Fulton county Illinois, newspaper - A Rambler’s Notes March 28, 1907 Transcribed from the Canton Weekly Newspaper March 28, 1907 ==================================================================== Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: © Lisa Jump ==================================================================== A RAMBLER'S NOTES Jacob Emery, of Canton, is one of those German American citizens of whom we have reason to be proud on account of the example they present of industry, morality and good citizenship. The country is greatly indebted for its present wealth and high standing to the sturdy enterprising, intelligent Germans who, having heard of the grand opportunities for the poor and oppressed in the new world, collected their worldly goods together, embarked on sailing vessels and crossed the ocean to America. Our subject’s early life was passed amid the pleasant scenes of his little German home across the sea. He opened his eyes on the living world around him on April 5, 1822, in Baden, Germany. “I was reared to manhood,” he said, ”in the fatherland, but by coming in contact with the world, in contact with hard, stubborn facts, I soon dropped childhood’s simple creeds and loving superstitions, and empty handed commenced life’s great struggle in earnest.” “I am a son of Jacob and Elizabeth Emery, both natives of Germany. My parents never left the old country, but lived and died there.” “The villages of Germany are supplied with good schools where I attended from six until 14 years old, in accordance with the law of the land. I also became acquainted with farm labor, remaining with my father on the farm until I was 22 years old, when, believing that better opportunities awaited me in America, I decided to come hither. The farms in Germany are small, the largest of them containing not more than 25 acres. On the cornerstone of every farm is the owner’s name and the number of acres the farm contains. The poorer people do all the farming, all the work, in Germany. On the farm is raised oats, barley, rye, a little corn, but no wheat. The German peasants live on bread made from rye and barley flour, mixed about half and half; potatoes and milk or beer. A big mug of beer costs half a cent and a glass of pure old whisky or wine costs only one cent. They have a pure food and a pure drink law in the old country, and the government has charge of the liquor traffic. If you buy a pound of coffee, sugar or tea and the grocer gives you short weight, you report the matter to a government officer and the dealer is arrested and fined heavily. Wages for day labor are from 10 to 12 cents and I worked one whole year, before I came to America, for $30. The farms, which are cut up into small patches are highly fertilized, everything being used to enrich the soil. Poor people sometimes have meat on the table once or twice a year. The farms all lie out and no stock is permitted to run at large. The little stone houses of the peasants are fenced with stone, and the stone fence is the only fence seen in Germany. The women sometimes drink coffee, but the men and children drink nothing but milk, beer or water. Oil manufactured from English walnuts was burned for making light when I left the country. Clothing there is good and cheap and a pair of calfskin shoes that cost you a dollar will last a year. There are no shoddy goods sold in Germany. The government will not permit it. The poor people raise flax and hemp and manufacture their own clothing.” “In the spring of 1844 I came down the river Rhine to Harve, France, and sailed from that port on an American ship on the fifteenth day of April. I was 22 years old at that time. I reached New York on the ninth of May, after a somewhat exciting passage of 24 days. A storm arose one night and I thought we would all go down in the gale. During a storm, sharks and other monsters of the deep swarm around a vessel. Three German emigrants died at sea on the voyage and their remains were prepared for burial, a sack of sand tied to them, and they were slid off a slanting board into the water.” “I remained in New York three days, when I went to Stark County Ohio and worked on a farm for a man named Huffman, for six or seven months. My wages were $13 a month. Huffman lived near Canton, McKinley’s old home. He did not want to pay me in full and I had to sue him to get my money.” “While living in Stark County I was married to Miss Elizabeth Spaugy, who was born in Ohio but whose father and mother both came from Germany. During the winter after my marriage I chopped and made rails for a man named John Shroel. This was in the winter of 1844-45.” “In the spring of 1845 my wife’s parents moved to Fulton County Ind. And we went with them to the then new county. Here I bought 80 acres of timberland for which I paid$100. On it, I built a log cabin and log stable and fenced and cleared about 40 acres. The country was new and both myself, and my wife endured many hardships and deprivations while preparing a home in the woods. We worked faithfully, however, and in time had a home of our own. We lived on this place five years or more, and then sold it to Jacob Perry, for $1100, and moved to Wabash and bought a house and two lots in town.” “During the war corn was $1 a bushel and hay $29 a ton, but I received $5 a day for teaming and made some money.” “I lived in Wabash until the spring of 1865, when I sold out and with over $1600 in my pocket moved to Coffee county Kan., staying there nine years, losing all of my money. The drouth and grasshoppers swamped me.” “In 1874 I started back to Indiana with a light wagon and a span of ponies, but when I reached Middle Grove my money gave out. I had $1.05, and I was compelled to stop and go to work. I chopped, made rails and cleared land for Thomas Leverton and A.J. McCombs in the north part of Fairview Township for five years. A.J. McCombs was one of the early settlers of north Fulton County, and his wife was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Smith, pioneers of Fairview Township. Both the Leverton and Smith families are good, whole-souled people, intelligent and moral. I lived on the Hall place in Fairview Township for a short time and then rented the Broadfield place, in Young Hickory Township, now owned by G.W. Williams, where I lived for 10 years.” “In 1892 I bought from Jonathan Smith, of Fairview Township, the 80 acres lying one mile east of Ellisville Station, in Young Hickory Township, paying $1075 for it. I cleared it up and raised wheat enough on it in three years to pay for it. The first year I raised 475 bushels; the second year, 350, and the third, 275 making a total of 1100 bushels, for which I received $1 a bushel.” “My son-in-law, Charles Thompson, who lives here in Canton with me, cut all the grain with the cradle and I raked and bound it myself, although I was past 70 years of age.” “While I am not what you would really call a pioneer of Fulton County, I am an early settler of both Indiana and Kansas.” “My deceased wife and myself were desperately poor when we began life in Indiana, and also when we first reach Fulton County, and many were the sacrifices we had to make and the deprivations we endured. We both worked hard, however, and a second time accumulated considerable property.” “About three years ago I sold the old home place in Young Hickory Township to C.F. Frederick of Ellisville for $2700 cash, and came to Canton, where I own three good residence properties. I am enjoying the peaceful comforts of my home here, in retirement from the hard labors of the early years of my life.” “My wife died a short time before my removal to Canton, and her remains rest in Coal Creek Lutheran Cemetery, in Young Hickory Township. She was a member of the German Lutheran church and I also belong to the same organization.” “I am the father of 10 children, six of whom are living, namely: Mrs. Margaret Phillips, a resident of Coffee County Kansas; Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson, of Canton; Phillip Emery, on the Randolph farm, in Joshua Township; Elsie Emery on a farm half a mile west of Middle Grove; Riley Emery, who lives in Oklahoma; and Mrs. Lulu H. Thompson, West Walnut Street, Canton.” “My wife was 77 years of age at the time of her death, and if I live until the fifth of April will be 85 and I guess my weary pilgrimage will soon be brought to a close.” “I lived in Indiana amid pioneer scenes, in a cabin in the wild primeval forest, which was infested with wild animals, and where game was abundant. And, oh! Many were the hardships and deprivations we endured before we subdued the soil and brought it to anything like a state of cultivation.” “In Kansas I built a sod house to shelter my wife and children and entered upon the hard task before me bravely, but to no purpose. The drouths, grasshoppers and other obstacles in that state broke me up, and I came to Illinois almost penniless, bought another farm, cleared it up and paid for it.” “In my struggles with the rude forces of nature in Indiana, Kansas and Illinois, I have done many, many hard days’ work, but being large and a strong German athlete, I have come through it all and am a hale and hearty man now, considering my advanced age.” “I have not worked much for the past six years, but am spending the declining years of my life in the enjoyment of the competency I have secured by my industry, by economy and good management. To live, a man must work, but he must save and manage also.” “After I had been in America for eight years I went back to the old country after my sister and consequently have crossed the ocean three times. My sister still lives in Wabash, Ind. Is a widow, and has grown rich by working and saving and remaining in one place all the time.” “There were not many railroads in Germany when I left there. The banks of the Rhine, however, were lined with forts when I was back there the last time. Germany has one of the best drilled and best equipped armies in the world in fact, I might say that the empire is a nation of soldiers.” “I do not chew, but smoke occasionally, and drink no whisky, but take an occasional glass of beer. The whiskey and beer in this country are adulterated are not pure.” “I came from a family noted for longevity.” “I guess I have been self-supporting ever since I was 10 years old. The boys and girls in Germany are compelled both to work and go to school.” “I have been handicapped by the loss of an eye ever since I lived in Fulton County, Ind.” “I set out when a young man with the sturdy determination to conquer all obstacles found in my way, but this I have not been able to do. I have won out in the end, however, and am satisfied.” “I could tell you a great deal more about the old country, the habits and customs of the German people, but perhaps it would not interest your readers.” During his long life Mr. Emery has not been engaged in a wide range of occupations, but has spent most of the time on a farm. Despite his age, he displays remarkable degree of vigor and arises early every morning and takes a walk. He wields an ax almost as handily as a youth, and there is never a lack of kindling wood beside the kitchen stove. In the afternoon he sits down for a rest and a smoke in the cozy armchair near the stove and discusses the current topics of the day with his daughter, Mrs. Thompson, and this generally leads to a reminiscent chat between the couple. He has no special advise to give with regard to the problem of good health and attaining old age. He believes in the simple life and out-of-doors work plenty of rest and sleep, and plain substantial food. He has always been quite a smoker but has given most other forms of stimulants a wide berth. For over 50 years the wife of his early manhood, the mother of his children, walked by his side, but some three years ago death crossed the threshold of his home and she was removed from him and the family. His life has been characterized by great energy and industry and intelligent, well-directed effort in the line of his chosen work, farming. In his political views he is a conservative Democrat, but has never sought office. He is well known and the incorruptible integrity of his character and his many fine qualities of head and heart have placed him high in the regard of his fellow citizens.