Thursday, November 10, 2011

1878 Pioneer Sketch - Part 5

The Pioneer Sketch was published in The Fowlerville Review. Part 5 continues with information regarding Mr. Conklin.

During the summer, Mr. Conklin shopped some three acres of land and sowed it to wheat, carrying his seed wheat from the Cedar river on his back to his place, a distance of some three and a half miles. In the fall of 1837, Mr. Handy with his ox team, brought Mr. Conklin's goods from his house to the river crossing above mentioned. The water was about three feet deep over the marsh. Six of us carried his things across, wading 40 or 50 rods in the water. Now how to get his wife across was a conundrum. Finally Martin W. Randall and myself took a board about six feet long, one at each end, set Mrs. Conklin in the middle, one hand on each of our shoulders, and carried her across. Mr. Knickerbocker came with his oxen on the west side of the river, and carried them to their place.

Tomorrow's part 6 will be more about bears, wolves and deer!

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