to school in the winter, while during the summer we worked on the
little farm and did the "chores" about the house and barn. But by
the time I was twelve years old I began to blow and strike in the
blacksmith shop, and when I was sixteen years old I could shoe
horses well, and considered myself master of the trade. At the age
of eighteen, I went into business with my father, and as I was now
entitled to a share of the profits, I married the daughter of a
well-to-do neighboring farmer, and we began our new life in part of
my father's house, setting up for ourselves, and doing our own
house-keeping.

I ought to have known then that marrying thus early in life, and
especially marrying the woman I did, was about the most foolish
thing I could do. I found it out afterwards, and was frequently and
painfully reminded of it through many long years. But all seemed
bright enough at the start. My wife was a good-looking woman of just
my own age; her family was most respectable; two of her brothers
subsequently became ministers of the gospel; and all the children
had been carefully brought up. I was thought to have made a good
match; but a few years developed that had wedded a most unworthy
woman.

Seventeen months after our marriage, our oldest child, Henry, was
born. Meanwhile we had gone to Sidney, Delaware County, where my
father opened a shop. I still continued in business with him, and
during our stay at Sidney, my daughter, Elizabeth, was born. From
Sidney, my father wanted to go to Bainbridge, Chenango, County, N.
Y., and I went with him, leaving my wife and the children at Sidney,
while we prospected. As usual my father started a blacksmith-shop;
but I bought a hundred acres of timber land, went to lumbering, and