Transcribed by Robert Schieber
Surnames: Spoor, Ferris, Pierce, Chandler, Kent, Hobart, Abbott, Gate, Seigel, LETTER FROM OLD TIME RESIDENT Saxton, Mo., Feb 12, 1914 In the summer of 1856 several families from New York came to Wis. and located where Friendship now is. It had no name and but few buildings. It had no "dam by a mill site, and no mill by a dam site." The Roch-a-Cris mound and Rock where there, but their grandeur was unbroken by any sound. From their summits one could see nearly an unbroken forest. In the next few years those few New York families changed the whole face of nature. Smith Ferris and I were about the only little boys to see the incoming tide. We went off in the forest some where and brought in the violin that played for the first social dance. We helped Solon Pierce put up a sorghum mill and Shanghi Chandler to set type for the first paper to be published. I remember the swing near the Court House where certain boys and girls used to congregate and chew sugar-cane and view the great comet which some said foretold a coming war, and then I left Friendship; but the war came in due time and layed its crimson hand on many of Friendship's sons. I knew them all and mourn for them yet. And now, after having been a citizen of Adams Co. for many years and participating in the unfolding events of time, I am located near St. Joseph, Mo., on the Platte Purchase-a most fertile and prolific country and most lovable friends and neighbors. But I am still thinking, dreaming, longing and mourning for the friends of my early life. They are built into my system. In many dreams I travel the old familiar paths and shake hands and look into the eyes of my long lost friends. I am always glad to get the Adams Co Press. It is the one remaining connecting link, and I am not well pleased to have the correspondents neglect their items; and when I read that Fred Kent, John Hobart and Spence Abbott have gone to Friendship in an auto to catch trout, I am advised by my inner consciousness that I should be of that party to look after a just distribution of the trout. The letters I get from Adams Co. are like angels visits. They are seldom, but delightfully delightful when they do come. Where we now live is historic ground. Among some majestic white oaks there is a spring around which, in their turn, camped both the Union and Confederate troops, and not a few bushwhackers. This was the dividing line, and many of my neighbors joined Col. Gates command and fought in the battle of Pea Ridge, etc., one neighbor says, he must have some Yankee blood in him as he has been "pumpt" full of yankee bullets and has them in him yet. It has made a good citizen of him. We still find relics of the past contest-grapeshot and bullets. These people came mostly from Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina, and are mostly confeds, but the German population mostly stayed with Seigel and the Union. Bayard Taylor once said: "Taking St. Joseph as a centre and making a circle one hundred miles each way it would contain more fertile and productive land than any other equal area that he knew of," I have heard this statement confirmed many times. A failure of crops has never been recorded. Last year was a scorcher, hot enough to crisp a darkeys hide, and dry beyond all record. Hill corn dried up and springs went dry but the corn around here on low and bottom land was excellent and wheat from 12 to 35 bu., and alfalfa did not know there was a hot dry time. The price of land within 20 miles of St. Joseph is for improved farms $150 and nearer in the city the price raises up to $250. Our taxes are based on a valuation of $20 and $25 per acre. The whole taxable property of the county in round numbers is $54,000,000.00 and the rate is $1.80 on a hundred dollars. Our county is not in debt except a few bonds net yet matured. St. Joe is alright financially and is growing steadily, and for cities of her class is doing as well and making as good showing as the best, but it is of no use to boast that St. Joe is the equal of St. Louis or Kansas City or Chicago. Thats silly. The city is "wet" except Sundays and then if a person wants a drink he has to join a club or call on a friend. St. Joseph is a beautiful residence city with a large wholesale trade to the west, good lot of factories, hotels and theatres, etc. We live ten miles from the city. The road to it is graded and mostly rocked and oiled. Most every farmer has his auto and I had to keep along with the rest. There are many attractions in town and we get there pretty often. We are on a small farm of 240 acres and have a dairy, silo etc. Help is plenty and reasonable in price. My wife and myself are sliding down the western slope as gracefully as possible and leave to the children the warfare of business. J. Ferris Spoor
Transcribed by Robert Schieber
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