Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/158

 98 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI iiiund La Valle, a third married Thomas L. F'ontaine, a fourth married W. W. Hunter aud the fifth daughter married Doctor Thomas A. Dow. Many of the Watsous, Fontaines, La Valles aud Hunters of New Madrid county are descendants of Robert G. Watson. Shortly, before liis death Judge Watson wrote a sketch of his life. It is insei-ted here because of the information it contains as to conditions existing in this part of the state, and especially for its presentation of the great difficulty attendant upon travel in that early day. I am a Scotchman by birth. I left Aul- dearn, Scotland, a small town east of Iver- ness, in March, 1802. I came to this country when a lad with an elder brother of mine. Wm. G. Watson, under the guardianship of an uncle of ours, who had been in this coun- try a number of years previous to our ar- rival, and was doing business as a merchant in Detroit, Michigan, then a small town. We took shipping at Greenoch, Scotland, and landed at ilontreal, lower Canada, the latter part of May. From there we took passage on a batteau at a place called Saechine, six or eight miles from Jlontreal. We ero.ssed the small lake some six or eight miles wide, which bi'ought us to the mouth of the river JIagon. We proceeded on this batteau, which was loaded with merchandise, for Upper Canada, there being no other mode of conveyance at that period. After being fifteen days on the river, contending against a strong current and numerous falls, shoals, and other obstruc- tions, we arrived at Queenstown on Lake On- tario, a small town settled by British subjects, with a garrison containing two or three com- panies. After remaining there four days we took a small vessel for passage to Niagara, a small town at the head of Lake Ontario, after being out six days. From there we walked to Queenstown Heights, a distance of ten miles. From Queenstown we took a wagon to Fort Erie. When we arrived we found a vessel waiting for freight for Detroit and Upper Canada. We remained some ten days before the vessel got in freight and was ready to sail. While waiting we had nothing to do only amuse ourselves by hunting and fishing. We crossed from Fort Erie to the mouth of Buffalo Creek on the American side and found there a tribe of Indians encamped on a hunt- ing expedition. The city of Buffalo was not then spoken of, or had any connection with the state of New York, either by railroad, canal, turnpike or any other kind of road. The whole Lake country was claimed and owned by Indians, the only white settlement at that period on Lake Erie, was at a place then called Presque Isle, near the line di- viding the state of New York from Pennsyl- vania. It was then the only good harbor on the Lake. After leaving Fort Erie we ar- rived at Detroit, eight days out in the latter part of August. I remained with my uncle. Robert Gouie Watson, in Detroit, one year. He sent my brother and myself to school dur- ing that time, which was prett.v much all the school-going we ever received, ily uncle had a small trading establishment on the British side opposite Detroit, and he sent me over there to take charge of it. I remained there about a year, he being connected with the Indian trade on the American side at San- du.sky and Huron river along Lake Erie, then a considerable trading country owned and claimed by the Indians. I visited that coun- try on business for my uncle in the ,vear 1803. Where Cleveland and Sandusky are now located there were no white settlements or settlers, with the exception of a few In-