Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1914-01-28
MRS. MARTHA Stone, AGE 81, MAKES
A ROUND TRIP To CALIFORNIA
Visits Pasadena, Los Angeles and Pacific GroveAttend
Wisconsin Reunion and Sits at Lancaster Table.
Mind
YearsAg o-Tens of Early Experience in Mire
OK

people are hard to lose-wherever she
wandered the word Lancaster was
a household word so delightful
were her visits, Mrs. Stone seems to
have only one regret that she so long
delayed her trip. Il wish | had gone
there so years ago" she said, But
she probably forgot for the moment
that so years ago there were no Pacific
railroads, and-well that's another
story.
If there are left any of the original
pioneers in this section Mrs. Stone
surely is of the number. AS a child
of three she came to Mineral Point
with her parents and remained there 3
years Then they pushed on to the
then frontier, Lancaster, and located
on farm west of the city, now &C.
cuiped by the family of Frank Smith,
known as Rose Lawn.
Her father was Stephen Mahood,
we'll remembered in this section as a
Mrs. Stone declares that her mother,
Susannah Raines) Mahood was the
equal of her father in meeting the
exigencies that daily confronted the
pioneer. And this contention she il
Illustrated by an instance.
When the Mahoods came to this
section from Mineral Poi1t they rode
in wagon that was drawn by oxen.
This wagon bore the earthly posses
sions Of the family, which was the
common practice with incoming
pioneers. Besides furniture, they
brought in a stock of seed wheat and
other seeds.
In crossing Pigeon Creek the wagon
got stuck in the mire, and it was then
night dark. Mr. Mahood tried by
every argument he knew that would
apply to oxen, but there was nothing
doing He thought they were stuck
for the night, so he unhitched the
cattle and tied them out to Craze,
admonshing the family to stick tight
to their bed IN the wagon, himself
going to the shack of a settler nearby,
No sooner was be ont of hearing
than Mrs. Mahoon decided that she
would not sleep over mudhole.
Accordingly, she sent the children
FLOWING herself, thus tightening the
load. Then she directed one of the
older children to get quantity of
corn in the ear, and have it ready to
operate as an incentive to the oxen.
They had in the wagon a little corn
for feed Of the team.
Then the oxen were again hitched
to the load, and one of the children
posted in front of them, with an ear
of corn in each hand, and directed to
SO hold the corn that the cattle might
touch it with their tongues. but not
eat it. By this ingenious continuance
the team was induced to do its best,
much better than it had done under
the lash for the head of the family.
While straining to get bite Of the
corn the oxen moved the wagon, and
little by little. with mighty teasing
and straining they finally brought
the entire outfit to hard land. Next
morning when Mr.. Mahood came to
look for his family in the mire he
was astonished to find them in
much better case than he left them the
night before This instance Mrs.
Stone cited as an illustration of the
remarkable resourcefulness of her
mother in emergencies. And it looks
as if Mrs. Stone has made out good,
clear case for her mother.
Mrs. Stone was born Martha
Mahood on February 10. 1881, con-
sequently will be SO at her next
birthday She was born on Lincoln's
birthday. Lincoln may no longer
celebrate his natal day, but we hope,
as do large circle of friends. that
Mrs. Stone will H. to see many more
Feb 12s. If we don't forget we shall
send her a birthday card this year.
In Lancaster her home is with Mayor
and Mrs. William j. Bailie. Mrs
Stone is both aunt and step mother to
Mrs. Baltic. In the family circle
she usually is called Aunt Martha -