Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-03-09
LOOKING BACKWARD
Fifty Years Ago: OF the Cabins Of Bad
Axe County

We are now moving, the cattle ahead
with several young men following on
horseback, and the teams in the rear;
first we go south, then west. sometimes
in lanes then through strip of wood
land; fording rivers, crossing marshes.
sometimes a team sticking in the mud
and another must be hitehed on to pull
the heavy load out, as it was large and
usually contained the bedding and cloth
ing for the entire family and som pro
visions; also a few sacks of grain for
the teams and some chairs tied to the
wagon bows next to the canvass. I
now have one of those chairs my father
and mother hauled in that long jour
ney) Thus we Travelled day after day
through dense forests, then across the
lovely prairies of Illinois, unuallY camp
ing near some stream, sometimes rest
ing the tired teams in the shade of a
small grove near small lake. On We
came south and west of the young and
prosperous little city of Chicago. Then
changing our course to the north the
faithful horses trudged along (also one
yoke of oxen) through the long, rainy
and hot month Of June up to the Fourth
of July, when it was announced we
Wisconsin. But our journey was not
ended. We soon arrived at Mineral
Point, the only place of any note / can
call to memory las / am writing entire
" from memory. After a brief rest
we again moved to the north and west,
soon reaching the hills then the bluffs
of the Wisconsin, finally came to the
river at Muscoda. whore tip Milwaukee
railway was built as far as Prairie gu
! Chen or Fort Crawford as it was some
times called This fort was once in
charge of the president of the confed-
eracy and is also famous as the scene
of the elopement of his daughter with
I the brave young Colonel Taylor, after
ward general and president of our great
nation. The old fort is now in its last
stage of decay and few years more
nothing will be visible except the well
kept little cemetery which it has been
my privilege to visit.
/ But | left the tired. sore-shouldered
/ horses and fOot-sore oxen on the banks
of the river. But soon the ferry APP
pears ard two teams and wagons go on
/ board, then some of the cattle in the
4 rear and the gate was closed. The men
stood in front of the teams holding the
| tired frightened horses by the brides;
1 the mothers gathered the little ones in
their arms and quietly cautioned them
to be silent as the frightened horses
might push the men overheard and they
would be drowned. We were soon
afioat, quietly gliding across what seem
ed wide and dangerous stream until
reaching the north shore, where the
anxious horses could scarcely be Undue
ed to wait uutil the ferry was secure
and the gates opened, when they read
4 ily moved the ponderous wagons on
shore and we were in Richland county,
not many miles from where we would
meet relatives and friends who had pre-
coded us a few years and had blazed
/ the trail through the dense forest of
I hardwood timber. But the day was
well spent and we must camp another
night and finish our journey another
4 day. Next morning everything was in
spired with new life. The weather was
| ideal The silvery dewdrop sparkled in
/ the bright morning sunlight The birds
welcomed us with their song that could
be heard from every bush and tree.
Mr.. Coulter who had been here two
/ seasons and had returned on visit to
/ the old home, assured US that by noon
we would be able to take dinner at his
place. in the town of Sylvan. On we
came up the valley until we came near
what is now the village Of Boaz. There
we left the main valley, passing up
/ Hoosier hollow onto what is now called
English ridge and along the ridge near
the Putnam farm, then to the west and
down the hill to Mr. Coulter's place,
where we arrived about 100 p. m.
Here we all took dinner and portion
| remained until they could secure a piece
of land and erect cabin. But after a
1 brief rest and a visit Shane and James
/ Jordan moved farther down the valley
near the Sabin cemetery, where q va
| cant cabin had been secured for them,
reaching there late in the day. After
/ the teams and cattle were cared for,
we were plotted across the bull TO the
cabin and small clearing Of the late
| George H. Babb, whose wife was their
sister. | well remember that night; 1t
yrs the harvest moon that greeted Us
as we emerged from the forest. On
! the fence 2 group of happy barefooted
/ boys and girls, with clear voices, shout
joyous welcomes 10 uncles. aunts and
cousins. No ceremony, no pretension,
/ just the reception of honest childhood
I Bat we must not stop. Mother had
supper and the path led down the hill
through a splendid field Of wheat almost
ready for the reaper Across the lane,
down by a spring Of pure water, the
mother greeted Us and we we're invited
I into the cabin. which had purcheon
and two half windows and ore door
with wooden hinges ard wooden latch
( Our journey is temporarily ended and
the curtain again falls.
A. 7. JORDAN.