mself
learned by _experience_) of the impertinent conduct of an emigrant, who
sometimes carries his local policy through all the ramifications of his
life, and often into the religious society, as well as elsewhere; he
wishing every thing done, as he saw it done in Boston, New-York,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, and very often 'Old England' and 'Ireland!' as if
men who have to act, and reflect upon the circumstances of the case,
different from any ever before presented except among themselves, are to
be governed by acts and doings of people in the moon!"(549) A man who thus
knew the frontier was fitted to be the founder of a western town.

Rufus Easton was the founder of the town of Alton. Like Hinde, he brought
to his work a fund of experience gained on the frontier and in public
affairs. Easton was born at Washington, Litchfield county, Connecticut, in
1774. He descended from pioneers, being a direct descendant of Joseph
Easton, who came from England to Newtowne, now Cambridge, Massachusetts,
about 1633, and was later one of Rev. Thos. Hooker's colony which founded
Hartford, Connecticut, of which Easton was an original proprietor. In 1792
Rufus Easton's father, a Tory, obtained a large grant of land near
Wolford, now Easton Corners, Ontario. Rufus received a good education
before studying law. In 1798 he was practicing law in Rome, New York, then
a frontier town. November, 1801, Easton, with thirteen other prominent
men, held a banquet to celebrate the election of Thos. Jefferson as
President. The prominence of the young lawyer at this time is shown by the
fact that he was consulted in regard to federal appointments, and that he
was in 1803 a confidential correspondent of De Witt Clinton. The winter of
1803-4 Easton spent in Washington, where he became a friend of Aaron Burr,
Postmaster-General Granger, and others. In the spring of 1804 he started
for New Orleans. Aaron Burr gave him a letter of introduction to Abm. R.
Ellery, Esq., of New Orleans, in which he said: "You will certainly be
greatly amused to converse with a man who has passed the whole winter in
this city--who has had free intercourse with the officers of Govt. &
members of Congress--who has discernment to see beyond the surface, and
frankness and independence enough to speak his own sentiments." Easton did
not, however, go to New Orleans. He stopped for a short time at Vincennes
and then located at St. Louis. He was appointed by Jefferson judge of the
Territ