CHARLES M. COOK
1017 High Street
Houma, Louisiana 70360
4-30-2000
RUSSEL B. HAGEMAN HIS BOOK, presented to him by his father and mother in 1900.
Even the wisest are long in learning that there is no better work for them than the bit God put into their hands.
Now abide faith, hope, love. Love but these three. But the greatest of these is love, for love is the serif, the faith and hope are but the wings on which it flies.
Henry Ward Beacher
A soft felt hat adorns his head plain.
Henry Ward Beacher without the Rev. before his name.
Bless Jesus, all so human,
Son of God yet born of woman
Resting on thy mother’s breast,
While the angels’ songs are swelling
Peace on earth and God are telling
Once again, Lord, come and dwelling,
In my heart. Be Loves dear guest.
Sarah Hageman born Feb. 18, 1801
Garet V. Hageman born July 12, 1803
William Hageman born Nov. 6, 1805
Eliza Ann Hageman born April 24, 1808
Isaac Hageman born April 7, 1810
Peter Hageman born July 7, 1812
Getty Hageman born April 18, 1815
Maria Hageman born April 18, 1817
Cornelus Hageman born June 29, 1820
Simon V. Hageman born May 27, 1822
Andrew B. Hageman born April 4, 1824
Isaac Hageman was born Oct. 10, 1779
Maria Vandaveer was born Feb.18,1782
Isaac Hageman and Maria Vandaveer were married Jan. 25, 1800
Maria, wife of Isaac, died May 4, 1832
Isaac Hageman died nov. 15, 1849
Garret Vandaveer, Andrew’s grandfather, was killed by the kick of a horse. It was the family caraaige horse that they had owned for years, that kicked him in the bowels.
Andrew’s father’s mother, lived to be 93 or 94 years old
Heneretta Hageman, wife of A.W. Hageman, died Oct. 25, 1892 aged 47 yr. 2 mo. And 23 days. Died at his residence in northeast Seward, Neb.
Abraham W. Hageman, aged 59 yrs., 7 mo. And 25 days died in Sept. 30, 1900. He was born at Fairview, Fulton Co. Ill. Feb. 5 1841. He was the son of William Hageman and grandson of Isaac Hageman. He was a soldier in the Union Army in our Civil War.
Andrew B. Hageman born Sept. 1, 1824
Sarah C. Ross born Nov. 29, 1827
Andrew b. Hageman and Sarah C. Ross were married Nov. 13, 1845
Russell b. Hageman born Sept.1, 1846
Anna M. Hageman born Oct. 23, 1848
Vanlien Hageman born Sept. 8, 1850
Andrew J. Hageman born Feb. 28, 1853
Elisabeth Hageman born April 17, 1855
Albert G. Hageman born Oct. 13, 1857
Margaret W. Hageman born March 11, 1860
Emma H. Hageman born Sept. 28, 1863
Sherman Hageman born Jan. 10,1865
Mary E. Hageman born Oct. 22, 1867
Pheoba C. Hageman born April 3, 1871
September 18, 1900
Our family is quite widely seperated at present day. Russell and family is living in Ford Co. near Ford.
A.J. and family living in Clearmont Mo. Nodway Co.
Albert and family near Rockwell City, Iowa
Emma Rose and family near Polosci, ILL.
Sherman and family on his father’s farm in Logan Co., ILL..
Elisabeth and Phoeba at home with parents.
Oscar is in ford Co. Kansas. Has been there 1 1/2 yr.
Eva is in Hoopston, ILL.
These last three are grandchildren.
Andrew Hageman and family came to Logan Co. ILL in Feb. 1865 and settled on their present farm in Chester township. Their family consisting of 5 boys and three girls at that time. Two girls were after words born.
Mary who died when 4 years old and Phoeba who lives at home Nov. 1900
Jan.6, 1903 Phoeba is married and has been near 2 years., but still lives at home. She has one little girl. Her husband farms part of the home place.
FAMILY RECORD OF MICHA ROSS
Micha Ross Born De. 31, 1747
Sarah Davis born July 17, 1753
Micha Ross and Sarah Davis were married March 8, 1770
Sarah Ross born Dec. 7, 1770
Davis Ross born April 21, 1772
Hannah Ross born Sept. 18, 1779
Leonard Ross born April 5, 1781
Chloe Ross born dec. 2, 1782
John Ross born Oct. 5, 1784
Clarenden Ross born Oct. 2, 1786
Susanna Ross born Aug. 4, 1788
Henry Ross born July 25, 1790
William Ross born April 24,1792
Sarah David wife of Micha Ross died April 12, 1795 being 42 years of age.
Davis Ross, son of Micha, was born in Monson, Hampden Co Mass. Of his youth, I cannot say much, as I was young. They used to talk a great deal of old times but I have forgotten.He tended a grist mill in Boston. I do not know at what time he moved to New York State. His father helped whip the British in the War of the Revolution. Grandpa lived in the York State a long time at Canondague. He held several offices at various times as county collector, and sherrif. Justice of the piece. In fact was always attending court and settling estates and other law business., for his friends,. Also, often called upon to attend funerals and other meeting to speak and take charge of them. He was a strong Methodist, but later in life became a convert to Universalism. A faith in which he lived and died. Loved by all and respected by all. He was an indulgent father and grandfather. Dearly loved by all of us.
Davis Ross departed this life, Feb. 4, 1852 aged 79 yr. 9 mo. 14 days. He had light hair and blue eyes.
Harvilla Warner, wife of Davis Ross, departed this life Nov. 25, 1841 aged 65 yrs. 9 mo. And 6 days. She had black eyes and dark hair.
RECORD OF DAVIS ROSS FAMILY
Davis Ross born April 21, 1772
Margaret Dunham born Feb. 24, 1772
Margaret Dunham wife of Davis Ross departed this life June 29, 1803 leaving two children, Orlando and Margaret. Orlando died at the age of 17 of rheumatism.
Margaret married Sheldon Webster and moved to Cujahoga co. Ohio and both lived and died there in Ohlmsted. They raised three children but they are now all dead. They have several grandchildren living there yet.
Jan. 6 1804, Davis Ross and Harvilla Warner were married.
Dec. 2, 1807 Jefferson Ross was born in Canondague, New York. When quite a boy, his parents moved near Marietta, Ohio. They were among the first to settle there, enduring all the hardships of pioneer life. Settling up the new country. They went from Wheeling on a flat boat. They had a Indian piolot to pilot the boat. They settled on Duck Creek, near Marietta. I do not know how long they lived in southern Ohio, but they moved to the western reserve, and settled in Ohlemsted, Cujahoga Co. Ohio when that country was all heavy timber. Cleveland was not much of a place then. No roads, no school houses or churches then, but heavy timber to clear up and any way to get rid of it then. They did have logrolens. The first school house I went to school in was a log house. So you may know how hard they worked.
Harvilla Warner was the daughter of Dannell Warner and Elisabeth Hoadley his wife. They had 6 girls and one boy. Both were of Welsh decent. They came to America or more probably, their parents, befor the Revelutionary War. Grandma was born in or near Roxberry Conn. Her father was both a farmer and a blacksmith. She was own cousin to Colonal Warner of Revolutionary fame. She was a good scholar. Taught school most of the time befor and after her marriage. She was married befor and had 2 boys befor she married grandpa.. The oldest son James Beardsley lived to be an old man and the the other went away when a young man and they never heard of him. Grandma had a good memory. Could repeat while chapter of young night thoughts. And any prose. She was a small woman a very neat seamstress. Out and made mens chlothes as well as her own. A good Christian woman, a good grandmother and loved by us all.
T.J. Ross born Dec. 2, 1807
Annie Hovey born June 30, 1805
T.J. Ross and Annie Hovey were married Aug. 12, 1826
Sarah C. Ross born Nov. 29, 1827
Elisabeth Ross born Jan. 27, 1830
Andrew P. Ross born Oct. 7, 1831
Hellen M. Ross born Nov. 3, 1833
Emma A. Ross born Sept. 7, 1835
Albert G. Ross born June 12, 1837
Arthur M. Ross born June 10, 1839
William D Ross born April 28, 1841
Harvilla Ross born April 28, 1845
Judy C. Ross born Aug. 1847
Andrew P. Ross died Oct. 16, 1849 age 16 yr. One week 2 days buried in Fairview Cemetary.
Lucy I. Ross died July 25, 1849
Margaret P. Ross died Feb. 11, 1829 age 10 or 11 mo.
Annie, wife of T. J. Ross died July 20, 1882 aged 77 yr. 1mo. 10 days
Hellen Ross, wife of P. Carey, died Feb. 19, 1992 at her home in Harvell, ILL. Of heart disease. Buried at Litsfield, ILL.
Arthur M. Ross died June 5, 1899 lacking 5 days of being 60 yr.
Father and mother and Arthur are buried at cemetary at Bonham, Tex..
Emma Ross, wife of A. Wacocer, died Jan. 14, 1900 in her home in Hammond, Piatt Co., ILL and buried in the cemetery there.
Arthur M. Ross died in Alva Oklahoma at about the age of 60 was buried in the cemetery at Bonham Tex. By father and mother.
William Hovey was a Revolutionary Soldier a carier of dispatches. He was a cavelery oficer of some kind and on horse back most of the time. He served through all the war was not married till the war was over. I think he was over 30 years old when he married. I have herd say he gave a $100 or a $50 dollar of continental curancy to the preacher that married them. He died October the 20th 1839 [4?]
Lucinda Downer, wife of William Hovey, died Jan. the 20th — 1853 aged 83 years. They were living with their son Harvey. They had a large family six girls and three boys all living to a good age. One was a Baptist minister. When Annie their youngest child married Jefferson they moved to northern Ohio and lived there a number of years and went back to their son Harvey. She had very black hair and eyes, was an industrious woman, not a large woman. She wove all day the day of Pery’s victory on Lake Erie and herd the roar of the cannons.
Annie being their youngest child and married Jefferson Ross to whom she was a faithful wife and mother doing her own work and raising a large family. She used to spin woolen yarn and get it woven into cloth for the family clothing and made butter. They disposed of sheep and loom as they made so much work and the girls marrying and mothers health was poor for several yrs. But she got better after a few years, afterwards. T.J. Ross moved from Ohlemsted Ohio in Sept. to Fulton Co., Ill in yr. 1843 and lived there several years. He got the Oregon fever and talked of going, but his oldest boy died of typhoid fever, and the Winter following he was unloading a load of wood, steped back and fell down dropping a log on his leg and broke it. Thank the Lord for that broken leg. It was a streak of good luck for him for it kept him from going and getting killed by Indians or dying of Colera as most of them did. His brother James Beardsley came after him. He lived in Pike Co ILL and moved they family down there. Father not being able to walk. They went in a good new wagon and two or three good yoke of oxen cattle. It’s a good thing to have a good brother. Father had done him many a good turn. They were always good to each other. I think It was the Spring of 1848 that he moved to Pike Co. ILL. In to his Uncle Rosses house. He lived there until 1855 or 56 when he bought 80 acres of land and built both house and barn and other buildings and set out an orchard and lived on it several years. In the fall of 1863 he moved to Logan Co. ILL and bought a farm of 160 achers and built a nice dwelling house and barn and set out an orchard. He lived thee till March 1875. He sold it and moved to Fanning Co. Texas whare he and his son William bought 500 acres of land which he improved and himself and his wife lived and died there. He being 76 yr. of age and she 77 at their death.
RECORD OF CHRISTIAN J. ROSS [actually name is "Roos"--CMC]
Christian J. Ross born Dec. 15, 1861
Emma Hageman born Sept. 28, 1863
Were married Dec. 20, 1888
John Ross was born March 10, 1890
Elisabeth Hellen Rathburn born Feb. 17, 1856 and Simon Vanlien Hageman were married March 15, 1874.
S.V. Hageman died Dec. 10, 1882
Elizabeth, his wife died Dec. 2, 1884 leaving two living children.
Luther M. born May 9, 1875 died Jan. 20, 1877
Oscar Hageman born Dec. 21, 1876
Silas Van Hageman born May 26, 1880
Their grandparents raised the two boys. Oscar staying with us till he was 22 yrs. He then went to Ford Co., Kansas. Silas stayed til Sept. 1, 1998. He then went to business collage two months and then to Pontiac to work at A. J. Rathburn Department Store where he still is. He went to work in Marshall Fields store in Chicago, ILL.
RECORD OF SIMON VANLIEN HAGEMAN FAMILY
Refer back to previous mention
RECORD OF NELSON COMBS FAMILY
Nelson Combs was born Picuay Co. Ohio [Pickaway--CMC] Nov. 23, 1849
Anna M. Hageman Born Fulton Co. ILL Oct. 23, 1848
Were married Oct. 7, 1869
Evealenea Combs born July 17, 1870
Edward Combs Born March 18, 1872 died March 11, 1873
Anna wife of Nelson Combs died Oct. 3, 1873
Nelson Combs lived about 15 years longer and died of cancer on face and neck.
Evealena Combs came to live with Grandpa Hageman when about 5 yrs. Old and stayed till she was near 16. She is married now and has 4 children. Two boys and two girls. They live in Hoopston, ILL. Her husband’s name is John Cook.
August Lappin born Feb. 28, 1877 in Effington Co., ILL.
Phoeba Carry Hageman born April 3, 1876 in Logan Co., ILL
Were married Feb. 7, 1902 in Logan Co., ILL
Doratha Marie Lappin Born Nov. 5, 1901 or 1902
Edward A. Lappin Born April 11, 1903 must have been 1904
Russell B. Hageman born Sept. 1, 1846 in Pike Co., ILL
Jane Fulton born
Were married Jan. 17, 1869
Roland Hageman Born Nov. 16, 1869
Lillie May Born July 21, 1871 died Sept. 5, 1872
Jane wife of Russell died
Russell B. Hageman married Fannie E.. Rathburn Jan. 14, 1875
Jane Fulton Born
Were married Jan. 7, 1869
Roland Hageman Born Nov. 16, 1869
Lillie May Hageman Born July 21, 1871 died Sept. 5, 1872
Andrew Walter Born June 1, 1878
Melissa Born Aug. 4, 1880
Edna Pearl Born Sept 18, 1882
Grover Cleveland Hageman Born Jan, 21, 1885 Died Sept. 5, 1885
Russell B. Hageman married Anna M. Price Sept. 20, 1911 at Ford
Edna P. Hageman died at Ford apr. 10, 1925
Russell B. died at Ford June 9, 1928
Melissa Hageman Bently died at Brea, Calif. Oct. 1934
T.J. Ross came to Ill. In 1839 with his half brother James Beardsley, and his cousin, Calven read. They started on foot in Feb. the snow was deep. They took only the clothing they wore and what they could carry in a bundle over the shoulder and each took an axe so they could cut cord wood whenever they got a chance, and in that way they started their journey to the west., as Illinois was called the far west or the jumping off place. Often tired and hungry they slept on the floor of some kind settler. Father secured work in a mill in Beaurough Co., ILL where he stayed till Sept. then he came by the home from Chicago by Walter Reed, and went to Fulton Co., whare he and a brother-in-law living. He came home that Fall and the next Spring moved back to Fulton Co. Uncle Beardsley came back that Fall. Father stayed in Ohio till after his mother’s death and till Grandpa remarried again. Grandpa had a boy living with him that he had raised from a baby of about 20 mo. or there about old. He was now 18 yrs. Old. Father started with his family in Sept. 1843. We came by way of wagon route. We went through Sandusky and Naumean on up in Michigan through Adrien and a good many places especially through the Tamerack Swamp on a corderoy road. I had never saw a train of cars or a rail road til I saw them in Michigan. One of those primitive afairs, an engine, baggage car and two small coaches. We crossed the White Pigon Perarain Indiana, and so on till we got into ILL. The first town I remember is Jolyett., Oteway, and Perue and Foria. We arived at Reed’s three weeks after we started from Ohio. Father and Brother husked corn as long as husking lasted. We moved into a large one room cabin with a fire place. We got all the wood we kneeded. Father bought a good cow and we had plenty of milk and butter, and he bought some beef. Potatoes were plenty and cheap. I went out to work and got a dollar a week in silver and Pa had that to buy flower. I worked out all that Winter and Spring and Summer too, for that matter. That Winter, Father got some money 250 or there about from an estate of one of his Uncle Rosses of Pike Co. Ill. Aunt Margaret Webster got the same. Colonel William Ross settled the estate. I think he was the only brother living. Little as it was it helped Father very much. Father rented a farm the next day, paying cash rent. That was a very wet season and it rained most every day, and some days several times a day during corn plowing. In June it turned dry. Crops were poor. Wheat did not make anything but straw. We did not make much that year. We had our team and farming utencills and ourselves to, and will go ahead and do the best we could. The next year he moved on another farm and paid grain rent in the Fall. The children all had the ague that yr. Myself and Sister worked out. The following Fall I went to school in Fairview in the Spring and got a three months school. Then worked out some and on the 13 of Nov, 1855 was married and went to house-keeping the first week in a log house with one room (large) and a fire-place. My cooking outfit consisted pot, a kettle and a skellet and a large kettle to hear water for washing. The chimney had a crane to hand the kettle on. That was then more than most of them had. I had a coffee pot and a nice set of dishes, six chairs, table, cup-board and bed stead, and bedding and stand. I thought I was well fixed. I had to cook over the fire and bake bread, cake or pies in the skellet, also bake or fry meat in it. I had one wash tub, and board, but no bench to set it on. All so a watter bucket and a few tin dishes. So we started out to house keeping. The first dress I got for a present was callico at 15 cents a yard and there was none worth fetching home for less.
Andrew worked all that Winter in the shop, stocking plows and making sleads and what ever there was to do. He worked until 9 0’clock at night. Our house was a half mile or so from town. I had to stay alone every evening and every day, only at meal times. In the Spring we moved in town. He bought a house and lot. It was a one room house with a pantry and fireplace and stair way and chamber. He thought we had a chamber so he sold our cup-board The lot joined his Father’s . We had good garden. Father gave me a good cow and two pigs. We had chickens. That Summer I cut and saved rugs for a carpet. I bought three bunches of cotton yarn and doubled them three double, and twisted for carpet warp and another gave me eight. Pounds of corse wool, which we had carded and I spun it as corse as I could, and coulered it red and yellow to fill in with the rags we got. We got the carpet woven and there was 30 yards of it. I got it made and down on the floor by the middle of August. Andrews brother Van boarded with us that Summer. They built a store house for Mr. Wilson and a dwelling house for William Davis. He came home from there with typhoid fever and that night our baby was born. Andrew was sick for 21 days before the fever left him very weak. No one expected him to live. I was also sick with chills and fever. My sister Elisabeth came and took care of us both and done all the work Besides doing the washing, house work and nursing till I was able to help her. Thee was no extra help. Grandpa Hageman set up with him almost every night. Of course the Dr. was in three times a day and he had two students that were often in, besides the neighbors. My sister went home with typhoid fever and was sick a long time and lower than he did if that was possible. She finally rallied and got well. All the other children that were at home had the fever that Fall, similar to it but not as bad. Father and Mother had a serious time of it before they all got well. The next Spring Andrew sold almost all of his furniture and house and lot. We then moved in to a small house not more than 12 feet square. It also had a fire place. It was close by Father’s. They were talking about going to Oregon in the Spring. Andrew worked in town that Summer and walked home every night and back to his work every morning. He bought some sheep and sheared them.. He then sold the sheep and we kept the wool. I washed and picked it, got it carded and I spun it and coulered it and we got it wove into cloth. That Fall my brother Jackson took the fever and died. It was a severe blow to us all. He was 16 yrs. old and was great help. Father then gave up going to Oregon the next Spring.
Andrew then rented a farm and intended to go to farming. There was no house on the place and they moved a log cabin there. He had all the work to do. It had to be made over new roof and floor and brick chimney chinked and painted up and white washed. I think he done all the work but laying it up and moving it. It was quite comfortable when it was done, but I had no more cooking utinsels then when I started and not near as nice furniture, but we owed no one a dollar and got along quite well.
That Winter Father and Andrew went to the timber and got out logs for a barn. They halled them to our place where they scored and hewed them and framed them for a large barn for Miller Wycoff. In February that Winter Father was unloading a load of wood and a log in his arms to throw down. He stept back agan another log. The log he had in his arm dropped and fell on his lef and broke it below the knee. Andrew was coming home. He stopped there and went back for a doctor and got it set. It was a long time befor he was well. I often think we should thank the Lord for that broken leg, for then he had to give up going to Oregon for good. Many that started that Spring died on the way with colera and others got killed with the Indians, or rather by the Indians.
It seemed difficult for Andrew to get a team to go to farming, so he went back to town to live and work at his trade again. He rented a two-story house with a large kitchen and a large cupboard and a large fire-place. The front room and hall and up-stairs were clean and nice, but the kitchen and cup-board were not by any means. I cleaned and scrubbed and scraped till I got it clean. We lived in it a month when it was sold and the man that bought it wanted to move in. He gave us $10.00 and the months rent if we let him have it. And we rented another smaller house, cheaper rent. So we rented it and let them have it, and there was another move and another house to clean and very much more work to do. This house had a fire-place too and a mantel shelf, We bought a cook stove and second handed, and it cost us 22 dollars. It lasted seveal years till we had our farm that we bought in Pike Co. paid for and our new house built and then we got a new one.
Father’s leg got nearly well by the first of April. Uncle James came up after him and the family and drove the team back for him to Pike. The team consisted of two if not 3 yoke of oxen cattle. Father had a good new wagon and I think They may have taken two I don’t know. They had so much sickness and the Dr. bills to pay and one that had to pay over as the Dr. claimed more and Uncle paid it. for him. It is very good to have a brother to stand by one in time of trouble, as well as prosparity and done one another good. They enjoyed one another’s society, he was half brother all the same. Then his wife, Aunt sally died. His two little girls came to our house and stayed over a year and mother done all she could for them as well as she did by any of us. So you see it a good thing to have a brother and sister and treat them as such.
Well, they got down there all right and settled in a fairly comfortable log house. Only one room but lard stareway for beds and it also had a fireplace. The boys worked and put in the corn. Father sold his oxen and bought a horse, poltry and pigs and he bought soome sheep and spinning wheels and that Fall he made or bought a loom. The girls had worked it up into yarn. The siad it had to be sheared twice as it was so full of little burrs. Well they wove the yarn into cloth and made cloths for the next Winters wear, and they got along nice by working hard all the time and now I will leave them for a while.
Andrew worked in the shop that Summer. They had all the work could do. They also stocked cradles to cut wheat and oats. He worked very hard all summer. He got thin and frail and complained to pain in his breast and side, but he worked all the time. He was very sickly that Fall. So many died of typhoid fever., sometimes they worked all day and half the night making coffens for them.. They could not be shipped in then like they can now, all ready for use.
There was a show and circus in Canton in August. That day a big rain and wind storm came up and blew the tents down and drenched the people. They was terribley scared. They rushed into peoples houses dripping wet., some crying, others praying for the Lord to forgive them for their many sins, especially of going to the circus, and promising it to be the last time. There was many a fine hat and dress ruined that day.
Soon after that we went down to Pike Co. on a visit to see Father’s folks. We had a pleasant trip there, but coming back it rained most of the time. The streams were ffull of water and we had to ferry the streams. We were glad when we got home. There were no rail roads or police cars then.
Our little girl was born in October and Aunt Lettie , William Hageman’s wife came and staid with me two weeks, and we had a good time. She often spoke of it. Andrews people all liked me. We got along together very well. I treated them very well. That Fall we moved into Father Hageman’s house. He boarded with us. I done his work and we had the house nice and comfortable. We lived very happily that Winter. He took a great deal of care of the children.
Andrew had all the work he could do the next Spring. He worked about three months and then he bought three town lots and got rocks and lumber hauled to build a house. He dug the celler and laid the wall himself, framed it up, raised and enclosed, and floor down and stairway up, but in the Spring he plowed up part of the lots and planted to potatoes, sweet corn, and lima beans, and all kinds of garden truck we wanted. Then done well he worked them up every evening.
That Fall Father Hageman took the typhoid fever and died the 15th of Nov. I also had it and was very sick. Sister Elisabeth came up and Uncle James Beardsley came with her. They came up and Uncle James had it and was very sick. They came up the river on a steam boat. It landed at Copers Creek some miles south of Canton. I don’t know how they got to Canton or how they came from there to our house. Now probably there was a stage or they came out with someone as Canton was our general trading place. It was cold weather. So there it is , an elder brother again. Remember our elder brother Christ who came in to the world to bear our burdens and sins for us. Remember this well. He was barely able to bear the trip, and a good sister also. As it was 8 or 9 miles to Pitsfield and I believe 13 to Florence whare they took the boat, but Mother was worried about us and they came.
Father Hageman’s sale was settled up. Everything sold for what it would bring. Money was scarce and things did not fetch what they ought to. Andrew wanted to get out of town and on a place where he could raise stock and not work by the day. So he sold our town lots and bought a span of horses and a wagon of a man that took the property. He was cheated in both the horses. He bought a wagon and harnes. He paid all he owed and shipped part of our goods, and started for Pike County the first of April. We took sister with us. Father had rented us a place. It was a small farm of 40 acres, I think. We stayed there a few days and Andrew went to Florence and got the things. We had but little money and no father to send us any.
The house was a framed one with two rooms and two rooms up-stares and two fire-places in it. It had an orchard with good Winter apples that sold for a good price, which mostly paid the rent. He put in oats and corn and potatoes. We had a good garden. He plowed some for neighbors and bought two or three hogs. Our crops were very good. He worked in haying and harvesting. A dollar and a half a day. And he bought a good cow for eleven dollars. That year we has lots of apples and peaches. He rented another farm for grain rent. It was 7 miles from where we lived, and he comenced plowing for wheat and stayed away a week at a time. He boded with a man . Sister Emma stayed with us nights. He came home Saturday night and that night our son Van was born, and befor he got the ground plowed his gray colt got lame and he had to leve him at Mr. Willeses pasture. It got so lame he traded for gray horse mutch older, and gave 30 dollars to boot. As we had no money we had that to work out in the Winter in the woods making rails. It was a very cold Winter. We took his dinner in a tin bucket. It would freeze and had to be thawed out by the fire he kept burning. That cold Winters work was very hard on him, and discouraging to us both. His clothing was not warm as it ought to have been and suffe with the cold. It was the best we could do. We were poor and with me and children to support times looked rather blue to us. Father and Andrew has rented some land and there was but one house on it, a fairly good one with two rooms for such a large family. I guess there was an up-stares. Father of course had it, and Andrew had to build another one one half mile from Father’s. The land belonged to Father’s uncle Ross. He was grandfather’s youngest brother. He would not allow us but 20 dollars off the rend, for any improvements we put on the place. Andrew bought a log cabin of the place where we had lived for 10 dollars and moved it up and painted it with lime and sand It made a comfortable house with one room.. Befor he got done we had to move. There was an old structure pretended to be a house without a floor or window. It had a stick chimney daubed with mud. When the door was shut it was total darkness. The house was round logs layed up and muddied up. It was warm. We lived in it 3(?) weeks. Russell cried and kicked around declaring he would not live there. He thought we were going back to Fairview to a pretty house and green grass, pretty paths.
There came a cold spell about as cold as it ever gets. We heard someone calling and Andrew went out and there sat an old man on a white horse, his beard as white as the horse. He was so cold he could not get off the horse and we had to fetch him in the house and set him on a chair befor the fire. And oh my how he shook. He had a sack on the horse and in it a skillet and a few cooking utensils so he and his wife could go to housekeeping. They had been living with their children but felt in the way. He was about 70 years old and she about the same. I wondered at the time, but late years I have often thought of him. We tried to get him to stay but he thought he’d go on to the next neighbors after he got warm. He got there nearly frozen and stayed all night, but he and his wife never got to housekeeping, for the cold ride was too mutch for him and he died in a few weeks. How mutch better it would have been if their children had tried to make it pleasant for their poor old parents, so they could have enjoyed life with them. Children can never repay their parents for all their trouble and care of them.
After while we moved into another house. That year after the crops were in he hired a boy to plow for him. He put a work bench in that house and stocked up cradles for cutting wheat. It made a good shop by cutting a log or two cut out for a window. He got sawed logs for fingers, swaths and had it sawed into lumber and then he sawed them out. He bought the sitches , or rather blades for the cradles by the dozen. It was hard work but he made money at it. He bought another log house of the same man and moved it up there for a stable. He made it good and warm. This took time and money. We thought we would stay there several years, but we only stayed for two years. Uncle Williiam Ross sold the land to Mr. Wills. He was father’s cousin in he being Cloe Ross’s son. He had a brother there by the name of Vine Wills. They were her children by her first husband who died. She then married Lot Hull by whom she had seveal children. Wealthy((?) Grandpa Ross sister Susana Shaw died there in Pittsfield. She had two daughters and a son living there.
Andrew had good crops of oats and wheat and corn. We also had a lot of good pigs and that year we raised a nice colt and sold him for 20 dollars in gold. We thought it good price. We also raised some pigs and sold them for gold. It was the first gold money I ever saw. We were getting gold from California then. Well Mr. Wills did not prove to be a good land lord. He was buying and selling stock all the time wanted to pasture the wheat. He wanted the straw and wanted his say in everything. In fact, did not want to rent the land. He could hire hands for 18 dollars a week and that would pay him better than to rent the land. Andrew saw they could not get along together so he was looking around for a place. He heard of an 80 acres about 3 miles west of us that could be bought of a California grass widdow, owned but had to be sold. She offered it for the same price she had agreed to pay. Andrew was owing some to the store where we had traded ever since we bin in Pike Co. He could pay her the 50 dollars she had paid if Whitings would wait on him. Yes, they would wait, and if he wanted anything come there and get it from Rockport, whitch was 5 or 6 miles southeast of us. He went to Barry whitch was 9 or 10 miles northwest of us. He saw the man that owned the land and paid him and got the papers made out and started for home. It was nearly night, the roads were muddy, then the rain storm came with thunder and lightning as sharp as I ever saw it. And it was so dark he could not see the road and had to get off the horse to find the way sometimes. And Andrew was not at home yet it was 10 o’clock or after in the night when I heard York whistle under the dore. He was our dog and he always went with him and that was a way he had of putting his nose under the dore a whistle. I knew then they were home. I was very glad he had got home.
He put the horse in the stable. Men rode horse back in those days. Well, he and York were hungry and I got up and lit a candle. We burned candles then, not 3 or 4 lamps. Of course I got them some supper. I am glad people do have more conviences now than then.
Well, in the morning he went over to pay the widow and there sat a man that had come over to buy the place. It was just as well . He died befor Spring and his widow did not want the place. Well, Mrs. Cary got her pay and left the place and Andrew had another cabbin to fix up.
It was a large roomy house of one room 10 by 24. It had a good floor but no upper floor. Andrew put in a good upper floor, painted up the house with lime and sand and put in a new hearth and white washed the house inside and it looked very well. It had two doors and two windows. When I got the carpet down and our beds and cup-bord, chairs and table and other things it looked comfortable.
So we left the improvements where we lived two years. I doubt we ever got anything for them only the 20 dollars. There had never been any well there only the ones we dug by the edge of the draw. We had our water to carry from them. When it rained we caught water to wash with. When it snowed I melted snow, and when it did not do either, I carried it from where ever I could get it. Had to go a quarter of a mile for water to drink most of the time.
Well we moved on our place the 16th of February 1853, and there was no lasting water there, only a hole dug 15 foot maybe, quite a way south of our house. It furnished water in the Spring but when dry weather came there was no water there. There was a spring at the very south east of the 80 as far from the house as it could be so we dug a hole there to hold water and fenced in. So we got good drinking water thereby, going a half mile and up hill when one come back part of the way. We never did get good water on that place For a number of years we were at home anyway, and was thankful for a home of our own anyway.
Well, Father’s folks came over to see us on the 27th and on the 28th a boy came to live with us till he was 21 years old.
We now found ourselves on 80 acres of land, some wheat broken and some very grubby, and any amount of blackjack and vine oak and sacafray and grapevines. There was only eleven acres broke and that poorly done, never half tinder. Where we wanted our orchard was a perfect thicket, but we went to work on it with two men and got it grubbed and cleared It was the brush and vines pilled up in great big piles and burned. He dug the holes to set trees befor it was ever plowed or all grubbed. He went over 20 miles to get the trees to a nursery. He got very nice trees, set them out and they all lived but one, and the rabbits ate that. They grew nicely and in 4 years they commenced to baring and a few years we had lots of fruit of most kinds. It took a great deal of work to get this place improved, but in time it was done. Persistant hard work will accomplish lots of things. Many a day Andrew swung the grubbing hoe and he hired a lot of it grubed to, but most he done himself. Our stock when we went there consisted of 15 shoats to fatten in the Fall. They and two calves and three horses and 15 shoats to fatten in the Fall. They were fine ones and when sold that Winter, averaged 400 pounds. Sutch hogs that neighborhood had not hear of or at least not used to seeing. It was no easy matter to improve and clear up that place, but it was done by hard work and self denial. We had no fine clothes or shoes, but we had a home to pay for and a family to support and send to school. We had good neighbors and not so very far away.
The north 40 was a very good piece of ground and not so bad to clear up as some of the other. The children helped to pile brush and we got it cleared up as soon as we coul. Father did not aprove of Andrew buying it because there was so much work to do befor we could raise a crop. We got along some way and in a few years we built a good stable large enough for four horses and room overhead for hay. I think it was two years or so and Father bought an 80 of land about three and a half miles east and half mile north of ours.
Andrew gathered up his carpenter tools and went to work and built them a frame house, and I believe he got one dollar and a quarter a day for his work, and a long day at that. In those good times you hear so mutch about when men got 50 cents a day for cutting corn all day and girls got a dollar and a quarter a week working from four in the morning till 9 at night, and six bits a week for spinning six days work, and no going to town one half day or a half day off, and washing hired done they had that to do and after 6 or 7 children in the family and several hired hands too at some places, and clothing mutch dearer then now, so you may know of course they did not put on as mutch stily(style?) as now.
In a little over two years after we moved thee a little girl came to stay with us.
After the orchard was set out it started to bear in about 4 years, and we had peach trees, and cherry trees, and gooseberrys and lots of hickory nuts and lots of wild plum and grapes and lots of luck both good and bad with the horses.
Meanwhile, the banks were not liable to stay good over night, taxes had to be special or county order which were few, and we had some hard times, but we always managed to get it and kept out of debt and got along some way. If it was hard, we adjusted ourselves to the times and lived within our means. Andrew often changed work with the C??y boys. All this time we had to haul water. When we did not the children and myself had to carry it half quarter of a mile sometimes from the slew two buckets at a time, and part of the way up hill, and then when I did not I had to climb into the a___ on and dip out of a barrel and then climb out. The reason was we could not get a well. He dug as deep as he could and walled it up with stone and waited till we built our new house. We run water in it of the house and it was as good as any water, clear and cold did not taste a bit like rain water.
By this we got quite a flock of sheep, and had to wash and pick and spin it. It had to be spun and scowered out and collored and scowered out again and sent to the weever to be made into cloth and then cut into clothes. We made our own stockin yarn and knit our own stockins, as well as cut and make all the childrens’s clothes by hand, and now had two carpets to make or rather had one all ready made two years and over were past.
At this time, 1860, the Russians were trying to drive the murderous Turk out of Europe and settle the eastern question which they would have done but for England and France, and we can thank them for the masacree of the Armenians in 1895 and 6, and the Grecian War of 97. What they will now do with the Turk remains to be seen.
In the Spring of 1860 March 11 our little daughter Margaret was born.. She was one of the sweetest of babies during her short life of nearly 4 years. She died of scarlet fever Jan. the 21st 1864. Emma Harvilla Hageman was born Sept the 28th 1863. She also had the scarlet fever at the same time Margaret did, but got well. She was troubled with gather in her hear for 10 years and always troubled with headaches. In 1862 the children all had the measles. 7 of them at once, but they all got well.
In the following Summer we all worked hard indoors and out with lots of wool to wash and pick and spin into yarn. We had been having wool and a few sheep for several years, but now and we had got several quite a good flock and they came in good time for us to chothe the family, for by this time the rebellion and war was on hand. Southern Deomcrats were good ready for a cession during Buchannons administration and tried to carry it out, but got whiped back again though it took hard fighting to do. It was done all the same.
In 1863 my father sold his farm in Pike Co., and moved to Logan Co.. He liked the country and next Fall we came up on a visit and Andrew like the country so well he sold his place there and moved up to Logan Co. to. In 1864 he came up here and bought and built a two roomed house. The building was 16 by 24. My brother-in-law came up in to it and he built a quarter section of land we sold him, for at first Andrew has bought a half section of land. We moved up here in Feb. the 16 1865, it being 16 years that we had lived on our farm in Pike co., and 19 years that we had lived there. We had a son born to us the 10 of Jan. He was six weeks old when we started to Logan Co.
Now we were in perara country and not a tree of any kind on our place, but lots of pounds and perara grass. There was a great deal of perara broke up that Summer and a great deal of shacking done in the Fall, followed with high fever and for several Falls in sucession people had chills and fever, but when the land was tilled out, it was healthy as any place. Our baby had the cl------, sick from August to December and it took him all Winter to recrute up and yet in the Spring was far from being a full well baby.
We put a large acerage of wheat that Fall, but that Winter it almost all Winter killed. The seed cost one dollar and fifty cents per bushel We could not make enough to live on and make payments and Andrew went to work at his trade agan and helped build several barns and other buildings, but that Spring he bought some Spring wheat and sowed it. It turned out well and sold for one dollar and fifty cents per bushel. We were here for two years befor we got our school house built. We had preaching in the school house for two years before we got our church built. We had quite a good society here then. Things have changed in the last 35 years. All the old families are dead or have moved away, and all the young ones married and moved away to other parts of the country to live. Our children are living different states. Some that were young then are grandparents now.
We had two other daughters born to us. Mary E. born Oct the 22th 1867 and died on April the 5th 1872 of diptheria. She looked like Margaret and apeared very much like her, a lovely and loving child. She has missed a ------ being taken in childhood. Pheba was born April the 3 1871 Is living at her father’s house now she is married and has one child, but in the years that we have lived in Logan County a great deal of hard work bin done.
We moved here in 1865 and now is the last day of 1902, in the afternoon. We fetched sheep with us and maid a great deal of cloth, and blankets and flannell cloth and stokin yarn for our own use and some to sell at the store for whitch I got two dollars and a quarter a pound. Bought my first ingrain carpet with wool. I was never without a carpet after I put down the first one I made. I have several all wool yarn warp carpets. I made several hundred yards of carpet since I kept house. We have always made our own soap except for toylet soap. I fetch a barrell and a half of it when we came. After it was used we bought two boxes and then we bought ashes of people having timber and made and at last-------to making with out ash which makes as good or better than that they buy at the store.
We have lived within our means, and endeavored to treat others honestly with all men paying as we went along or going without what we could not pay for. Though Andrew is quick tempered, he is just and tender hearted. No one will do more for their neighbors or children than he would. Few comparativly speaking done as much for his children and most people like him. I think he has the respect and esteem of all people whose esteem is worht having, and I can say from my expierence that parents have more happiness with their children when they are small and at home with them and especially after they marry and get scattered around the world.
APRIL 4, 1903
Today if I can I will say if Pa had lived till today he would have bin 79 years old. He died the 5th of March 1903, aged 78 years eleven months and one day, died of weakness of the heart and kidney trouble he bin failing for some time, but was up and about and about a week befor he died. None of us antisipated so sudin change for the worse. He took cold and it settled in the kidney and bladder, and he failed very fast till death came and releived him of his pain and suffering. He had a splended constitution. The doctor said he might have lived to be 100 years if he had taken care of himself, but he liked to work and could do his work to suit himself better than others could do it, and it seemed we could not keep him from working and exposure and yet he often said there was no one living that would be as glad to be rid of work as he would. We ought to have left the place years ago and went to town to live. I do not know whether he would have been satisfied or not. He liked the country better than town and all ways said he wanted to die at home, and yet his disease was sutch that he kneeded the doctors and he consented to go. I went with him. He only lived 4 days after he was there. The day they took him in an ambulance and the doctor went in it with him, the trip did not seem to hurt him in the least that night, but Wednesday he was taken m-----------and failed all the time till he breathed his last withouta sigh or movement again as a deep sleep. He passed away. His eyes were dark brown and his hair and beard were black in his young days.