Excerpt from Reminiscences of Bureau County: In Two Parts

The writer oi the following story came to Bureau soon after the settlement had been commenced, and experienced some of the inconveniences common to the settlement of a new country. At that time, the prairies of this county were in a state of nature, without roads, fields, or dwellings, a part of which had not yet been surveyed. The only marks of civilization to be seen were a few log cabins, built here and there in the edge of the timber, and throughout the county there was scarcely a school, or meeting house; not one surveyed road, nor one stream bridged. Indian trails were still to be seen, and traveled both by whites and Indians.

The writer was well acquainted with the first settlers. And from them much of this story was obtained. He also had frequent interviews with Indians, who had spent their youthful days on Bureau, and from them many important facts were gathered.

There are some incidents narrated in this story, which were unknown to the early settlers, but the most ofthem were well known, and will be confirmed by persons still living. Efforts were made to harmonize the early traditions of this county, as well as the state ments of Indians, with well established facts, and with a few exceptions it has been successful.

In historical sketches, discrepancies in narratives will occasionally appear, which must necessarily be supplied by inference of the writer, and this story is not an exception to the rule.

Neither money nor emulation induced the writer to offer these pages to the public; the necessarily limited circulation would prevent the former, and the criticisms common to local publications the latter. But another motive more laudable in its nature, and more useful in its effects, caused this work to appear, that is the great desire to preserve the early history of the county. The testimony of many of the early settlers, who are now in their graves, as well as of Indians that have long since passed away, was alone in possession of the writer, and justice required that it should be given to the public.

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