Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1929-04-04
A CENTURY OF Time
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1t was to find what scattered rem
nants l could of my ancestors. In
quiry at nearby village elected but
little definite information about them
The editor of a local paper, however,
knew a man by that name. He lived
fifty miles away. Communicating
with him by telephone, he came to
New Castle, where l was staying, by
the first train, and we spent an en-
joyable three hours together. He had
been a National Railway conductor
having served long years faithfully
and well. This man, Edwin S. WYE,
proved to be a second cousin.
A hundred years does not kill the
warmth of blood relationship, but
the quickening impulses that draw
and bind are weakened, and as age
creeps on, these delicate ties become
dormant. There is sadness, too,
that is stirred by imagination and re-
Election of the past. Warriors bold
of the forest and sea, these progeni-
tors were. Strong pioneers of early
times, they have had their day and
passed out of life's picture.
How much we owe to our ancestry
of hundred years ago, we can new
er know; and not knowing, we do
not appreciate. Civilization owes to
such men and women a great debt of
gratitude, for out of the primitive
surroundings in which they lived they
carried on the development which has
made our present attainment possible.
From the old homestead, the rail-
road bridge can be seen where it
crosses the Meramichi river. By a
viaduct, not far from the bridge, the
railroad crosses the Nelson Road, on
its course eastward and south to the
sea. Near this viaduct, there is a
switch which shunts the Local" to
the left on it's way down stream to
Chatham and Loggieville. From the
switch, perhaps half mile, the
branch line crosses the old home
stead, which extends back in a mar
row strip long distance from the
river. And so at last a railroad fol-
lowed the footpath which was the
first highway, to be followed by the
trail of oxen and cart, ind then by the
horse and wagon.
A Son Goes West.
From these early scenes, seventy
seven years ago, a young man twen-
ty-one years of age left the fireside
at the old homestead, babe father and
mother and twelve brothers and sis
tiers goodby, and took his course
westward to Minnesota His young
years had been full of enduring toll.
He had worked at home, in the
woods, on the drive, wherever he
found an opportunity to earn dol
lar. He knew what hard work was
and never feared or avoided it. And
now he had left home going out West
into the land of opportunity. Such
scenes as this were not uncommon in
those days.
He found work and from the saw
ings of his toll, sent back money to
those at home. Twice he returned to
visit them, but his heart had been
won over to the West and there he
married and made his future home.
Others followed to different parts of
the States, some married at home
and in the end the cycle of family
life was completed with the children
scattered far and wide.
His Son Goes East
Taking the Local one wintry
morning, | was soon at the switch,
where the train stopped to let me
off on high grade without platform
or station. Slipping down the en-
bankment and jumping fence 1
landed on Nelson Road. There was
a house nearby, and upon inquiry,
the location of those l wished to find
was obtained. Strange feelings come
over one in such places and under
miles away from home, in a strange
country searching out the tattered
threads of memory of past genera
tons! My fathers birthplace, where
he first saw the light of day ninety
eight years ago, was nearby.
Such are the sacred places of earth,
sacred to the memory of those gone
before, hallowed by their lives and
deeds. Such place l now approach
ed. The solemnity of such occasions
is scarcely realized by those lives
lived in the same environment, where
changes are SO gradual as to pass
unnoticed. But time and distance
weave enchantment and add halo.
The old homestead is still there, but