Peffley - Joel
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552--JOEL PEFFLEY (son of No. 551 ) married in Tippecanoe Co., Sept. 29th, 1853, SARAH ANN STAUTER, born in Penna., near Lancaster, Sept. 30th, 1829. Died Apr. 24th, 1902, (daughter of GEORGE and CHRISTINA (Myers) STAUTER). George and Christina moved to Tippecanoe Co., Ind., in 1834.
Issue: All born in Tippecanoe Co., Ind.
1--WILLIAM HENRY THOMAS PEFFLEY, b. 1-15-1855.
2--FRANKLIN JULIUS ALBERT PEFFLEY, b. 1-26-1857, d. 9-6-1887.
3--FLORENCE LUCINA PEFFLEY, b. 10-20-1859, d. 11-22-1862. 4--CLARAETTE ALLIE PEFFLEY, b. 11-28-1864.
FROM REMINISCENCES BY JOEL PEFFLEY.
"In the spring of 1832 their first home was built in the wilderness, 'Hoosier cabin, a clapboard roof, a clapboard door, a clapboard loft and a puncheon floor.' This was a one room cabin sixteen by twenty feet, stick and mud chimney and a six foot fire-place. This home was near the present town of Ladoga, Indiana. The wilderness was full of wild animals. "Father was a Cooper by trade. He made mother a churn, a tub, and a piggin. Mother did her first churning in a coffee pot, walked the floor and shook it until the butter came. "Movers were passing frequently and this was the main stopping place between Danville and Crawfordsville. They often traveled after night to get here. I have seen a row of people lying from the fire-place to the door, heads to the wall. There was just room to walk from the fire-place to the door. Mother cooked for them at the blazing fire-place, with the people sitting around in the way. At about six years of age I was installed as dish-washer. "The oak trees were so full of acorns that the hogs got fat in the woods. When we needed meat we took the gun and horse, shot one or two and dragged them home. "Mother was ingenious. She cut a belt around a buckeye tree, about eighteen inches through, peeled it off, then with leatherwood bark sewed it together. Made a bottom of another piece pressed flat, and another made a top, then a narrow piece for a rim sewed on and she had a dandy band-box. Mother made our summer hats out of straw. For winter she made me a cap out of possum skin and made John one out of mole-skin. Circle's cap was made of coon- skin. Thomas' hat was made of ground squirrel skin with the tails hanging around. In this way we all knew our own caps. "We always kept fire, but if it should go out we had flint and steel and punk and could have fire inside of an hour. Father helped his neighbors roll logs and raise houses and cleared land after night. "Father loaned his big Virgina wagon to a party to haul the Government money from Crawfordsville to Cincinnati, only two men with each a single barrel pistol guarding it, and it went safely. Father traded off the old wagon and we then used a sled, winter and summer, hauling in the wheat and the hay out of the fields. "Mother with a fire coal, marking on the hearth, taught me to write, so I could spell before I went to school.
About 1837 John and I started to school at Hopewell, over two miles away. Kelsey was the teacher. Some children had no books, just a board and the teacher made letters on it for them. "A man came to father and asked to work a half day to get 25 cents to pay postage on a letter that was in the postoffice. Labor was fifty cents a day. Father gave him the work and he got the letter. "1838. About this time mother got a loom. She would spin and weave and make our clothes, work in the harvest field, come in at ten o'clock and get dinner. Father tapped sugar trees. She made molasses.
"1840. About this time father built the hewed log house. Now we had more room for movers and they came thick and fast. Mother printed a sign, 'private entertainment' with white lead and new milk for oil. On it was a picture of a woman holding to the frame.
"1842. On August 27th, a terrible accident occurred. Father with a load of tan-bark for Lucas' Tanyard, Thomas and Cyrus being along, on coming home a very large limb of a tree fell on them, killing Cyrus and badly hurting Thomas and nearly killing father and badly hurting one horse and wrecking the wagon. This made it hard on mother and us. At this time father owned eight hundred acres of land.
"In the summer of 1849 I taught my first school, three months for thirty-six dollars at the Harrison schoolhouse. Afterwards I went to school at Ladoga. After I was twenty one I went to school one term and boarded at Uncle Joe Robinson's. "About 1850 the brick house was built, Jonathon Shaver built it.
I taught a school northwest of Ladoga in the summer of 1852 and boarded among the pupils. Jonathon Markey and I made rails for father. I would quit in the middle of the afternoon and go to my writing school, which I was teaching at Inlow's schoolhouse at night. Feb. 10th, 1851, I joined I.O.O.F. in Ridgeley Lodge No. 61.
"In the year 1853, Sept. 29th, I was married to Sarah A. Stauter of Tippecanoe Co. Taught three terms of school, was elected township clerk, served three years, then was elected justice of the peace. In the meantime I moved on the farm and took an active part in the grange movement of that day. I twice represented my Lodge as a delegate at the State Grange.
"In 1879 I sold my chattels and removed to Montgomery County, Indiana, to help care for my invalid parents. After two years I moved back to the farm in Tippecanoe Co.
In 1888 I sold the farm and moved to Delphi, Indiana." Joel like all the rest of the Peffleys possessed remarkable ability as a penman and wood-carver. He carved intricate designs and figures on peach-pits and wood. He carved many fine canes. One in particular he carved with figures of grass-hoppers doing all the things that people do. This was during the grasshopper plague. The cane was exhibited at the World's Fair at Chicago. More follows: Joel, John R. and Circle are the children who came from Bottetort Co., Va. in the fall of (Nov.) 1831. Landed and wintered near where the town of Ladoga now stands. In the spring of 1832 the first home was built in the wilderness, The "Hoosier Cabin. " Here commences my first recollection-being 3 years old-here in a one-room cabin 16 x 20 ft., stick and mud chimney, six-foot fire place-all regular Hoosier style. My Earliest Memory: One day Father, Mother and us three boys went to see the new house. It had no floor in it yet. I distinctly remember this. Eat, drink, sleep, romp around and gather wild flowers was the highest of my ambition. A dense wilderness full of wild animals surrounded us. The howling wolves warned us to keep near home, and a chance bear track made the warning still stronger; and after father killed the big rattlesnake, we felt like as if it was dangerous to be safe. This snake was six feet long-had only eight rattles (probably had more and lost them). It was skinned and the oil extracted-use-for sore eyes. The carcass was hung in the chimney corner where it dried and some people would taste of it. The skin was stuffed with bran and hung by the door, and caused many questions by travellers. We often found buck horns in the woods. When the weather was warm enough, we went in our shirt tails, played in a nearby brook and made mud images; fought gnats and mosquitoes; I tell you, they were worse than nettles-and we dug turkey peas, and gathered Johnny-Jump-Ups and had a fight-pulling heads off-we always managed to find amusement. About six o' clock in the evening-or sun down-the wolves would set up a howl not very far from our house. Our dog would run out towards them, then the wolves would chase him back home. Once they snatched a bunch of hair out of him. A few rods[1] south of the house was a little brook. Near where it made a junction with the "Big Branch" was a spring where we got our water for a couple of years. Sircle fell in it and I pulled him out-a dry spell played it out and a well had to be dug. Mother, with a forked peach limb, located the well-she located several wells in the neighborhood and made a success every time. Mother did her first churning in a coffee pot; she would walk the floor and shake it till butter came. Father was a cooper by trade. He made mother a churn, a tub and a piggin[2] -this was to wash our feet, etc. in; it held about a peck. There was a spring near the house. Father made those vessels out of split timber. 1833 By this time, movers were passing frequently, and this was the main stopping place between Danville and Crawfordsville (29 miles) and they often travelled after night to get here. This good stopping place got noised abroad and people would travel after night to get here. They camped out when the weather would permit. I have seen a row of people lying from the fireplace to the door, for our beds, chair benches and table took up the balance of the room Mother often cooked for them at this blazing fire-and the people sitting around in the way-and those big fires were brain roasters, but I never heard her complain. At about six years of age, I was given an apron and installed as assistant dishwasher. This place I held until Elizabeth Fletcher was taken in as a bound girl until 21 years of age. In the fall (November) 1833 was the spectacular scene of the falling stars. I did not get to see them; but father had a hired hand whose name was Locket; he didn't think enough of it to get out of bed to see it. He said it's a sign of a storm. As soon as they struck the ground, they disappeared. 1834 Once in a while we would find a tar bucket partly full of tar. The movers carried them on a coupling pole, and when the wheel got deep into a rut, it would be dragged off. This way we had plenty of tar to grease our wagon. Hazelnuts were plenty along the road, and haws-four different kinds, and nice red plums. The oak trees were so full of acorns that the hogs got fat in the woods. When we needed meat, all we had to do was take the gun and horse, go out in the wood, shoot one or two and drag them home. The ground would be tramped like the road under the trees, and paths from tree to tree. Bread got scarce and some people ate acorns. They didn't go bad if a person was hungry. When roasted they beat nothing. The First Sermon I Ever Heard One Sunday morning, Mother said we would go to meeting. I, John, Sirk and Tom were the boys. Father saddled up Old Tom and Fox, and Mother got us ready. Then he helped Mother on old Fox and put Thomas in her lap and John R. behind her. Then he put Sirk on a stump, then he mounted Old Tom and took Sirk before him, then I got up behind him, and the caravan moved off-Four miles away to the Otterman house near Alfred Rose's (Lucinda says, when a girl, she remembers seeing them come by, and her folks said, "There goes Red John Peflley.", John B. was called "Black John.") Well when we got there, the preacher came out to help us unload. Us boys were barefooted. Mother said I must pay attention to what the preacher said. All ready. When the preacher pulled off his hat, I got scared at his bald head. Having recently heard Mother read the awful story about how the bears tore the school children to pieces for making fun of old Elisha's head. I was afraid I might think something I ought not, and the bears would find it out and go for me. So that meeting done me no good. In those days men carried their handkerchiefs in their hats, a kind of drawing string kept it from their heads. In a couple of weeks a man called at our house, and seemed to be acquainted, and talked and talked till he got sweaty, and pulled off his hat to get his handkerchief to sop up the moisture on his brow, and lo and behold! it was the same bald headed preacher. Well, I crept under the bed mighty quick and stayed there until he departed. Only a few days before, I had seen bear tracks in the road and knew they were not far away. A tornado tore a gap thru the treetops as it swooped down and took the roof off of our house. It was night, and we didn't know it until the rain began to come down on us. Next morning was a sight-a great change, the yard full of debris and limbs, and all the fences was scattered over the ground. Northeast of the house, our sugar camp and pasture was a wreck, blown down. Father hired Jonathan Markey to cut the trees off near the root so it would fall back and fill up the holes, as most of them was uprooted. In this sugar camp was a fine lot of plum trees, some large and good flavored. But soon after it became denuded of trees it began to die out, and the plum orchard was a thing of the past. Mother was ingenious. She cut a belt around a buckeye tree about 18 inches through, peeled it off, then with leatherwood bark sewed it together, then with another piece-pressed flat, made a bottom, and another made a top, then a narrow piece for a rim, sewed on, and she had a dandy band box. In this box she kept her Sunday bonnet. She once raised a lot of silk worms, fed them on lettuce until the mulberry leaves got big enough for food. I liked to watch and feed them, and see them spin the cocoons. Mulberry leaves made the silk. After they were done, mother put one of them in a basin of warm water, and started a thread, and it unwound like a thread from a spools and I ran away out in the road and it didn't break. Mother doubled the thread and worked Cyrus' name on a white cap. Molby was hired to come to our house to make our shoes. He made straight ones-people said rights and lefts would not last as long as straight ones, as rights would run crooked. I would like to see one put a bristle on a wax end thread now. Mother made our summer hats out of straw, and made me one out of buckeye splits. For winter, she made me a cap out of a possum skin, and made John one out of mole skins, and had him squeeze one to death so he could squeeze a felon to death (1 believe he could do it, too.) Circle's cap was made of a coon skin. I jerked it from him and threw it at him and missed him, and it went into the fire and burned nearly all the hair oft: and we called him balley. Sirkle was named after Zirkle Robinson and spelt Sirkle. Thomas' cap was made of ground-squirrel skins with tails hanging around. So in this way, we all knew our own caps. Mother, with a fire coal marking on the hearth, learned me to write, so I could spell before I went to school. Old Mrs. Harvey came to our house to beg a few coals of fire. We always kept fire, but if our fire should go out, we had flint and steel and punk, and could have a fire inside of an hour. She carried it in a shovel of ashes. Mother would make pictures and valentines for the young folks, and also write letters for some neighbors. She was good to wait on the sick. Father helped his neighbors roll logs and raise houses, and cleared land after night. Once he mistook a mossy rock for a chunk and nearly ruined his axe. Living off the Land We pulled up hickory grub and ate them They were' tender' and good. We went in the mud too much and often got cow leaches-cracks under the toes, when we would tie a yarn string around it and it would get well. We also got stone bruises from jumping so much; then we would cut the pattern of the foot out of the sod and lay it upside down on a stump, and it would get well. About this time we was into everything and sampling everything. Once while under a tree, we found some curious stuff about as thick as a pencil and near a half inch long; we tasted it and it tasted a little good. Soon we found a very large worm and punched it with a stick, and it made out one of those things. We didn't want any more of that. Once John and I were going for haws and didn't want Sirk along. We told him if he would stay at home, we would bring him a lot of good haws. He stayed. We couldn't find any,-wasn't ripe yet. The woods was full of haw trees four or five kinds. We didn't want to disappoint him or he might not be easy to work another time -so we seen a little pile of rabbit dung, and decided that they would fill the bill as Sirk wouldn't know any better, having never seen haws -so we brought him a big handful and gave them to him. He ate them, said, "yum-yum, got any more?" We never let him know any better for fear Mother would find it out, and then something might happen to us. I and Sirk made us swords out of a board, got astraddle of a stick for a horse-now we were light horse cavalry. Sirk and I engaged in a battle-Sirk gave me a cut over the head and it hurt like blixen. This made me hot, and I charged on him and he retreated, and the battle was over. We would break corn cobs, set them on end, and get behind our men (would stick feathers in some of them for officers) and see who could knock each others down first. Pop guns, bows and arrows made lots of fun for us. Once I tackled some squirrels on a peach tree; I didn't get one, but they would squeal a little when I hit one-soon they got away. We found lots of bumble bee nests and robbed them of their honey. Then get the dog into them and see him pick the "burrs" off. Sometimes we had to pick "burrs," too. Yellow jackets and hornets we didn't bother much as they had no honey. Once we had sick wheat, sick wheat looks red, and I got sick from eating the bread, and had to have my corndodger[3] at every meal for a good while. "Jonah" We killed all the snakes, and they were plenty. I heard mother read the story of Jonah and the whale. Well, we killed a big snake that showed that there was something in its body. I said, "Boys, I believe there is another Jonah in there, and we will help him out. " So I got Sirk and John to hold its tail, while I with a stick, squeezed and squeezed, and he didn't come out. 'Well, boys you hold down his head, and I will fetch the old man out the other way". All ready. Tom was on his haunches to see and welcome the old man when he came. I with a stick squeezed and squeezed-when all of a sudden, it broke loose-and the whole shooting match-Jonah and all-struck Tom between the eyes. He was a horrid sight and he cried, and we was scared, and hurried off to water, and never looked after Jonah. We never told our experience. We often found snakes with a toad in them and would squeeze' them out and call them "Jonah." We made them come out of the snake's mouth imagining it was a whale. 1836 Father loaned his big Virginia wagon to a party to haul the government money from Crawfordsvi1le to Cincinnati-only two men with a single-barrel pistol guarded it, and it went safe. Would like to see some one try that now. Then father traded off the old wagon, and we used a sled, winter and summer, hauling in the wheat and hay out of the field. The first wheat we raised was cut with a sickle, and beat out with a flail or club, and cleaned by two men with a sheet, while a third would dribble it out of a bucket. To clean seed wheat, throw it by the handful a little distance against a sheet stretched up. To clean it for seed put up a sheet. Stand back and throw it-the good wheat would go to the sheet and the light stuff would stay back. We had corn graters, and as soon as the corn got hard enough we would have something nice; Johnnycakes[4] was also fine. To make them, take a board a foot wide and a little longer, spread the dough on it about an inch thick, and set it up before the hot coals, and when brown, serve with milk and butter. This way the Kentuckians made their hoe cakes, taking the hoe instead of a board. They knocked off the hoe from the handle -took it home for the purpose-thus they got the name "Tuckey-hoes". Aunt Barbara Stone ground corn on her coffee mill for two weeks for bread, for three or four in the family. Too far to mill, and water scarce-a drouth. We used to go to mill above Crawfordsville to Hillman's mill on horseback, 12 miles. Sometimes it would be night before we got back home. Once I knew of a boy whose sack of grain fell off, and he had to wait a long while before someone came by to put it on for him 1837 About this time, I and John started to school at Hopewell. Kelsey was teacher. Some children had no books-just a board-and the teacher made letters on it for them. One said that as soon as the fur was good, his Pap would kill some coons and sell the skins and buy some books. One man came to father and asked for to work a half day to get 25 cents to pay the postage on a letter that was in the post office. Father furnished the work and he got the letter, and it was from his girl who in this way gave him the mitten. The letter came from Virginia. Then he got mother to make him a valentine to send her with verses on it. I remember one verse was: "Lots were cast three times I drew- I drew you out from a dozen, And I found out that you was The old sow's cousin. " I guess she paid 25 cents for the valentine, and he in a measure evened up some. Father kept whiskey to sell. Bill Wade, Jim Wyat and Sewel Harvey would get funny, especially about the holidays. We had to eat Rue[5] on butter bread to keep the ague[6] off; also, drink whiskey and tansy[7] to keep it off. Well, we thought it was bitter enough to keep anything off When anyone of us got sick, the first thing father would make us drink was about a gallon of salt water. This would make us throw up everything inside and out-and then some. We didn't get sick often. 1838 About this time, Mother got a loom and we helped her put in pieces and wind spools on the quill wheel. Mother would spin and weave and make our clothes, work in the harvest field, come in at ten o'clock to get dinner. Father tapped sugar trees, she boiled the molasses and sugar. Nothing beat buckwheat cakes and molasses. Well, we with our bows and arrows shot crawfish, and Mother would dress and cook them for us. We thought they were fine. We was in for tasting everything. John came across one of those big reddish ones, the first we had ever seen. He got to monkeying with it and got pinched-the blood came-and he cried. Mother dressed and cooked it for him, and that cured him. We eat all the rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs and possum-but coon wasn't very good. It tasted strong. Well, pulling flax was no easy job, but breaking was worse, and skutching was worser. Boys, lets go a flax pulling-Daddy-Mamma-Joel-John-Sirk-Tom-and Zach. Zach could help Tom-and we took in a wide strip. We used to see how far we could go from tree to tree without touching the ground. One time I was bending a sapling to get onto another, and it broke and I fell and got near all the wind knocked out of me; then we discontinued that kind of sport. I and John made us a little wagon apiece and gathered nuts. Near Christmas times we saved all the hog bladders for to make noise with, for it seemed that there was no Christmas without a lot of noise and hurrah of some kind or other, and it is so yet. We would blast a big log or something for a noise. Crack nuts and jokes, and eat crully cakes; Mother made good ones, too. I got a job of cooking them and that suited me fine, as I could sample one now and then. Nothing beat crullys. Now threshing was done with horses, and when the weather was cold, so it could be done on the frozen ground. Riding was a cold job, and a tiresome one, too. Not many floors yet. Barnet once threshed on an ice pond. The ice got rotten and broke in. That stopped business quick. 1839 About this time, Father had quite a buckwheat patch, and the coons were bad on it. Our dog was good on coon; he would go out after night by himself, tree and stay by them all night, when father would go out and shoot them. Sometimes the coon would come down and the dog would kill them and come home; and by his actions, father would know there was a dead coon out in the buckwheat patch. Sometimes he would have coon on two trees, and had a path tramped from tree to tree. In this way, several coon would get taken in at one time. That fall, father got 26 coon skins at a shilling apiece (16) and never went coon hunting. Goose quills were kept in the store for sale. I sold a dozen goose quills at a half-cent apiece. Mother could make a good pen and was a good penman. She learned me to write. The woods was so dense when I went far in it, I would blaze a tree, or break some twigs on my way, so I could see my way back. Once I got after a gang of turkeys and got lost so bad I didn't know my own home until I got my eyes on the old cottonwood tree. We had two dogs that would go hunting groundhogs and possum while we were at work. In this way we got 24 skins, took them to the tanyard at Ladoga, and had them tanned for strings-tanned one half for the other. After this, we tanned all our hides for strings. We tanned them with soft soap. Mother learned us how to play games such as Hul-gull, odd or even, andny over, blackman, bushel, morass, fox and geese and checkers, and we didn't lack for games. I loved games and was good at them. I was the best ball catcher at school; and couldn't be beat at a game of marbles. 1840 At about this time Father built the hewed log house. Now we had more room for movers, and they came thick and fast, even after night. Now we got lots of movers-we didn't like to see them come on Sunday-spoiled our fun. A sign was put up, "PRIVATE ENTERTAINMENT" was printed on it. Mother did the job. Painted the sign white with white lead and new milk for oil. On it was the picture of a woman holding to the frame with both hands. About this time, the Old Man Boswell stayed here, and Sirk improvised a smelling bottle for him (a stink in the fist.) We learned how to make powder-not very good though-but we thought it was some. It is a wonder we didn't get hurt fooling with this powder, but we quit in time. Sirk cast a pewter pistol and shot near through an inch board. I and John loaded it and bursted it, nobody was hurt. Then I made one, and Zach Mahorney's jackass came around smelling up trouble. The dog wondered what kind of an insect it was, and went up to smell it a little, and the next thing he didn't know anything, and when he waked up, he smelled of himself to see if it was him, then looked for a hole to creep in. I found this out, and said, "John, let's shoot the godevil." We had the fence between us and felt safe, so I got my pewter pistol, put in a spoonful of our patent powder, then a little tow, then some salt, then filled it up with peas. I allowed for the peas to open his hide and the salt would make it smart. John got a coal of fire; we went in about six feet of his side, by the fence where he stood-asleep, we thought, for his eyes was shut and his ugly ears wilted down-the ugliest thing we had ever seen-dead or alive. I laid the pistol on the fence rail, held it while John put the fire coal on the touch hole-siz-siz-bang it went, and made a lot of smoke; before the smoke cleared away, I discovered the pistol was gone. I expected the whole thing had gone into the blamed jackass -as the smoke cleared, I expected to see him lying dead, and felt a little scared -but no, there he stood like the statue of old nick, his tail at half mast, his eyes wide open and his big ears stood up. While I was wondering what next, his tail went down and I didn't see any blood. I thought he would make for tall timber. Soon, while I was musing what next to do to him, he slowly moved off, and we expedited his movement with small rocks. He never came back. We found the pewter pistol. It was demolished. We never made another one. Jonathan Markey was father's work hand, and a good one, too. He took us boys out to help him pick trash-limbs that had fallen off the trees. Old Benjamin Markey, his father, was our Uncle; he got lost in the woods, and when found was dead - chilled to death. One day when we was playing beside the road, Preacher White came riding by.
He stopped and said, "Howdy boys".
We said "Howdy". Then he said to me "What is your name?"
I said "Joel". Then to John "What is your name?"
He hesitated a little when Sirk spoke, "It is Snap Eye" (a fashion he had of blinking one eye). The preacher grinned a little, then said to Tom, "What is your name?" and he said "Thorn." "You should have said Thomas." Then to Sirk "And what is your name?" "Sirkass". Then he grinned again and said "Be good boys" and I said "We will." Then he lit out. I wonder what he thought of us. By this time we had teased Old Tom so much that it was not safe to fool with him unless he was hitched to something. Us boys were running after each other around the horses and Old Tom took a hand. Once I was fooling around him and he grabbed my straw hat and left the rim sticking on my head. I called this a close call for my scalp. The old horse could take no joke. About this time Betsey Redinger staid here, and Father and Mother went off on a visit to Putnam County, and left her to keep house; when Sirk got to teasing John so much that she got after him, and they raced around the house several times nearly in reach of him; she stumbled and fell, (she was tall) and reached him, fastened to his leg and dragged him to a switch and gave him a good dusting. Afterwards, he got into the big barrel and got Betsey to roll it; then he got her to get in and let him roll it, it being down hill and she got loose in it and told him to stop rolling -then he rolled harder and she was getting skinned up, and wriggled out and made for him-but he had the start too much and she couldn't get him; and he felt somewhat evened up with her. Well, about this time, Jim Fisher was here and wanted a smoke; and Sirk got some new tobacco and filled up his pipe, putting some "patent" powder in it, handed it to him with a coal of fire on top. He drew a little and the smoke didn't come good, when he pressed it down a little and it exploded, burning his finger and filling his eyes with smoke and ashes -he tried to get him but he got out of the way. I got a felon[8] on my right fore finger and they put a poultice of human dung on it, and when I found it out, I cried, but it cured it. This was before John squeezed the mole to death. Zach got a "white swelling" on his leg; it was badly swollen-looked white and water oozed out of little holes. He couldn't walk. A poultice of white lily bulbs cured it. We raised our tobacco. We made cigars and sold some to travellers. I never shall forget my first smoke. O my! but I was sick. I didn't let the folks know it, or I might have to take a dose of warm salt water. I never bought a cigar in my life. I saw people chew tobacco. It looked good like dried beef-so I and John bought a fips worth of "Dog leg", each took a chew of it, and got sick-when we threw it as far as we could send it. Hay was scarce and Father let us have the grass in the fence corners to make hay, which we would sell to movers. Well, we got quite a little stack of it, sold it and divided the money;-a fip (6ΒΌ cents) an armful. One time a man wanted a fips worth, and I got up on the stack-threw down hay until I thought there was enough; he said "A little more, Bub," A little more went-he piled it up, gave me the money-then made a hole down through the middle of it, caught the bottom and walked off with the biggest armful of hay we ever seen. After this we charged a fip for as much as one could carry under his arm-for we were not going to sell it by the stack.
Hay was scarce. Down by the brook was a nice bunch of peppermint, and Moses Heney and his company would get a bunch of it, and some whiskey and make "mint sling". It was a good drink. They often passed along, and never failed to stop. Father rented Barnet's sugar camp, and we commenced the 1st of February, 1841 and tapped over 600 trees, and finished the last of March, making 1500 pounds of sugar and near 300 gallons of molasses. Sugar eight cents per pound, molasses 75 cents per gallon. We had a time of nights-boiled till near midnight-drink syrup-roast eggs-play games. Our furnace was in the hillside and contained five kettles; we could boil down 20 barrels in a day. One week we had a steady run and gathered 84 barrels of water-had to gather water sometimes by night. We got so weak by eating so much sweet we could hardly walk up and down hill. Some of the boys got one of Burnet's chickens and had a roast. I saw a camp opened in Putnam County-1500 trees, and had goose quills for spiles, two to the tree. About this time, husking parties was quite common together with quiltings. The corn would be jerked, hauled and piled near the crib; then the pie would be divided; two would choose out like for a ball game; and the side that beat got to eat at the first table. Then after supper, a play was on which lasted until after midnight. In those days, corn was bladed to the ears and then topped; the blades for the geese and lambs, tops for the horses, husks for the cattle; so there wasn't much left on the ground. Ginseng was plenty, price 25 cents per pound dry. This was our chief source of revenue. Do a task, then go a sang digging. Some people camped out near Crawfordsville, and dug enough to buy a quarter section of land. It all went to China where they swapped gold for it, pound for pound. Yellowroot was 10 cents per pound. 1841 About this time some visitors was at our house. One of their children, a "snot nose," threw a stone and broke a window glass. We didn't see it done. Father found it out and blamed it on I or John. We both denied it, and he said that one or the other of us done it, and he would give us both a switching and he would get the right one. Well we cotched it. This made us mad, for we did not do it. Then we broke for the cornfield, John after me,-both hot-and we made no plan-John just followed me and did as I did. The roasting ear stage; well I straddled a row, and John the same way, and we went a couple of rods this way. Afterwards, Father seen it and wondered what done it. We let him wonder. This was the only time I ever done any spite work. Bill Lytle worked for Father, and they both, and I and John went up on Father's land above Americus to do some deadening. After we got back, we all took the ague except father, and he kept it off with whiskey bitters. We played about the water too much. Some people still cut their wheat with sickles, as the cradlers wasted too much. Everyone had a jug of whiskey in the field-take a little with the water. We kept peppermint in our drinking water. Go to work by sun up and work till sun down;-a 9 o'clock lunch, dinner 12, and a 4 o'clock lunch, and supper after night. Pancakes and sweetened vinegar made a passable lunch. Hammer the scythe before breakfast for mowing grass, I was a good hand at that, could hammer it in a half hour; I carried a cow horn with water in it, and a whetstone in this to whet the scythe, and the horn was fastened to the waist band About this time, Sirk twisted up some tobacco and poured molasses over it-said he was going to make some Cavendish tobacco, put it to press under a fence corner. Cavendish was a choice brand-sweet. One day Andrew Peffley came, Sirk was not at home; we showed him where Sirk was -making Cavendish tobacco. He said, "I'll make Cavendish out of it for him." Then p-d over it. Next day, we all went to see how the tobacco was doing-bees and flies on it. Sirk took it out of press, smelt at it-then cut off a little piece and put it in his mouth, when I and John commenced laughing and told him what Andy Peflley done to it. He spit it out and threw it away. Sirk never tried to make any more Cavendish. About this time, I and John was cutting drags and Sirk with the team and sled was hauling them home. The sugar water ran good that day. I cut a niche in a tree to get some to drink; every time Sirk came for a load, he would take a drink. I said, "John, let's playa trick on Sirk." "Well." "You see that dead sugar tree, well I will cut a niche in it and we will p- it full and put a burr stem in it, and just before he comes, we will empty the other one, and he'll find it empty, when I will say that tree is our sugar water tree, better not drink it, and he will go for it, see if he don't." He is coming-all is ready-here he is; he jumps off; runs for a drink, finds it empty. I said, "That over there is our sugar water, better not drink it. " (He never noticed it was a dead tree.) He ran to the tree, down on his knees took the burr stem in his mouth, took a suck and got some down his throat before he could stop it. Then he spit it out-John and I laughed and hollered-and he spit and spit and begin to look mad, as if he might do something, when I said for you not to drink it and you went and done it, can't blame us. Then he cried. He seen how he got his foot in it, and it was a corker. So he calmed down. This tickled John, for Sirk teased him so much. Cornstalk was a good stream for fish in those days; here we did our first fishing. There was good swimming holes in it, too. Once John got the fish hook in his finger and had to have it cut out. I got a leech on my leg and didn't discover it till I got home. It was full of blood. I pulled it off and it left a blue spot for a long time. I cut my foot badly and father sewed it up. Gosh, it hurt some. I became a good hand with an axe; would cut down a tree just to see it fall. Was good with the scythe: all kind of work that we did, we tried to get some amusement out of it. In husking corn-red ears. We raised Calico Corn and there was lots of red ears in it. In digging potatoes, would see who would get the largest potato. Pheasants were plenty, and in the spring, their noise could be heard half a mile; and the question was, how they did make it. Some said they flopped their wings on a log. Some said they shut their eyes and could be caught. So I wanted to know. I located one, got trees between it and me, and while it was thumping, would run to the next tree-and now the last tree was reached only a couple of rods away; now it commenced and I started and I had not went more than three or four steps till it stopped and flew away. I learned one thing-that they could see while flopping. Didn't flop on the log, either; it stood straight-looked like a brown jug sitting on the log. Once we killed a possum, then piled leaves over it and set them on fire, and the hair all burned off, when it got up, gave a ghastly grin, then run off and against the sleepy dog which jumped up and with ears laying back and tail down, ran home as fast as he could. Afterwards thinking it was dead we threw it into a burning stump.It tried to run out. The squirrels were so bad on the corn that we would take the dog and chase around the field early in the morning. The hogs would run after the squirrels to get the corn from them when the squirrel would cross from the fence to a tree. Sometimes the squirrel would drop the corn and the hog would get it. One man couldn't get a horse to take his grist to mill, and was out of meal; so he packed two bushel on his shoulder, and he stopped at Father's to rest. He lived near North Salem, 10 miles away, and nine miles to Crawfordsville, where he took it. He carried it 19 miles. A large family-schooling was costly A few weeks schooling each winter was all we got, for father had to pay about $2.00 per scholar. I got to be one of the best spellers in school, and the best ball catcher. Mother learned me how to graft, and I and John had a little corner which we called our nursery. I planted apple sprouts and grafted on them-sold a few of them I helped mother to wash. Wash boards was not thought of yet. We laid the wet clothes on a bench or stump and paddled them-could hear the licks a half mile. Don't know any harder job than riding the horses to thresh wheat-too cold work. I and John's first speculation-we sent to La Fayette by Father to get us a barrel of whiskey giving him the empty barrel for his trouble. Mother discouraged the business. We paid 20 cents per gallon and sold it at 50 cents; but when we sold out, we never reinvested -didn't like the business. Six men heavy armed stay over night-said they were after a horse thief. A young man, a quaker, stayed over night; he was going to get married. He read the ceremony-he said he had to read it off in church. In a few days, he came back with his new wife. A man by the name of Burk stopped over night on his way to Crawfordsville to enter a piece of land. Another man was after it and missed it. Burk felt good over it and mixed a little whiskey with it and came back to stay over night and was boozy; Father took his bottle from him-when he drew a knife on Father. Father made him put it up pretty quick. This was the first display of big knives we ever seen. One was over a foot long. After supper, he asked to go to bed. Father said, "Yes the bed was ready." Then he said he wanted to pray for Father. Father said, "You better pray for yourself" "I can do it," he said-then pulled off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, spit in his hands and rubbed them-then down on his knees and made a roaring prayer; then turned a summerset backwards-"Now I am ready to retire." Next morning he asked us how he behaved; we told him; when he said "Boys, get the ax and kill me." We learned that he was a one horse preacher. First when he got up by the fire in the morning he vomited in the chimney corner. "Now I feel better." We got a turtle-the first we ever saw-had fun with it 'till we got tired-then cut its head off; its head lay there mouth open. Sirk stuck his finger in it and got bit. It scared him 1842 Old Tom was a splendid horse, but he was no good for funny doings; he always meant business; he was seriously inclined. Father would often get in a racket with him You have no idea what a grip he had with his tail. Tom would get his tail over the line, and had a good grip, and held it so tight that Father got more pulling than he wanted; and he would get hot, and take off the whiffle tree and beat him over his head; and he got the pole evil; and Father would bathe it with turpentine and roast it in with a hot iron. Once Father gave me a task-plow the tater patch, then I could go Sang digging or fishing. The flies was bad and Old Tom would get his tail over the line and hold it; I had to stop him to get it out. This he caught on to, and got to rest some, and done it so often that I did not get done in time to go Sang digging. I turned the horses out to pasture, and went to where the boys were burning brush, when presently, Old Tom came near the fire to smoke the gnats off, and there he stood on three legs, his tail slightly raised. An idea struck me, here was a chance to even up with him; so I got a stick about as big as a broom handle and four feet long-the smoke and blazes was spinning out of it-I'll slap this under his tail and jerk it out quick -so here goes; he caught it, jerked it out of my hand and went off like an immense rocket, kicking and snorting and sparks flying. I was scared-thought Old Tom was ruined-but at last he got rid of it, and I felt somewhat relieved. Monday-"Boys, get up the horses." I was afraid to see Old Tom-here they are. Tom looked bad under his tail. Father walked around as usual to see how all was. His eyes soon fell on Old Tom-"Umph, Old Tom has got the fearcy. One of you boys go and get some burdock root, and I'll give him a dose." 0, what a sudden change in feelings. I felt better than good, to say the least for I had been feeling awful-awful. I now like a June bug in clover went buzzing along. (Old Tom soon got well) and I got the burdock root. What a change in a few seconds. The boys wasn't by and didn't see me do it but they soon seen the fireworks and knew I set them off. This was the most sudden change from worst to best I ever experienced in my life. Old Tom died at 32 years and joined the good horse band. We had a pen full of corn unhusked, and was husking, and old Muley came and looked for some. I gave her some nubbins with the husk on, then took the corn out of the husk and put in a live mouse and gave it to Muley just after she had eaten a nubbin. She chew a little-then 0, what an ugly face she made. We repeated this several times. It wasn't "Yum-yum" like Sirk's rabbit haws-but Muley swallowed it. We gathered mushrooms; got 50 cents per bushel, that is at that rate. We got two to three cents per dozen for eggs. Once Jess Robinson, a peculiar kind of man, was at Webster's store, and offered to suck two dozen eggs if anybody would set them up. It was done; and while he was sucking them, Webster slipped in six more eggs, and he sucked them all. Afterwards, he was called "Egg-sucker Robinson." One day at a log rolling at our place, at noon all was standing around a log fire cracking jokes. One man had on a straw hat. One said, "Jim, let me see your hat. What will you take for it?" "15 cents" "and sold" then threw it into the fire and offered him the money amidst the biggest laugh that I ever heard. The fellow didn't want to take it but it was a fair deal, and he had to take it. Fun was poked at him all afternoon as he went bare headed. We had two dogs, Watch and Bull. Bull could laugh real nice. We called Bull a Democrat, and Watch a Whig. Watch would start a racket with other dogs, when Bull would come to his assistance, Watch would run away and leave Bull to fight it out. Once a stray dog stopped at our house and wanted to be taken in; we didn't want him; we got an old coffee pot and put in a few rocks and tied it to his tail and started him. It looked funny. I don't know whether he ever stopped. When we butchered we caught the hogs with the dogs-Bull at the head or jaw and Watch at the tail. The hog would get down on its haunches then it would be knocked in the head and stuck-this was barbarous. A Terrible Accident On Aug. 27th, 1842, a terrible accident occurred. The day was calm and fair. Father took a load of tan bark to Lucas' tanyard. Tom and Cyrus was along. While coming home, all of a sudden, a limb over a foot through-75 feet up, broke. One horse jumped forwards, the other backwards. That checked the speed, and the limb struck lengthwise on the wagon, breaking both of Cyrus arms and his skull. One limb struck father on his shoulder breaking his collar bone-knocking his shoulder down so it always stayed down. He was also badly hurt internally. On the ninth day, he was thought to be dying. The doctor said if he got over the ninth day he had hopes. He hollowed so with pain, I held my hands over my ears so as not to hear it. We kept his body covered with elm-bark poultice. The doctor bled him all the blood he could get out, as the flow would stop, then clot up, then the doctor would pick out a clot, then it would flow again. He had so much bruised blood in him, and the doctor wanted to get out all he could. Father never done a days work after this. We had near all the elm trees peeled around here. Thomas was bruised up and a long gash was tore in his arm between the wrist and elbow, and was full of small pieces of bark. He soon got well. The limb made a hole several inches deep in one horse's hip, and bruised otherwise. Old Tom, the other horse, escaped injury, and the wagon was wrecked. This made it hard on mother and us. At this time, Father owned 800 acres of land. Thom and Zach slept in one bed; Sirk, John and I slept in one bed, Sirk in the middle. He never got cold. One night Thom got up in his sleep and fell down stairs, and got skinned up, and waked up, too. We had lots of hard work to do in clearing and "niggering" off logs, and it took several days to nigger some of them off. Nigger off logs-build a fire on the log wherever you wanted it off Once we had out 150 or more fires (niggers) and in the night a snowstorm came and snowed most of them out. Next morning, we chuncked them up, that wasn't out. This was a slow way to cut logs off. It would take a whole week to nigger some off. We had several horses to take to pasture. Zach said he didn't need a bridle on his horse-he grabbed the mane and we started. He was on a rough trotter and somehow he got jolted loose, and as the horse trotted he kept nudging back. (We had started in a good trot to see Zach ride.) At last he got to the jumping off place and piled up on the ground. Our horses was going so fast we couldn't stop quick to look after Zach-he didn't cry so thought he wasn't hurt much. When we came back he was gone-we found him in the house-he looked a little glassy out of his eyes. He used a bridle afterwards. 1843 Shrubbing wasn't thought of yet. Shrubbing is cutting down all the bushes instead of grubbing-it was much better and faster. Simon Hinkle grubbed for Park Frame at $1.25 per acre-grubbing all two inches and under, then cut down the balance or deaden them. The first watch I ever owned, I split 1000 rails for. I have never been without a watch since. Some men could cut and split 200 rails in a day. I, William Ellis and George Williams went home with Barnet's girls from singing school, We left them at the door on the porch. Williams stepped off the porch into the slop bucket. The bucket was full of slop. His foot was so large that it stuck, and he jerked the bucket after him, and came nearly throwing him down before he got loose. Once I and Zach Williams came home with Barnet's girls-it was a little cold and Zach had both hands in his pockets, and it being pretty dark, he struck his food against one side of a stump, and as he tried to catch himself he struck his other foot against the other side of the stump, throwing him on his face before he could get his hands out of his pocket- -and he stammered out "$#@%$ $%#@%&*"-The girl didn't wait for him; he didn't go any more. Once I made a mistake and went with the wrong girl-the girl was Mary Hinkel-and a mile further from home through the dark woods. The girl never knew any better than that it was done on purpose. Corn's and Barnet's girls was the crowd, and all looked alike in the dark. {My father; Artie Peffley, has told me that one of his early girl friends was named Vallie Corn, apparently the next generation of this family. ILP} Often after meeting or singing school, I and Zach, George WIlliams and William Ellis would meet at a certain place, and play marbles the balance of the day. Once while I lost a night's sleep at a party and was working on Park Frames saw mill, tending both head and foot block, and the logs was big and the saw was slow, and I would get so sleepy, I got a piece of wood and cut a twisted link chain to keep me awake. I still have the chain in 1910. Another night, I didn't sleep and next day I took a ride and got so sleepy I nearly fell from my horse, and got off and walked and led the horse. After Father got well enough from his hurt, he would drive the team to draw logs together to make heaps, and I and John and Sirk would pile them up to burn. We lifted so much that our hands got calloused so they would be sore and hurt. We had too much rolling to ask help for all of it. One night I dreamed I would die in three days. The day came while John, Sirk and I was at the kiln at work-I was thinking about it-when everything got dark and green-I felt curious-I aroused myself-got on a hustle-and it all passed off. In the summer of 1849, I taught my first school-three months for $36.00, at the Harrison school house. Afterwards, I went to school in Ladoga. After I was twenty-one, I went one term to school and boarded at Uncle Jo Robinson's. J. Shaver made brick and built our house; and in putting on the roof I slipped from near the comb of the roof, and fell between a pile of brick and a shingle block on the soft dirt, and didn't get hurt a bit. My first ride on the cars was from Putnamville to Indianapolis. I felt a little shaky when I first got aboard, but it soon wore off. I took my cane along; I intended hunting a position in the carving business but found no opening. So I stayed at the hotel as a guest of Rep. Drookshire, visited a deaf and dumb entertainment, then came home. In the year 1850 I taught five writing schools in Putnam County then went on a visit to John Graves in Washington County. I had over $300 in my pocket for John Graves, and a pistol for a guard-no trouble. Then Thomas Giliam and I went on horse back to New Albany, crossed the Ohio River and went to Louisville, then recrossed to Jeffersonville, stayed over night and visited the prison, then came back to Graves, then shortly after, I attended Wade Graves' wedding, then back home to Ladoga. About this time, the Rochester knockings were creating much comment over the world. Sirkle discovered that he was a medium, and strange manifestations took place in his presence-it even rapped for me so I knew it was something-something that Knew something too-but I didn't think it knew enough to be an angel or spirit as it claimed to be, so I with Mother decided that it was the "Devil," and I let it alone. But Sirk kept it up and was having lots of fun out of it-and to make more fun than it furnished him-he would put some of his own doings in, and was caught at it, so then, one couldn't tell how much he didn't do. But he got a lot of fun out of it, and that was what he wanted, but I don't think he got much good out of it-if he did, I didn't know it. Everyone around here knew Jerry Hinkle. He used to have "offspells". Well, he enlisted in the Mexican war, fought at the battle of Beuna Vista. Well, when he came back, he still had those off spells, and carried his war gun, and imagined he was on the war path. One time he marched down to Ladoga, met Barnet riding sideways on old Nell-pipe in his mouth-"Good morning, Mr. Barnet," "Good morning, Jerry," "Say, Mr. Barnet, let me show you how we drilled in Mexico." Barnet stopped, Jerry went through the manual of arms, then-make ready-take aim-fire-BANG-and old Nell jumped out from under Barnet, and he piled up in the road, hat in one place and pipe in another. Jerry: "Hello, Mr. Barnet, are you wounded?" "Yes. I am badly jolted up Jerry, I had no idea you was going to shoot." "Oh, yes, that is the way I did it at the battle of Beuna Vista." A lot of Virginia folks and relatives stopped here awhile on their way to Illinois. After they went, I and Uncle Jo Robinson followed them on horse back. We traveled after night to get a place to stay over night-got chased out of the road by fire and got lost-found a grove, then a house-and a good place to stay. We rode to Taswell County, Illinois, was where Streator now stands; then rode all the way back home. My horse tramped in a nail and it was with difficulty that I got home. Sometime afterwards, the nail came out at the crown of the hoof A Lime Kiln We made a tremendous big log heap and got a lot of lime rock out of Raccoon and piled it up on the log pile -fired it and this was the way we got the lime to build our house. In the summer of 1852, I taught a school northwest of Ladoga. I boarded among the scholars. I and Jonathan Markey made rails for Father. I would quit the middle of the afternoon, and go to my writing school, which I was teaching at Inlow school house by night. In the spring of 1853, John and I went up on the Wabash and cut 90 cords of wood, on the quarter section we afterwards owned. We boarded at Dryers and here is where I made my first acquaintance of the sweetest of girls, afterwards, my wife. In the spring of this year, I hired to Park Frame to work on his saw mill-and at intervals, going to see my girl on the Wabash-48 miles, a pretty good day's ride on horseback. Well the first Thursday in September 1853 was set for our wedding day-the measles got into our family-all got through with them except myself. Father had them when a boy, but they never broke out on him, so he took them again; and from him, I took them, and went to work too soon, and got a relapse, and this cut into my wedding day. So I wrote my girl about matters. When I was well again and had her name another day, which was September 29, 1853. Brother Thomas was at the wedding. Had a party and play at the infare at home. The first time I saw my girl (afterwards my wife) was when Father, Mother, Sister Sarah and myself made a visit to his land near by Stauter's and Dryer's above Americus. Father owned 160 acres of land just back of Dryers. We put up at this place as a kind of visit. Miss Stauter invited Sarah to go with her to get some haws, she also invited me. I went, we got the haws, little thinking then that this girl was to be my future wife. So here ends my boyhood days. A change in life-a happy lasting change it proved to be. I, writing the foregoing narrative find I have only touched on the incidents, stepping stones of my boyhood days. Summary I often thought it strange that a possum would lay still and neither squeal or grunt while a dog was cracking its bones, then after a little while get up and "skin out". No other animal will do it. C'ept a tater bug. Once John, Sirk and I went papaw hunting. The dogs got a possum and chawed it -cracked its bones (I heard them crack) and I took my knife and gashed its tail and left it for dead; then went after papaws. When we came back to get our game, it was gone. We thought somebody had found it. In about three months afterward, we caught a whopping big fat possum; it had scars and scabs on its head and body, and three gashes in its tail, scab on yet, the identical ones I had made a long time before. Once I, John and others went hunting one night. The dogs barked vigorously. We knew they were close to game. We hurried up; John got there first; there it was-a possum up a bush. John gave it a vigorous shake-down it came knocking his hat off, and the dogs by mistake, grabbed the hat and wrecked it. After this, we came across a turkey roost, and they flew in every direction. Next morning I went for them. Most every hunter had a turkey caner-a femur of a turkey or goose. It was cold. I went too soon and nearly froze before day came, when I caned, and was answered by a gobbler. He came in about 60 yards and stood behind a log-he didn't seem to want to come any nearer-about half his body above the log. I fired at it and he jumped and flew away. I reloaded, but was so cold I didn't get in a full charge of powder-shot at one on top of a tall tree-didn't get it, then they all went. Then I went to where I had shot at the turkey, and seen I had shot a little too low -hit the top of the log. Withes-made of hickory switches; they were considered stronger than ropes. I have used them in many ways. Before pike poles came in use for house raising, a small sapling with a good fork was trimmed and a withe fastened across the base of the tines to keep them from splitting-a hole or two was bored through, and a stick a foot long was put through for a hand hold, and two men could push with it. They were made by taking a hickory switch and sticking it in the hot embers until it was real hot, not burnt, then while hot, twist it, and it was ready for use. Incidents and Observations Did you ever see a toad shed its skin? I did. Once I heard a shuffiing noise in the leaves (this was in April) I looked to see what was doing it. I saw a toad; first, I thought a snake had it, but I couldn't see any snake. It quit struggling-then at it again-upon a closer look, I saw it was taking off its winter suit-a kind of union suit; it had one hind leg out and the other leg nearly off-it got its big toe in and yanked it off, then rested a little, then with its hind foot toes it commenced like a boy taking his shirt off for a bath. Soon one front foot was cleared, then the other-now it was over its head and eyes-then a bunch at the end of its nose-when all of a sudden, like a flash it disappeared-it had swallowed it. Now it looked slick and clean. And did you ever see young snakes run down the mothers throat? I have. Once I went to bring up the cows to milk, and came by a large garter snake; my first thought was to kill it; but all of a sudden, about two feet away, nearly a half dozen little snakes started up (they were about six inches long) and ran to the mother, when she opened her mouth, and they ran down her throat. Says I, I will not kill that snake. I would liked to have watched to see them return, but I was in too big a hurry. The first red watermelon I ever saw, was while on the way with Father to Lafayette. I saw a man eating a piece, and I thought he was eating a piece of raw meat. Our first strawberries was white, and was sweeter than the red ones, but not so prolific. Conclusion Many incidents I have passed as not worth mentioning; many I have forgotten; but enough has been related to answer as stepping stones through life's boyhood days. All our boyhood sports was interesting; we thought a great deal of each other. We were taught to respect each others rights; and jealousy did not exist among us. None of us ever had a fight. Slight differences was soon reconciled. We never called each other bad names. Our mother instilled in us a desire to emulate her example, and heed her advice. Therefore, I feel proud to say that we have no bad habits, and can go to our graves in peace and bright hopes; and that our parents can look upon their children with a sense of pride and gratification. After having thus sketched thru my boyhood days, so many more incidents loom up I almost wish I hadn't attempted it. Endnotes: 1. One rod is 5.5 yards or 16.5 feet, or about 5.029 meters. 2. A small wooden bucket with one stave projecting above the rim for use as a handle. 3. A small, usually round corncake, baked, fried, or broiled. 4. Corncakes. 5. An aromatic Eurasian plant of the genus Ruta, esp. Ruta graveolens, with evergreen leaves that yield a volatile oil once used medicinally. 6. A fever with periods of chill and sweating. 7. A plant of the genus Tanacetum, esp. Tanacetum vulgare native to the Old World, with buttonlike yellow flower clusters and aromatic, pungent juice occasionally used medicinally and as a flavoring. 8. A purulent infection at the distal end of a finger near or around the nail or the bone.