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EARLY RECOLLECTIONS BY WM. C. HOYT
June 7th, 1873
I still pressed forward with the hope of reaching my sister's till night shed its darkness on the landscape. I therefore abandoned my purpose, and stopped over night at Mr. Sackrider's, about two miles from Adrian. He was a Quaker, and had raised some wheat the previous year. I retired to rest in a good bed, after having walked forty-eight miles during the day.
The next day I found my sister, Mrs. Keyes, living in a log shanty near Adrian; shot a wild turkey the next day in the garden, that weighed fourteen pounds and a half, dresssd. [The turkey, not the garden, ]
Adrian had a name and a few buildings; a store owned by Mr. Winter; a post-office, kept by Mr. Comstock; a saw-mill and grist-mill were nearly completed. All a wilderness back, and Government land in all directions; no roads any farther; a few trails leading to shanties in the forest, and settlers coming in every day; the sound of the ax or gun could be heard in every direction; all was bustle and strife. Provisions came from Detroit and Monroe, but not in sufficient qauntities to supply the demand; fish and bread constituted the principal food, except a few deer, squirrels and turkeys that occasionally fell before the settler's rifle. Potatoes were scarce. A few brought from Detroit, shipped directly from Buffalo, were all that could be had at any price; they planted the eyes and peelings of the few that could be obtained, and thus succeeded in having a moderate crop.
Michigan
Page 33
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