Letter From Old Settler N. W. ALLEN I was born in Tinmouth, Vermont, on October 16th, 1827. At that time there was not a rod of railroad in the United States, the first being built in 1828. When I was five years of age, my parents moved to Wayne County, New York. On August 29, 1849 I was married to Elizabeth PLAYFORD who died three years ago last September. In the year 1850 we settled on the farm near Packwaukee where I still reside. There was not a tree touched by an axe up to that time. When we came to this part of Wisconsin there were no shingles and roofs were made of shocks. There were no horses and money was a scarcity. In winter, when we went visiting our neighbors I would pull my wife and child on a hand sled. We arrived here about three days after the HODGE family, Jason being a boy of three years. Among those who settled in the vicinity within the next three years were George and Wm. H. TAYLOR, John KING, Benjamin BANGS, Miller H. and Sam HODGE. The WALDORF folks--John, William, Louis and Ambros--settled on the flats which is now owned by the McNUTTS. Paddy MILLER located on the Zack GRANT farm in 1850. In the spring of the same year J. C. REEVES settled on the Fred FENNER farm. The first grist mill built in this vicinity was owned by John, David and James ORMSBY which later proved to be too small and was replaced by a larger one. Among the old settlers west of Oxford were D. C. FISH, Mrs. Frank ABBOTT and Mr. CABLE. The latter living on the farm now owned by Jack NESBITT. I believe James DUNN was the first white settler in this township. H. THOMAS was the first white settler in the town of Douglas and the BRIGGS family the first at Briggsville. They established a grist mill at that place. At the time of my arrival there were no railroads in Wisconsin, the first being built ran from Milwaukee to Madison and the second from Milwaukee to Waupun. At present there are four generations living on my farm, myself, Charles my son, Harry my grandson, and great grandsons, Elroy, Roy and Howard. I lost my eyesight completely four years ago but still have a fair appetite. I will be 88 years of age next October and believe that I am the second oldest man in the county. ---N. W. ALLEN
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