He often had to pay security debts, one for
Mr. Key, his brother-in-law, of five thousand dollars. Just before the
election of Lincoln, he took a large drove of mules to Natchez, Miss.,
twenty-two of these mules were of his own raising. While there Lincoln
was elected, which threw the south into war. He sold the mules
on time and never got a dollar for them. To the honor of my father
be it said, he gave up all his property to pay his debts, never withholding,
where he could have done so. A short while before he died there was
one debt of a few hundred dollars he could not pay. He wept and told
me of this. A year ago I settled up with Mr. Wills' heirs and paid
this debt to his children, who live near Peculiar in Cass county, Mo.
It would be such a joy to my father to know that I did this to save his
honor. When I see him, in our heavenly home, he will bless me for this.
"Love knows no sacrifice."
I can not call to mind when the thought of self, governed any of my
father's actions. It was his delight to provide for the comfort of others.
Devoted to his family and friends, and such a friend to the poor; I have
heard my mother say that he made every one rich who worked for him.
When I first remember him he was a "Trader" and left his farm to an
overseer. My father drove hogs to Cincinnati before there were any
railways. I was always at his heels, when I could be. He was standing
on the stile one day giving directions to have a drove of hogs meet
him at a certain place on Sunday.
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