Tracy - Bazzle
Taken from 1881 H. W. Beckwith History of Montgomery Co,
Indiana p. 593 (HH Hill, Chicago)
Bazzle Tracy, Waynetown, was born in Mason County, Kentucky, in the year 1802, but was raised in Fleming County, and is the son of John and Nancy Tracey. In October, 1826, Mr. Tracey, with two of his brothers, came from Kentucky and settled in this township. They were seventeen days making the journey. This country was then a wild almost unbroken and uninhabited wilderness. In those days they would have to go five miles to get help to erect a log cabin. The Indians were then plenty, but were peaceable. When Mr. Tracey settled here there was no house in Waynetown, and only three between where he lived and Crawfordsville. The first winter he was here he and his wife, who has always been his helper and sympathizer, cleared the timber from eleven acres of land, which they planted to corn the next year. For two years after they came here they had no wheat bread, but since their crop that year the "staff of life" has always been plenty in their cupboard and on their table. They raised flax, and made their own clothing, and made nearly everything they used, so that the outlay of money was small; it had to be, because there was not much money to lay out. When Mr. Tracey came here he bought eighty acres of land. But making this $100 was a task that took labor and saving. When he was married he had nothing. His wife worked out, and he worked at anything he could get to do at which he could earn an honest penny. He split rails for 15 cents per hundred and boarded himself, and broke hemp for 75 cents per hundred. He even chopped and split 1,600 rails for an axe. The young men of to-day would laugh at the idea of working so cheap, but he saw it was better to work for something that to do nothing. He worked three months in a distillery for $3 per month. He was four years in saving up the $100 to come to this country with. In buying his second eighty acres of land he had quite an interesting time. It joined his first eighty, and he borrowed the $100 of a man by the name of Fouts, and bought the land before any one knew of it. There were others who were wanting it, and one man by the name of Burrel was going to enter it the same day on which Mr. Tracey entered it in the morning. Mr. Tracey bought calves and wintered them, and would sell them the next fall. After he began to make money he would buy cattle and break them to work, and sell them to settlers on the prairie for teams. He sold pork in Chicago for $1.25 per hundred, and wheat 35 cents per bushel. Mr. Tracey and Jesse Grenard went in partnership and bought a boat-load of goods and took to New Orleans, thinking they would realize a higher price for their own goods, and make a profit on what they bought. But instead of making they lost $1,500. This was a hard blow upon Mr. Tracey, but he resolved to endure it and push on harder than ever. He was five years settling up the losses of this trip down to the mouth of the Father of Waters. After this he made but one more trip to New Orleans, and cleared about $600. From this time Mr. Tracey went on making money by industrious effort and wise management. He has given each of his children, who are married, eighty acres apiece, has paid $4,200 security debts, and has eight farms containing over 200 acres each. Four of his farms are in Benton County, and he has about 900 acres here he is living. Much of his success and prosperity is due to the labors and companionship of his wife, who was his helpmeet and inspiration during his early years of trial and hardship, and who now helps him enjoy the wealth and comfort of his mature years. His wife (Elizabeth PRICE) was born May 8, 1804, and is a member of the New Light Church. They were married March 4, 1822, and have had eleven children, six of whom are dead. Their names are Ann (deceased); Thomas, living in Benton County; Sarah, in Illinois; Elizabeth (deceased); William (deceased); Lyddia, the wife of James PIERCE, Missouri; the wife of Daniel HAWK, Mary (deceased); Martha, the wife of John BIDDLE ; James (deceased); and John, living. There are two of his grandchildren living with them, William R. Pierce, and the other named Linnie. Mr. Tracey is a member of the Christian Union Church, and in politics is democratic, casting his first vote for that stern, brave and patriotic statesman, the hero in New Orleans, Andrew Jackson Many of the incidents and experiences in Mr. Tracey's life will be mentioned in the history of the township. Mr. Tracey's career is one from which all who are battling against poverty and difficulties can learn a useful and instructive lesson.
Bazzle Tracy, Waynetown, was born in Mason County, Kentucky, in the year 1802, but was raised in Fleming County, and is the son of John and Nancy Tracey. In October, 1826, Mr. Tracey, with two of his brothers, came from Kentucky and settled in this township. They were seventeen days making the journey. This country was then a wild almost unbroken and uninhabited wilderness. In those days they would have to go five miles to get help to erect a log cabin. The Indians were then plenty, but were peaceable. When Mr. Tracey settled here there was no house in Waynetown, and only three between where he lived and Crawfordsville. The first winter he was here he and his wife, who has always been his helper and sympathizer, cleared the timber from eleven acres of land, which they planted to corn the next year. For two years after they came here they had no wheat bread, but since their crop that year the "staff of life" has always been plenty in their cupboard and on their table. They raised flax, and made their own clothing, and made nearly everything they used, so that the outlay of money was small; it had to be, because there was not much money to lay out. When Mr. Tracey came here he bought eighty acres of land. But making this $100 was a task that took labor and saving. When he was married he had nothing. His wife worked out, and he worked at anything he could get to do at which he could earn an honest penny. He split rails for 15 cents per hundred and boarded himself, and broke hemp for 75 cents per hundred. He even chopped and split 1,600 rails for an axe. The young men of to-day would laugh at the idea of working so cheap, but he saw it was better to work for something that to do nothing. He worked three months in a distillery for $3 per month. He was four years in saving up the $100 to come to this country with. In buying his second eighty acres of land he had quite an interesting time. It joined his first eighty, and he borrowed the $100 of a man by the name of Fouts, and bought the land before any one knew of it. There were others who were wanting it, and one man by the name of Burrel was going to enter it the same day on which Mr. Tracey entered it in the morning. Mr. Tracey bought calves and wintered them, and would sell them the next fall. After he began to make money he would buy cattle and break them to work, and sell them to settlers on the prairie for teams. He sold pork in Chicago for $1.25 per hundred, and wheat 35 cents per bushel. Mr. Tracey and Jesse Grenard went in partnership and bought a boat-load of goods and took to New Orleans, thinking they would realize a higher price for their own goods, and make a profit on what they bought. But instead of making they lost $1,500. This was a hard blow upon Mr. Tracey, but he resolved to endure it and push on harder than ever. He was five years settling up the losses of this trip down to the mouth of the Father of Waters. After this he made but one more trip to New Orleans, and cleared about $600. From this time Mr. Tracey went on making money by industrious effort and wise management. He has given each of his children, who are married, eighty acres apiece, has paid $4,200 security debts, and has eight farms containing over 200 acres each. Four of his farms are in Benton County, and he has about 900 acres here he is living. Much of his success and prosperity is due to the labors and companionship of his wife, who was his helpmeet and inspiration during his early years of trial and hardship, and who now helps him enjoy the wealth and comfort of his mature years. His wife (Elizabeth PRICE) was born May 8, 1804, and is a member of the New Light Church. They were married March 4, 1822, and have had eleven children, six of whom are dead. Their names are Ann (deceased); Thomas, living in Benton County; Sarah, in Illinois; Elizabeth (deceased); William (deceased); Lyddia, the wife of James PIERCE, Missouri; the wife of Daniel HAWK, Mary (deceased); Martha, the wife of John BIDDLE ; James (deceased); and John, living. There are two of his grandchildren living with them, William R. Pierce, and the other named Linnie. Mr. Tracey is a member of the Christian Union Church, and in politics is democratic, casting his first vote for that stern, brave and patriotic statesman, the hero in New Orleans, Andrew Jackson Many of the incidents and experiences in Mr. Tracey's life will be mentioned in the history of the township. Mr. Tracey's career is one from which all who are battling against poverty and difficulties can learn a useful and instructive lesson.