Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 13.djvu/257

REMINISCENCES OF SEVENTY YEARS 249 diana farm, they accepted $1600.00 for the 160 acres less what had been sold off in town lots, probably about 25 or 30 acres. But now came the sticking point. This money was to be paid in land office script. Jackson had just vetoed the United States National Bank bill, the notes of which had always been land office money ; State Bank paper, Father would not look at. There was no gold in the country and very little silver. So they struck out for Indianapolis and had to give 5 per cent premium for Mexican silver dollars, which was best money we had then in the United States, and was land office money at that. So the old gent thought he would make a sale and sell off all his loose property. I recollect just how he wrote out the notice, and that has been sixty-five years ago. "Gentlemen, I will say to you, that I will sell at a vendue: "Horses, hogs, sheep and cattle, plows and hoes and chains that rattle, "And some fine honey bees, and things as good as these." The sale came off, which added a few hundred dollars more to our farm money, and had to take that in any kind of money that was in circulation. But before he started with his family, he thought it best to go on alone on horseback and select a location. The Black Hawk War was over, and no fears were entertained in trav- eling through Illinois and Iowa ; but by two going together for company, it would make it more pleasant. So Uncle John Thompson, a good old Baptist preacher, said he would go along, if father would agree to take in Iowa, as he was very anxious to get out of the woods, and go where he said God had done the clearing. So they started early in the Spring to look at the cleared-land country, which they were delighted with. They said they could put in a hundred acres quicker and cheaper than they could put in ten acres in Indiana. They went clear up to Lake Michigan, where Chicago now stands. It was then an Indian trading post. A man there had jumped a quar- ter section of land and offered to sell his right to it for $400.00, and the improvements on the place were worth the money Father said, "I believe I will buy that place. Some day there will be a great town right here."