Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-02-18
Audubon County
Early History
HON. Fl. #. ANDREWS.
Natty Ranalin- Continued

Natty Han,ln Continued
i For several years after their mar
riage they had struggle for eNs- |
tence. Times We're hard, money scarce
and farm products brought low prices,
and they We're not vet land owners
They We're obliged to ask Indulgence
/! for subsistence, which was obtained;
but when the time for payment came, |
1 they We're less able to pay than in the
I beginning. SO that a note for the debt
! at twelve per cent interest was given
! for further time, which was paid at
maturity out OF the proceeds of hogs,
raised fattened and marketed at one
anda quarter cents pound.
At this time he got a job hauling
grain l20 miles to Chicago, which pro-
cured the neceSSaries of life and they
had secured small herd of stock.
They sold out in Illinois and in the
fall of 1874 went to Sand Ridge, near
Trenton in Henry County, Iowa. They
had two little girls. In the fall of
1916 he went back to Illinois tocollect
the notes for his property sold the
previous year at extremely low prices
the best COW brought only $500. He
was paid i'm Indiana and Ohio bank
notes or "Wildcat" money. which he
afterwards discovered was of doubtful
value. And this reverse brought them
to the foot of the hill again, finan-
cially.
In the spring OF ls45 they loaded
their effects in two wagons and star
ted for the new purchase from the
Sac and Fox Indians, where he had
bought from his uncle for $50 on time,
an abandoned claim of l20 acres of
land in the extreme north west COR
ner of Mahasla County on the Skunk
river, Mr.. Hamlin related:
"When we got there | had but d
Five Franc piece left: our claim had
a log hut on it, without roof or floor,
and we used the bark of Eastwood
for rails. We lived there until the
following September. Some people
claimed that our wild cat money
was worth fifty cents on the dollar,
but gave eighty dollars of it on the
Circleville, Ohio, bank for squirrel
rifle, which ! still have, and with
which we procured all the meat we
had for twoyears. During this time
neither coffee, except such as we made
from parched corn, nor sugar, nor even
soda for our bread. On diet of corn
, bread and corn coffee / have walked a
mile,anda half and split 200 rails q
| day. After we had been in Mahaska
| County q while | went back to Henry
County to mill and while resting al
noon in an emigrant camp found q
half dollar, which was then more high
! ly priced than $1,000 would be today
There was no money in the countr,
| until 1913, when a colony of Holland
. ers settled in Marion County. The,
e soon built a grist mill, which was
: great relief to the settlers.
+ was now able to pay for my claim
n | might possibly have borrowed some
money at very high rates; but when
: got out of debt in Illinois, | made
vow never again, Ii could avoid it
to get into debt and was determined
If to keep my word. At the end of tw,
years my clothes were in tatters; bu
e. of two deer skins, which tanned,
o made with whangs. {; pair of pant
and moccasins: and with anothe
buck skin got our first start of hogs
by trading it with neighbor for
h shoat, which | carried mile and
i half home on my back A frien
y loaned us a COW from which we oil
N tanned milk and BUTTER"
. 1T was a common thing for him an
. his neighborS to grind corn for mes
. in a coffee mill
10 He was elected Justice of the peac
ic in 1916 and held the office until h
lie came to Audubon County.
n In lS4S he made a trip to Illinois t
le visit friends. He agreed with ma
~ to put up some hay for him, while b
y was absent, which he failed to pc
= form. The corn was frosted and som
= of it was cut up and shocked for feet
The snow came in October befol
the ground froze and laid all white
SO that in the spring they were abb
!, to gather their potatoas and turnip
~ which had lain in the ground all viii
ter unhurt. They suffered in Mahask
II County from fever and ague as the
to had in Illinois and decided to moy
again and make another trial for
home. They sold their land in Is;
H. for $1,000 and took most of the pay
~ oxen and young cattle.
We have previously given an a
count of the settlement of Mr.. Han