File:The magazine of American history with notes and queries (1877) (14596510747).jpg

Identifier: magazineofamericv13stev (find matches)
Title: The magazine of American history with notes and queries
Year: 1877 (1870s)
Authors: Stevens, John Austin, 1827-1910. ed. cn DeCosta, B. F. (Benjamin Franklin), 1831-1904. ed. cn Johnston, Henry Phelps, 1842-1923, ed. cn Lamb, Martha J. (Martha Joanna), 1829-1893. ed. cn Pond, Nathan Gillett, 1832-1894 ed Abbatt, William, 1851-1935, comp
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Publisher: New York : A.S. Barnes
Contributing Library: Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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he latter to maintain himself, which hedid by obtaining employment in a tannery at North Stonington. This en-gagement was, however, of short duration, on account of the death of theowner of the tannery. Young Packer was then reluctantly compelled toseek the plodding and unpromising labors of the farm. But his soul wasaflame and he could not brook a monotonous life. The tall wiry youth ofeighteen, with a light purse and mean outfit, yet with faith unshaken andwill unconquerable, left his native State to carve for himself a fortune anda home. Like Franklin and Girard he settled in Pennsylvania, to fight ASA PACKER AND THE LEHIGH UNIVERSITY 537 the battle of life, equipped like them with no other weapons than indus-try, perseverance, and courage. He traveled on foot from Connecti-cut to Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. Here he settled and learnedthe trade of carpenter and joiner. From this occupation he derived hislivelihood-for more than a decade. Here he purchased, at a small price, a
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few acres of land on which still stood the native forest. With his ownhands he cleared this tract of trees and built a log-house. He literallymade the solitary place rejoice and blossom as the rose. It is almost impos-sible for us of to-day to appreciate the magnitude of such an undertaking.In those times a man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon thethick trees. That portion of Pennsylvania, now the most valuable and pro-ductive, was, seventy years ago, a wilderness of primeval forests. To a 538 ASA PACKER AND THE LEHIGH UNIVERSITY log-house he led his young bride, who was to be the pride and stay of hisheart for more than fifty years till the world faded from his eyes. While his stout arm forced the earth tofingers prepared every garment ofUnimpaired by the many con-life, her womanly instincts hadment. She was his sympathizer,soothed him in his troubles, andspring of 1833 he left his forestof which he held until his death),the Lehigh Valley, hoping toincreasing demands

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