Wisconsin Historical Collections, Volume IX (1882)

              402 wisconsin state historical society rest until his destination was reached the severity of the trial of strength seems almost incredible for in addition to the mail bag weighing usually from fifty to sixty pounds the carrier had the necessary supply of provisions to pack on his back there were two or three other men engaged in this arduous service but none it is believed suffered greater hardships than hardwick and yet after nearly seventeen years 1 of this severe and contin ued labor exposed to all changes of weather he lived to the re markable age of eighty-eight years of the americans who came to the country on its first occupa tion by the authorities of our government in 1816 perhaps none more readily became " at home and conformed to the mode of life common to the native french and mixed bloods than hard wick these natives were a peculiar people with few vices im provident like their indian neighbors spending much of their time in social gatherings racing upon the ice and other amuse ments there was it is said in 1817 a series of theatrical entertainments at the house of col ducliarme who resided at shantytown near camp smith then occupied by the troops 2of this period he carried the mail seven consecutive winters commenc ing in 1817 mrs bella french in her history of brown gountyy relates some interesting particulars of a trip he made from green bay to detroit in 1821 he camped one night where michigan city indiana now is using his bag of provisions for a pillow he dreamed during the night that he was rolling down hill and awaking suddenly found that a large black wolf was making off with his bag of supplies he shot the wolf and regained his important store of provisions the green bay advocate says it was a large black bear that committed this depredation and that sending a bullet through him for his temerity hardwick sold his pelt for seven dollars to a trader he had permission to remain in detroit until the opening of the lakes but after he had been there a shoit time he began to pine for a look at a green bay girl whose heart beat responsive to his own and he made up his mind to return on foot so back through the deep snow and trackless wilderness he trudged all the weary way from detroit to green bay — a dis tance of nearly five hundred miles — just for a look at the " girl he left be hind him the girl became his wife — how could she help it after such a manifestation of devotion ? the green bay advocate adds that in some of these trips he would go by way of pond du lac and sometimes by manitowoc according to the depth of the snow l c d