The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1911-06-01
The Story of an Old Settler.

N. B. Abney of Reed Springs. send
MS the following story of his father
life in this part of the country in th'
early days of its settlement. The firs
mart Of the story is copied from one o
the joplin papers in which it was pub
lished few years ago.
"Down at Reno Springs, in Tame.
comfy. Missouri, about IS mile
southeast of Joplin, lives man who
was an early pioneer in southwest Mis-
souri, and who knew the spot where
Joplin now stands before Joplin wa:
dreamed of; who killed deer onthe site
Of the Connor hotel, and smoked the
nine OF council with Indians where
the massive Miners bank building now
rears its head.
This man is James M. Abney, one
of the early settlers in the southwest
and one of the foremost scouts of his
day. He was a great friend of Ton
telego, the great Comanche war chief,
and it was through Abney's efforts that
the final treaty of peace was signed be-
tween these Indians and the United
States government.
Incidentally Abney built the first
council house for the Comanches, the
place where the treaty was signed. For
wears this council house stood, the
government building of the Comanche
nation.
In letter to Fireman John Pippin,
N. B. Abney tells some of the interest
ing experiences of his father during
the wild days when the west was still
wild, when the buffalo still roamed the
plains, and the cougar held its sway
unmolested in the dense woods of the
hills. The letter follows:
Father was born March a, 1924,
in Kentucky, moving to Indiana with
his father at the age of II. In 184o
his father, Jack Abney, moved to Mis-
souri, and died shortly afterward.
Father made three trips to Texas
before the civil war during the time
the Indians were on the warpath, but
be always had good luck to not have
any trouble with them. He hunted
for the United States serveying outfit
in Texas fox about two years. He
helped quarry the stepstones for the
white house at Washington, his name
being engraved on one of the marble
stone steps to this day.
On one OF his trips to Texas in a
train Of about fifteen wagons, the In
dams set the prairie on fire before
them. Tney were near the Mexican
line. The whole train would have
perished if father had not worked rap
idly and with his flint stone struck fire
In the grass about the wagons. When
the counter-fire had started we'll the
wagons were moved out on the burned
ground. All in the train came near
perishing in the smoke, and had to
cover up in any kind of place that
could &c found. Some dug holes in
the earth and stuck their heads in
them.
Father was always a great hunter
and on another trip went ahead of the
wagons after buffalo. After a time he
got lost from the trail or road. It was
snowy and rainy weather and he became
hungry. AS luck would have it he
found house. Going to the place to
kel something to eat he found the man
gone to mill, about forty miles away,
only woman and two children being
AZ nome. The woman agreed to pound
some corn with resel-a-rack and make
mem some iohnny-cake. In the ev-
ning the man came home from the
mill and was glad to have company
rather accepted his invitation to spend
sne night. At breakfast father was sit
ung at the table opposite the door. A
agnt skift OF snow was on the ground,
ano as ne looked out the door he saw
black bear crossing low ridge not
al irom the house. He jumped up
ana grabbed his gun and they soon had
Dear for breakfast