"He had married at Binghamton and as is indicative of the determined character of the pioneers of the county, he took his wife and one child, embarked with their little all in a frail boat or canoe and with the aid of oars and setting pole, finally reached their destination in safety, with no other shelter than the blue dome of heaven and exposed to whatever elements were destined to overtake them.
Arrived at his land, Mr. CRITTENDEN cut some crotched sticks, set them upright, and with the further aid of some poles and their bed clothing, made a tent in which they lived until he could complete a sort of log house. This was constructed in the following manner: he cut sufficient logs for the sides and gable ends of the cabin, getting them small enough to enable him to handle them single-handed. These he laid up in the usual manner, and then set up two pairs of rafters, one at each end of the cabin. Reaching from one to the other of these were placed a few poles, upon which he laid the rough shingles that he was able to split out with his axe, fastening them in their places with wooden pegs. In the absence of a grist mill, he hollowed out the top of a stump, rigged up a spring pole, and thus made the family corn meal. His gun furnished the necessary meat and the Otselic his drink. So life was begun by the pioneers of Willet."
