Evening journal., 1908-10-01
Mr.. HUKILL RECALLS
THE BUCKSON FAMILY
ArtioIe No. oe.

There is a family who was not OIL
ginally Of Thoroughtare Neck, but
worthy OF notice. Joseph Buckson ai@
Abram Buckson. two brothers of the
western side of Appouuinimink hun.
dred. They were Of a prominent family
in their day. know nothing OF
JoseDh's children. II he had any. but
Abram had two sons. James and VIII
liam and one daughter, Lydia Buckson,
who married Ebenezar Dougherty, who
raised one son. a very important line
man In this city James Buckscn
strolled off to the vicinity of Newark.
Del. engaged in the farming business
and in the spring Of 1853 moved into the
neck. and on the farm known as the DR.
johnson farm, near Taylor's Bridge.
He was a young bachelor A man cf
a not very amicable disposition had
left the farm and left a crop of wheat
on the Johnson farm, and the neigh
bors. thinking well of the new conner.
and wishing him well We're apprehen-
sive Of trouble for their new neighbol
with the man who had left the wheat,
and suggested to him that he better
be on his guard as to how he did busi-
ness with him Buckson hooted the
idea, saying. mo. he would mott have
anv trouble with him." So the wheat
was harvested end stacked In the yard
ready for threshing. The thresher was
brought to the yard and the good work
begun. According TO custom it be-
came Buckson's duty 10 take care or
the straw, as he, being a tenant on the
farm. # became his property. TIE
threshing had not progressed very far
before signs of trouble began TO show
between the two. but Mr.. Buclson
tried to be very amicable and did not
resent any thrusts or offenses at first,
but the matter grew worse under such
treatment until the offender became
more bold and persisted in his offenses
till he threw a cap stick at Buckson
and came very near hurting him. This,
brought on the crisis, and Buckscn's
forbearance was exhausted. He told
his prosecutor that "Deople told me
when I came here that / would have
you to whip before you got the whear
away. and now I'll DO it," and pro.
ceeded forthwith to carry his -declara.
ton into execution. Thev said he made
a good lob Mr.. Buckson was an able
man. Of about six feet two inches ia
length, If laid down on a plain surface
and Strengthened out. He was a good
fellow on general principles. and could
lead a gang of Graders in a harvest
field to punctillio, and on the following
year my father sought his assistance
at harvest Buckson led the field. The
class of people who made business Of
going among the farmers In harvesr
time had made a demand for the farm
er to renew an old -ime custom, OF
giving them whisSey in the field, ana
the scarcity OF good Graders crowded
my father into it against his will. for
he was not IN favor Of il. In the gang
was a full-fedged Irishman who was
passionatelv fond Of the "oh bejoyful, .
and INDUCED freely at every opportun-
itv. and all hands seemed very ap-
prehensive that the Irishman's medi-
cine would begin to operate after a
while. 1t was the custom among the
Graders that every man should keep
at least one clip behind the man ahead
Of him. but as the 1iishman warned
up he was not content TO do that, ano
would cut ahead of his leader. Buckson
became verv much incensed at him,
and when the Irishfnan became abusive
he laid down his cradle and got ready
to chastise him. but others interfered
and saved any further trouble.
So far as the whiskey was concerned
BuclSson had in early life been impress
sed with the evils of intemperance and
had never been known To touch it. ant
had no other bad habits. He alway.
knew how 10 attend 70 his own bust.
ness: never had been run through col.
lege. but knew a good many gooc
/ things that people don't always learr
| at college. He knew q good thlnf
when he saw t. He had two eyes fol
! a good horse, and when some other fol
low had a horse that he liked bette
than his own he was ant TO ask tina
/ fellow how he would trade He wal
industrious. a hard worker. and al
WAYS at it. It was said Of him (bu
7 do not vouch for the truth of thi
saying) that upon one occasion he an,
some one were discussing the subjec
Of the citv cousins visiting the countr,
cousins in summer. and expressed him
self after this fashion: "Well lik
the comers and goers. but don't thinl
so much Of the kind that don't knoy
when TO go" To show that he lilre
AhI bittN anu a SQudlt uSdl-ilt ld
became a little bent, about six Zee
above the ground. and we will attribut
that TO a constant looking down upo
things that did not meet his approval
want 10 cite one instance in iusti
fication of my opinion In 1865, r. Levi
Armstrong. of Christiana hundred, go
the nomination for sheriff. Mr. Buck
son had been staunch Democrat fror
childhood. a principle which he IN
herited He and I had always bee
good friends. and talked often an
freely. and when we met one day
said to me: I'm a Democrat but
must vote for Lew Armstrong for
saw him punish a fellow one day at
vendue up the country that richly dc
served IT," He said some time prev
ious that Lew had met a gang {
naughty fellows over on the edge {
Maryland and they said some ugl
things to him that were very hard
swallow. and when he left them th'
, day he said he would see them agat
And so the bully and leader Of tn;
, naughty gang came over into Delawal
+ 10 that Vicinity and at first sight