News: Neillsville, Wis. - Indians Recall Old Days (5 Sept. 1929)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Swallow, Big Soldier

----Source: Neillsville Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) September 5, 1929

Indians Recall Old Days on Black River (1929)

James Swallow and John Big Soldier, two of the oldest "Neighbors" in the county, were city visitors yesterday. Jim owns up to 83 years, and John acknowledges that 97 summers have come and gone since he arrived on the banks of Black River.  John has known Jim ever since Jim came and Jim as known John ever since he commenced to know anybody.  From boyhood they have been neighboring and Pow-wowing together. Both remember when to look upon a white man was a sort of a Sunday treat, and to witness the strange doings of the white folks in cutting down trees and hauling saw-logs had a mystery about it.  They may or may not have seen the first stage coach which came to these parts, but they have seen enough of many such interesting events to compile a grand old story of times gone by, but for the fact that they cannot transcribe their recollections into print. 

Jim is as spry as a man of 60, and John doesn’t act as tho he was any older.  Living life in the open has not been without its benefits and pleasures to them. - Black River Falls Banner Journal