150 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



It was the last day of October 1834, when I first en- 

 tered this "arm of the Grand Prairie." 1 It was about 

 noon of a clear delightful day when we emerged from 

 the wood, and for miles around, stretched forth one broad 

 expanse of clear, open land. At that time the whole of 

 this country scarcely showed a sign that the white man 

 had yet been here, except those of my own household. 

 I stood alone, wrapt up in that peculiar sensation that 

 man only feels when beholding a broad rolling prairie 

 for the first time — it is an indescribable delightful feel- 

 ing. Oh what a rich mine of wealth lay outstretched 

 before me. Some ten miles away to the south-west, the 

 tops of a grove were visible — toward that, onward rolled 

 the wagons, with nothing to impede them — the road was 

 broad — the grass (which some think grows so high as to 

 impede travel,) only a few inches long, except in creeks 

 and wet places. Just before sundown we reached the 

 grove and pitched our tent by the side of a spring. What 

 could exceed the beauty of this spot! Why should we 

 seek farther? Here is every thing to indicate a healthy 

 location, which should always influence the new settler. 

 And here let me caution the emigrant always to beware 

 locating upon the banks of streams. After enjoying 

 such a night of rest as can only be enjoyed after such a 

 day, the morning helped to confirm us that here should 

 be our resting place. In a few hours the grove resounded 

 with the blows of the axe, and in four days we moved 

 into our "new house." 



"Dear me," do I hear some parlor-loving wife of an 

 expectant emigrant say, "where did you get your boards 

 to build it with?" My good lady, we were 40 miles from 

 a saw-mill, and of course the house was built and finished 

 off complete without a sawed board about it, and but very 

 few nails, nor a brick or stone. The sides were round 

 rough logs, not even the bark taken off, laid up by notch- 

 ing the corners together, the cracks well filled with clay, 



1 Grand Prairie was located south of the Kankakee marsh and 

 timberland in what is now part of Newton and Jasper counties. 



