Early reminiscences of pioneer life in Kansas

Front matter

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Preface

I am urged to publish this volume of Reminiscences by many iriends, whose love I appreciate, and \^hose opinions I greatly respect. One half of the proceeds from the sale of this volume, after meeting the expense of publication, shall go to the Preachers' Aid Society of the Kansas Conference. Therefore, I hope the members of my Conference will take an interest in the financial success of its publication, and thereby help a noble society in extending aid to an increasing number of most lionorable, yet, often, very needy ministers and their families.

The publication of these Reminiscences has been long delayed tor two special reasons: want of confidence by tlie author, in his ability to write an interesting work, and the want of means to defray the expenses. I do hope for the cooperation of my brethren in its sale.

There will be found, no doubt, many defects, for which I ask great forbearance. I have not aimed to write a history, but a reminiscence — or a memory of the past.

Many persons, to whom alhision is made, have long since been dead. I liave not always so stated the fact in these pages, how-ever, for the reason that these chaptei's were first prepared for Ministerial Associations, etc., and now I am too infirm to revise, and make them as correct as I wish they were. J. S.

Atchison, Kansas, December, 1886.

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

I Lake Superior District, - - - 17

III Second Year in Kansas, - - - - 49

Chapter I. Lake Superior District

Tlie hardest field of labor during my ministry was the Lake Superior District. It embraced the whole of the upper peninsula of Michigan, to which I was appointed in 1852. The work was composed of two large Indian Missions, the Sault Ste. Marie's, near the Rapids, and the Ke wa-we-non baj^ with all the iron and copper mines scattered along the shore for a hundred miles, and back from the shore some forty or fifty miles in the dense forest. This district had to be traveled in the winter, on snow shoes, and in the summer by steamboats, and other small craft or canoes, and on foot troni one point to another, from ten to thirty miles distance, through a dense evergreen forest, tilled with mosquitoes, *'many ot which would weigh a pound." They would "light on the trees and bark '' as we passed along.

At this time the Indian Missions required more attention than ever before, especially the Sault Ste, Marie. The whites were rapidly settling the country. Quite a village was being built at the Kapids. Traders were coming in, and they were wevy anxious to secure the trade ot the Indians in order to secure their furs, to obtain which, some of them would sell or give the natives whisky, and then rob thefH of their valuable merchandise. To accomplish their object, they wotild get the Indians away from the influence of the missionary by sending them into the forest to hunt and trap ; and they had so far succeeded as to lead my predecessor to think it advisable to discontinue the mission at the Sault, and toUowthem to their new camping ground, about thirty miles up the bay. This proved an unfavorable point. Game was not sufliciently abundant for their support. The water was so shallow that steamboats could not come near them, and there was no inducement

to labor, or desire civilization, consequently the}' were compelled to be absent the greater part ot the time in the forest hunting, trapping or fishing, leaving the missionarv and interpreter witli out a congregation to preach to, or children enough for a school.

At my first quarterly meeting I liad bat a mere handful of women and children to preach to. I soon found one of the chiefs, and in consultation with liim I learned that about halfway between this point and the Sault, on the livei', deep water came so near the shore that bv building a dock steamboats could stop and take wood, which the Indians could chop, and after the wood was taken off of the land it could be cultivated for their support.

After consulting with the chiefs and leading men of the band, and their having agreed to move to this point, providing we could pui-chase •the land, and after counseling with the missionary on the Canada side, brother McDougal, we purchased the desired land. We took up every fractional section that bordered on the river from Wayskeys Bay to Iriquois point, about six miles, bringing us to the lower end of the Ye-quam-anaw Bay. Back ot this purchase was a large bodv of excellent farmino- land, covered with a heavy growth of sugar maple, birch, pine, and hemlock timber. On this purchase we resolved to establish the Mission. This involved the building of a new mission house, several Indian houses, and a dock ; also the chopping and hauling of several hundred cords of wood ta the dock to supply steamboats during the summer. The superintendence of all this work, in addition to the work of this District, so overtaxed my strength that at the close of the third year I went to conference with the purpose of asking a division ot the work ; and the appointment of a Presiding Elder for the mining district, and a superintendent to the Indian Missions.

At the conference, at the first meeting with the Bishop, to economize men and money, he proposed to attach all the Indian missions in the lower Peninsula (some two or three,) to the Lake Superior District, and to make the Presiding Elder superintendent of the whole, and also missionary to the Sault Ste. Marie's Mission. Tothis plan, all the Presiding Elders positively objected ; but the Bishop was sure his plan waa right, and no argument could move him. I said to him, " then, of course, you will appoint a new Presiding Elder; I cannot do the work.'^ The next morning the conference passed a resolution requesting the general conference that would meet the coming spring, that in dividing the conference, the Indian Missions ot the lower Peninsula, be retained in the Michigan Conference, and the Indian Missions of the upper Peninsula belong to the Detroit Conference.

In fixing the appointments to the various circuits, stations and missions, no missionary was appointed to the Sault Ste. Marie Mission. A school teacher and an interpreter were appointed.

My plan was to have the teacher do the preaching. A single man was to be employed as teacher. In naming the districts and the presiding elders, when the Bishop came to the Lake Superior District, he announced '-^ James Shaw. Presiding Elder." I thought I had made suitable explanation, and although I saw my work double what it was before, and my physical strength half what it had been, and the means to work with greatly diminished, I resolved to make no further objections, but shoulder the burden, face the music, and come life or death, trusting in God, do the best I could. But I said to Dr. Durbin, the Missionary Secretary, after the adjournment of conference, "when I turn my face toward Lake Superior everything looks dark." He replied, '' brother Shaw, joii must nerve yourself for the work." This I resolved to do, and instead of stopping to brood over the cost, to commence the ascent, however rough and rugged the way. But difficulties arose mountain high before me. First, the Government had been giving $1,400 a year to the Sault Mission, for educational purposes. The treaty having expired, this fountain from which to draw, had dried up, and there was no appropriation to furnish supplies for the Indians, and keep them at work at home, in supporting their families, consequently they would have to leave the Mission and go into the forest to hunt and trap, and the Mission be comparatively broken up. This, w^e resolved, should not be, under our administration.

Secondly, w^e were required to employ a single man as teacher, with a single man's salary, with which to board and meet other expenses. The single man failed to come, and we had to employ a member of the conference with a wife and tw^o children, on a single man's salary, and be responsible for his support. Truly, this was being required to "make brick without either clay or straw." To save a complete failure, and the breaking up of the Mission, I had to purchase, on mj own responsibility, a large bill of supplies and run the risk of reimbursing myself in the operation.

The previous year, a cyclone passed through our village, and leveled our school house to the ground, and took off the roof of every Indian house in the village, leaving us without a place for school or preaching, except as we took it into the mission house. This we did until we could build a church w^hich could serve for school purposes.

As the Indians had abandoned the Mission at the Little Rapids, two miles below the Sault where buildings had been erected for educational purposes, and improvements made on Government lands, with Government appropriation, the conference instructed me to sell what interests we had in the farm, and appropriate the proceeds to the benefit of the Sault Ste. Marie Mission. Having an opportunity, I did so, and contracted with a merchant to build a church at our Mission. The church was up, but not finished, when I ordered supplies for the w^inter.

I went directly from conference to the Mission, on reaching which I found things more discouraging than I had anticipated. The man who had bought the farm had failed to meet the obligation promptly ; the merchant to whom the Mission was in debt, wanted his money ; and as the purchaser of the farm had left for Detroit, it was necessary for me to go there too, and settle the matter if possible. It was late in the fall, and the last boats for the season were up the lake. If I went to Detroit I could not return until spring. I concluded to take my family with me, and leave them there for the balance of the year. As ice had already formed along the shore, and fearing the boats might pass in the night, or fail to stop at oar dock, I concluded to go to the Sault, where I could not fail to have transportation, and leave tlie Mission in the hands of the teacher and farmer for the winter. We had a pleasant trip to Detroit, and spent the winter in arranging for and settling up the affairs for the Mission, and preparing for our early return in the spring. We took the first boat for the upper lakes, and after a somewhat rough passage, landed safely at the Sault, and found the Mission in good condition, by the supplies we had forwarded. The Indians had been kept Iiome and employed. The school was in a prosperous condition, and the church being built up and established. Brother Holt, the missionary, was succeding well, both as preacher and teacher.

Brother Curtis, who had charge of the dock and .'Supplies, had carried tilings safel}^ through the •winter, and all things seemed prosperous and ^encouraging. After spending a few days at the Mission, we proceeded to visit that part of our •district on the Ke-wa we-noii Bay, and at the •different mining points.

We took passage on a steamboat that was agoing up the bay, to the mouth of the Portage River, some twelve miles from the Mission. To (reach this, we had to w^alk about twenty miles on a very rough and crooked shore, or trust to luck to get a passage on some small boat or canoe. Fortunately, on reaching the mouth of the Portage Kiver, we met a sail boat coming ^own the river with six miners, bound for the Catholic Mission, on the opposite side of the bay from our Mission, where their families were residing, while they were laboring in the mines. We engaged passage. This was late in the afternoon, the sun only about an hour high. We -expected to reach the Mission early in the evening, but as the sun went down the wind went with it, and we were left not a mile on our journey, without a breath of wind to raise a ripple •on the water. Here our difficulties commenced. 'The boat was the largest size of small boats, and they had no oars but the short oars for small boats, and there were no row locks for the oars. I soon discovered that the men knew nothing^ about managing a boat and did not know what to do. Fortunately they liad a rope on board which I cut in pieces, and tied three on eachside of the boat for row-locks, and set the six men to rowing, while I seated myself in the stern with an oar to guide. Thus rigged, weproceeded on our journey. The sun was now down, but fortunately we had a good moon. Our progress was very slow, as our oars wereso small. It was like dipping the ocean with a teaspoon. The trip was a liazardous one, as the shore was rough and rock3\ A wind irom the bay would have wrecked us on the rocks. Our only hope was to press on as best we could,, trusting in Providence. About midnight, all appearances being favorable, we went ashore,, built a fire, and alter warming ourselves, proceeded on our way. Just at dayliglit we reached the Catholic Mission, and found them still asleep. But we aroused them, and the priest soon had us a good cup of coffee and a bountiful breakfast, of which we paitook with a relish. We then hired an Indian to take us across the bay to our Mission. I found rlie Mission in a prosperous-

LAKE SUPEKIOR DISTRICT. 2T

condition. We spent the Sabbath witli thera^ and had lovefeast in the morning. At half past ten o'clock we preached, and administered the Lord's supper at the close. It was truly interesting to worship with these dusky sons of the forest. They were simple and frank in the love feast, and attentive and interested during preaching, solemn, yet joyful at the sacrament. AVe trust the services were profitable. Learning that some of the Indians were going to the Portage Lake mines, in birch bark canoes, we engaged passage with them.

The Missions raise, annually, large quantitiesof vegetables of various kinds, and the Indians follow their example, not only for their own use, but to sell to the miners. Here, too, in the marshes, cranberries grow very abundantly in their native state, and the hills and valleys in many places are covered with whortleberriesand blueberries. They grow on low bushes and make the country look literally black. The red raspberry grows so abundantly here that they have become an article of commerce. On Sugar Island, twelve miles below the Sault Ste. Marie, one man has been engaged several seasons manufacturing raspberry jam. Employing the steamboats to deliver him jars and sugar, and the

Indians to gather the berries, he has prepared and sold from one to seven tons annually of this delicious article. The Indians also make great use of the berries during their season. White fish and trout are very abundant in the lake and in small streams v^hich empty therein, and they are of the very best quality. God has wonderfully and bountifully provided, in every part of the habitable earth, supplies for his dependent creatures.

In one of the Indian canoes, made alone of birch bark, we took passage to our next appointment. When we were about half way on our trip, one of the canoes began to leak. The Indians at once proceeded to remedy the defect very skillfully. They ran their canoes ashore, and unloading the defective one, turned it over, and finding the leak, with a gum prepared from the balsam tree, they proceeded to stop it by spreading the gum along and over the crack. They melted this with a small torch, thus filling the leak and causing it to adhere to the boat. This soon hardened, making a complete repair. Placing the canoe again in the water, they reloaded it and we proceeded on our journey, and reached our destination without further trouble. This was near the Portage Lake mines. They are situated on Portage lake, about twelve miles- Irom the mouth of the river of the same name. The copper mines in this locality were then considered very profitable, and employed a large number of men. There we had a Mission for t heminers. Brother L. W. Earl was the preacher. At the Houghton mines we had quite a respectable society of Cornish miners who, in their religious exercises, would often speak ot how they would do ''at 'ome." They were faithful, and true to Methodism.

Our next appointment was at the Cliff mines,.. three miles from the shore of Lake Superior. To reach this, we had either to travel some twelve miles in small boats, and then go over a vast, mountainous wilderness about thirty or forty miles on foot, following a dim trail, or else cross the Portage to the lake shore, and then down the shore to Eagle River. We chose the former, and hired two Indians to take us up by small boats to the head of Portage River, This brought us within one mile of Lake Superior, which we could reach by carrying our luggage over a high elevation of land. Over this, the- Indians in their travels would carry their birch bark canoes and other luggage. The whole route had to be made by rowing up stream andi

■30 KEMINISCENSEiS.

through small lakes. After we. had made about fifteen miles, the water became visibly less, the lakes snialler and the river narrower, until it w^as barely sutticient to permit our boat to pass. We reached this point near night. Leaving our Indians to return, we took our baggage in hand and addressed ourselves to the task of crossing the Portage. On reaching the lake shore, we found a house and two German families living here,* and not another house in twenty miles. I engaged lodging with them for the night, and employevi the men to take me, on the next day, by boat to Eagle Kiver, some twenty-five miles. They were very inquisitive as to who I was, and what was my business. I told them that I was a Missionary, ana was visiting the missions at the different mines. 1 soon learned that they were Catholics, but had not seen a priest for several years. One of the women had a small child, she was very much troubled about, because «he had not been to confession, or had her child baptized. She wanted to confess to me and have me baptize her child. I told her 1 would baptize her child, but could not receive confession from her. She must confess to God and trust in 'Christ for pardon. This seemed to relieve her, :and she was greatly comforted in having her oliild baptized. The morning was pleasant, and having a fair breeze, we hoped to reach Eagle River before noon. But when we had got about half way, the wind changed and came directly from the lake, and we were obliged to put to shore and wait tor the wind either to go down, or change before we could proceed. We had neglected to bring any provisions for the trip, expecting to make it in halt a day. How long we would be kept here we could not tell. .Having come to the foot of the mountain, 1 resolved to try to cross it, and leave my trunk with the the men to bring, when the wind would permit.

When we reached Eagle River, we were pretty well used up. When we had rested awhile the men came up with our trunk and we proceeded to the mines, where We received a cordial welcome by the Missionary and his family. On examination we found each foot a solid blister, and our strength pretty nearly exhausted, but after suitable refreshments and resting a few days, we w^ere so far recruited as to buckle on the armor afresh and proceed on our journey. The reader may ask, "Were you not discouraged ? " Not a bit. The consciousness that I was in the Master's work, and my suffering nothing, compared with what He had suffered for me, more than reconciled me to my calling. We* next had to visit Ontonagan, some forty miles up the lake. This we did by steamboat.

Spending the Sabbath with them, we returned to Copper Harbor, another station, and then to Carp River. Back some twelve miles arethe great iron mountains of this region. They are reached by a railroad, on which the ore isbrought to the siiore. Marquette is quite apleasant village. They were building a church there, and we spent the Sabbath with them. Tliis completed our first round of visitation. Our meetings were all seasons ot refreshment and comfort. The charges were all prosperous and encouraging ; the missionary and family in good health and spirits, and prosecuting their work vigorously and successfully. AVe now proceeded to the Missicm at the Sault to spend a few weeks with them.

This is a fair sample of the work to be done^ and hardships to be endured on this district. But the Lord mercifully sustained me, so that I was able to get through the year. At the close of my last round, I was so prostrated that it was with difRculty that I could settle up theaffairs of the Mission and *get things ready for conference. This being done, I proceeded afe once to Detroit, where I was confined to my room for several days. I went from a sick bed to conference, which met this year at Adrian, Mich. The bretliren of the conference greatly sympathized with me in my position, and kindly voted me a superannated relation.

At the close of the conference I returned to Detroit to recuperate. Being freed from the responsibility and anxiety of the district, and enjoying a season of rest in the society of friends, my health soon began to improve, and in a short time I had gained so much strength as to begin to feel like buckling on the armor afresh and going into the active service. The country had been for some time greatly agitated on account of the passing of the Kansas and Nebraska bill, removing what was called the Missouri compromise. Kansas seemed to be the bone of contention between freedom and slavery.

I was uncompromisingly opposed to slavery. I held that the Missouri compromise was a fraud and a disgrace to humanity, as well as contrary to the laws of God, and the quicker it was annihilated the better. And I claimed, also, that policy pleaded for its removal ; that all we wanted was an "open field and a fair fight" and I feared not the result. God was on the side of freedom, and with him on our side, no matter how strong, or how many were against us, we had a decided majority. The excitement in Kansas greatly interested me. I had been in the General Conference of 1S4S, when it repudiated the proposed plan ot dividing the great Methodist Episcopal Church into North and South. I was on the Committee on Boundaries that recommended the organization of Kansas and Nebraska into a conference, holding that the Methodist Episcopal Church was. not confined by lines, but that the "world was her parish," and every open door invited her entrance. It seemed to me that the door w^as opened wide to enter Kansas, and being at liberty this year, 1 resolved to visit that State and make a personal examination of matters and things.

CHAPTER 11.

The Kansas and Nebraska Conference w^as organized in Lawrence, October 23, 1856, by Bishop Baker. Methodism in Kansas was not inaugurated by general awakenings and conversions, but b}^ its members emigrating from different parts ot the country, and settling in different places, thus becoming the foundation ot future church organizations. To these, as ever lias been the economy of the church, missionaries were sent, who, after the example of their illustrious leader, and in the spirit ot their Divine Mastei', encountered the hardships of a new and sparsely settled country, braved the ■dangers ot a border ruffian war, and with the love of souls at heart, and the glory ot God in view, went out, guided by the great Sheplierd, to seek and gather up these destitute sheep. Thus these settlers became the nucleus around which their neighbors gathered. To them the word of God was preached, and societies formed, by which, in some instances, cliurches were erected. In many places these have grown to be large and inliuential bodies, sending forth a saving, healthful iniiuence overall these lands. Witii all these points a history is connected wdiich cannot fail to interest and prodt all true lovers of our church.

To these reminiscences I desire to call the reader's attention in this volume. To this work I direct my thoughts, not without some hesitation ; not but that there is abundant material, but for lack of ability to make such selections as shall be most interesting and profitable.

I must confine myself to such places and incidents as come under my own observations. First, Leavenworth. Here my acquaintance with Kansas Methodism commenced, and under peculiar circumstances. It was some time in March, 1857, while the whole territory w^as convulsed with excitement over the Lecompton Constitution, and not long after the Free State men of Leavenworth had been driven by the border ruffian army on to the steamboats and carried down the river. But they had returned and again engaged in business; or, as one of them remarked to me, " They had fought, bled, and run away, and had come back to run some other day." I reached Leavenworth almost penniless, having had my watch, pocket-book^ valuable papers, and all my money, except a few shillings, stolen from m}^ state room in St. Louis. But, having "put my hand to the plough," and paid my passage, I resolved to press on, trusting in Providence.

On n earing Leavenw^orth, I inquired of a passenger on board, who lived in the city, for some Methodist. He directed me to Joseph Evans. When I landed on the shore, though about 12 o'clock at night, I directed my way to his house, awoke him from his sleep, and told him who I was. He invited me in, entertained me for a few days, and loaned me money to prosecute my journey. This was true Methodist, Christian kindness.

I met here Wm. Butt, who was the preacher for this place, Wyandotte and Quindaro. He related to me some of the incidents of the previous year. When the border ruffian army came into the city, he was at work in his stable. Tw^o of them came to his stable to press his horses, but he resisted, w^ith his pitchfork, and drove them away ; but they came back with reinforcements, and took hishorses,but he^scaped-, seeking refuge at the Fort. By his invitation, I preached for him on Sunday. The society was then small, and worshipped in a small box house, located, I should think, about half way from where the present market house stands, and the river. The congregation was not large, but respectable and attentive.

I here made the acquaintance of Brother and Sister McCracken. Brother McC. was not then a member of the church, but was a moral, generous, and noble hearted man, whose house was ever a home for the heralds of the cross.

6b REMINISCENSES.

He was afterwards happily converted to Gody joined the cliiirch, lived a consistent Christian lite, and soon the Lord took him home to glory.

I was soon introduced to Sister Currier, who was then a pious and devoted Christian. She invited me to her house, and though her husband was not a member of the church, he was friendly, sympathetic and liberal. He always made the people feel at home in his house. With gratitude, I still remember how his words thrilled my heart, when his wife introduced me, and with a liearty shake of the hand he exclaimed, " Welcome to my house! "

Brother Evans still lives to bless the church; and nobly has he borne her burdens, and become almost a proverb of liberality and Christian benevolence. I once heard a Presiding Elder say, that Uncle Joe, as he was familiarly called, had grown rich by giving to the church. May he long live, with his hopeful spirit and cheerful countenance, to shout on the hosts of Methodism to victor}^ and glory.

A short time before this a company had laid out a town and commenced to build up Atchison. They had no preaching. A preacher (not a Methodist) had once visited this town, and the rabble caught him, put him on a raft, and sent him down the river. Six miles above Atchison, a compaii}^ had laid out and commenced to build the town of Doniphan. Here one ot our preachers, A. L. Downey, in lieeing from the border ruffians, took refuge with a colonel of their army, and under his protection had preached once or twice.

This colonel was a lawyer of good ability, kind and noble hearted, but then engaged in a bad cause. I made his acquaintance on my first visit to Kansas, and found him intelligent, frank and friendly, but somewhat intemperate ; but when afterwards the truth of God reached Ins heart, he vras too honest to deny its claims, and with a broken and child-like spirit he sought and found tlie "pearl of great price." He joined the M. E. Church, and has since been a leading, active, and useful member thereof in Troy.