
father entered.
Mrs. II. p. Martin, O in her
eighty-third year, came TO Spring
Greek township, where she still
lives, in 1S43. Her husband staked
off his claim by torchlight in the
early morning hours of May first OF
tnat year. He was accompanied by
his brother, Silas. Mrs. Martin says
the first years were very trying
in many ways. They usually went
to Bonaparte to mill. When Miss
Hobbs was teaching the first
school taught in the county she yften
staid at the Martin home, especial.
ly during these long milling trips.
Ague was the scourge of the coun,
try in the summer and early fall.
Those who yer compelled to be
early and late in the fields were the
worst sufferers. Mr.. Martin was @
great sufferer at a time when he felt
that he must be at work. He would
go down on the prairie near Wright
to cut grass for the stock. Late in
the afternoon the hot fever would
follow the chills, at which time he
would hardly be able to account for
himself, being so completely derang-
ed. He always took the precaution,
however, to prepare for himself a
hp6 On whiph RI liz until hic non.