Annals of our ancestors; one hundred and fifty years of history in the ...

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ANNALS OF OUR ANCESTORS
home of Ida and Datus. Estella and my namesake Julia were
both born on the farm at Pearl Lake, and two better daughters
I cannot picture to mind. In 1870 the family went to Indiana-
polis, Indiana, where Datus engaged in the real estate business.
He bought up between three and four thousand acres of timber
land in Arkansas for a wealthy syndicate.
In 1884 Datus bought father's farm on Pearl Lake, and
they removed to that old home and there spent happy years.
During that time our brother-in-law was elected to the lower
house of the Minnesota legislature, where he gained much
credit by introducing and securing the passage of a bill locating
the State Reformatory at St. Cloud. The leading part he took
in securing other needed legislation resulted in his being appointed
superintendent of the Reformatory, and in 1887 they
went to St. Cloud to spend seven years doing good service for
the state.
Two other daughters came to our sister — first, Amelia
Janet, who lived but twelve June days; and then the little
heart was too weak to beat longer, and our tender sister had
to see her baby die. Seven years later the last sweet baby
brightness shone for them through not quite six precious years.
Jeanie was born when her two eldest sisters were young girls
of sixteen and thirteen, and she was a bright and loving addi-
tion to her home. Jeanie was a fair, angelic looking child,
winsome and bright. I am glad I saw her and that her memory
can live on my pages.
In her southern home my little sister and her family are
spending happy years after their pleasant and successful
period in colder Minnesota. I hke to think of Ida surrounded
by her orange blossoms and roses, which are not sweeter than
her fragrant life; and my thought dwells on the devotion of
her daughters, whose love for their dear mother passes words.
Estella was married to Dr. Harry A. Atwood on September
6, 1893. Her bridegroom belongs to the family of E. H. Atwood,
who had a home on the shores of Pearl Lake, and whom
I have mentioned in another chapter. They had every
opportunity to know each other well, as they were playmates
and schoolmates and were acquainted in all the formative