Decatur Democrat, Volume 45, Number 40, Decatur, Adams County, 12 December 1901 — Page 4

PIONEER DAYS IN FT. WAYNE j Mrs. Lucien P. Ferry. 87 Years of Age. Writes Entertainingly of the Times of Long Ago.

The Sentinel takes extreme pleasure today in presenting herewith an interesting n m'nisceut sketch of pioneer days in Ft. Wayne from the pen of Mrs. Lucien P. Ferry, now eighty seven years of age. and for many years a resident of this citv. Mrs. Ferry resided in Fort Wayne from the time she was three months of age until about four years ago, when she went to Decatur to make her home with her daughter. Mrs. McMillen, wife of Dr. W. W. P. McMillen, of that citv. Mrs. Ferry's husband. Lucien P. Ferry, was for many years a prominent citizen of Fort Wayne. There are three children living Mrs. McMillen, of De catur; Mrs. Dora Boyles, of Fort Wayne, and Clinton P. Ferrv, of Tacomo, Washington. Two daughters and one son are dead. Mrs. Ferry was present when the Allen County Old Settler's association was organized a few weeks ago, and was elected its honorary vice president. TELLS OF OLDEN DAYS. Mv father, Louis T. Bourie. came to Fort Wayne from Detroit as an Indian trader and interpreter before a fort had been built. He in time erected a house and store near the English fort, which was located on the south bank of the St. Mary’s river by Capt. D'Vincennes, founder of the city of Vincennes. It’d. Geo. Anthony Wayne traced this fort in 18144. My parents were warm personal friends of both General Wayne and General Harri son. After his house had been completed my father brought his family to Fort Wavne to live, and at that time there were but two houses here in addition to his own. Later the family returned to Detroit, and in 1814, while I was but a babe of three months, we came to Fort Wayne, making the trip down the nver in a pirogue, a boat hewn from a large log. and propelled by paddies. This boat was large enongh to hold trunks, bedding, pro- i visions and passengers. When we arrived in Fort Wayne we found that our house nad been destroyed by fire, together with our or-; chard, from which only two trees escaped destruction. The fire was supposed to Lave been the wotk of Indians. These two apple trees mv brother. John Bourie. moved with the aid of oxen to him home on Columbia street, years after, and one of the trees bore fruit as iate as 1837. We lived in the fort until a new house was buiit. It was loaded on what is now East Columbia street, be-

I 1 | KT I ? * Ci The Cheapest and Most Conven- <$ g Ihe INew rair dtore %&■ *s* g I A TELEPHONE FROM SANTA CLAUS. I For this occasion our entire stora has been turned into the grandest Holiday Bazaar one could expect toview and pninwt ivnfhj™ w- , . . „ £9l ZX'. Y °" m ’ y '° Ornamental. Uefful and g g We Carry a Full and Complete Line of the Following Articles: I! yS — f u — .; . .-- ji - nfl Wl SMOKING SETS ‘— nW f STORY BOOKS gji gg | SHAVING CASES -■■* « I LINEN BOOKS gg ft? MANICURE SETS *fr=S’ T' 6^=S S PICTURE BOOKS 09 I TOILET BOXES .1 !: * ' ' ‘'' J MOUTH HARMONICOS SS NECKTIE BOXES |j '.'< fl DOLL CARRIAGES HANDKERCHIEF BOXES "4 .' •■ T ™r t 59) < 7*”- V to DOLL GO CARTS fra GLOVEBOXES ' * iWHI CT& 4 iAS „•<$- V# ’ WOODEN WAGONS £9) TRUMPETS *.£ W . J 7- ~- ' IRON WAGONS fra TOOLCHESTS Uffel BANKS IRON IO\S 4 COMBINATION BANKS TIN TOYS 4 V\7Y_ L *<•• I MECHANICAL TOYS £*> KID DOLLS A '** ■ '3S 4 vS&tv *9•> 7flP automobiles Km JOINTED DOLLS ] f7*: •( ' £S’fV#4l I?7W TALKING DOLLS' 881315 D ° LLS 4& W t|||p 1. RUNNING FERRITwHEEL ABYS PIANOS I a"W" J DRUMS OF ALL SIZES TUBEPHONES .<*'>' 1 GLOVES HANDKERCHIEFS BELL RINGERS 'Z H CLOVES QA—fSTWWy? 1 r* 1 Xfflßßtt. 'ss® MITTS TOY DISHES B ...., -./— UMBRELLAS K? ABC BOOKS J “oolong “ Cy ° hl,,B ' WOrtll Whlle fej The Holiday Business at The New Fair Store is now in Full Rkwt i THE YOUNG ONES ARE TICKLED TO DEATH WITH THE TOYS THAT WE IJ Avr Wd ’ MOBE ACCEPTABLE PLACE TO BUT CHBISTMAS GIFTS; NOWHEBE WILL TOU FIND OTABANtIeD A TIES AT OUR UNEQUALED LOW PRICES 1 AR A NTxaED QUALI-

■ , tween Clinton and Barr streets. Our i ' family consisted of father, mother, f two brothers, two sisters and mvself. • Brother John was the eldest and I the youngest. John married Miss • Anna Shane, of Detroit. L. T. Bourie and Miss Desdemonia Bourie. of this ‘ city, being their surviving children. > My eldest sister, Nancy, became the . wife of John P. Hedges. forAerly of ‘ Kentucky, and well known by the ■ older residents of the city. Mv sister Harriet, married Col. George W. : Ewtug. Brother David married Miss ‘ Theresa Driver, also of this city. ' After mv father's death brother John built a house our home and mother and 1 went to live with him. S’range to say, each of my sisters and myself, after our marriages, lived in j » . '■ — 4F 'K i tJtei “F W | MRS. LVCIEN P. FERRY. the self-same place where my father's house had been destroyed vears be- , fore. I first went to school in the fort about the year 1822. my teacher being a Baptist missionary named McCoy. I next attended school in the council house. In this room was a low row of cupboards where the tobacco supplies wpre kept, and when the boys were unruly the schoolmaster would shut then up in these cupboards until they would almost suffoj cate, t The girls in those da vs never required punishment.) Later I attended school in the jail, • located upon the present site of the

j' court house. This was used until a i brick school house, then in course of, ! erection upon the site of the present , jail, could be completed. This old jail was built of longs and was divided into tw< r. ms an upper and a ! lower floor. The lower room was ■ used for prisoners of debt. One man i named Alexander was imprisoned quite frequently, but bv some means Sped as so >n a- he was incar. erat ed. It was finally discovered that by putting his shoulder under a certain log he could force his way out. An old colored preacher Jwhom everybody called "Uncle Ben" had a cabin near the site of the present gas factory. He did the chores of the neighborhood and sometimes preached in Judge Hanna’s kitchen, while people would stand upon the outside and listen to him. Colonel Suttenfield kept hotel opposite the present location of the Globe mills. He kept missing his logs of wood, and his nephew finally i determined to see if he could discover the thief. So, taking in his supply of wood for the night, he left one large log out. Into this he bored a 1 hole, filled it with powder, plugged it ! up, and awaited results, for he bad his suspicions. The next morning he went down to Uncle Beu's cabin and asked that worthy what was the matter with his chimney. "I dunno." replied Uncle Ben. "I came home las' night and made up a bigfiab:was settin'in front of my fiah and all at once the fiah flew and the logs flew out of the back of the chimney, knockin' it all to pieces.'' it is safe to say that Uncle Ben was not responsible for the disappearance of any more logs. Another rather amusing incident which I remember is in connection with the death of an old soldier who fell ill and died at the hotel. They wished to bury him with military honors, and the fife and drum were called into service, but no one could remember a military air. Mrs. Suttenfield suggested “The Girl I Left Behind Me.” and to that tune the poor old soldier was laid to rest. As I grew older I was sent to De- ' troit to school, and upon my return home I met my husband—Lucien P. Ferry a rising young lawyer, former ly of Monroe. Michigan. In August. 1831. we were married. I cooked my first meal in a fireplace ten feet long, as in those days cook stores were an unknown luxury i in this part of the country. There was no way of bringing them here. Ln 1836 my husband bought me the first cook stove ever brought to Fort Wayne. A family traveling through by wagon stopped in Mr. Ferry's office and offered to sell the stove. It proved a great curiosity and people came from miles around to see the ; “saddlebags." as they termed it. This name was given because of the manner in which it was built, having a

i hole on each side and an oven under p >ath. t The only means of travel was on I horseback or by water, but while we ■ ■ livfd in a primitive way, we did not i dress in apt the style. ; Life was very gay. as the garrison i was filled with officers and their wives ! from eastern cities, and many parties ■ were given which were equal in elegance to the social affairs of todav. ■ After the officers left other people i - came in to take their places. | The ladies' dresses were rich broi ‘ caded silks, satins and canton crepes, i ; cut decollete and sleeveless. Men wore the dress suit of today, with the ‘ exception of satin vests, rutiled shirts I of linen, cambric and silk or satin stock. For general use the satin vest was worn, but sot traveling black broadcloth took its place. Provisions were brought itr covered 1 wagons from Piqua. The Indians loved wild fruits and \in this region, on the present site of the'Pittsburg depot, there was an j abundance of strawberries, wild plums and other fruits. The Indians were j accustomed to cherish the belief that ■ for them the Great Spirit had especially caused these fruits to come forth and ripen each year. Every species i of food, from the roots, vegetables and frutts to the animals themselves, were alike considered as imbued with the same peculiar principle in which the Great Spirit had infused some special element of excellence intend’led to impart to the red man both health strength. ■ Here more especially the blackberry was most abundant, and from this fact the point was long known to the ‘ Indians as “Ke-ki-ongu,” signifying "blackberry patch." Charles B. LaSalle says Ke-ki-onga passed among the Miamis as a symbol of antiquity. i but whether this name was given on account of the spot being covered with the blackberry or meant to represent •it as the most ancient village of their race in this country is not known to tradition. Their unusual regard for ' the place and the tenacity with which they so long defended it would imply ■ the latter supposition. I have seen Fort Wayne grow from a hamlet to the city it new is. and I have the great privilege of being the oldest settler and honorary vice president of the Allen County Pioneers’ Association. Mrs. Lucien P. Ferry. Ft. Wayne Sentinel. No one can reasonably hope for ! good health unless his bowels move j once a day. When this is not attended to. disorders of the stomach arise. • biliousness, headache, dvspepsia and piles soon follow. If you wish to avoid these ailments keep your bowels regular by taking Chamberlain's Stomach and Liver Tablets when re- . quired. They are so easy to take and mild and gentle in effect. For sale by Holthouse, Callow A Co. d

ENGLISH OF THE ENGLISH. “London i* a Xlce Place If lo* Know the I.anKuace.” That hackneyed American maiden who said London was a nice place if you knew the language was not a bit absurd. We speak English. but we have built up our forms of English expr.sslon upon the English of a few shires of the old country as it was spoken between two and three centuries ago. while they have been blending and changing the speech of all their home peoples during the same period. The result is that an American can hardly uiter a sentence in England without calling attention to the difference between his speech and that of the people about him. Only yesterday, after 18 months’ residence in England, I rushed up to a conductor in Charing Cross station and asked. -Which car for Bromley?” Tie stared at me. and I knew I had spoken a foreign tongue to him, because street vehicles like omnibuses and horse cars are called read cars and tram cars, and there are no other ears in England. If you ask a guest at your home in England whether he likes his meat rare, he asks what you said because be does not understand you. He calls meat underdone when it is not thoroughly cooked. If you tell him you fear the asparagus is canned, he is at a loss again, because he would have said it was tinned. To ask him to pass the powdered sugar will again set him to wondering, for he calls it icing sugar generally, though he knows that it is sometimes calk'd caster or sifted sugar. And if you have candy on the table you may not call it so without betraying your foreign origin, for be calls candy “sweets," abbreviated from "sweetmeats,” and used to designate all preserves, puddings, pies, candies and jams. To go further alcng the eccentricities of English at the dining table most persons know, I suppose, that the beet Is calktl beet root, cornstarch is corn flour, corned beef (or a particular cut of it) is called “silver sides of l>eef" and napkins are serviettes.—Julian Ralph in Harper s Magazine. Queer Creature*. There are microscopic creatures which live in roof gutters and on the l>ark of trees and are known as water bears and wheel animalculse. If allowed to dry up under the microscope, they can be seen to shrivel into shapeless masses, which may be kept for years uninjured in the dried state. On being placed after this long interval la water they gradually plump up. resume their proper shape and move about in search of food just as if nothing had happened. Much the same is true for the minute worms which from the substances in which they live are known as paste and vinegar eels. Well known is the famous case of the desert snail, whlci, retracted into its shell.

I I Every woman in the country I ought to know about 3 Momer's rrienu Those who do know about it wonder how they ever got along without it. It has robbed childbirth of its terrors for many a young wife. It has preserved her girlish figure and saved her much suffering. It is an external liniment and carries with it therefore absolutely no danger of upsetting the system as drugs taken internally are apt to do. it is to be rubbed into the abdomen to soften and strengthen the muscles which are to bear the strain. This means much less pain. It also prevents morning sickness and all of the other discomforts of pregnancy A druggist of Macon, Ga., say's- “ I have sold a large quantity of Mother’s Friend and have never known an instance where it has failed to produce the good results claimed for it.” A prominent lady of Lamberton, Ark., writes: •• With my first six children 1 was in labor from 24 to 30 hours. After using Mother’s Friend, my seventh w 4 born in 4 hours.” Get MOl her’* Friend at the dme store, a 1.00 per bottle. * THE BRADfIfID Rf GILATOR CO ATLANTA, GA. Write for ©or frw ill ©ft rated book, "BEFORE EAST ’ IS BOHh.” I’ fl irUMMII’ w -’-a r

was raaleneo to a taoiet in tup nriusu museum and showed no sign of life for seven years, when one moruin; it was found crawling hungrily about the glass case that formed Its prison. Ip Illa Slaava. At the battle of Omdurman a soldier belonging to a Scotch regiment was nearly killesl by a bullet which struck the ground just in front of him while he was firing in a reclining position. On rising to move a few feet forward, something came down his sleeve. It was the bullet. How It got up his sleere without inflicting damage eaa only be accounted for by the fact that it must have been spent by the time it struck the ground in front of him and the course of its flight up his sleeve was its last billet. A man may not appear to advantage with bls bands in bls pockets, but it is better than having them In the pockets of others.—Chicago News.