Another grim reminder of Frontier Days when people suffered and died and nobody knew.

Mr. J. N. Reynolds, who lives 2 1/2 miles east of Linden was dismantling a house on his farm last week when he discovered a rock (photo appeared in article) with the sad inscription. "Little Johnny Died in 1714"

Mr. Reynolds recalled that the rock had been gathered up in the vicinity of an old spring on his farm several years ago, and we can only reckon as to the origin of such an inscription. It naturally brings to our minds the stories that we have heard of the sadness and hardships the people of the frontier days suffered when they were making the great trek west to begin building our modern times and comforts.

In 1714, two hundred and twenty five years ago, we can only picture Little Johnny as a dearly beloved child, of parents full of hope and courage on their journey, west who was taken ill and died and was buried at the first camping place they could reach. then we can only picture in our imagination a sad mother and father as they chiseled this sad inscription on this rock with tear stained eyes and bowed heads and placed it on his grave and drove on with little thought, if any, that it would be 225 years before it would be known that Little Johnny Died in 1714.

source: Cass County Sun