Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1923-10-04
HALEY HOUSE
WENT THROUGH
INDIAN WARFARE
Harry Abbott Of Baraboo Has
Picture Around Which There Is
Much Thrilling History

When Harry Abbott was at the old
home at Biddeford, Maine he took a
picture of the house once occupied by
the Haley family. The j. w. Haley
mentioned was the great-grandfather
of Mr.. Abbott. Mr.. Abbott has a
clipping from Maine paper which in
part says:
The house has witnessed the birth
of five generations of the Haley fam
lily. The Haleys came to Lower Bid
deford from the Isle Of Shoals and
were identified with the early affairs
of the settlement This building was
erected to endure the trials Of In
dian warfare and the ravages Of time.
Some of the timbers used in it's con-
struction are Is inches in diameter.
J. w. Haley, one of the first of the
family to occupy this house, was
most friendly with the redskins who
most two centuries ago, and during
the Indian uprisings lie remained in
the house after many of his neigh
bors had gone into the garrisons. A
large block-house stood in the field
adjoining the Halevs'. This for years
was known as the Dyer and Tarbox
garrison. The spot is still visible
With his wife he remained alone
in the old dwelling while his neigh
bors took a quantity of food and
sought refuge in the garrison. One
dark, stormy night he heard a loud
rapping at the door. He arose and
unbarred it, and found two Indians,
who told him that they desired to get
in out of the storra and warm them
selves. Without any hesitation he
admitted them and started a blaze
in the old fireplace.
Orders Indians Out
After a few minutes conversation
with the visions he discovered that
they intended mischief and he or
dered them out Instead of going,
they grabbed the frebrands from the
fireplace and threw them around the
room endeaevoring to set the house on
fire. Thereupon Mr.. Haley seized his
musket from it's accustomed hooks,
and as the Indians were armed only
with tomahawks this terrified them.
They hurriedly left the building and
Mr.. Haley followed them to the
woods where he told them never to
come to his house again Mrs. Haley
remained behind and extinguished the
fire started by the Indians After
that Mr.. and Mrs. Haley, realizing
that they would not be safe In the
house, went to the garrison, where
they joined their neighbors.
This was but the beginning of the
sad history of Mr.. Haley, who hereto
fore had been friendly with the In
dams. He had always helped them
whenever possible. From the night
he had driven two of them from his
home at the point Of his musket, they
continuously watched for an oppor-
tunity to- waylay him. He always
went armed to his work in the fields, |,
and although he had several narrow
escapes from being captured, he al
ways managed to elude them. He was
a crack shot, and the savages know
ing this feared him and were careful
not to get within gun shot OF him.
In those days, early settlers had
not built fences, but the live STOCK
grazed in common, and at night were
tied up in the stockade, which the
inhabitants erected for them. This
was a precaution not only against
wolves that infested the entire coun-
tryside, but the Indians, who stole
cattle if given an opportunity.
Lured, to His Death
The cattle wore bells the sound OIL
which each owner could recognize,
one night the cattle owned by. Mr.
Haley did no return with the others.
Mr.. Haley waited anxiously until the
darkness gathered in the forest, not
far from the farmhouse. Then ne
heard the tinkling of bell, an indl-
cation that the cows were not far
distant. When the cows did not ap-
near. after he had waited what he
considered a reasonable. time, be
started to find the animals. The
sound of the bell kept recedlng until
it came from the depths of the forest.
Then there was the loud report OF
musket and the tinkle ceased.
ny1o rnrnorf of the WaapOn was