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A PIONEER MINISTER BY REV. SUPPLY CHASE
APRIL 21, 1873
The best of them were divided into two rooms by a partition of boards through the middle, making what was called the bed-room. Here was the spare bed. But many of them had but the single room with a "Dutch back" as it was called, being a wall of stones laid up with clay against the logs, for a fire place; sometimes clay pounded down and made hard for a hearth; sometimes a chimney and sometimes not. But the hospitality was hearty and wholesouled Supper over and family worship past, then came the tug of war. There are the two beds in sight. One of these the minister is expected to occupy. But how is he to disrobe himself and retire to peaceful slumbers under the circumstances ? But even here, difficulties are overcome, for the hostess would be knitting most industriously with her back toward the bed, when the host would say "Elder, you will occupy that bed; " or the ladies would have business out doors until the mystery was finished and the Elder was snugly stowed away with his face to the wall.
Sometimes the case was different, and he was requested to climb a ladder into the attic, and share a bed with some of the younger members of the family, with the stars shining through between the puncheons which covered the roof, if the night chanced to be clear, or find a little snow sprinkled over the bed, if the night was stormy. Sometimes the husband and father would invite himself to a share of the "Elder's bed, " while the mother and daughter occupied the parental couch; thus, in reality, separating husband and wife. Thus we lived and labored among the pioneers. Aside from the foreign population, they were largely from western and central New York, with a good sprinkling of New Englanders; mostly young; few middle aged; occasionally a gray head; energetic, used to hard work, they had come to Michigan to get homes, and they were bound to succeed.
Michigan
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