Steuben-Republican April or May 1874

        David Sams died April 15th, 1874, aged 72 years four months and 
15 days.  As he was among the first settlers of Jackson Prairie and in 
former years a man of good judgment and respected by all who knew him, a 
short account of his life since he came to this county may be of 
interest to some of the readers of the Republican.
        He came to this county June 1835, from Richland County, Ohio, 
and located his land on Jackson Prairie, and in August following he 
moved his family, consisting of wife and seven children--five boys and 
two girls.  One son was born here making eight children in all, six of 
whom are still living. 
        He drove in three pair of oxen, also several cows and some young
cattle,--Their milling was done at Constantine, St. Joseph County,
Michigan, for the first few years; taking a week to make the trip, as 
they had to go with oxen and wait their turn at the mill.
        He was the first county assessor and acted in that capacity for 
two or three years.  he built the first frame barn in the county, and 
the first grain was threshed by tramping with oxen on the barn floor, 
the grain being sold to other new settlers of a later date, they having 
to wait their turn the same as at the mill, for grain was very scarce, 
and the new settlers were anxious to get a grist as soon as it could be 
threshed. 
        He was known as "the new comer's friend," always having a supply 
of corn, wheat, potatoes, and pork, which he always sold for work or a 
promise to pay at some future time.  If the applicant did not have the 
means to pay down, they never went away empty handed.  His barn was used 
several years to hold Quarterly Meetings in, as there was no church in 
the vicinity.  He helped his children equally about getting a home of 
their own when they went for themselves, and besides the land, he gave 
to each of them a pair of young cattle, a colt and four sheep.  If the 
boys stayed at home after they became of age, he always gave them one-
fourth of the products of the farm, each year.
        They did not call a doctor in the family for the first fourteen 
years.  He was the last voter left in the township who voted at the 
November election of 1840, all others having died or moved away.  Quite 
a number of years since his mind began to fail, and at the time of his 
death he was like a little child in actions.  Some years ago while his 
mind was yet clear he made his will, leaving the old homestead to his 
wife, who still survives him and is uncommonly active and healthy for 
her age, being almost 74 years old.  Mr. Sams was followed to the grave 
by a very large circle of friends and acquaintances, many of whom had 
known him in former years.            
M.F.G.

Submitted by J.A. Childers