The Pioneers

The history of Washtenaw County and its early settlers, claims our thoughts today. We put asido the cares and responsibilites of busy life and go back to those early days, when old VVashteuaw was youny. Some of the events of those times are amusing, and some are pathetie, but now, all are history. Pleasant Washtenaw! with enphonious name, whiuh we dweil upon with ung-ering londness, with the beautiful river Hurón which has brought to us,, and to our children days of restful, and healthful, recreation, wonderful river, clear as erystal and as lovely as a dream. Bryants' song to the Green river tnay well apply to the Huron. Listen toa íew ines: Oh loveliest these the spring days come, Wilh blossoms, and birds, and wild bees hum ; The tlowers of summer are fairest there, And freshest the breath of the summer air; And sweetest the golden autumn tlay,In silence and suushine glides away. My childhood's early days wjre passed near the river Hurori and to me it is the river of all the world, and the li Hls of Washtenaw have pleasant meinoi-iet too. As alittlegirhon my bay pony, Dolly, I cantered over the hills and through shaded woods, and as an older girl, 1 galloped away on my father's cieain saddle horse to Washtenaw'ü beautiful lakes. My earliest rapollections are of sitting on the style and watching men ehop down, and die out pear trees, and level the road bed for the Michigan Central railroad, and putting down the strap rail, rigbt through our pear and appie orehard, the pear trees were in the vvay and were taken up everyone of them.We were living in the house near the river, it was the flrst frame house built in JJexter. To this house my mother carne as a bride, not sixteen years old. The trip was most romantic, sbe was married in a arge log house on the Mathews place in Webster now owned by Mr.Backus. The jride was seated uDon a nillinn. whiVh s a cushion attached to a saddle. The groom in the saddle upon a lar-ge, white ïorse, his bride sitting upon the pillion behind him, and thns they journeyed diid an Indian trial fording he Hurón river trareling three miles o the new home of the bride. The iridesmaid, who was the bride's sisteiHannah was on the hridal trip, sitting )ohind Mr. Calvin Smith, who was the 'best man" at the wedding. It was a happy and hopeful brldal party as ever stai-tod for a bridal trip in Pullman cars. The first 4th Jaly was a grand celebration and picnic on the bank of a pleasant lake in Webster. The neigh borhood coach and foyr, whieh was a two wheeled cart and a tall, light yoke of oxen loaJed with baskets of refreahments and the older women. The men. and younger women enjoyed a moraing walk. It was a merry company by the lake that day. Patriotism was at its hig-ht, loyal and true to our country, was every soul. But the lake must be Christened, what shall the name be'r 'Tis Independence day and then thret cheers went up to heaven for "Independence Lake." -My grandinother, Bond was very fond of reading, they had four booké, the Bible, "Baxtert Saint 's Rest," "The Scotchish Chiefs" and ':Thadius of Wai1sa'.'' The log-house was not quite iinished, a blanket was hung up for the front door, a large brass kottle was on the front piazza, the hour was late, anü grand-mother was en joying the most interesting chapter of her book, when to ïer horror,some inqnisitive wolves commeneed playing with the bvass kettle. We know animáis like music, and the musical ring of the handle as it feil upon the kettle, seemed to please the Vontiniud on Page Fic . THE PIONEERS. Continued Frorn Page Une. )lves for they playod thoir bruss-band ost of the night. But my grandother did not enjoy the seranade, as ach as some people enjoy midnight usic, under different cireumstances, d she waited anxiously for the musims to come to the tune which begin: )U, we're going home,'' but they finv 'went, as day-light began to dawn the eastern sky. Mrs. Luther Boyn was my mother's cousin and there 3 widow Bond with two daughters and . and Mrs. Mathews were hospitality tde at home wheu they first carne to .uhigan in the year 1827, arriving the ,h day of May. In August they moved to thüir own home surrounded by all the novelties and inconveniences of a SF country, baking bread out of doors, a bake kettle with sudden storins on 3 fire, etc. Mrs. Boyden gave my ither an old hen and some eggs to set der her. We, of these times of plenty anot know how rich the Bond girls t with this addition to the family lok.When the hen hatched herchicki the girls went to bring them home, ien half way they were stopped by a ge black snake lying across their th. He raised his head but did not re the right of way, Millicent struck w!th a stick. He turned and gave ht. Like a true Yankee girl she rched into the combat, sticks were oken again and again, the dust flew, d warf are raged until at last the gir' 15 had killed a snake which meaed 9 feet long, and Miss Millieent s complimented for her courage kil% such a monster. The Ion front piazza of my father'd use was the church and Town Hall the communlty. There my father ached maay an excallant sermón, as stood on the front steps, and the wtiful grassy lawn slopping away to i river bank was a fine Auditorium, 11 ventilated, and healthy. There i 4th of July oration, could well boast "OurGlorius Country," "The Land the Pree, and Home of the Brave," here, were both a Deautiful, free intry, and brave women and men. My vered, and good father, besides being Ige of the ciurt, was editor and pro . etor of "The Emigrant" otir lirst ier.lt was printed in Ann Arbor. My lier was also post-master and my ther was "sworn in" as ieputy postster in 1828, a wing, of one room of house being set apart for the postoe. Once a week my father rode to a Arbor, on his fine white horse, rh saddle bags straDped to the saddle ünd him, rilled with letters, to edit 1 print his paper and bring back the il for our neighbors, far and near. ara that printin? office several green 1 awkward boys were started ou lifü"s irney to becorae notable mea, the v. Louis Noble was one of them. iometimes it was rwesjary for my her to remain ir. Anrl Arbor over ;lit, to attendcourt. Atsuch ti'.nes my ither would aceompany him in the rning and return in the afteruoon ng-ing the mail to the post-oflice. She le a spirited horse, but was a line o m, and a fearless rider. The Irt was in session and my mother was return alone, but was detainod by a ere storm. As my father placed his ing wife in the aaddle, he putted the ■vous horse and bade him be careful inff, ''you will soon be home." Away r horsá aud rider like an arrow from l 'inv-string following the Indian 1 over the hills, and through the ik woods. In a deep ravine the horse ''ing aside. snortiug with fear, as the 7 eyes and hot breath of a hungry nther were upon the rider's face. It s a wild race between the trembling, 'ror stricken horse, and the fiery eyed. panting panther. With the sight of the lights in the windows at home the panther gave up the chase, and the horse foam covered,and tired.was led away to thestable, and the rider.bravely reported herself as the fastest mail carrier west of Detrcit. The Indians had a camp near the junction of MUI Creek and the Huron river, and were ver? friendly bringing cranberries and venison to exehange for potatoes, pork and bread, and for the children they brought little boxes made of birch bark worked with porcupine quills, brightly colored, and the boxes were filled with new maple sugar. The leather saddle bass, in which my father carried the mail back and forth between Dexter and Ann Arbor sixtyeight years ago, are now safely cared for, and my mother says they are to be given to the Washtenaw Historical Society. My mother often talks of those friends and oíd times. She writes: "Tellthem I am almost home.and that the suft'erings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us through Christ Jesus." On the gold spectaele case, which my crrandfather in Boston used always to carry was engraved these words, %'Generation follows generation, as wave folio W3 wave." I feel the force of this as I look at these before me, who can say wilh my dear mother, "I am almost home." Would that we, of the next generation who are following them so closely, had led as brave, pure, useful lives, - and may we when we sit where they sit today, have it said of us, as it is today, said of them, "Well done." Gordon Hall, Dexter, Mich