10 June 2000 MO-Abstracts Read-Only List ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The following is being shared through the wonderful thoughtfulness of an anonymous subscriber. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Source: This article was published 23 Mar 1905 in "Old Settlers Column" in a weekly newspaper titled "The Marshfield Mail", Marshfield, Missouri Webster County, Missouri Early Settlers Among the early settlers of Webster County were WILLIAM DECKARD, JESSE DECKARD, and CATHERINE DECKARD, a widow. Of the children of WILLIAM DECKARD, two live in this county. They are Wesley Deckard and Green Deckard. George Deckard, another son, lives in Wright County. All of JESSE's children are dead. Some of the grandchildren live in the southeast part of the county. CATHERINE DECKARD was the mother of two children, SYLVESTER DECKARD and LUCINDA (Deckard) PENDLUM. The oldest child, Sylvester Deckard, was five years old when the Deckards came to this county in 1840 and now lives a few miles southwest of Turnbo with this son, Frank. Sylvester Deckard may properly be considered the founder of the Deckard family in this county and with one or two exceptions, is the oldest citizen of the county. SYLVESTER DECKARD was born in Indiana in 1835, and moved to what is now Webster County in the fall of 1840. He married Miss Elizabeth Bolin, a sister of James Bolin of Niangua and aunt of George Bolin, telephone operator at Marshfield. To Mr. & Mrs. Deckard were born ten children, nine of whom are now living. The children are: William, living east of Marshfield; Jane (Deckard) Fane, living east of Marshfield; John; Pink; Liza (Deckard) Wheeler, wife of William Wheeler of Ozark County; Frank; Emeline (Deckard) McAdams, who lives in Idaho; and Thomas Deckard who is not married. The Deckards came to this county in a wagon drawn by oxen and first located on the Osage. SYLVESTER DECKARD lived with his mother until large enough to work and then "hired out" to the farmers until his marriage. Since that time he has lived on many different farms in the county. His helpmate died in 1903, since which time some of his children have lived with him or he with them. Mr. Deckard has a good memory and can tell many interesting stories of early pioneer days. His character was formed those early times, and he lives now to see all things changed but himself, while he remains the same outspoken man of that time. His first recollection of a home here was a log cabin with a 'puncheon' floor and a wide fire-place in one end in which great logs of wood with their crackling heat strived to drive out the cold that came through the poorly built walls. In Mr. Deckard's language 'you could throw a cat through almost anywhere' and the puncheons in the floor were so rough 'that the women folks would sometimes trip on a rocking board and spill the milk that they would carrying around in a gallon gourd'. These houses were built of rough logs and an ax was almost the only tool used. No nails entered their construction. The roofs were held on by logs held in place by short sticks called 'knees'. These roofs turned 'some' of the rain but let snow drift through easily. The doors were rived boards mortised into a frame, and the lock was usually a pin or a wooden latch which could be listed from without by a "latch string". The family was clothed from cotton grown on the little farm. This cotton was seeded by the family at night and was carded, spun, and wove into cloth by the women. The boys were usually clothed with scraps of the parents' clothing which had "worn out". Shoes and hats were home made and in fact all clothing was made on the farm. Flax was much used and a lastly, if not smooth linen, was made from its fiber. The bill of fare usually consisted of corn bread, meat, and a little coffee. Corn was often ground by fixing a sweep with a maul over a stump, hollowed out like a mortar, with a boy to wield this primitive pestle. When the family was out of meal, baked potatoes filled its place. There was much game and some wild hogs, so meat was usually plentiful. Whiskey was made whenever it was wanted and was sold for 60 cents a gallon. Mr. Deckard has much to say about pioneer hospitality. People at that time had not acquired the 'money habit' to such an extent as at present and things were held almost in common. Neighborhood visits were often made and all kinds of articles were borrowed, one from another. The Deckards did their first trading at Springfield and later at the St. Luke store. Cattle were cheap, a good cow selling for ten dollars. Horses were scarce but the large forests made hog raising very easy. It is easily seen from Mr. Deckard's recollections that while the people of those days endured many hardships, they had many pleasures not enjoyed now. They led a free and easy life. Hunting and fishing took much of their time and most of man's labor was getting wood and cultivating a small "patch" of corn to be used for bread, and some laid by to feed during any severe winter storms. What little hay was used was cut from the wild grass in some prairie hollow. Mr. Deckard is one of the few who remember those early days, and only a few more years and the honest old few of the real pioneers will be seen no more.