Pioneer Days
Author: James Wheeler Smith (1820-1911)
Bainbridge Republican (Date unknown)
...Continued...
Becomes Influential
Having made selections of land, and settled down to the realities of living in a country, it soon became apparent that our hero was to be by common consent a leader among men. His good humor, his quick wit, his knowledge of human nature together with his business capacity and his sympathy with the unfortunate, soon obtained for him the title of "Uncle Nate" a name by which he was ever afterwards talked of, and addressed. Uncle Nate was a character, which seemed to stand out as separate and distinct from his fellows, as the storm cloud from the azure fleeces of a summer day, and while we do not attempt to present any single act of his, in the form of a serial, yet the innumerable little sayings and doings of the man coupled with his universal good nature, his clear head and cool judgment, and his sympathy with the unfortunate gave him an influence over his associates which was felt in all the years of his active and useful life. A few incidents will suffice to show his quick wit and the influence which he held over his associates, in all his intercourse with them.
At one time, a neighbor of his from sheer necessity, was forced to take a "job" of another at a starvation price, to chop and clear three acres of land. After the fallow had been cut and burned, a "bee" was announced to "log" the fallow preparatory to burning and clearing the land, and by the way, we will state that in all jobs of this kind [in the] country, it is a recognized [rule that the] contractor was allowed the [leavings] at the rate of one [heap per] acre, which although not [extensive was] supposed to consist of the [remains after] the burning of the cleared [field.]*
When the men were [assembled and ready to] work, Uncle Nate gave the [lecture] stating the hard terms [of the contract], and proposing that they should first of all, put up three heaps to leave. The joke took, and through the magic of his words, and under his direction, the company was arranged in three bands on each side of the field, each band taking one-third of the width of the field, and moving across to the opposite side, each band putting up one continuous heap across the field; while some with their teams were hauling the logs together, others rolled them into a heap, and still others picked up the scattering debris, until they arrived at the opposite side of the field with the three complete heaps reaching entirely across the field. The poor man's job was done.
At another time, a poor man to save his family from starvation, was compelled for the sake of advanced pay, to agree to harvest a large field of grain for a very humiliating consideration; but as the owner of the grain lived at a considerable distance, the poor man was to receive the scatterings of the grain, the result of the harvesting. After the grain had been cut and properly cured a "bee" was arranged for hauling and storing the grain and of course Uncle Nate was on hand, as no bee was complete without him.
After the men were assembled and ready for work, Uncle Nate made a speech, recounting the dishonest course of the employer, and also the saving clause of the contract, relating to the scatterings, and suggesting the idea that such a large mow of grain must of necessity be well shaken, as a security for good keeping. Again the joke took and the men went to work with a will, and such a tumbling as that grain took was a new departure in the science of agriculture, each team vying with the other in inventing new rules of pitching and hauling until at last the ingenuity of the crowd was unable to go father. Before night it became apparent that a large installment of bags would be needed, which the neighbors seemed wonderfully willing to furnish and the result was that more than one team went that night in the direction of the poor man's house with very suspicious looking loads.
The next winter the owner sent a hired man to thresh the grain, and as the process at that day was by the old fashioned flail, and took a good many weeks to complete the task, everyone was surprised at the remarkably small yield of grain but none more so than Uncle Nate.
The completion of the Chenango Canal in 1837, seemed to Uncle Nate as the greatest triumph of the skill and ingenuity of man, as it was the first outlet, beyond a common wagon road, for the products and the importing of necessaries for all that part of the country; and yet in his old age he was permitted to stand on his native hills and hear the screams of the engines on three different railroads, as with lightning speed (compared with the old canal) they moved their mighty loads of freight and passengers to every town and hamlet, which before had seemed so isolated and shut out from the busy world.
As proof of their isolation and lack of what we of today call necessaries we will state that in 1817 a small store was started on the Unadilla River a little north of the line of the present town of Guilford, the first in all that section of country and although ten or fifteen miles distant, the good housewife was pleased to learn, that one pound of tea could be secured in exchange for sixteen pounds of butter, a privilege of which they were eager to avail themselves.
But the favorite amusement of Uncle Nate was to play some harmless joke on his companions, and throw the suspicion on some other person and many a one has been sold to his own mortification, and the amusement of the crowd, while to catch Uncle Nate, was too much like angel's visits, and the labor would be given up.
In the old burying ground on Gospel Hill, his remains lie buried, overlooking his favorite sheet of water, the Guilford Lake, where amid the multitude of unmarked graves, he awaits the general call, that shall bring him forth with all that noble band of brave pioneers, men and women, who amid privations and perils laid the foundation of our happiness and enjoyment as a people, and our greatness as a nation.
And to-day his descendants scattered among his native hills are proud to keep green the memory of their noble ancestor, and recall with pleasant thoughts the humorous acts, and sterling virtues of Uncle Nate.
*Clipping torn with some text missing.
Helps the Poor
At one time, a neighbor of his from sheer necessity, was forced to take a "job" of another at a starvation price, to chop and clear three acres of land. After the fallow had been cut and burned, a "bee" was announced to "log" the fallow preparatory to burning and clearing the land, and by the way, we will state that in all jobs of this kind [in the] country, it is a recognized [rule that the] contractor was allowed the [leavings] at the rate of one [heap per] acre, which although not [extensive was] supposed to consist of the [remains after] the burning of the cleared [field.]*
When the men were [assembled and ready to] work, Uncle Nate gave the [lecture] stating the hard terms [of the contract], and proposing that they should first of all, put up three heaps to leave. The joke took, and through the magic of his words, and under his direction, the company was arranged in three bands on each side of the field, each band taking one-third of the width of the field, and moving across to the opposite side, each band putting up one continuous heap across the field; while some with their teams were hauling the logs together, others rolled them into a heap, and still others picked up the scattering debris, until they arrived at the opposite side of the field with the three complete heaps reaching entirely across the field. The poor man's job was done.
Outwits a Hard Man
At another time, a poor man to save his family from starvation, was compelled for the sake of advanced pay, to agree to harvest a large field of grain for a very humiliating consideration; but as the owner of the grain lived at a considerable distance, the poor man was to receive the scatterings of the grain, the result of the harvesting. After the grain had been cut and properly cured a "bee" was arranged for hauling and storing the grain and of course Uncle Nate was on hand, as no bee was complete without him.
After the men were assembled and ready for work, Uncle Nate made a speech, recounting the dishonest course of the employer, and also the saving clause of the contract, relating to the scatterings, and suggesting the idea that such a large mow of grain must of necessity be well shaken, as a security for good keeping. Again the joke took and the men went to work with a will, and such a tumbling as that grain took was a new departure in the science of agriculture, each team vying with the other in inventing new rules of pitching and hauling until at last the ingenuity of the crowd was unable to go father. Before night it became apparent that a large installment of bags would be needed, which the neighbors seemed wonderfully willing to furnish and the result was that more than one team went that night in the direction of the poor man's house with very suspicious looking loads.
The next winter the owner sent a hired man to thresh the grain, and as the process at that day was by the old fashioned flail, and took a good many weeks to complete the task, everyone was surprised at the remarkably small yield of grain but none more so than Uncle Nate.
Canal a Marvel
The completion of the Chenango Canal in 1837, seemed to Uncle Nate as the greatest triumph of the skill and ingenuity of man, as it was the first outlet, beyond a common wagon road, for the products and the importing of necessaries for all that part of the country; and yet in his old age he was permitted to stand on his native hills and hear the screams of the engines on three different railroads, as with lightning speed (compared with the old canal) they moved their mighty loads of freight and passengers to every town and hamlet, which before had seemed so isolated and shut out from the busy world.
What a Pound of Tea Cost
As proof of their isolation and lack of what we of today call necessaries we will state that in 1817 a small store was started on the Unadilla River a little north of the line of the present town of Guilford, the first in all that section of country and although ten or fifteen miles distant, the good housewife was pleased to learn, that one pound of tea could be secured in exchange for sixteen pounds of butter, a privilege of which they were eager to avail themselves.
But the favorite amusement of Uncle Nate was to play some harmless joke on his companions, and throw the suspicion on some other person and many a one has been sold to his own mortification, and the amusement of the crowd, while to catch Uncle Nate, was too much like angel's visits, and the labor would be given up.
Good Man - Where Buried
In the old burying ground on Gospel Hill, his remains lie buried, overlooking his favorite sheet of water, the Guilford Lake, where amid the multitude of unmarked graves, he awaits the general call, that shall bring him forth with all that noble band of brave pioneers, men and women, who amid privations and perils laid the foundation of our happiness and enjoyment as a people, and our greatness as a nation.
And to-day his descendants scattered among his native hills are proud to keep green the memory of their noble ancestor, and recall with pleasant thoughts the humorous acts, and sterling virtues of Uncle Nate.
*Clipping torn with some text missing.
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