USA > Kentucky > Trigg County > Counties of Christian and Trigg, Kentucky : historical and biographical > Part 1
USA > Kentucky > Christian County > Counties of Christian and Trigg, Kentucky : historical and biographical > Part 1
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61
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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
/
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01713 6042
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/countiesofchrist00perr
COUNTIES
OF
CHRISTIAN AND TRIGG,
KENTUCKY.
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
EDITED BY WILLIAM HENRY PERRIN.
ILLUSTRATED.
F. A. BATTEY PUBLISHING CO., CHICAGO AND LOUISVILLE.
1884.
JOHN MORRIS SUCCESSOR TO
ulven age oyr
( PRINTERS 18 &120 MONROE ST(
CHICAGO
PREFACE. 1155055
0 0
T THIS volume goes forth to our patrons the result of months of arduous, unremitting and conscientious labor. None so well know as those who have been associated with us the almost insurmountable difficulties to be met with in the preparation of a work of this character. Since the inaug- uration of the enterprise a large force has been employed in gathering material. During this time most of the citizens of each county have been called upon to contribute from their recollections, carefully preserved let- ters, scraps of manuscript, printed fragments, memoranda, etc. Public records and semi-official documents have been searched, the newspaper files of both counties have been overhauled, and former citizens, now living out of the counties, have been corresponded with, for the verification of the infor- mation by a conference with many. In gathering from these numerous sources, both for the historical and biographical departments, the conflict- ing statements, the discrepancies and the fallible and incomplete nature of public documents were almost appalling to our historians and biographers, who were expected to weave therefrom with some degree of accuracy, in panoramic review, a record of events. Members of the same families disa- gree as to the spelling of the family name, contradict each other's statements as to the dates of birth, of settlement in the counties, nativity, and other matters of fact. In this entangled condition, we have given preference to the preponderance of authority, and while we acknowledge the existence of errors and our inability to furnish a perfect history, we claim to have come up to the standard of our promises, and given as accurate a work as the nature of the surroundings would permit. The facts incorporated in the biographical sketches have in most cases been secured from the persons whom they represent, hence the publishers disclaim any responsibility as to their general tenor. Whatever may be the verdict of those who do not and will not comprehend the difficulties to be met with, we feel assured that all just and thoughtful people will appreciate our efforts, and recognize the importance of the undertaking and the great public benefit that has been accomplished in preserving the valuable historical matters of the counties, and biographies of many of the citizens, that perhaps would otherwise have passed into oblivion. To those who have given us their support and encouragement we acknowledge our gratitude, and can assure them that as years go by the book will grow in value as a repository not only of pleasing reading matter, but of treasured information of the past that will become an enduring monument.
OCTOBER, 1884.
THE PUBLISHERS.
CONTENTS.
PART I .- HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY.
PAGE.
CHAPTER I .- Geology-Why the Farmers Should Understand It-The Riches of
Brazil-Effects of the Soil on the Animal and Human Races-The Cavernous Limestone of Southern Kentucky-Local Geology-Timber and Streams-Pilot Rock-Climatology-The Prehistoric Period-Mound Builders-Their Antiq- uity-Mounds in Kentucky, and in Christian County-The Indians-Conjectures as to Their Origin-Their Attempts to Destroy the Whites-Extermination of the Red Man-Struggles upon the Dark and Bloody Ground-Indians in Hop- kinsville, etc., etc.
CHAPTER II .- Early Settlement-The First Pioneers-Whence They Came-Davis and Montgomery-Death of the Latter-Incident of Davis-Other White Set- tlers-James Robinson-Hardships and Privations-Organization of the County -Act of the Legislature-Name of the County-Col. William Christian-County Court-Locating the Seat of Justice-The Tax Levy-A Unique Bill-Court of Quarter Sessions-The Circuit Court-County Officers-Abraham Stites-Court Houses and . Jails-Census-Election Precincts-The Poor Farm, etc., etc .........
19
CHAPTER III .- Following the Footsteps of the Pioneers-Additional Facts Con- cerning Them-Later Settlers-Jerald Jackson-Galbraiths and McFaddens- The Bradshaws-Crabtree, Morris, Cushman and Others-Joshua Cates-James H. McLaughlan-Pioneer Pastimes-The Old Militia Musters-Land Speculations and Troubles-Crime and Lawlessness-The Pennington Family-Alonzo, and His Sharp Practices-The Crime that Brought Him to the Gallows-His Trial and Execution-The Way of the Transgressor-Regulators and Their Work-Sum- mary, etc., etc.
39
63
CHAPTER IV .- The Early Court and Bar-Ninian Edwards-Rezin Davidge-Will- iam B. Blackburn-Judges Wallace and Shackelford-Charles S. Morehead- Joseph B. Crockett-James Breathitt-Fidelio Sharp-Daniel S. Hays-Edward Rumsey-The Pattons-Robert Coleman-The Henrys-McLarning, Grey, Ewing, Dozier and Others-Political History-" Wild Cat" Banks and Worthless Money-"Relief" and "Anti-Relief "-Exciting Times-Daniel Mayes-Young Ewing-Organizing Parties-Whigs and Democrats-The Republican Party- County Patronage-Winston J. Davie-Benjamin H. Bristow-Senators and Representatives-Gen. John M. Palmer-Joseph Duncan-Jefferson Davis, etc ... 83 CHAPTER V .- Internal Improvements-Trails and Paths Through the Forest- Legislative Enactments for Building Highways-Bridges-Some of the Rude Structures of the Past-Stone Bridges and Their Cost-Turnpikes-Efforts to Build Them in the County-The Hopkinsville and Clarksville Pike-Railroads -Estimated Advantages of Them-Evansville, Henderson & Nashville-Other Railroads-Agriculture-Its Rise and Progress-Influence of Negro Slavery -- Grain, Mills and Stock-Tobacco the Great Staple-Facts and Figures-Agricult- ural Associations-List of Officers-The Fair Grounds, Buildings, etc., eto ....... 119
vi
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
CHAPTER VI .- Religious History of the County-Early State of Society-The Bap- tists, the Pioneers of Religion in Kentucky, and in Christian County-First Churches and Preachers-Education -The Present School System-State Patronage-Origin of Our School Fund-Early Schools and Schoolhouses- Statistics-Illiteracy -Compulsory Education-The Newspaper Press -Its Advantages to a Community-The First Paper in the County-Editors and Printers-Improvements and Newspapers-The Present Christian County Press, etc., etc. 145 CHAPTER VII .- War History-Revolutionary Soldiers in the County-Pensions Allowed Them by the Government-Tories and Their Settlement Here-The War of 1812-Hull's Surrender-Perry's Victory, and Christian County Men in It-The Battle of New Orleans-Incident of the Dutch Captain-A Black Hawk Soldier and His Death-Our " Discussion " with Mexico-The War Between the States-Christian County Assisted Both Sides-Col. Woodward -Other Heroes, Federal and Confederate-Col. Sypert-The Third Kentucky Cavalry- Col. Starling-His Assassination-Gen. Jackson, the Hero-Martyr of Perry- ville, etc., etc. 167
CHAPTER VIII .- Hopkinsville City and Precinct-The Town Site-Bartholomew Wood-Other Early Settlers-James Pursley, Dr. Steele, Major Long, Peter Cartwright, Capt. Wood, etc .- Topography of Hopkinsville Precinct-Its Bound- aries and Extent-Western Lunatic Asylum-Laying Out the Town of Elizabeth -Name Changed to Hopkinsville-Gen. Hopkins-Early Merchants and Mechanics-Gant, the Hatter-Twyman, the Bricklayer-Taverns-Growth and Development-The Post Office-City Press-Communication of Judge Lindsay- Manufacturing Industries-Banking-The Butter Company-General Business -Fine Blocks and Residences-Loan Association-Fires, etc., etc ... 191 CHAPTER IX .- Hopkinsville-The Churches-Methodism and Its Introduction Into the County-First Methodist Organization in Hopkinsville-The Baptists- Formation of a Baptist Church-Its Present Strength and Glory-The Presbyte- rians-Northern and Southern Divisions-Their Church Societies and Build- ings-Christian Church-Its Organization, Growth and Prosperity-Cumberland Presbyterians-Episcopalians-Their New Church Building-Catholic Church- Colored Churches-Their Organization-Cemeteries, and Their Silent Inhabit- ants, etc., etc. 217
CHAPTER X .- Hopkinsville-Educational-Some of the Early Schools and Teachers -James Rumsey's Academy-Prof. Ferrell's Select School-The Hopkinsville Public Schools-Prof. Dietrich's Sketch of Them-The Colored Schools-South Kentucky College-Maj. S. R. Crumbaugh-Bethel Female College-Benevo- lent :Institutions-Freemasonry, Odd Fellowship, etc .- The Horticultural Gar- dens-Drs. Montgomery and Glass, etc., etc. 243
CHAPTER XI .- Casky, Pembroke and Longview Precincts-General Description- Early Settlement-Some North Carolina Tories-Block-houses in the Old Davis Settlement-Going to . Russellville to Mill-Rumsey's and Coleman's Mills- Other Settlers-Moralizing on the Negro's Future-Educational-Early Schools and Teachers-Religious-Old Bethel Church-Other Congregations-Villages -The Business of Pembroke-Summary-Casky Grange, etc., etc. 261
CHAPTER XII .- Union Schoolhouse Precinct-Description, Topography, Bounda- ries, etc .- Early Settlement-The Meanses, Cravenses, and Other White People -Incidents and Anecdotes of Pioneer Times-Mills and Early Improvements- Schools and Teachers-The Churches-When and by Whom Organized-Old Shiloh-Sketches of the Different Congregations-Villages-The Colored Peo- ple, etc., etc.
277
CONTENTS.
vii
PAGE.
CHAPTER XIII .- Lafayette and Garrettsburg Precincts-Topography and Descrip- tion-Settlement by White People-Hon. James A. Mckenzie's Sketch of La- fayette-Churches-Mckenzie's Chapel or "Kirk"-Other Church Organiza- tions - The Villages of Garrettsburg and Lafayette -Anecdotes, Accidents, Incidents, etc., etc.
289
CHAPTER XIV .- Mount Vernon, Wilson, Fruit Hill and Stewart Precincts-Early Settlers in Mount Vernon-Topography of Northeast Christian-Settlements in Fruit Hill-The Robinsons-Wilson Precinct Pioneers-The Settling of Stewart -Early Trials and Tribulations-Churches-Their Good Works in this Part of Christian County-The Hardshells and Universalists-Educational Facilities- Coal, etc., etc .. 299
CHAPTER XV .- Bainbridge, Hamby and Scates' Mill Precincts-Description and Topography-Coal - Early Settlement - The Pioneers of Bainbridge-Some Incidents-First Comers to Hamby and Scates' Mill-The " Butt-cut" of Democ- racy-How Clark Killed the Bear-Churches and Schools-Pioneer Life and Frontier Weddings-The Village of Crofton-Its Growth, etc., etc ... 309
PART II .- HISTORY OF TRIGG COUNTY.
CHAPTER I .- Introductory-Topography and Geology-Iron Ore-The Iron Indus- try-Furnaces Erected in Trigg County-Richness of the Mineral Deposits- Streams and their Value as Water Highways-Soils and Productions-Tobacco and Other Crops-Farming Highly Reputable-Mounds-The Prehistoric Peo- ple-Settlement of the Whites-Who They Were and Where They Came From- The Settlement at Cerulean Springs-Between the Rivers Settled-On Dyer's Creek-Other Settlements in the County-How the People Lived in the Pioneer Days-Their Family Supplies-Mills, Meal and Flour-Game and Hunting- Fishing, etc., etc.
CHAPTER II .- Organization of the County-Act of the Legislature for its Formation -Justices of the Peace for the New County-The First Officers-Name of the County-Col. Stephen Trigg-Location of the Seat of Justice-Report of the Commissioners-Cadiz-County Court-The First Civil Divisions-Tavern Rates -Orders for Mills and Roads-The First Circuit Court-Early Judiciary and Bar-The Grand Jury-Extracts from the Quaint Old Records-Laying Out the County Seat-First Trustees-Court Proceedings-Hon. Linn Boyd-Vote on Re-location of County Seat-Changes of Boundary-Marriage Licenses-The Census-Statistics-County Officers, etc., etc
17
CHAPTER III .- Material Prosperity of the County-Erection of Public'Buildings- The First Court House-Other Temples of Justice-Jails-Attorneys, Past and Present-Matthew Mayes-Judge Bradley-Political History-How the County Has Voted From Its Organization to the Present Time-Aspirants Who Were Elected and Defeated-Roads and Highways-Turnpikes-Some that Have Been Built and Some That Will Not Be-Railroad History, Which is Short and Sweet -Summary, etc., etc.
CHAPTER IV .- Religious-Synopsis of the Church History of Trigg County-Some of the Pioneer Preachers of Southern Kentucky-Their Peculiar Characteristics -Dudley Williams-Reuben Ross and Others-Number of Churches in the County-Schools-Past and Present Institutions of Learning-Teachers-Statis- tics-The Press-Canton Observer-Yeoman-Cadiz Organ-The Telephone and Old Guard-Standing Upon a Solid Foundation-Crime and Lawlessness-Con- victions and Executions-Obey the Laws-Trigg County Medical Society, eto .. 53
5
35
viii
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
CHAPTER V .- War History-The Revolutionary . Patriots-Some Who Settled in Trigg County-Our Second Misunderstanding With England-Battle of New Orleans-War With Mexico-Trigg County's Part in It-The Late Civil War- Company G, of the Fourth Infantry-A Sketch of Their Service-The Handful Who Survived the War-Companies B and D, of the Eighth-Their Exploits and Achievements-Company B, of the Second Cavalry-Company D, of the Same Regiment-The Federal Side-It is Rather Brief-The Forty-eighth-Other Vol- unteers-Burning the Cadiz Court House-Murder of a Negro Soldier-A Few Incidents-Peace, etc., etc.
CHAPTER VI .- Cadiz Precinct-Descriptive and Topographical-The First Settlers -Wadlington and the Indians-Isaac McCullom-Other Early Settlers-A Fam- ily Drowned-Mills-Distilleries-Organization of Churches-" Old Wolf Pen " -Mount Pleasant Church-Building of Church Edifices-Town of Cadiz- Laid Out as the Seat of Justice-Report of the Commissioners-Some of the First Inhabitants and Business Men of Cadiz-Early Boards of Trustees-Pioneer Merchants-Hotels-Professional Men-Tobacco Interest -- Business Houses- Religious History-Methodists, Disciples, Baptists, etc .- Colored Churches- Schools-Free Masonry-K. of H., Chosen Friends, etc. etc. 85
CHAPTER VII .- Canton and Linton Precincts-Topography of Canton-Its Agri- cultural Resources-Early Settlement-Abraham Boyd-Settlement on Donald- son Creek-The Wilson Family-Other Pioneers-Mills and Distilleries-Births, Deaths and Marriages-Religious, etc .- Town of Canton-Its Birth as a Town -Growth and Development-The Methodists and Baptists-Secret Societies- Physical Features of Linton Precinct-Its Early Occupation by White People- Sketch of its Settlers-Masonic-Church History, etc., etc. 107
CHAPTER VIII .- Cerulean Springs and Wallonia Precincts-Description and Topog- raphy of Cerulean Springs-Timber-Agriculture, etc .- The First Settlers- Incidents of the Pioneer Days-Church History-The Village of Cerulean Springs-Its Growth, etc .- Medicinal Water of the Springs-Topography of Wallonia-Its Settlement by White People-Maj. Wall-Other Pioneers-Mills and Distilleries-Village of Wallonia-Its Churches, Schools, Lodges, etc .......... 121 CHAPTER IX .- Caledonia and Montgomery Precincts-Physical Features-Boun- daries, etc .- Early Settlers-Mills-Educational and Religious-Caledonia Vil- lage-Description and Topography of Montgomery Precinct-Its Agricultural Resources-The First Pioneers-Early Industries and Improvements-Mont- gomery Village-Churches, Societies, etc 133
CHAPTER X .- Roaring Springs Precinct-Topographical and Physical Features- Caves and Caverns-Coming of the Pioneers-Their Settlements-Early Indus- tries and Improvements-Educational Facilities-Churches-Sketches of the Different Organizations-Village of Roaring Springs-Growth, Development, etc., etc .. 141
CHAPTER XI .- Rock Castle and Bethesda Precincts-General Description, Bound- aries and Topography-Settlement-A Prolific Family-Other Pioneers-Fron- tier Hardships-Rock Castle Village-Hurricane Baptist Church-Bethesda Methodist Church, etc., etc .. 149
CHAPTER XII .- Between the Rivers-A District that Comprises Laura Furnace, Golden Pond and Ferguson Springs Precincts-Description of the Land-Its Occupation by White People-Some of the Peculiarities of the Pioneers-Where They Located-A Band of Freebooters-Religious History-Sketches of the Numerous Churches-Village of Golden Pond, etc., etc ... 155
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 177
61
PART I.
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY.
δΈ€
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY,
CHAPTER I.
GEOLOGY-WHY THE FARMER SHOULD UNDERSTAND IT-THE RICHES OF BRAZIL-EFFECTS OF THE SOIL ON THE ANIMAL AND HUMAN RACES- THE CAVERNOUS LIMESTONE OF SOUTHERN KENTUCKY-LOCAL GEOLOGY -TIMBER AND STREAMS-PILOT ROCK-CLIMATOLOGY-THE PRE-HIS- TORIC PERIOD-MOUND-BUILDERS-THEIR ANTIQUITY-MOUNDS IN KEN- TUCKY AND IN CHRISTIAN COUNTY-THE INDIANS-CONJECTURES AS TO THEIR ORIGIN-THEIR ATTEMPTS TO DESTROY THE WHITES-EXTER- MINATION OF THE RED MAN-STRUGGLES UPON THE DARK AND BLOODY GROUND-INDIANS IN HOPKINSVILLE, ETC., ETC.
rTo the trained eye of the geologist, the soil and its underlying rocks forecast unerringly the character of the people who will in coming time occupy it. This law is so plain and fixed, it has become a maxim in geology that a new country may have its outlines of history written when looked upon for the first time. The geological structure of a coun- try fixes the pursuits of its inhabitants, and shapes the genius of its civ- ilization. It induces phases of life and modes of thought, which give to different communities and States characters as various as the diverse rocks that rest beneath them. In like manner may it be shown that our moral and intellectual qualities depend on material conditions. Where the soil and subjacent rocks are profuse in the bestowal of wealth, man is indolent and effeminate ; where effort is required to live, he becomes en- lightened and virtuous. A continuously mild climate throughout the year, and an abundance of food springing spontaneously from the earth, has always in the world's history held back civilization, and produced a listless and inferior people. An able writer upon this subject says : " The tropics and the arctics-the one oppressed with the profusion of nature's bounties that appal mankind and produce enervation, is the antipodes and yoke-fellow of the bleak north and its long winter nights and storms and desolation. The richest country in the world in soil, perhaps, is Brazil, both in vegetable and animal life. So profusely are nature's bounties here spread, so immense the forests, so dense the undergrowth,
I
20
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY.
all decked with the rarest flowers of sweetest perfume, they so teem with animal life, from the swarming parasite up to the striped tiger, the yel- low lion, and snakes spotted with deadly beauty, and the woods vocal with the myriad notes of feathered songsters, with the bird of paradise perched like a crowning jewel upon the very tops of the majestic trees, and yet this wonderful country, capable of supporting, if only it could be subjugated to the domination of man, ten times all people that now inhabit the globe, is an unexplored waste, defying the puny arm of man to subju- gate or even penetrate to the heart of its forbidden secrets. For hun- dreds of years civilized man has sailed in his ships along its shores, and in rapture beheld its natural wealth and profuse beauties, and colonies and nations and peoples have determined to reap its treasures and unlock its inexhaustible stores. How futile are these efforts of man, how feeble the few scattering habitations has he been enabled to hold upon the outer confines of all this great country ! Brazil will, in all probability, remain as it is forever, and it is well that it is so. For, if by some powerful wand all that country could be conquered, and 50,000,000 of the same kind of people placed upon its surface that now constitutes this nation, with all our present advantages of civilization, it is highly probable that in less than 200 years they would lapse into the meanest type of ignorant barbarians, and degenerate to that extent that in time they would become extinct. Thus an over-abundance of nature's bounties, in food, dress and climate, brings its calamities upon man more swiftly than do the rigid severities of the arctics of Northern Greenland or Siberia."
From the above weighty extract, the two subjects of supreme import- ance in all countries are those of soil and climate. The corner-stone upon which all of life rests is the farmer. Who, then, should be so versed as he in the knowledge of the soil ? What other information can be so valuable to him as the mastery of the science of geology, or at least that much of it as applies to the part of the earth where he casts his fortunes and cultivates the soil ? He grows to be an old man, and he will tell you that he has learned to be a good farmer only by a long life of laborious experiments. Should he be told that these experiments had made him a scientific farmer, he would look with unbounded contempt upon the sup- posed effort to poke ridicule at him He has taught himself to regard the word "science " as the property only of book-worms. He does not real- ize that every step in farming is a purely scientific operation, because science is made by experiments and investigations.
An old farmer may examine a soil, and tell you it is adapted to wheat or corn or tobacco, that it is warm or cold and heavy, or a few other facts that his long experiments have taught him, and to that extent he is a scientific farmer. He will tell you that his knowledge has cost him much
21
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY.
labor, and many sore disappointments. But how much more of money value would it have proved to him if in his youth he had studied the geo- logical history, which would have told him all about the land he was to cultivate. We talk of educating the farmer, and ordinarily this means to send the boys to college, to acquire what is termed a classical education, and they come back, perhaps, as graduates, as incapable of telling the geo- logical story of their father's farms as is the veriest boor who can neither read nor write. It would have been of far more practical value to them had they never looked into the classics, and instead had taken a few prac- tical lessons in the local geology, that would have told them the simple story of the soil around them, and enabled them to comprehend how it was formed, its different qualities, and from whence it came, and its con- stituent elements. Parents often spend much money in the education of their children, and from this they build great hopes upon their future- hopes that are often blasted, not through the fault always of the child, but through the error of the parents in not being able to know in what real, practical education consists. Any ordinarily bright child between the years of twelve and twenty could be taught the invaluable lessons of practical wisdom in a few weeks' rambling over the country and examin- ing the banks of streams and the exposures of the earth's surface along the highways. A few weeks of such education would be more valuable than years now worse than wasted in the getting of an education from the wretched text-books and the ding-dong repetition of the schoolroom. How eagerly the young mind seizes upon such real education ! How easy to show children (and such education they will never forget) that the civilization of States or nations is but the reflection of physical conditions, and that it is of importance that these subjects should be understood by all people, and that they should also understand the geological history of their country.
Effects of the Soil, etc .- The permanent effects of the soil on the peo- ple and on animals are as strong and certain as upon the vegetation that springs from its depths. As we have already stated, where the soil and subjacent rocks are profuse in the bestowal of wealth, and the air is deprived of that invigorating tonic that comes of the winters of the tem- perate climates, man is indolent and effeminate; that where effort is required to live, he becomes enlightened and virtuous ; but, when on the sands of the desert, or in the jungles of Africa, or Brazil, or Greenland's icy mountains, where he is unable to procure the necessities or comforts of life, he lives a savage. It is told that at one time Prof. Agassiz was appealed to by some horse-breeders of New England, in reference to developing a certain strain of horses. He told them it was not a question of equestrianism, but one of rocks. To the most of men this reply would have
22
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY.
been almost meaningless, yet it was full of wisdom. It signified that certain rock formations that underlie the soil would insure a certain growth of grasses and water, and the secret of the perfect horse lay here. Mr. Ben Bruce, the editor of The Live Stock Record at Lexington, Ky., and one of the ablest writers of the age upon blooded horses, says : "The influence of climate on the animal and vegetable kingdom has not escaped the notice of philosophers, and many learned treatises have been written to show the operations of this cause. Another cause not less powerful in its effects on. men, animals and plants, has been co-operating with climate to modify all living things, which certainly has not attracted proper attention-the geological formations of the different portions of the earth. The attention of geologists and natural philosophers has been confined to the dead and buried, to the age of the earth, to mining, the formation of coal beds, and the nature of soils in their relations to production. We know of no one who has written in regard to the effects that are produced by geological formations on living things. * * * There is a remarkable differ- ence observable in horses raised from different breeds and on different soils. The horses bred, for instance, in Pennsylvania, differ as much from the Kentucky thoroughbred horse, as the oak or hickory of the same species in those States. If you take horses or cattle from Kentucky to Pennsylvania and the Eastern States, their posterity begins to undergo a change in the first generation ; and in the second it is still greater; and in the tenth or twelfth remove, they are not the same breed of animals. This change is produced by difference in climate and food. The latitude is nearly the same, and the great change must be caused by difference in soil, and consequently in the vegetation. Animal formation is modified by the vegetable formations of which it is the result, and the vegetable formations are modified by the elements of the soil from which they derive their nourishment. Not only the forms of animals, but their physical systems, their secretions and excretions, are affected by the difference of geological formations from which they derive, through its vegetation, the elements of their organization."
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