The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-07-09

1
far from her home. "That institu-
ton had a high reputation through
out all northern and central New
York for the excellent facilities which
it had to offer in the pursuit Of En-
glish, classical and scientific studies
and its special courses in music,
drawing, and painting" says the Rev.
F. B. Lewis. Prof. Bartlett, Mrs.
Bealls uncle, was at that time teacher
Of sciences and mathematics. He was
connected with the seminary for II
years, at first as instructor and later
as principal.
Miss Barker was especially fond Of
drawing, painting and music. She
also enjoyed French, but did not feel
so much interest in the sciences or
mathematics. Her reports in draw
ing were always marked perfect and
she took the premium fer excellence
offered the class in painting in 1855
and took part in a French collOquy
at her graduation there in the same
year.
That she had artistic skill is shown
in a pencil sketch of a cluster of
roses made in 1855, which she treas
ures among the keepsakes of early
days, and which has been much adj
mired for the delicacy and accuracy
of the work. Her musical ability was
also Of a high order, and she is to-
day a good performer on the piano
with an expressive touch, although
for 20 years after coming west she
did not touch a pianos keys.
Her greatest enjoyment as a young
girl was to go to her Grandfather
Barker's residence in the town Of
Russia, two or three miles from her
home In Cold Brook. She says her
pleasantest days were spent there on
his large farm, where she would Of
ten go to stay for two or three weeks.
Her grandfather was a man Of ex-
ceptionally strong character, which
evidently became the heritage of most
of his descendants, Mrs. Beall among
them. Perhaps the lady inherited al
so a sort Of pioneering instinct from
him, for he was enc of the hardy pi-
Oneers Of New York state, and made
of just that sturdy material which
helps a states growth in glory and
material prosperity. While yet a boy,
. he left his home in Westfield, Mass,
and travelled on foot through what
was then a wilderness to Russia, in
Herkimer county, New York. Here
he built up a home and fortune. He
died in 1881 at the age of 81, re-
: spected and beloved by all who knew
: him. In accordance with his ex-
J pressed wishes, before the old home
stead was sold, a tree which he had
planted when a boy was cut down and
some remembrance for each grand
child was made from the wood. To
), Mrs. Beall was sent a desk and also
: a piece of the plain wood.
After her graduation from Fair.
y field Seminary, Miss Barker gave mu.
= sic lessons on the piano at EdinbOrC
Penn, for a year and then in Sep.
: TENDER, 1856, removed with her par
ents to Whitewater, Wis, where tw;
, months later, at the age of 10, she
! was married to A. H. Van Vlierden
and what should have been a woman
-
= highest opportunity soon become hel
saddest experience. For two years
she wandered with her husband from
place to place in the North and West
The opening of the Civil war fOunC
her at St. Joseph, Mo-, with her two
little girls. In an attempt in 1862 X
reach st. Louis with her husband anC
children she had a twas" experience
the river steamer on which they EN-
barked being seized by Union soldiers
and loaded with government supplies
1t was laid up at Lexington, Mo.
until after the battle Of Lexington
during which the great hemp ware
houses and other buildings wert
burned; all on board, meanwhile, be
ing treated as prisoners of war. AT
ter the battle, a large number o
"secesh' prisoners, a rough and des
perate body Of men, was taken o.
board the steamer, which put off iron
the dock but soon ran onto a sam
bar, from which it was not release
for several days. Provisions, o
course, ran low and all on board, pas
sengers as well as officers, crew, an
prisoners, were put on short ration
and obliged to drink muddy MissOu-
water. The steamer at last got Of
the sand bar, carried its prisoners
Alton, Ills, and its passengers to S
Louis.
The family soon went to Waite
c~ town, Wis, where they remained u
til the spring of 1854, when they we.
= to Grinnell, Iowa, the western term
9 nus Of the railroad and the place
= which expeditions were outfitted f
the great, unsettled West. The
= was purchased an outfit for the
3 journey across the plains to what W
2 then the territory Of Idaho. T
e elder Of the little girls, Lola. was tn
9 five and her sister, Minnie, thr