Deshler, Nebraska
February 4, 1921.
Friend Correll:
Enclosed find check for $2.00 in payment of my subscription to the dear old Hebron Journal, which makes it my 43d subscription, having read the Journal since 1878.
When I received your phone call to write a little article on pioneer days. I felt myself in the same position which came to my mind when I attended school, where a debating society took place. A young man was to debate on a certain question and he had studied his lesson until he almost knew it by heart, but when it came to making his little speech before the audience he almost became speechless. he attempted several times to start his speech, but each time had to give it up. He started like this: "Mr. President, I want to make a speech"--(another pause). Finally, "Mr. President, well, I can't speech, you know what I want to say, say it."
Now, as before stated, I am in a similar position, but upon your suggestion to write just as I would talk gave me encouragement, and if, after reading my little sketch, you can make out what I want to say, SAY IT. I will, therefore, not attempt to write like a polished correspondent in the present day magazines, but simply jot down happenings as they come to my memory from the pioneer days, when old "Friedensau" was in the height of its glory and destined to become the metropolis of west Thayer county.
Born in 1857 (you will note I am out of the spring chicken class), in Brown township, Ripley county, Indiana, I attended school until 14 years old (graduated in 1872: the word graduated was not used in those days in our part of the country, we simply quit school--that was all there was to it). The old school house was built of logs, size 16 x 24 feet, 8-foot ceiling, with a cannon-ball stove which served for slate-pencil sharpening, as well as heating. A monster oak tree, which stood beside it, gave shelter from windstorms, and the large branches protected the whole building like a hen protects its young chicks. But although the trials and tribulations were often and many on the inside of the schoolroom, and the good old teacher would handle the big stick sometimes gently and sometimes otherwise, the old, old school house is yet dear to my memory.
In 1872, went on the bench (but not as judge); it was shoemaker's bench; worked for two years at $25 a year and board (some different from wages nowadays). After the tow years were up I hired out at $125 per year (some raise); the third year I received $150 (you see, getting up higher all the time). Then I got the "wanderlust" (look up in the dictionary) and decided to take a big, long journey, after my dear, good mother had packed by satchel with clothes and good things to eat, and my companion was ready to start. Before starting it was customary in those days, on such a long journey, to take a little old Kentucky Bourbon along (prohibition was not in force those days), but as money was a very scarce article those days it behooved everybody to practice economy. Thinking that we could buy cheaper in Chicago, we bought only a pint of the Bourbon, and paid the enormous sum of 25 cents for it.
We first went to Cincinnati, a wonderful city of big buildings, the like of which we had never seen before; then we got to Chicago, another big city of big buildings and big people, but partly destroyed in the big fire of 1871. Well, here it was we were to refill our pint bottle, had it filled, price $1.00. Well well. Our imagination all blasted. (Moral: buy in small cities or towns. You buy cheaper in Hebron than in Omaha or Chicago). We continued our journey, and finally landed in Alpha in Fayette County, Iowa. Worked there for about two years and then went back to Indiana.
But after having seen the western Indiana did not appeal to me any more, hence, in the spring of 1878, I again started west, and landed in Belvidere March 10th, via St. Joe & G.I. Ry. There I met Mr. W.J. Green who was running a bus, hauling mail and passengers between Belvidere and Hebron. Mr. Green, I soon learned, was also a shoemaker, and we, of course, soon were bosom friends, and I found him the most accommodating, obliging man I ever met, a true friend. Arriving at Hebron, got acquainted first with J.W. Thompson, who had the postoffice, and I soon learned he also was a shoemaker; this made three, and three is a crowd.
In the summer of 1878, I established the postoffice at Friedensau. Previous to that time we got our mail at Hebron. I have walked to Hebron many a time to get my mail. Not having had any experience as to how to run a postoffice, Mr. Thompson very kindly offered to help me get started. Things went all right until the first quarter was up, and I was to make a report. We had to make reports quarterly, and we got our pay on commission. The salary amounted to about $20 or $30 per year. Making the report to Washington was quite a job, and as I was getting ready to tackle the job Mr. Thompson came to help me. This was an agreeable surprise. I offered to pay him, but he would accept nothing. The next quarter came, and with it Mr. Thompson to help me, and still would accept no pay. Words are not adequate to express my appreciation of the kind acts of this noble man.
After stopping in Hebron but a few hours, I started for Friedensau, via ox-team, Mr. Virchow, captain, who lived west of Friedensau near Kiowa. Visited at Rev. R.H. Biederman's, and the next day bought out Mr. J.F. Duehren, who was running the store at Friedensau. I paid him $150 cash, and the balance I got on time (big undertakin, the people said). The good people of Friedensau were very loyal to me, and I owe my success to a great extent to these good people. In addition to this I had a very large trade from people who marketed their grain, etc., from northern Kansas. They would haul their grain, etc., to Carleton, Nebraska, and nearly always stopped at my store to do their trading. Then there were the Comstocks, Lemons of Oak, Schoonover, Stackhouses from the brick school house district, and last but not least was that happy bunch from the Hackney district. Those good old ladies would come right into my store, get behind the counter and help select just what goods they wanted. Being quite young then, and about a thousand miles from home and no acquaintances or relatives, it was quite natural that I got homesick at times, but the cheerfulness and kind words from these good old ladies often tided me over the blues (not the Blue River).
It might be interesting to the younger generation to know that in those early days we had many Indian customers at my store. They came nearly every winter in great numbers, hunting and trapping along the Blue River and camping and staying there for many months at a time.
Although we sold goods on time in those days, it was seldom I lost anything by giving credit. Farmers generally bought goods on time, apying for them after harvest or after threshing. Those that could pay, and would not, I generally turned over to Mr. R. Ellison, and in all my dealings with Mr. Ellison I always found him to do just as he agreed to.
My success I attribute first to my friends, the old Tootle-Hosea & Co. (now Wheeler & Motter Mercantile Co., St. Joseph, Mo.) I started buying from them when I was not entitled to much credit. Through a peculiar coincidence, I gained their confidence in the following way.
I had bought a considerable bill of goods. When these arrived, I checked them over, but after checking them over several times I found that they had shipped me some five or six pieces of muslin through an oversight, and for which they had made no charge. It amounted to only $12 or $15. I reported this, and, to my surprise, after that all the goods I would order always came promptly, even if I owed them on previous bills. I buy of them today.
Secondly, to my friend of the old First National Bank, Mr. A.G. Collins, who helped me to do the things that I did, and I always found his advice beneficial to my success.
Wish to say here, however, that riches make no man happy in the long run. Money is all right if used for the purpose intended, viz., to do good to yourselves and families, and to your fellow men.
In conclusion will say that I am glad I live in Nebraska. It is a good state. Am glad to live in America, for our good old United States has the best government on earth. Our republican form of government give opportunity to any and all who have capacity and will powere to accomplish what they desire, if they are willing to pay the price in energy and endurance.
I like our educational institutions, because in our contry the poorest have the same chance as the rich to go to the top (read the life of Abraham Lincoln). Our slogan of "one language" does not quite meet with my approval. I speak two languages, and wish I cold speak five or six. In my experience as manager of the Deshler Broom Factory, I found myself handicapped many times in trying to deal with merchants in our sister republic of the south, Mexico, because of the fact that I could not correspond with them in their own language. I think our good President Wilson was handicapped at Versailles because of the fact that he was master of only one language. We can not converse or correspond successfully with people of other languages through interpreters, but when I say this, I want it always understood that I stand for this: Anyone wanting to live in our good old United States should learn the American language, for unless he does he is a burden to himself and his fellw men. Such a person would not understand the laws of the country, which is essential to know for good government.
With best wishes to you and yours for success and happiness I beg to remain, as ever. Remember me to your good mother.
H.J. STRUVE
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