USA > Illinois > Morgan County > History of Morgan county, Illinois : its past and present, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; a biographical directory of its volunteers in the late rebellion; portraits of its early settlers and prominent men [etc., etc.] > Part 25
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The erection of the several county buildings has now been conclu- sively stated, and it will be well before closing this chapter to note the various divisions of the county. From its earliest existence, as settle- ments increased, the justices' and road districts were set off, and their boundaries determined. On June 30, 1828, the county was divided into
262
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
five election precincts, known as Jacksonville, Exeter, Sandy, Apple Creek, and Clay Creek precincts. The judges appointed for each district were: Joseph Klein, John Leeper, Aaron Wilson, Jacksonville ; Daniel Lieb, Baxter Broad well, and Daniel Burbank, Exeter; James Hatchin, Alexander Walls, and Alvin Coe, Sandy ; John Lappington, John Wil- liams, and Thomas Luttrell, Apple Creek; Thomas Gatton, William Sumners, and Joshua Crow, Clay Creek. Indian Creek precinct was not long after added, and William Lager, Isaac R. Bennett, and Equillar Hall appointed judges of election. All those named were to serve two years from the date of the appointments. On the next day after the division of the county into election precincts, the trustees for the school sections were appointed. On June 8, 1831, William Thomas was appointed school agent on behalf of the county to sell these sections, and thereby create a school fund. His bond was $12,000, and he, with his characteristic honesty, discharged his duties faithfully. It is doubt- ful if the National Congress ever passed an act, which resulted in equal benefit to the people, as this one. Three years before Judge Thomas' appointment, on Sept. 2, 1828, the Mound school district was established ; probably the first school district, at least the first on record, in the county. At this time no bridges were built for the accommodation of travelers. All crossing of streams was done by ferries, the owners of which were allowed to charge a fee, regulated, like tavern licenses, by the County Court. On the day the trustees for the school sections were appointed, the rates of ferriage over the Illinois River were established as follows :
" For each four-horse or ox team and carriage, seventy-five cents ; for each two-horse or ox team and carriage, fifty cents ; for each one- horse and carriage, thirty-seven and one-half cents; for each man and horse, twelve and a half cents ; for each footman, six and a fourth cents ; for each head of loose horses or cattle, six and a fourth cents ; for each head of hogs, sheep or goats, three cents." These were the common rates charged. The price of license was according to the location. At Beard's ferry it was four dollars ; at Grun's, two dollars, and at Phillips', three. Others were charged like amounts.
Enough has now been told to give an intelligent idea of the acts of the county as a corporate body. At every meeting of the County Court new tavern and ferry licenses were issued. Prominent among the names appearing on the records are those of Joseph Bently, Nathan H. Gest, Abraham Vance, Abraham DeWitt, and Thomas Bently, all of whom were licensed to "keep tavern " in the county seat, and the majority of whom paid five dollars fee. Ira Kelley was licensed to open a house of entertainment in Exeter, Thomas Beard at his ferry, Archibald J. Hite at a mill on Sandy Creek, Jacob Ekelburner at Naples, and others at different places, as the county filled with settlers, and the needs of the country required. These persons' rates of charges were all fixed, and, as will be seen by the reader in those quoted elsewhere, included wine, gin, rum, cordial, and whisky.
The increase in population also demanded new road districts, which from time to time were made. New polling places were also established, and we find as early as 1830, Jacksonville had so increased in inhabitants, that on June 8th of that year an additional voting place was made therein.
263
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
The next year Stephen R. Bartlett and Isaac Negus were licensed to sell clocks. The former, being a non-resident, was charged twenty-five dol- lars for the privilege, while the latter, a resident, was charged half that sum. Knapp & Pogue, B. and Francis Ayers paid ten dollars for the privilege of opening a store and doing business in the county seat. At the meeting of the Commissioners' Court, on March 9, 1831, the follow- ing firms were licensed to sell goods in the county. From the number the reader will readily perceive the increase in population and commerce a lapse of five years had produced in Morgan County. The list with the rates of charges for the license is herewith appended as given on that day :
Alexander T. Douglas, five dollars ; James Dunlap & Co., twelve. dollars and fifty cents ; Nathan H. Gest, seven dollars and fifty cents ;. N. and N. H. Johnson and Joshua D. Austin, five dollars each ; John P. Wilkinson, the same as James Dunlap & Co .; Archibald T. Hite, Joseph M. Fairfield, William Hunter, and Davenport & Henderson, each five- dollars ; Hook & Wishwall and James P. Coddington & Co., seven dollars. and fifty cents each, and Gillett & Gordon, fifteen dollars, making a total amount received that day from this source, ninety-seven dollars and fifty cents. Tavern licenses had by this time raised, as we find F. C. Maupin was charged eleven dollars to open such a house on Apple Creek, and five dollars to " vend merchandise therein."
By an act of the legislature, approved April 23, 1831, James Green, John Henderson, and Joseph Cloud were appointed commissioners "to. survey and lay out " a State road from Henderson's Grove in Montgomery County to Jacksonville, and afterwards John Green and Abraham Vance were appointed to lay out this road through the county to Naples on the. river. This road was reviewed from Jacksonville to Naples by Abraham Vance, John Green, and Alexander Wells, and thereby finally established .. Throughout the county's existence its several acts as a corporate body have been similar to those narrated, being changed as the exigencies. required, and as the increase in population, wealth, and commerce demanded. The county is yet under the old form of government, the township form not being adopted. Three commissioners comprise the County Court, and attend to all business relating to the commonwealth.
The political history of Morgan County would be incomplete without a list of its officers. It is here given as furnished by the Secretary of State :
A LIST OF THE COUNTY OFFICERS OF MORGAN COUNTY FROM 1823 TO 1877.
DATE OF COMMISSION.
February 15, 1823, .
Recorder, Dennis Rockwell.
Resigned Septem -- 66 17,
Sheriff, Willi Green.
April 2, 1823, . 66
Coroner, James Deaton.
January 15, 1824, 29,
Probate Judge, Aron Wilson.
Surveyor, . Johnson Shelton. .
September 3, 1824,
Coroner, James Deaton.
October 1, 1824,.
Sheriff, Jos. M. Fairfield.
January 10, 1825, . Surveyor, John Shelton.
18,
Public Administrator,
Jonathan Sweet, Sr.
Probate Judge, .
A. Wilson.
OFFICE. NAMES.
Probate Judge, Milton Ladd, ber 2, 1823.
264
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
DATE OF COMMISSION.
June 8, 1825,
January 23, 1826,
September 28, 1826,
December 11, 1826, ,
September 11, 1828, 66 66
March 28, 1829,
August 21, 1830,
Coroner,
September 2, 1830,
February 12, 1831, . August 20, 1832,
66
66 22, 1834,
November 7, 1834,
August 17, 1835, 66 66
September 11, 1837, September 5, 1838, . August 23, 1838,
28, 1839, .
66 17, 66 66
66
.
December 9, 1839,
31, 66
.
Sheriff,
Ira Davenport.
Coroner,
Robert S. Anderson.
66 11, 66
Sheriff,
Public Administrator,
Recorder, .
Surveyor,
Johnson Shelton.
October 19, 1843, .
Recorder,
J. M. Lucas. William Grees. V
Coroner,
Sheriff,
Surveyor,
66
66
. Coroner, Sheriff,
66 22, 1846, .
66 27, 66
66
66 66
Coroner, . Public Administrator,
Surveyor,
August 22, 1848, 66 23,
November 30, 1849, .
County Judge, Clerk County Court,
· Surveyor,
NAMES.
Surveyor, .
Johnston Shelton. 66 66
Coroner,
Sheriff,
66
Coroner,
Public Administrator,
Murry McConnell.
Wm. Jarred. Sam'l T. Matthews. Murry McConnell.
William O'Rear.
Coroner,
Sheriff,
Coroner,
Surveyor,
Recorder,
Probate Justice,
Sheriff,
.A. Dunlap.
Coroner,
Probate Justice,
Recorder,
Surveyor, .
Coroner,
E. A. Mears. Henry Saunderson.
August 13, 1840, 66 66 August 6, 1842,
March 4, 1843, . August 18, 1843,
.
66 60
66 23, .
Probate Justice,
Matthew Stacy.
August 12, 1844, 66 66
.
August 9, 1845, .
66 66
15, «
Public Administrator, Sheriff,
James Holmes. Ira Davenport. W. B. Warren. D. C. Creamer. Ira Davenport. John W. Evans. Ira Davenport. › D. C. Creamer. John W. Evans. Geo. M. Richards. James Maxwell.
February 8, 1847, . August 11, 1847, .
66 Recorder, . Sheriff, Coroner,
Philip Aylsworth. Willi B. Green. Sam'l T. Matthews.
William Jarred.
Sheriff,
Public Administrator,
Sheriff,
Jesse W. Redding. William O'Rear: Anthony Arnolds. Johnson Shelton. J. M. Mckinney. Matthew Stacy.
Anthony Arnold. D. P. Henderson. James McKinney. A. W. Sweet.
Surveyor, .
Sam'l Q. Reaugh. Alex. Dunlap. Geo. McHenry. J. M. Lucas, Resigned Septem- ber 12, 1843.
Sheriff,
Ira Davenport. David C. Creamer. James Berdan. G. A. Dunlap. Harvey Rout.
OFFICE.
1
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
265
DATE OF COMMISSION.
OFFICE.
NAMES.
Charles Hardin. Jonathan Neeley. Timothy Chamberlain.
Harvey Rout. Martin H. Cassell.
Timothy Chamberlain, Jr.
66 66
25,1853,.
66
66
66 66
66
December 24, 1853, .
November 14, 1854, :
66 66
66
13, 1855, .
60
10, 1856, 66 14, 66
66
66
21, 1857,.
66 66 66
66
19,
66
21, 66
January 6, 1858, .
November 18, 1858,
30, 6 Coroner,.
1859, 66
March 13, 1860, November 14, 1860, . 66
66
66 66
66 66 66 66 60 66 66 66
County Clerk,
Nathan Hart. John Trabue. Wm. S. McPherson.
County Surveyor, Sheriff,
.
December 2, 1862,
16. 66 November 18, 1863,
Circuit Clerk,
B. F. Bristow, to fill a vacancy.
School Commissioner, County Treasurer, . County Surveyor, .
Circuit Clerk, Sheriff, . County Judge,
W. S. McPherson. Stephen Sutton. Smith M. Palmer. H. G. Whittock.
November 18, 1865,
66
County Clerk, .
John Trabue.
66 19, 1866,
Sheriff,
S. L. Moore.
24, " Coroner,
Sheriff,
Coroner,
Surveyor,
Sheriff,
Coroner, Clerk Circuit Court, County Clerk, County Justice, 66 .
County. Judge, .
County Surveyor, . School Commissioner, Sheriff,
Coroner,
Surveyor,
Sheriff,
Chas. Packard. Chas. Sample.
. Coroner,
James E. Mitchell. Charles Hardin.
Circuit Clerk,
County Judge,
Jos. J. Cassell.
Geo. B. Waller.
County Justice, . 66
County Clerk,
A. J. Thompson. Matthew Stacy. Assessor and Treasurer, Wm. G. Johnson. School Commissioner, Newton Bateman. County Surveyor, . Surveyor,.
I. S. Hicks. John Selby.
Treasurer and Assessor, Thos. J. Caldwell. School Commissioner, Jno. T. Springer. Zenos F. Moody. Edward Scott. County Surveyor, . Sheriff, . Coroner, .
County Judge, County Justice, 66 66
Sam'l S. Davis. S. S. Duncan. Stephen Dunlap.
A. J. Bradshaw. E. C. Drew.
Coroner,
Sam'l M. Martin. James H. Laston.
December 1, 1864,
Elected Sept. 4, 1848, Clerk Circuit Court,
November 20, 1850, .
10, 1851, .
66
23, 1852,
66 66
Charles Hardin.
Matt. Stacy.
I. R. Bennett.
I. R. Duncan. Jas. Berdan. .Geo. M. Richards.
W. Catlin. Cyrus Mathews. James Mitchell.
Field Sample.
Wm. S. McPherson.
19, 1861, .
266
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
DATE OF COMMISSION.
OFFICE.
NAMES.
Circuit Clerk, .
Geo. W. Clark.
Isaac S. Sierer.
16, 66
Coroner,
John H. Gruber.
66
16, 1869,
66
66
66 66
66
66
County Clerk,
Surveyor,
66 22, 66
School Commissioner, Sheriff,
November 16, 1870, 66
December 2, 1870, May 7, 1872, 13, "
November 19, 1872, .
66 29,
66
66
66
States Attorney, Circuit Clerk, .
County Judge,
Edward P. Kirby. Samuel M. Martin.
Elected Nov. 4, 1873, January 22, 1874,
66
66 66
66
66
3 66 John Virgin. 3 66 Dan'l Deitrick.
November 12, 1874, . 66
66
66
Sheriff,
Irvin Dunlap.
66
66
Coroner,
Theo. Allen.
66
10, 1875,
Treasurer,
W. H. Wright.
66 66 Surveyor, .
W. H. Rowe.
66 16, 1876,
Circuit Clerk, .
John N. Marsh.
66 24,
66
13, -66
Sheriff,
66 21,
66
Coroner,
Irvin Dunlap. Philip Braun.
66 13, 66
County Commissioner, John Virgin. Judge, Edward P. Kirby.
66
10, 1877 . 66
Clerk, Benj. R. Upham.
66 Treasurer, . W. H. Wright.
66
66
Superintendent,Henry Higgins.
66
.
66 Commissioner, D. H. Lollis.
Edward Scott. Samuel Wood. Job W. English. John Trabue. W. S. McPherson. S. M. Martin. Benj. Pyatt.
Henry Lawler.
C. C. Robbins.
W. H. Wright.
Surveyor,
Coroner, Sheriff,
Chas. B. Lewis. Michael Karney. W. H. Bradwell. H. O. Cassell. Jo. W. Caldwell.
66 26, 1873, . 66 19, «
County Clerk,
School Com.,
Henry Higgins.
1 year, .
Dan'I Deitrick, com. expired. James H. Devore.
66
66
66 2 66
States Attorney,
Jas. N. Brown.
66
November 13, 1868, 60 66 66 Sheriff,
13, 66 Circuit Clerk, County Judge, 66 Associate Justice,
Geo. W. Clark.
.
December 8, 66
17, 66
Coroner, Surveyor, Treasurer,
.
267
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
PAST AND PRESENT.
" Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to min' ? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And days o' lang syne ?"
On a beautiful autumnal afternoon, in the month of September, 1869, a large concourse of people gathered to witness the dedication of Diamond Grove Cemetery. On reaching the cemetery, the company gathered about a fine monument standing near the entrance. It is of white Italian marble, with a square base about three feet in diameter, and about three feet high above the pedestal to the shaft, which is of the same material and eight feet in height, surmounted with a wreath, making the whole height of the monument, from the foundation to the top of the shaft, thirteen feet. It is the first monument which strikes the visitor as he enters the enclosure, and its historic inscriptions at once explain the fact that the cemetery itself bears the same name given it by the first pioneers of the county. On the eastern base of the monument appears the follow ing inscription :
ISAAC FORT ROE, SON OF REV. OZEL ROE, OF WOODBRIDGE, N. J., Left New York for the West October 15, 1819, settled in DIAMOND GROVE, In February, 1820, Died October 12, 1821, AGED FORTY-EIGHT YEARS. ROE.
The inscription on the western side reads :
1869. ERECTED BY THE COUNTY OF MORGAN, TO THE MEMORY OF ISAAC FORT,ROE, One of three first settlers, and the first person who died in this county.
Facing the drive-way, on the north side of the monument, is a bass-relief representation of him who sleeps beneath, in his pioneer dress, with rifle on his left arm, and broad-ax in his right hand, while in the distance the pioneer's cabin is seen.
On the south side of the monument the following historical sketch is engraved : "An emigration society in the city of New York, October 12, 1819, appointed David Berdan, Isaac Fort Roe, and George Nixon, to explore the Western States and select places of settlement for its members. They left the city October 15, 1819, crossed the Wabash at Vincennes December 26, passed and named Diamond Grove January 23, 1820, in which he selected a place of residence, and in February built a log cabin and became one of the first three settlers in the county."
Among the audience assembled were those who knew Mr. Roe, and could testify to the facts narrated. Dr. Chandler, who attended him in
·
268
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
his last illness, and Mr. Huram Reeve, who had in his possession the nails used in making the linn-tree coffin for Mr. Roe, were there.
After appropriate exercises dedicating the cemetery and the monu- ment, Judge William Thomas read the following paper, prepared by him from facts, many of which were obtained from the journal of Mr. Berdan, furnished by his son, Judge Berdan :
"On the twelfth of October, 1819, a society was organized in the city of New York by the name of the New York Emigration Society, of which George D. Cooper was secretary, the object of which was to provide for the exploration of such parts of the United States as might be adjudged desirable, and obtain information for the benefit of persons intending to remove to those States. David Berdan (the father of our Judge James Berdan), Isaac Fort Roe, and George Nixon, were appointed the exploring committee, who were required to proceed to Buffalo, and from thence to and through the upper part of the State of Ohio, and through the States of Indiana and Illinois, on such routes as they might determine, and return by way of Pittsburg and Easton to the city of New York. The committee was required to purchase one section or two half sections, and the fractional part of one or more sections in the States of Ohio, Indiana, or Illinois, on some large creek or navigable river, 160 acres of which was to be laid out in village lots, four to the acre, including streets, and the residue in lots of five acres including roads and pass- ways. The committee was also authorized to purchase as many quarter sections of land as might be subscribed for, adjoining the land required to be laid out in village and out-lots. Eighty-five dollars were advanced to pay the first installment to the Government, and the expense of purchase. No member of the society was allowed to subscribe for more than ten village lots, two out-lots, and four quarter sections of land. The price of village lots was fixed at two dollars each, and of out-lots at twelve dollars each. The committee left New York on the 15th of October, 1819, and traveling by the routes required, reached Vincennes on the 20th of December, the ground being covered with snow, which had fallen the previous night to the depth of nine inches. They crossed the Wabash River on the 20th; crossed the Mississippi River on the ice to St. Louis on the 31st, leaving their horses at ' Boullard's Inn,' in Illinois. On the 5th day of January, 1820, they visited Edwardsville, where they remained in consequence of rain and continued snow storms, until the 12th, when they left for the mouth of the Illinois River. That day they reached Judge Lofton's, in what is now Jersey County. The next day the judge accompanied them to the mouth of the Illinois, and they returned to his house that night. The next morning it was snowing violently, yet, notwithstanding the severity of the weather, the parties set out for the Sangamon country, and at four o'clock p. m. reached Hammon's, on one of the head branches of Macoupin Creek. 'This,' says the journal, ' proved a severe day for us, as the storm raged violently throughout the same. Hammon's house being in a very unfinished state rendered our situation very uncomfortable during the night. The floor we laid on before the fire was in a very unfinished state, and the stormy wind passing between the logs of the cabin annoyed us greatly.' The next day they reached the house of Isaac Keys, distant forty miles, 'situated in the edge of the timber land, on the east side of Sugar Creek,
269
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
about a mile below the mouth of Lick Fork.' That night they were visited again by a violent storm which continued through the next day, which being the Sabbath, the parties remained indoors. Starting on . January 12th, they passed the heads of branches by a circuitous route to Brown's, on Lick Creek. From here, with Brown for a pilot, they passed around the heads of streams emptying into the Sangamon and Illinois Rivers, to Seymour Kellogg's, between Indian Creek and the Mauvaisterre. From here they passed the heads of the south branches of this creek to the timber of Sandy Creek, and from thence, pursuing a western course, they, on the 23d of January, 1820, passed this grove which they named ' Diamond Grove.' Continuing southwest they reached a small camp, recently entered by Stephen Olmstead, near what was formerly called Swinerton's Point, at the base of the mound on which Mr. Adam Allison now resides. This mound being covered with hickory, they named it ' Hickory Grove.'
" They spent the night at this camp. The next day they set out, with Mr. Olmstead as a guide, the snow eighteen inches deep, for the mouth of the Mauvaisterre. They reached the hills and bluffs of that stream about three o'clock p. m., when their guide informed them ' that he had missed the way, and knew not where he was or how much farther they had to go to arrive at the mouth of the creek.' They then returned to the camp, where they remained that night. With reference to the region of country passed over between Kellogg's and the mouth of the Mauvaisterre and its supposed outlet, the journalist says: ‘It appears as if nature intended this point as the grand outlet of this most fertile of all counties lying east of it, and which will in due time become the most populous and wealthy section in the United States.'
" From this camp the party returned to Kellogg's, and from thence, by a circuitous route, through snow twenty inches deep, they arrived at Key's, where they remained during the night, and from this place they traveled the prairies between the streams running into the Sangamon River ; crossed the river on the ice a short distance below the junction of the north and south forks, and after exploring the country north and south of the river, they returned to Mr. Key's, and then by a circuitous route, passing the heads of creeks and branches, they returned to Edwards- ville, where they remained until the 7th of February, when they sepa- rated. Messrs. Berdan and Nixon started for New York, Mr. Roe for the ' Diamond Grove,' the place selected for the future residence of himself and such of his friends as might be induced to follow him.
" In this month of February he put up a log cabin for his residence, and subsequently made a small improvement. His earthly home was in this grove until October 12th, 1821, when, at the age of forty-eight years, he departed to that world of spirits to which we are all hastening. He was the son of the late Dr. Ozel Roe, of Woodbridge, New Jersey. Dr. Chandler, his attending physician, in a recent letter says : ' He was a man of highly cultivated mind, of religious tastes and habits, and of gently, pious character.' Referring to his burial, he says : 'There was not a plank to be had to make a coffin. Judge Wilson and others cut a tree, split out puncheons, hewed and planed them, and made as good a coffin as they could under the circumstances. He had no relations to mourn his loss ; no sermon was preached, no prayers were said, scarcely
D
270
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
a word was spoken ; but silent and sad we deposited his remains in the grave.'
" Mr. Roe had never been married. He had been a merchant in the city of New York, and, having sustained a heavy loss by failures of customers, reducing his means below what he thought essential to success in busi- ness, he came West. His companions, David Berdan and George Nixon, also merchants, had been more fortunate ; their losses during the crash of 1818 and 1819 had not so reduced their capital as to make it necessary to seek new places of business.
"Now, to perpetuate the memory of Mr. Roe as one of the first settlers in the county, the first in this grove, and the first to die in the limits of the present Counties of Morgan, Cass, and Scott, and the fact connected with his settlement and death, Messrs. Joseph Morton, Huram Reeve, Judge Whitelock, and myself, acting by appointment of the County Court, have caused this monument to be erected."
This narrative states that Mr. Roe was one of the first three settlers in the county. He was said to be the first to erect a log cabin therein, but had been preceded by two others. They were Seymour and Elisha Kellogg, who probably erected what is known as rail-pen cabins. These two had penetrated to the territory, now comprising Morgan County, in the Autumn of 1819, and had a camp at the grove where they were found by the three explorers, to whom they furnished corn for their horses, and shelter for themselves. One of them also piloted the adventurers to Mauvaisterre Creek, but, as the narrative shows, became bewildered, and the entire party returned to the camp. Jeddediah Webster, a soldier of the war of 1812, who passed up the Illinois River to the mouth of Mauvaisterre Creek, often spoke of assisting to build the first cabin in this county-referring to the one built by Mr. Roe. This assertion being true, there were in the Winter of 1819-'20, in the confines of the three counties often alluded to in these pages, all of whom afterwards were included in Morgan County, four settlers. They were the Kelloggs, Mr. Roe and Mr. Webster. It was during the Spring of 1820 that the first ground was broken here for the purpose of cultivation. During the same Spring the following persons are known to have located in this then western wilds : John and William Wyatt, Isaac Reeve, James B. Crain, Isaac Dial, Thomas Smith, James Deaton, Robert James, Jesse Ruble, Ancil Cox, Joseph Buchanan, Samuel Scott, Isaac Edwards, Archibald Job, Stephen Olmstead, Michael Arthur, James Buckley, Aaron Wilson,
and Isaac Smith. Mr. Reeve settled on Sandy, southwest of the Diamond Grove on what has since been known as the Deed's farm. Being a blacksmith he brought with him his anvil, hammers, and bellows. As the season advanced and the plows of the infant settlements began to need sharpening, Mr. Reeve extemporized a blacksmith shop, the first in the county, in the open air. His anvil was fastened to a stump and his bellows to two saplings, his forge being a very primitive affair. To this shop the neighbors, though many of them lived miles away, came to get their little jobs of smithing done. It has been claimed by some of the early residents about Winchester, in Scott County, then a part of Morgan, that their date of settlement precedes that of the settlers already named. This is evidently an error, as Mr. James Gilham, one of the oldest residents there, in a recent conversation with Mr. Huram Reeve,
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