Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1916-08-02
"REMINISCENCES OF
AN old Timer 2"
j. STEPHENS OF CUBA CITY,
WRITES TO WI. HOFFMAN OF
HAPPENINGS LONG AGO

raised around Benton where his faith
er conducted a shOemaker's shop. Mr..
Hoffman received a letter recently
from Mr. J. Stephens Of Cuba City,
which touches upon some of the old
pioneer days when they we're boys to-
gether Mr. Stephens is 70 years old
and quite feeble, is stone deaf and
cut off from the present day world.
That his mind is keen and retains
crisply, the memories Of former days,
is evidenced by the following inter
esting contribution made by him to
the Cuba City News-Herald in a re-
cent issue. The caption for the same
is "Old Time Incidents" by "Old
Timer"
Il think quit before on the subject
of Hard Times from panic, wildcat
money, ETC., but herewith is the worst
Of that chapter.
You couldn't even sell what little
crop there was for cash. Galena and
Dubuque dealers dubbed together and
compelled farmers to sell to one of
them at their own prices, taking a
due bill. This was good for goods at
es was the serious thing. But miners
did not suffer much from the bank
fraud, the smelters were their backing
and they commanded cash from st.
Louis or anywhere in the country.
They were, in fact, the real money
power of the country. The few real
banks were connected in some way
with the smelling business, hence
were back of the miner. No one
thought then of going to bank for
a loan.
1.-The millers did what little was
done for the farmers. So it was the
miner that furnished the cash for
taxes by taking hog or quarter of
beef or some wood. Here is a con-
ditiOn I have often thought of-there
was plenty of wood along Fever river,
Elk Grove, and south of Hazel Green,
but it was almost sacred. The owner
would not cut stick. Coal wasn't
known then, but they hauled their
posts and firewood ten or twenty
miles, suppOsing theirs would grow in
to a fortune And their hauling was
really a serious problem. Oxen were
used by some on the roads, but not
success for teaming-tOo slow. Soon
as possible horses were got, but gener-
ally the small pony kind because of
the price, and you could daily hear it
said, Il would not have big horse
he would eat his head off, etc." and
as with every new project or venture,
the farmer knew nothing of horses ex-
cept that he should have four legs and
that there must be a head and tail
to him. They were brought in here
in drOveS by Sharpers from Ohio and
Missouri and often proved that they
were frauds to start on or poor hand
ling by the new owner; or too long
association with the old ones. While
the English and Irish knew the meek
and lOwly donkey and the old family
horse and thought they knew smooth
games enough to hold their own, they
were no match for a live Yankee, and
then the Old-fashioned heavy wagon
and green wood, as it always was, and
always a cash article, altogether made
q serious matter of it in fall and win
ter. The teams from Hazel Green and
Il
ersOn, Twelvemile, and Benton, from
all roads, would gather into a contin-
uOus string at Georgetown and then
rs there was no danger of meeting
anyone the drivers would bunch up,
five or six, or more, and walk and
thus get acquainted and keep warm,
or at least keep from freezing. These
men, or often boys, often walked ten
and twenty mile. They just had to do
it-cOuldn't stay home because it was
cold or go to the store and get an
other pair of something or heavier
OvercOat-there wasn't any of either
except as mother or the old shoemak-
Ell made and neither one could relieve
YOU for at least a week, but worst of
all, it took money.
How well l remember the Wallace
boys from the Eightmile house, but
not for their religious conversations,
and also the Williams, Shelliam, Dob
sons, Birketts, SCOTS and others from
that way and, and John McGivern,
DOrmer, Carey, Anderson, KempthOrne,
Raisbeck, Thompson and Allison, Pas
cOe, Gill, Hillary, Jackson, Rogers,
Wilcox. Blight, Casper Hogan, Webb.
Those from Benton way for some rea-
son had better horses and l used to
envy them, tried to be ahead of them
if l could coming back So that if
my team baked they would have to
help me out for they could not get
past in Glade Hollow or any of the
hills. And ! learned then, although
did not know l was learning that help
10 a boy in time of trouble brings out
the better traits in one or both of the
parties that last through life even
though there may be rough language
used. as was apt to be on those occas-
ions. It's the bOyhoOd incidents that
make and leave the groundwork of
memory's loving picture of the past.
When visiting now with decendents Of
those old time families there are two
OF three generations on the mind with