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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 02330 392 5
Gc 976.901 L76W Watts, William Courtney, 1830-1897. Chronicles of a Kentucky settlement
CHRONICLES
OF A
KENTUCKY
SETTLEMENT
By
William Courtney Watts
New York
1897
Published
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COPYRIGHT, 1897 BY WILLIAM COURTNEY WATTS Entered at Stationers' Hall, Londch
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Che knickerbocker Press, Rewe pork
1686628
TO MY WIFE AND CHILDREN THIS VOLUME IS LOVINGLY INSCRIBED
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/chroniclesofkent00watt 0
PREFACE.
A FTER having been actively engaged for twenty-
five years in commercial pursuits, in America and Europe, the time came when a long and severe illness left me such a cripple that I have since been unable to engage in any active employment. Then (in 1883) to while away hours that would otherwise have been tedious, I began writing some incidents in the life of one of the early settlers of Livingston County, intending to present the sketches to one of my children. As I progressed, I became so much interested in my work that, knowing as I did many of the pioneer settlers of the county, I went far beyond my original design, and hence this book. Its title, "Chronicles of a Kentucky Settlement," was sug- gested to me by an old friend, a fine scholar and a competent critic, as best fitting the character of the work. The book, however, is not, as some may infer from its title, a Local History. I endeavored to make it of interest to general readers.
The first entry of lands in the Virginia Military Dis- trict when opened at Louisville, Kentucky, in 1784. was in Livingston County, at the junction of the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers. The county was organized in 1798, and Salem. its county seat, -in which town I
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PREFACE.
was born,-was for the first quarter of this century one of the most important towns in Western Kentucky ; and Smithland, the present county seat, was one of the most important commercial points on the rivers be- tween Louisville and New Orleans. Hence Livingston County has been the field of as many stirring advent- ures and romantic incidents as perhaps any county in the West. Some of the most interesting and romantic of these I sought to portray in these "Chronicles" ; they are tragic, pathetic, and humorous by turns, and illustrate not only the hardships but also the romance there was in the lives of our pioneer fathers.
To make my work the more interesting, I wove it into the form of a continuous story. The incidents, however, are not arranged strictly in chronological order, but as suited the exigencies of the tales I had to tell. There is nothing designedly sensational about the stories told, -nothing of the " blood and thunder " order ; and believing as I do that there is much more of the Divine than there is of the devilish in humanity, however fallen it may be, I have dwelt upon the good rather than the evil there was in some of the characters portrayed. Hence, while I have dealt with real per- sonages, yet, for good and pertinent reasons, which will be apparent to every considerate reader, the vari- ous characters introduced are under fictitious names, but their originals will in many cases be readily recog- nized by our older citizens.
It has seemed to me that, as the generation who per- sonally knew some of the pioneers of our State will soon have passed away, some such materials as I have woven into these "Chronicles" should be collected and preserved in all the older counties of our State ;
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PREFACE.
for Kentucky was pre-eminently the Pioneer State, being not only the earliest settled west of the Alle- ghany Mountains, but the " friend in need " of all the surrounding Territories, since formed into great States.
IV. C. W.
SMITHLAND, KENTUCKY, February 7, 1897.
CONTENTS.
CHAP. PAGE
I .-- The Adair Family-Tom Adair as a Soldier-His Marriage-His Three Sons-The Death of his Wife -He Goes to Kentucky-The Three Old Quaker Brothers-Joseph Adair Apprenticed to Mr. Morris- Joseph Goes West with Mr. Morris . . ·
II .- Joseph Adair and the Indian-The Howard Family- An Attack by Indians Feared-Preparations for De- fence-The Signal Gun Fired 12
I
III .- Arrival in Knoxville-Joseph Rescues Little Laura- Mr. Morris Leaves for the Cumberland Valley-Hard Work-Jos. Adair a Soldier-His Apprenticeship Ends -Visits his Father, Tom Adair-Revisits Knoxville -His Disappointments and Resolutions-Joined by his Brother, William-Visits Mr. Morris-Gets News of the Howards
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IV .- Joseph Adair's Meeting with Laura Howard-Adair Introduces himself to the Howard Family-A Warm Reception-Laura Howard as an Artist 38
V .-- Joseph Adair and Ada Howard -- A Fishing Excurs- ion-The First Trout Caught and the Wager-Acci- dent to Laura Howard, and her Rescue by Adair- Ada's Good Samaritan . ·
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VI .- Joseph Adair Arrives in Salem-Judge Gilroy-Amos Green-George Duncan-Adair Goes to Work-His Severe Illuess -- Horace Benton, a Unique Genius- Miss Ritchie-Benton's Ways 76
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CONTENTS.
CHAP. PAGE
VII .- Cave-in-Rock, and its Gang-Jim Wilson-Adair Appointed Deputy Sheriff-Benton. on Fishing and Hunting-Adair's Advice to Benton-Benton's Esti- mate of himself-Benton aud Miss Ritchie-Warren Davidson-Adair's Confession to Benton-Death of" William Adair and Joseph's Resolution-A Kind Invitation ·
VIII .- Adair's Mental Conflicts-Mrs. Gilroy and her Daughters-Benton Drives, with Adair, to Squire Howard's-Ben Bolton, the Blacksmith-Jefferson Brantley, the Showman-Sfiss Emily Wilmot-The Secret, and Ada Howard as Judge . 110
IX .- About " A Home " -- Col. Andrew Lovell and Wife -Family Prayer-In the Garden-Love as a Disease -Adair Returns to Town-Laura's and Ada's Stroll -Pleasing Sights and Sounds, but Sad Hearts . 124
X .- Adair and his Sister-in-Law -- Viney, the Cook, and her Story-Benton Gives in " His Experience "-He Makes " An Offering" of Himself-The "Case" Ad- journed-Brantley Tells his Story to Adair-Henry Rudolph Suspected-Adair as Brantley's Friend- Brantley Leaves Salem . 139
XI .- Adair Visits Miss Wilmot-His Message to Miss Howard-Miss Wilmot's and Miss Howard's Con- fidential Talk-Laura, Returning Home, Meets Ada -Warren Davidson and Miss Laura-An Angry Suitor .
. I57
XII .- Davidson and Rudolph-The Lost Coins-Adair's Great Depression and Musings-Simon and Polly Wright-Mrs. Kent and her Son -- Adair Settles a Debt-Old Tom and Elijah, a Gratifying Discovery . 175
XIII .-- The " Unfortunate " Gowan Family-Adair Sum- mons a Fosse -- Rudolph's Trepidation-The Posse's Ride-Holman's Sad Story of John Dyer and his Wife
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CONTENTS.
CHAF.
PAGE
XIV .- Silas Holman, the Hunter and Fiddler-The Posse Arrives at the Gowan Residence-A Horrible Crime -- Suicide in a Graveyard-Walter Gowan Sent under
Guard to Salem-Adair Quiets the Alarmed Slaves . 205 XV .- Holman and the Picture-The Strange Note --- Holman's "Impressions "-Adair and Holman on the River Bauk-Ghostly Predictions-Dr. Clayton and Mr. Hawley-Omens-Mr. Hawley's Statement -Indications of Insanity .
216
XVI .- George Duncan's Story-His Recollections of Liverpool, England - His Voyage to Charleston, S. C. - St. Andrew's Society-In Philadelphia- His Letter to Jennie Bannerman, and the Answer -George and his Brother Go West-At the Cave -ju-Rock -- Night and a Storm on the Ohio River- George Arrives in Smithland . · 226 XVII .- George Duncan in . Salem-His Hunts for his Brother-He Meets Miss Catherine Wilson-He Tells her his Mission-Minzo, the Slave-In Wil- son's House-Minzo's Hunt and Warning-Miss Wilson aud the Flute-George's Hurried Depart- ure -- Minzo's Disclosures-George, and Col. Lov- ell's Family, and Laura Howard 242
XVIII .- Silas Holman-Burial of Hinton Gowan-The Return to Salem -Hardin's Knob and the Rosicru- cian-Minerals Near Salem-Duncan's Story Re- sumed-Lovers' Talk
261
XIX .- Duncan's Story Ended-Adair Questions Duncan about Rudolph-Duncan Volunteers Advice-Dun- can and Billy Wilmot-Adair's Confession to Dun- can-Adair and the Lion's Den . 277
XX .- Adair and his Little Nieces-Viney's Message to Mingo -- Benton, Adair, and the Note-Adair and Miss Wilmot -- Osculatory Conductors - About Warning a Friend-An Unexpected Meeting . . 294
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CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAP.
XXI .- Henry Rudolph Visits Laura Howard-Ada En- ters-Rudolph Nonplussed-He Becomes Uneasy, and Determines to "Arrange Matters " -- Adair's Unexpected Arrival, Strange Speech and Hurried Departure-Rudolph's Appeal . 314
XXII .-- Adair at Wilson's House --- His Interview with Miss Catherine-Her Perplexity and Appeal to Adair-His Compliance-Simon Wright, the Great Preacher-Wilson's Return Home-Adair and Wilson · 331
XXIII .- Adair's Appeal to Wilson for Duncan-The Effect-Hearty Congratulations-Wilson as a Fond Father-Miss Catherine's Notes-Mingo Made Happy-Adair at Col. Lovell's -- A Flatter- ing Invitation-Adair at Squire Howard's -- His Letter and Message for Miss Laura-Her Sur- prise and Pleasure . · 348
XXIV .- Adair's Return Home-He Tells the Little Ones a Little Story -His Message to Duncan- He Visits Benton-Benton Rants about Another Young Grecian Hero-He Talks Seriously about the Mysterious Note 368
XXV .- How Good News Affected Duncan-Little Anna's Journey-Holman's Unexpected Disclos- ures-Lost in the Woods-Mrs. Adair Questions her Brother Joseph-She Finally Obtains an Ad- mission -Memory of Past Happy Days 381
XXVI .- How Time Flies -Adair at Squire Howard's- Ada's Humor-Adair and Miss Laura's Drive to the Meeting-house -- They Meet Miss Wilson and her Father - Comments of the Crowd -- Mr. Pennyman-Rev. Simon Wright-James Wilson and his Daughter . 397
XXVII .- The Basket Dinner-Joseph Adair and Simon Wright-Rev. Mr. Freeman-Adair and Miss
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CONTENTS.
PAGE THAP.
Laura on their Return-The Story he Told her -Long-Delayed Confession-True Love · 414 XXVIII .- Duncan Visits his Kitty-Laura, Catherine, and Emily Meet -- Adair and Duncan Visit them -How Ada Solved the Riddle-Duncan Visits his Brother-Adair Buys Mingo-Benton's Crim .- Con. Case-Benton's Letter from Miss Ritchie- Brantley's Return . . 428
XXIX. - Old Tom Adair and his Son Dan-Dan and Carrie Gilroy --- The Old Man and his Daughter- Tom Adair and Elijah Wright-Ben Simon, the · Patriotic Jew Peddler-Old Tom and Elijah Meet -- James Wilson Killed-Duncan's Return-A Quiet Wedding-A Celebrated Horse Race- Brantley Settles with Rudolph-Rudolph Leaves Salem-Brantley's Grand Wedding-Churched for Dancing . 447
XXX .- Adair Asks Squire Howard for the Hand of his Daughter-The Marriage of Joseph and Laura- Dan Adair and his Strawberry Cousins-The Firm of Joseph and Daniel Adair-Mingo Loans them Money-Dan Loses his First Wife-Dan and Carrie Gilroy, his Second Wife-Closing Remarks about Characters Portrayed - Ben Simon, the Horse : a Strange but True Story- -Livingston County Divided-Old Salem Left Desolate . . 465
XXXI .- Joseph Adair Revisits Hillsboro, N. C .- His Last Letter to his Brother Daniel-Closing In- cidents of his Life-Laura Howard Adair, as Wife, Mother, and Widow-The Author's Ardent Hope, 485
CHRONICLES OF A KENTUCKY SETTLEMENT
CHAPTER I.
The Adair Family-Tom Adair as a Soldier-His Marriage-His Three Sons-The Death of his Wife-He Goes to Kentucky -The Three Old Quaker Brothers-Joseph Adair Appren- ticed to Mr. Morris -- Joseph Goes West with Mr. Morris.
JOHN ADAIR, a handsome, dark-haired young J Englishman, who had from boyhood been in the uaval service of his country, was wounded in the great naval engagement between the English and French off Cape Finisterre. October 17, 1747. In the autumn of the following year, his health being still impaired by the long confinement resulting from his wound, he was advised to spend the approaching winter in a warmer and less humid climate than that of England. Tempo- rary peace had then been given to Europe by the cele- brated treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, between Great Britain, France, Holland, Germany, Spain, and Genoa ; and, seeing a period of comparative inactivity in prospect, young Adair determined to follow the advice given
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CHRONICLES OF
him. He chose to visit the province of Languedoc, in the southern part of France, not only on account of its salubrious climate but from its great historical interest.
During his sojourn in the city of Toulouse, in Lan- guedoc, John Adair had the good fortune to rescue from imminent death a young and beautiful lady, Mdlle. Beauneau, who belonged to an old and highly esteemed Huguenot family. What the danger was, and how the gallant feat of rescuing the lady was per- formed, we know not, but, according to a family tradi- tion, John Adair's success was purchased at the expense of such serious injuries to himself that for a time his life was despaired of. Mdlle. Beauneau was unremitting in her attentions to her preserver during his confine- ment; and her gratitude and admiration soon ripened into love, which was so ardently reciprocated that, soon after his recovery, they were married.
After travelling for a few months in Italy and Swit- zerland, John Adair returned to England with his bride ; but they remained there only a few months, and then set sail for Charleston, South Carolina, in- tending to make it their future home.
In the course of time three sous were born to them- Josiah, Anthony, and Thomas.
John Adair and his wife died prior to the Declaration of Independence by the Colonies in 1776. Josiah, the eldest son, succeeded to his father's business as a mer- chant in Charleston ; but on the breaking out of the Revolutionary war he moved, taking with him his stock of goods, to Hillsboro, North Carolina, where he married a Miss Susanna Harcourt. He died a few years later, leaving no issue. Anthony, the second son, seems to have inherited his father's fondness for
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A KENTUCKY SETTLEMENT.
the sea, and, during the war, sailed as an officer on a privateer ; but neither he nor the vessel on which he sailed was afterwards heard from. Thomas Adair, the remaining son, served his country faithfully through- out the Revolutionary war. He was in Charleston during the siege, in 1780 ; but after the surrender of the city, made his escape. Thenceforward, until the close of the war, he was under the command of the famous cavalry officer. General Francis Marion.
Thomas Adair-or " Dashing Tom," as he was gen- erally called by his comrades in arms-was a rollick- ing, frolicsome sort of genius, who had, however, a serious side to his nature. It is said he would some- times get "half-seas-over," and when in that condition was always in a jolly good humor ; but when his sober senses had returned, he would repent, straighten him- self up, swear off-with a diminutive mental reserva- tion,-and for some time thereafter be the grave and dignified Sergeant Adair. He could, however, never impressively act the part of a " potent, grave, and rer- erend seignior," owing to an habitual twinkle about the corners of his black eyes. These idiosyncrasies, however, by no means militated against his popularity with his comrades. Those ragged soldiers (Marion's men were known as the ragged squad) did not believe in " penance, fasts, and abstinence." Besides, when the word of command was given, there was no man quicker to the front, none with a stouter heart or more nervous arm, than Tom Adair. But when the battle was over, the wounded cared for, and the dead buried, Dashing Tom was often seen to go aside, -seek some quiet spot, and wipe away his tears.
That seven years of soldiering should have unfitted
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CHRONICLES OF
Tom Adair, somewhat, for the sober duties of a peace- ful life is not surprising. Certain it is, that when-the war being over-he visited Hillsboro, where his brother Josiah had died, he was by no means a shining light ; but he had one grand, redeeming trait in a woman's eye, -he could love hard and faithfully. The great attraction in Hillsboro to Tom was a certain fair maiden named Mary Harcourt, a sister of the widow of Josiah Adair.
William Harcourt, the father of the fair Mary, was one of three brothers, two of whom, James and Joseph, were blind and unmarried. William, who was himself blind in one eye, had but two children,-the daughters referred to. Mary, the youngest and fairest, was the darling and pet of the three old men, who not only lived under the same roof, but were copartners in busi- ness. The three brothers were members of the Society of Friends, or Quakers ; had emigrated from England many years before the war ; and, engaging in business as importing merchants, had, when the war broke out, accumulated a large fortune for that day and country.
During the war, North Carolina, and we believe other of the Colonies, passed an ordinance requiring citizens owing money to subjects of Great Britain to pay the amount into the treasury of the State, which thereby assumed the position of debtor to the foreign creditor. Harcourt Brothers owed at the time a large amount for goods imported, which amount they, as soon as possible, paid to the State Treasurer. After the termination of the war, and the signing of the treaty of peace, the English creditors, unable to recover the amount due them from the State, which was hope- lessly bankrupted by the long and severe struggle for
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A KENTUCKY SETTLEMENT.
independence, came upon the original debtors, as they were allowed to do by the terms of the treaty of peace, and the Harcourts, who were honorable merchants, paid again in full, although in so doing they were, in their old age, left comparatively poor.
When Tom Adair first met and won the heart of the beautiful Mary Harcourt, she was looked upon as a great heiress, and he was accused of fortune-hunting by some. But the charge was unfounded, for the gen- tle Quakeress was, at the time of his visit to Hillsboro, no longer rich, and Tom had come to ask her hand in marriage.
What sort of a plea Tom Adair made, when he asked Friend Harcourt for the hand of his daughter, is un- known, but tradition gives us the old man's answer.
" Friend Thomas," he said, in a slow and impressive manner, "I knew thy father, and he was an honest, worthy man. Thy eldest brother, Josiah, when the husband of my daughter Susanna, I loved as a son. Thee, also, I have known from thy boyhood, and I have long suspected thy affection for my Mary. I know, too, that thou hast long been a favorite of hers ; but I am not prepared to give thee an answer. Before doing so, I must not only talk the matter over with my Mary herself, but with my brothers James and Joseph. This much, however, I may add : Thy comrades in the war reported thee a brave yet merciful soldier. But thou knowest that I and my brethren are men of peace ; and, I frankly tell thee, I had hoped my Mary would find a husband in our own Society. Then, too, since the close of the war, thou hast been very unsettled ; and whilst I doubt not thy purpose to amend and go steadily to thy work, yet I fear thou wilt soon tire of a
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· CHRONICLES OF
peaceful and quiet life. It, however, speaks well for thee, my son, that thou shouldst have placed thy affect- ions upon such a damsel as my Mary, for she is indus- trious, frugal, and cheerful ; and since the loss of my Frances, her mother, she hath so well performed her part in our household, that, should we give her up to thee, it would be a grievous loss, not only to me, but much more so to my blind brothers, who would miss not only her willing hands and the music of her voice, but her bright eyes, which often serve as eyes for them. But go now, my son, I will speak with thee again to- morrow at this hour."
At the interview the following day, Tom Adair and Mary Harcourt were made as happy as mortals can be by obtaining the full consent of the three old men. A few weeks later they were married.
For seven years Tom Adair and his quiet, cheerful wife lived happily together in Hillsboro, and three children were born to them-three sons, William, Thomas, and Joseph. But alas ! three days after the birth of the last, the gentle mother died. For two years more Tom Adair went about his work as usual, but many thought he was going into a decline and would soon follow his lamented wife. Then, in search of health, he quitted Hillsboro, and journeyed over the mountains to the West, -to the new State of Kentucky, leaving his three sons with their grandfather and his blind brothers.
James and Joseph Harcourt had lost their sight in early manhood,-how is not known, -but they had, before their great affliction, received a good education in England. Being of a kindly, social disposition, and possessing well stored minds and fine conversational
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A KENTUCKY SETTLEMENT.
powers, their society was sought by many, both old and young, and they rarely lacked for friends to read to and converse with them. But for their blindness they were eminently qualified to instruct the three little boys left mainly in their care. Such, however, was the old men's attachment to the three little fellows, and such the care bestowed on their education, that their progress was very rapid. Unfortunately, before the youngest boy, Joseph, had attained the age of seven, and when he had only learned to read and write a little, the last of his kind old protectors passed away. Following each other in quick succession, the three old Quaker brothers were summoned to their reward : their blind eyes were unsealed in the better world.
After the death of the last of the Harcourt brothers, a Mr. Jonathan Whitley, who had married Susanna, the widow of Josiah Adair, took charge of the three sons of Thomas Adair, and sent them to school for a short time; but, after the custom of the day, soon apprenticed them to learn trades. In this, Mr. Whit- ley was no doubt acting under instructions from the boys' father, who had married again, but was very poor and unable to help his children, from whom he was so far separated.
We purpose following particularly the fortunes of but one of the sons of Thomas and Mary Harcourt Adair, namely, Joseph, the youngest of the three. He, Joseph, when about nine or ten years of age, went to live with a distant relative named John Morris, a farmer and saddler, who lived near Hillsboro, and to whom Joseph was bound as an apprentice.
Mr. Morris was, at the time Joseph became a mem- ber of his household, about thirty years of age, and
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CHRONICLES OF
had a wife, Jane, and two children,-John, aged four years, and Mary, an infant. Neither Mr. Morris nor his wife was unkind to the lonely lad, Joseph, who was well clothed and fed ; but their motto seemed to be- " Work, work, work ! morning, noon, and night !" and to this they adhered so rigidly that Joseph's life soon became a very laborious one. But, though a deli- cate lad, he was sinewy and possessed of such indomit- able pluck that he stood his heavy tasks much better than might have been expected. Work soon became with him second nature, and he was never afterwards heard to complain of the hardships of his boyhood.
In the early autumn of the year 1805, Joseph being then eleven years old, Mr. Morris determined to remove with his family to the West, -to Tennessee or Kentucky. He had fixed upon no point, but, as he expressed it, " would keep moving until he came across a spot that suited him." For some years previous, there had been quite a tide of emigration from the Southern Atlantic States to the new and fertile States of Kentucky and Tennessee ; and although west of the Alleghany Mountains was then an almost unbroken wilderness, occasionally infested by hostile tribes of Indians, the roads little more than tracks through the forests, and few, if any, bridges built across the streams. still, the dangers and hardships of the long journey did not deter the experienced woodmen and bold hunters of that generation.
It was a warm bright morning in September when Mr. Morris and his family bade good-by to the rela- tives and friends who had called to see them off. There was little or no emotion displayed, few, if any, tears were shed by those leaving or those left behind,
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A KENTUCKY SETTLEMENT.
but many a hearty "Good-by" and " God speed you " were spoken.
The parting between the lad, Joseph Adair, and his brothers was a sad one, for their mutual attachment was very strong. Nevertheless, they bore up like little men, and, cheered by the natural hopefulness of youth, looked forward to meeting again in the years to come. And Joseph had said that in his journeyings he hoped to come across his father.
The train containing Mr. Morris's personal property and effects consisted of two light wagons, each drawn by a pair of strong horses, and a larger wagon drawn by two yokes of oxen. Each wagon was surmounted by arched strips of tough, elastic timber, over which was stretched a covering of thick, white waterproof canvas.
The foremost and lightest wagon was driven by Mr. Morris, and in it rode his wife and children ; it further contained a mattress of straw, and such light articles as might be required at any moment. Chief among these, carefully but conveniently strapped behind the wagon, was Mr. Morris's long and heavy rifle, on which he mainly relied to provide his family with meat. The second wagon was driven by a negro boy named Ben, about eighteen years old : while the ox wagon, in the rear, was driven by Stephen, a middle-aged negro man. In Stephen's wagon, Matilda-his wife, and the mother of the boy Ben-sometimes rode, but she usu- ally preferred to walk. These three were the only slaves Mr. Morris owned. They cheerfully accompa- nied their " Mahs John " and " Missus Jane " to the wilds of the West, and regarded the journey somewhat in the light of a period of relaxation. Besides, these
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