Several good things have been happening the past two weeks as far as research. We conducted (2) additional Oral history interviews, have a 3rd on the calendar for Saturday, received a new book called A Prairie Almanac 1839-1919 by Jean Strong(picked up on Amazon off the internet). It is the journal of Isaac N.Kramer who came to Iowa in 1839 and settled in the Linn Grove area (which is right between Cedar Rapids and Mt. Vernon).
I also got a call from a local woman whose dad had been researching Lyman Dillon and Old Military road for several years before he died. She offered to let me look through her dad’s research…now that completely blew my socks off.
This past Friday, we made a spur of the moment trip to Iowa City to check out the State Historical Society Original Manuscripts section. We have been making regular “sleuthing” trips with a friend J.A. and this trip was one we had talked about and are still planning on making again….I only mention this here because if you J. A. are reading this 
we need to make several more trips. One of the highlights of our trip this past Friday (1/25/08) was to see some original photo’s from the Brigg and Hansen trip taken in 1920 . They wrote about their trip here. On Friday, I was able to see photos of both men as well as some of the things they saw when they walked.
I came across several old newspaper articles about Lyman Dillon. Here is a poem from one of them I’ll share with you on the blog
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Lyman Dillon And His Plow
Lyman Dillon is plowing tonight. And he bends Far out into the ridgy Silence. Where the known world ends; Far out into the weary wash of broken winds he goes a plowing a black long furrow- Over the hill, past the thicket Or the burrow of foxes and wolves. The prairie is bowing before the sight of Lyman Dillon. Thin hands that never felt the air. Since they were buried there before the civil war. Are parting the sod in front of the plow; Like ghostly knives they cut. They have been reaping for their God until now…..Someone else is weeping- but Dillon goes on ahead Cleaving the prairie, instead On to the place where the dark river shows….High out on the road that was made for the soldiers. Lyman Dillon goes plowing With a sway of his shoulders and shadowy hips….the wind sings above, and the breath of it’s unnoticed lips Is sighing and soughing.
