THE HACKETT FAMILY

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LIFE OF DENCY TERRY HACKETT

By GeorgeW. Hackett, Grandson

        Dency Terry was born July 20, 1807, ator near Palmyra, New York. Of her childhood and youth

records are missing. In 1825 shemarried Samuel Hackett in Ontario, "Upper Canada", near Brampton,

about 20 miles from Toronto. Theyremained there 14 years developing a farm from wilderness, in

cooperation with Samuel's parents,Jacob and Elizabeth who had migrated from New Jersey in 1812.

Their labors in Canada had notproduced satisfactory results. They were attracted by what seemed

greater opportunity in Illinoisand Wisconsin territories, then being widely advertised, sold the farm they

had improved, which had becomeSamuel's after the death of his parents, and in the summer of 1839

moved back to the states andlocated near Belviders, Boone County in Northern Illinois. During their

residence in Canada, four boys andfour girls had been born to them and the oldest 12 and the youngest

but 6 weeks old. The Journey wasmade by boat via the Great Lakes to Ohio. Thence, by covered wagon

to Illinois. After ten years inIllinois where five more chidden were born to them they decided to investigate

"greener pastures" thenbeing advertised in Sauk County, Wisconsin, and in December 1848, Samuel

went to this county in the famedBaraboo Valley, located a quarter section (160) acres and filled his

government patent on it. Thelocation was 6 miles west of Baraboo, on the Baraboo River, in the town

now called Freedom. Samuelreturned to Illinois full of enthusiasm over what he had found. He proceeded

to dispose of his Illinoisproperty and on March 27, 1849, the family of Samuel and Dency and 9 children

landed at Baraboo via coveredwagon. The nearest railroad then was at Milwaukee, 125 miles away,

March and April in Wisconsin can,and usually does, produce much disagreeable weather a

hazard especially to children. Butthey lost no time in canvassing the settlement and were fortunate in

finding a partly improved farm,with adequate buildings, for both the family and pasture for stock for the

summer, or until sufficientaccommodations could be prepared on the homestead, a few miles away. The

four sons born in Canada now 12 to20 years old, were a great help to their father, and the girls also

worked along with the men. Theirspecial job was to ready a space for a garden the next spring. The farm

before mentioned was worked onshares and thus provided much of their living for the winter.

        The homestead had many large hard mapletrees from which great quantities of Maple syrup and

sugar was made every spring andwith abundant wild game at hand, sweets and meat cost but little, a

fortunate thing. A fine cranberrymarsh and several kinds of nuts were further aids. These had not been

overlooked in Samuel's selectionand a spring of running water was a further asset.

There were about 300 people in theBaraboo settlement when the Hackett family arrived there,

but it rapidly grew into anorganized village and became the county seat. It was the local trading point.,for

the family for several years, butas soon as a surplus of produce had been achieved long treks to

Milwaukee over rough -roads wasnecessary to dispose of same and to secure merchandise not available

at Baraboo. Each trip required awhole week or more and incurred hardships en route and anxiety at

home as was usual in pioneering inthose days, as the Terrys well know.

It was about 15 years afterlocating in Baraboo Valley before a railroad came to within 15 miles,

at Kilbourn, now Wisconsin Dellson the Wisconsin River; and not until 1872, twenty-three years after

located at North Freedom did theChicago and N. Western railroad reach this locality. This was only one

year before Samuel Hackett'sdeath. While the foregoing historical data does not specifically treat as

biography of the subject of thissketch, I have thought if necessary. that the readers may form a more

intimate knowledge and come tomore accurate conclusions.

         I will now turn to the more personaldescription and intimate contact with the noble personality of

my beloved grandmother. There isno other person living who could supply the intimate information and

knowledge I possess concerning herlife and character, From my earliest recollection, I was closely

associated with her to the end ofher life. My memory of her and what I shall relate is keen and vivid. I

was just past five when mygrandfather died. Our home adjoined the homestead and there was a well

beaten path between our homes, Ihave clear memory of seeing my grandfather at various times, and

grandmother also, at that time,therefore my memory of her precedes 1873, the year of Samuel's death

As a boy I was keen to go onerrands to grandmother's because she always had her old

fashioned tarts or cookies for meand I recall how kind and pleasant she was and the attention she gave

me. I also remember her home andsurroundings in detail. The location was ideal - the big log house was

built in L shape, the L being thelarge kitchen and dining room combined. The main part was a large living

room with brick fireplace at eastend and bedrooms at opposite end. The lawn, known then only as "door

yard" was spacious, verylevel and well sodden with "knot grass" and was grandmother's pride.There

were great oak trees at south sideof lawn for ample shade, Her small log milk house built over a slight

excavation was kept so neat andcrystal while with whitewash, it made a lasting impression with me. In

fancy I still can see her at worktherein and likewise in her kitchen and at the spinning wheel near the

fireplace. As I remember she wasalways at work, but neatly, if plainly, dressed and all about the place

had appearance of a real home.But, alas, the scene was to change too soon. Within a few years her

family, 10 of her 15 children,still living married and in homes of their own.

She remained on the homestead onlya few years after her husband's death, hired help and

renters being to unsatisfactory.Earlier Samuel had acquired another 40 acre tract, on which much of

North Freedom is now built. Asmall log house had been built at "Hackett's Corners" at what is nowthe

intersection of the main streets.This furnished a dwelling place for her for several years and I recall many

happy hours spent with her thereas she related many of her earlier experiences of pioneering and the

sojourn to Utah in 1863 to visither people out there for whom she had great love. This venture alone was

sufficient to prove the mental andself sacrificing devotion to her family and also marked the mutual

agreement of her husband and hispeople in the true values of Christian living.

Personality

           Grandmother was rather tall, hershoulders slightly bent, her average weight was probably about

145 pounds, her complexion fair,her hair auburn or sandy mixed with gray at my earliest recollection and

never did get very white. Sheusually wore a silk or lace cap and silk large woolen shawl of bright plaid

colors, said to have been awedding present, is well remembered and is now placed in the Sauk County

museum along with an old clock atBaraboo, over her shoulders. She always dressed plainly but neatly.

Her every appearance was that ofpersonal charm and dignity, Her voice was soft and most expressive,

never loud or harsh that I canrecall. I have thought that she and her brother, James (Uncle James Terry),

who visited us one winter at NorthFreedom, had many identical characteristics. She was a staunch

member of the Reorganized L. D. S.Church, a sincere and conscientious Christian firmly anchored in her

faith.

          My mother, who was. grandmother's"hired girl" before marrying my father, had great respect and

esteem for "GrandmaHackett" and often. quoted her sayings or Bible verses she loved. Fromother older

people who often visited at theHackett homestead, I heard words of praise as "Good neighbor" andalso

in praise for grandmother's goodcooking, especially of wild game. She had many worthy friends.

Economic progress was slow incoming in this new country until the coming of the railroad in

1872, which fortunately requiredright-of-way entirely across their extra 40 acres previously mentioned.

Price of land ceded to therailroad in 1870 was not high, but it opened the way for later sale of lots and

parcels, which together with thesale of the homestead supplied a competency for grandmother's reclining

years. She had a good frame housebuilt on the same lot where she had lived in her small log house.

Her new house provided comfortsand convenience she had not known before. This was her

home during her remaining years.It can always be truly said that Dency Terry Hackett, was never

burdened with the fickle whims ofpopular society or the burdens of public office. Her world revolved

around her family and her homes,and all future posterity will pay homage to her foresight and purpose in

instituting the "HackettFamily Reunion" on Thanksgiving Day, 1879, which clearly indicates hercharacter

and noble purposes. True to herexpressed wish this Reunion has been held annually for more than

seventy years.

          She passed away from life quietly andpeacefully, leaving no evidence of distress or pain October

10, 1884. Her husband preceded hereleven years earlier and her remains were placed beside his in

Ebeneezer cemetery three milesfrom North Freedom the early burial place for the community. A

substantial marble monument marksthe place.

(Authors note It has given me muchpleasure and satisfaction to supply this true history of my

beloved grandmother for the Terryfamily history. I greet you.-- George W. Hackett July 25, 1952)

(Historian Notes: George W.Hackett, historian of the Hackett family, sent in some interesting

stories and this lovely poem afterhe had sent the history. I'm sure you will enjoy them just as I did. They

truly help to tell the story ofAunt Dency's life in Wisconsin.)

STORY OF PIONEER DAYS IN WISCONSIN

By: JuliaHackett Gray, daughter of Dency

         We came to Baraboo, Wisconsin, March27, 1849. Father had made the trip the year before and

found the land he wanted. Therewas in the group, father, mother and the ten children. We stopped the

first night with Asa Cokes andfamily, and from there we went to what is called Barker place about four

miles northwest of Baraboo, andlived there the first summer. In the late fall, we moved to the farm which

father had bought; on the BarabooRiver, east of where North Freedom now stands. It was a wild looking

place there when we came andneighbors were very scarce and far between, and there wasn't. a bridge

this side of Lyons across theBaraboo River. We had to cross the river in a canoe. The kind of a canoe

we had was a big log hollowed outlike a trough, and I will tell you it was a totterish thing to ride in across

the deep river.

In the summer of 1851, I workedfor Mr. Daniels who lived near the Pewits nest. One time when

I was coming home, Mr. Danielscame with me to carry my luggage. When we got to the river below. the

mouth of the Seeley Creek, wecalled and called for some of the folks to come and take us across the

river, but they did not hear us.We didn't know what to do, for I didn't want to go back, so Mr. Daniels

said, "I will make a raft outof some poles if you will cross on it." I said, "I don't know what todo. I'm afraid

we will get drowned." Hesaid, "I guess you won't," He looked around and found some poles,Then he

took his jack knife and peeledlong strips of baswood bark and tied the poles together into a raft, He then

found another long pole with whichto push the raft. It was a pretty scary undertaking, but we made it

alright, as I am here to tell thestory.

In those, days there were foursisters, fair as you please in youth and just as clever, but they did

not have the fine clothes to dressthat you have or the chance for education. For an every day dress one

made of factory cloth, coloredwith the tree bark was the best they had, and a calico dress for best was

really something, One day, whenthe sisters had washed their best dresses and hung them out to dry, as

they were preparing to go to aparty, much to my sorrow and dismay, an old cow came that way and half

ate up my dress. Bitter was myfeeling toward that cow, and I wept over the once beautiful gown. Of

course, I had to stay at home fromthe party.

INCIDENTS RELATED BY DENCY HACKETT GRAY (Daughter of Dency)

By: GeorgeW, Hackett

       From Aunt Dency I obtained more intimateknowledge of the 'Home life" of the family in those

early days on the original homestead than from any other member of the family, She was in early

girlhood at the time the familycame to Wisconsin.,

The Baraboo River ran rightthrough the fertile 160 acres which comprised the homestead, It was

heavily timbered and presented aproblem of much hard labor to clear the land for cultivation, which was

Immediately necessary, Up to thattime, the most new comers had settled to the north side of the valley in

the "burr oak openings"where timber was scattering and clearing easier and soil lighter

The Barker farm, on which thefamily lived that first summer while grandfather and the older boys

were cutting away the timber andbuilding a large log house on the homestead, some four or more miles

away. The only school available tothe family was about three and one-fourth miles north of the location in

the Barker settlement. This was along ways to walk to school through the wilderness and no chartered

roads, accounts in part for themeager education the growing family secured. The following is

substantially "AuntDency's" story as I vividly recall its:

        "We moved the few household thingswe had acquired into the new log house in the fall of 1849,

We were happy to be in our ownhouse on our own farm again and were enthusiastic over the prospects

which this new country seemed tohold for us. I shall never forget how hard we all worked that fall to clear

off and grub the stumps from allthe large plot which was to be our garden the next year and on which so

much depended, Julia, Hannah and Iworked along with the men,

"There were a good manythorn-apple trees on this land which we transplanted into a hedge,

English fashion, around all butthe south side of this garden plot. The first Indians we had seen came

along while we were at work andfrightened us girls badly, but they seemed friendly, although we could

not understand what they tried totell us. Some of these we came to know quite well latter and were

always friendly and obliging, Theyused to migrate from one location to another for better hunting and

fishing as seasons changed alwaysliving in tents or tepees,

        We did not start going to school untilthe following spring and often had to wade through water

and mud in low places. The annualschool term was short and we had to miss many days when work was

too pressing at home, Three andone-fourth miles was a long ways to walk through a wild country and we

were often frightened out of ourwits by wild animals, but they would run away from us instead of toward

us,

        There was one exception; a large doewhich we saw about the first time we went to school and

almost everyday thereafter. Shestayed her distance at first but did not run away. She became bolder

each day and when we offered hertidbits from our lunch, she got so she would come up and eat from

our hands and would often followus nearly to school or home when we returned. She had a pair of twin

fawns which soon became tame alsoand would follow along,

After the second year a school wasestablished near where North Freedom now stands, but only

the younger children got thebenefit of that and it was also very limited as to length of term

In the years that followed, othersettlers became more numerous and the improvement went

steadily forward. Neighbors werevery neighborly. after the fashion of pioneering and we had our good

times as well as our hard work anddisadvantages. Our home became a. common meeting place for the

young folks of the country, andour big front yard the scene of many jolly gatherings. Mother always

managed to have something we couldoffer for refreshments and we always had a good supply of nuts

and wild fruits we had gatheredfrom the forests. So you see, we had our own social activities after our

own fashion, and I believe we hadmore real pleasure than the young folks have in these later days

As the size of our fieldsincreased and more grains and produce were grown than we needed, the

only market for the same wasMilwaukee, 125 miles away over roads which were often nearly

impassable. Father used to makethis trip often with old "Kit and Doll", exchange his load forgroceries,

iron for blacksmith work andleather for his cobbling, for he was handy at both. I recall how anxious

mother often got before father gotback home; for all sorts of things were happening to travelers on those

trips. We were glad when someyears later, the Milwaukee railroad built through Kilbourn, about 12 miles

away and trading could be donethere, saving the long Milwaukee trip.

Another happy recollection ofthose early days was the old green sleigh, which father had brought

from Canada. Many a jollysleigh-rides to 'spelling schools' and 'donations' and to dances, we had with

that outfit. The bells could beheard for miles so we would always know when the folks were returning

from Baraboo or elsewhere, longbefore they arrived home,

         Other things, in those days, whichmade life more pleasant and helpful, were the 'Bees' at log

rolling, corn husking' andquilting', all had their social as well as their helpful values. All wereconsidered

on the same level and all workedfor the same purpose, and so our community grew and developed into

what you now see it,