Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-21

nebago they found 1900 Indians
encamped. They built a fat boat
on the Wisconsin, floating down to
the Mississippi. They had quite a
load of hardware, paint, etc., for
building purposes. The bottom of
the fat boat was filled with white
lead, which kept out the water.
They had two fire engines for the
new boom town of Galena. which
was promising to outstrip Chicago.
The sand bars in the Wisconsin
were as bothersome then as now,
the boat grounding about fifty
times. After running into the
noble Father of Waters, their
navigation troubles were over, and
they landed at Cassviile without
further incident. Afterward Mr..
Basford made a trip to New York
via the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.
In crossing the rough country in
the east, the trains were leased"
down the mountain slopes by means
of a rope cable.
The spectators, having failed to
guess the location for the territorial
capital, after six years Mr.. BasfOrd
entered farm near the Ray school
house, in the town of Glen Haven,
where he lived for twenty years.
Then he entered the meraanteil
business in Glen Haven, where ne
did a prosperous business until 1888,
when he sold out. He passed the
winter of '87 in California. He
then formed partnership with his
son in Lancaster, but retired in
1900 His wife died in go, since
which time he has found welcome
home with son and grandson. OF
six children, two are living, Charles
H., a director of the First National
Bank of Lancaster, and Mrs. James
Scott of Douglas, Arizona, who has
two grown sons IN business there.
He has had the pleasure of witness
ing the development of grandchil-
dren and great-grandchildren. who
will carry the name on into the
time to be-.
Mr., Basford says that he ap-
preciated the great possibilities of
The country during his early trips,
but he never dreamed that the great
wilderness of limitless forest and
fertile plain would be subdued in
his day. To one who has actually
witnessed the transformation, it is
infinitely more wonderful than to
those who must accept the history
Of the remarkable achievement.
Mr.. Basford's remarkable vitality
and good health are not accidental,
or merely the result of native
"toughness," but principally and
almost entirely result from & care
fully ordered life. He attributes
his longevity 10 regular and temper
ate habits, followed all through life.
Even when a young man, in Albany
and New York, he did not yield to
the many temptations of the day;
and here on the frontier he adhered
to his good habits. He never used
tobacco or liquor, and his diet
always had his careful attention.
Besides all these excellent habits, he
conquered worry, apprehension,
pessimism, etc., and cultivated a
serene and philosophic tempera-
ment, the evidence of which is ap-
parent to all who have the pleasure
of conversing with him. This
quality is a very potent factor in
promoting long life. His daily life
runs along as smoothly as cloud
less summer day. A follower of
the simple life, he must feel with
satisfaction the force of the maxim
Virtue is It's own reward" The
contribution of his life history to
humanity is a public service, which
should be a lasting lesson to the
careless and fast generation of to-
day. Let us hope that no accident