Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-09-15
My First Trip From Home, or My
Lies Inauguration.

Fifty years ago InlS spring. 1JU5,
first flew from my parental nest,
which was on a farm, near Patch
Grove, Grant Co.. Wis. Fifty years
What long time. when we measure
by our political history. Think of
it, half a century, Lincoln, Grant
Sherman, and most of our great war
celebrities, were than almost un-
known; but have long since passed
away. and the bright history of those
great men to some extent is fading
with the past. The great slave hold
against millions, was yet unfought,
and now so long past that the last
remnant of the combatants, who
we're then mere boys, are now fast
joining the ranks of their comrades
gone before. But l was starting to
tell of my first fight-my first trip
from home. I then felt that was
really entering manhood's estate, "a
young rooster, scarcely out of pin
feathers.)
One morning. early in spring
(1859, / set out, grip sack in hand,
facing south the great unknown
world in front, and but little back of
me; but that little had been my
childhood's home. and l loved it
dearly. In my first three days travel
I was accompanied by a good friend
and neighbor, David Ballantine. we
crossed the old Father OF Waters at
Cassville, thence to the little town of
Hopkington here 1 parted with my
friend, and began my long tramp
alone. My objective point was
bleeding Kansas, as it was called in
those days, and it was not miscalled
either. l bore directly south towards
Iowa City. 1t was spring, and tn
roads were sprIngy, literally wal
lowed through the mud most all the
way to Iowa City. Iowa City being
on the great stage route to Council
Bluffs and Omaha, where one of the
great California trails began.
thought to take passage on stage
coach from Iowa City to Council
Bluffs but being sort Of a wise
guy, 1 consulted the stage-drivers.
They told me that by paving ten cents
mile l might have the privilege of
walking along beside the stage coach,
and carrying a rail on my shoulder
with which to pry the coach out of
the mud. The result of the council
was l walked. without the rail; ar
irving at Council Bluffs hale and
hearty, two days ahead of the
coaches that started the same day that
[ did, with ten cents per mile to the
good. Iowa City was then small
place, but had been the capital of the
Territory. Des Moines (the capital of
the State) and Council Bluffs were
also small places, with Council Bluffs
little ahead the intervening towns
along my route were mere sproU 8,
mostly on paper. The country from
Iowa City west, was mostly all wild
prairie; what little timber there was
was nearly ell along the streams.
Being raised N the wild and woolly
west, l knew much Oh the open heart
ed ways of the western pioneers.
hence made it a point-when con
venient-to spend my nights and rest
ing spells. with the new settlers
along my route where 1 always was
received with open arms, as if l was
one of their own family; was made
to feel that the whole boundless west
was my home. The microbe of that
niggardly catch penny feeling, had not
yet arrived to pollute our beautiful
land of the free but the spirit of live
and let live, peIvaded our whole
atmosphere. After spending about
two weeks in and about Council
Bluffs I boarded a steamer for ST.
Joseph, Mo-. fare including board
four dollars, time, four days, stuck
on sand bars most of the four days,
for that river it was a large steamer,
called the Sovereign, a fine boat 1t
was my first ride on a river steamer.
Did l enjoy it? You bet did.
There was four inches of snow on the
ground, when 1 left Council Bluffs !;
when landed at st. Joseph, I found
it a veritable land of sunshine,
flowers blooming, birds singing. grass
getting green, and the trees fast
assuming their summer robes.
In those days st. Joseph was lively.
l being raised in the country, felt
that the town was no place for ne; so
striking trail, followed it; it soon
landed me in the suburbs of the city.
1 stopped at the first farm-hou [
came to and asked for work the man
asked if L was carpenter. Yes, 1
was a carpenter. / had helped build