USA > Kentucky > Trigg County > Counties of Christian and Trigg, Kentucky : historical and biographical > Part 42
USA > Kentucky > Christian County > Counties of Christian and Trigg, Kentucky : historical and biographical > Part 42
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Another early settler was Isaac McCullom, who located in the eastern part of the precinct prior to 1814. "He had a fight at a gathering of some kind on Little River, and met with the misfortune of having one of his eyes put out in the encounter. Having been a considerable fighter in his day and being very boastful of his manhood, this defeat so mortified him that he left the country. He went from here to Illinois and has no descendants in Trigg County. Thomas Young, John Young and Thomas Howard settled on Bird's Creek, near the Old Bethel meeting-house, about the year 1813. They earned the reputation of being reputable citizens, and acquired a handsome property during the period of their so- journ. About this time or perhaps a year later came Benjamin Wallis, and settled near the mouth of Bird's Creek. John Gore settled in the same locality some time during the year 1814. John Stacy settled on the river where Joel McKinney now lives, a short distance below the Street Mill, prior to 1816. John Davenport came about the same year, and made a small improvement on the farm now owned by L. Freeman, near
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Bird's Creek. Levi Harland settled about three miles from Cadiz, where Moses Thompson's tanyard now is, but the date of his arrival could not be ascertained. Marmaduke Ingram came as early as 1813 and cleared a small farm between the two bridges over Little River. David Randolph and his father settled near the mouth of Sinking Fork a few years later, where several of their descendants are still living.
Absalom Seavills settled the old Wimberly place in an early day, but prior to his arrival the Husk farm was settled by Sevier Tadlock. This was long before the first cabin was erected within a mile of the town of Cadiz. William Husk afterward bought this tract of land, and can be classed with the early pioneers of Trigg County. Ferman Smith and William Redd were both living within the present boundaries of the pre- cinct as early as 1816, and one year later John Wharton settled near the toll gate on the Canton pike, where his son-George Wharton-lives at the present time. John Langley came as early as 1817 also, and settled near Cadiz on the bottom lands now owned by Robert Wilford. This place was purchased a little later by Thomas Bryant, who in turn dis- posed of it to Robert Baker about the time the county seat was established.
Prominent among those who secured homes in the vicinity of Cadiz was James Thompson, whose first improvements were made where Robert Wilford lives, within the town limits. He came about the year 1813. An early settlement was made on Caney Creek by Joseph Jones, who opened the farm now owned by Ed Baker; John Williams, a Methodist preacher who settled in the same locality, and Uriah Gordon, who settled near the head of the creek on the place occupied at the present time by William Wallis. The old Carson place was owned by Samuel Orr at the time of the county's formation, and it was at his dwelling that the first courts were held. The place was then known as Warrington, and com- peted with Cadiz for the seat of justice. An old German by name of French lived at the place now owned by Joel McKinney in 1822. There were a number of other families around him, so many indeed that it was regarded as a kind of Dutch settlement. They and their descendants have all moved away from the county. They were regarded as a thrifty, harmless and industrious class of citizens.
William Roberts came to the county as early as 1804, and settled in the neighborhood of Cerulean Springs, where he lived until 1811, when he removed to what is now Cadiz Precinct and opened up a farm on Lit- tle River. Other early comers were: Jesse Adams, Wesley Adams, John P. Wilkinson, James Curran, Z. Thomas, Mr. Cook, Mr. McNichols, William Jones, Mr. Minton, Thomas Bryant, William Young, Ferdinand Young and Mr. McCain. It was on the place where the last named lived that one of the first settlements in the precinct was made, but the
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HISTORY OF TRIGG COUNTY.
name of the family could not be learned. "George Harland, son of Levi Harland, owned the old Jackson Mill property in an early day. In attempting to cross the river to visit some sick member of old man French's family in a flat-boat, it was drawn over the mill-dam and him- self and wife, two daughters and a son were drowned. One of his sons -Levi Harland-lived for a number of years at the old tan-yard place. He removed to Illinois, and his family have become prominent among the brightest and most cultured people of that State." Several other prom- ident settlers came in an early day and located within the limits of Cadiz, appropriate mention of whom may be found in the history of the town.
Mills were among the earliest industries of the country, and Cadiz Precinct has been blessed with quite a number. Little River affords splendid water power, and as early as 1819 Levi Harland and John P. Wilkinson erected a small combination saw and grist-mill on the spot occupied at the present time by the large flouring-mill of Jefferson & Jones. The first mill, which was composed of logs, stood for several years and did a good business during the time it was in operation. The property was purchased by a Mr. Stewart, who afterward erected a good frame flouring-mill, which was operated until replaced by the present building belonging to Messrs. Jefferson & Jones. One of the earliest mills in the precinct was erected by William Jones on his place near Caney Creek. It was constructed on the most primitive plan and was operated by horse-power. It ceased operations about the time the first water-mills were erected. An early mill was built by Presley Slaughter, on Muddy Fork of Little River, and was in operation until about the year 1858. It was a combination mill, and did a very good business for a number of years. William C. Martin was the last proprietor. In about the year 1821-22 Robert Baker built a saw and grist-mill on Little River, where the Wilford Mill now stands. It stood until the year 1869, at which time the site was purchased by Messrs. Jones & Gatewood, who tore down the old structure and commenced the erection of the large one now standing. They were unable to complete the work begun, and in 1870 Robert Wilford and brother purchased the property, which by a generous outlay of capital they have made the largest and best mill in the county. The mill is a frame structure 40x50 feet in size, four stories high, and has a capacity of eighty barrels of flour per day, and represents a capital of about $30,000. A small mill was built on Muddy Fork as early as 1842 by Messrs. Alexander & Wimberly, who did a thriving business in grinding grain and sawing lumber. It was in operation until about the year 1866. M. A. Smith was the last owner.
Among the early industries of Trigg County were distilleries, several of which were in operation in Cadiz Precinct shortly after the settlement
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of the country. William Jones operated a small still-house on Caney Creek prior to 1820. Z. Thomas had a distillery on his farm two and a half miles from Cadiz about the same time, but all traces of it have long since disappeared. In 1819-20 Spotswood Wilkinson started a tannery in the town of Cadiz which was in operation ten or twelve years. An- other tannery was started by Levi Harland on the Thompson place, near the head of Caney Creek, a few years later. Harland operated it for several years and was succeeded by Moses Thompson, who continued the business very successfully until his death in 1884.
Religious .- The highest social progress rests in the church and school. Whatever success the individual lacking these influences may achieve, a community can never prosper without them. The early settlers were considerably scattered and it was for some time a difficult matter to get more than two or three families together for religious services. The pioneer preachers were men of limited education and homely address, but were wonderfully effective in their self-denying earnestness. They visited from cabin to cabin, exhorting, counseling, reproving, as occasion might demand. They became in every home welcome guests. Among the names most familiar here were : Dudley Williams, Fielding Wolfe, Sam- uel Ross, Reuben Ross, Jesse Cox and Peyton Nance, of the Baptists, and Robert McCullom, Thomas Humphries and John Butcher, of the Methodist Church.
The earliest religious society was the old Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, organized near the site of Jefferson & Jones' Mill in 1810. Later the organization was moved to the southwest part of the precinct, near the Liberty Point Church, where a little log building was erected some time prior to 1820. This building was torn down within a few years and re- placed by another log structure built on the ground occupied at the present time by the Liberty Point Church. The second house was known throughout the country as the old " Wolf Pen " Church, so named from the fact that Elder Fielding Wolfe was for many years the pastor of the little flock that met for worship within its diminutive walls. In about the year 1832 a third edifice was erected which is still in use, being occu- pied at the present time by the Baptist society known as Liberty Point Church. Mount Pleasant was one of the first societies of the Little River Association. It was not materially affected by the rupture of 1833 be- tween the Old School and Progressive wings, but continued in harmony until 1846, when an unfortunate division occurred resulting in a complete dismemberment of the church, the former faction moving to Canton Pre- cinct, where they effected a re-organization which still meets under the original name, while the non-Progressives remained in possession of the building. The Old School society maintained an existence until 1868,
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HISTORY OF TRIGG COUNTY.
when it was abandoned. Among the pastors during that interval were Elders Reuben Ross, Peyton Nance, Joseph Barnes, John Gammon, Sam- uel Ross and others.
An early Methodist class was organized by Rev. John Butcher in the Young settlement on Bird's Creek several years before the formation of the county. A log house of worship was erected on the bank of Little River, near where the Clarksville road crosses the stream, as early as 1818-19, and stood until some time in the thirties. Among the old families connected with the society were the Youngs and Wallises, and among the earliest preachers are remembered Revs. John Ashley, William Young, Thomas Humphries and - Corwine. The organization was kept up for a number of years. It was the parent church of the Cadiz society, a history of which will be found further along in this chapter.
Rocky Ridge Baptist Church. This society was established at the village of Wallonia on the 24th day of September, 1840, by a Presbytery composed of Elders Jesse Cox, William Morrison and Joel E. Grace. At the first meeting the following brethren and sisters presented their letters of dismission from Harmony Church (Caldwell County) to wit: Benja- min Faulkner, William Boyd, William A. Faulkner, William Snelling, James T. Snelling, Sallie Blanks, Marium Barton, Sarah Barton and Winfrey Bond ; all of whom were given the right hand of fellowship and received into the new organization. William A. Faulkner is the only one of the original members now living. The society was constituted as the Wallonia Baptist Church, and continued to meet as such until April, 1848, when the organization was transferred to a new building erected on the line dividing Cadiz and Wallonia Precincts, and the name changed to Rocky Ridge. This house of worship is a frame building and still used as a meeting place. It has been remodeled at different times, and now has a seating capacity of about 300 persons. John H. Stamps was elected first Church Clerk, and William A. Faulkner, Deacon. The first Pastor was Rev. Joel E. Grace, a man of much more than ordinary natural abilities and an orator of eloquence and power. He preached for the con- gregation until some time in 1842, when Elder J. F. White became Pas- tor. With the exception of an interval of three years Elder White has served the church from 1842 to the present time. The interval alluded to was filled by Elder R. W. Moorhead. At the present time there are eighty-six members belonging to the church. The officers are : James H. Blakeley, J. J. Roach and W. Wharton, Deacons : John H. Caldwell, Clerk. Soon after the close of the war letters of dismission were granted to fifty-two colored members, who organized a church of their own in the Wallonia Precinct. They erected a good frame building, which was destroyed by fire in the year 1882, since which time services have been
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held in a neighboring schoolhouse. They have a strong organization and a very flourishing Sunday-school Elder E. Ladd is their Pastor.
Oakland Methodist Episcopal Church, in southern part of the precinct, was organized in 1859 by Rev. Dr. William Alexander. Among the orig- inal members were the following, to wit : David Randolph, Mahlon Belford. Penina Belford, Thomas D. Malone, William Roberts, Nancy Roberts, Thomas Flood, Catherine Flood, J. J. Randolph, J. R. Randolph and T. J. Randolph. The first officers were: Daniel Randolph, Thomas D. Malone and William Roberts, Trustees, they acted as Stewards also ; Mahlon Bel- ford, Class-leader. A house was built about the time the organization was effected on land donated by David Randolph, and is still used as a place of worship. The following pastors have ministered to the church since its organization : Dr. Alexander, John Randolph, Gideon Gooch, James Petrie, J. H. Redford, T. C. Peters, L. B. Davidson, J. R. Ran- dolph, Thomas J. Richardson, W. C. Brandon, James Brandon, J. Dow- ell, Isaac Shelley and John Frayser. Pastor in charge at the present time is Rev. J. L. Reid. Present membership about twenty. The church officers are : J. J. Randolph, Steward and Class-leader, and Drury Sholar, Hawkins Meadow and J. J. Randolph, Trustees.
Dyer's Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church was established in the year 1877 by Rev. Thomas Richardson with a membership of about fifty persons. The organization took place in the Guier Schoolhouse, which was used as a meeting-house until 1881, when a substantial frame house of worship costing $900 was erected on ground donated by J. H. Law- rence. Since its organization the society has been ministered to by the following pastors in the order named :. Thomas Richardson, John D. Frayser, S. G. Shelley, Joseph Love, James Brannon and J. L. Reid, the last-named being preacher in charge at the present time. Present church officers are : J. N. Richardson and James Guier, Stewards ; James Battoe, Class-leader ; Rufus Dyer, William McAlister, Edwin Guier and James Battoe, Trustees. The organization is in flourishing condition at the present time, and numbers about sixty communicants.
Siloam Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1880 by Rev. James W. Bigham, at that time pastor in charge of the Wallonia Cir- cuit. A frame house of worship was erected the same year at a cost of $1,000. Rev. Bigham preached one year and was succeeded by Rev. P. A. Edwards, who remained two years. The next pastor was Rev. J. L. Edrington, after whom came the present Pastor, Rev. E. E. Pate. Church officers are : W. H. H. Alexander and W. A. Shannon, Stew- ards ; - Banister, Class-leader. At the present time there are the names of eighty-three members on the record. A good Sunday-school is maintained under the superintendency of C. L. Russell.
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HISTORY OF TRIGG COUNTY.
Liberty Point Baptist Church was organized on the 21st day of August, 1871, by Revs. S. R. McLean and D. S. Hanberry. The names of the original members are as follows : John F. Barnes, W. S. Dismuke,. L. B. Edwards, M. N. Mershon, Sarah Edwards, Kittie Hall, Ellen Boyd, Susan Pallard and Isabell Hendrick. The first officers elected were: G. P. Dismuke and Perry Thomas, Jr., Deacons, and James Cunningham, Clerk. The organization was effected in the old Mount Pleasant Meeting- house, which is still used as a place of worship. The following preachers have ministered to the congregation at different times, to wit: D. S. Hanberry seven years; J. W. Oliver two years; C. H. Greystone two years, and J. L. Atwood, present Pastor, who is on his second year's labor. The church has a membership of forty persons, and is reported in good condition. Perry Thomas, Jr., and E. W. Lanieve are Deacons, the former is Clerk also.
Oak Grove Baptist Church was constituted August, 1875, by Revs. George A. Patterson, L. H. Averitt and Daniel Hanberry, with a mem- bership of thirty-nine persons. A house of worship was built the same year on ground deeded by Stanley Thomas and Humphrey Lawrence, and is one of the most comfortable and commodious country church edifices in the precinct. The first pastor of the church was Rev. E. C. Faulkner, who served from 1875 to 1876. Rev. J. H. Spurlin was called the latter year, and has been the regular supply ever since. Under his pastorate the society has increased very largely in numbers and influence, and now has an active membership of 130 persons. The officers at the present time are as follows, to wit : J. J. Thomas, Clerk ; W. B. Thomas, Peter Light and J. J. Thomas, Trustees.
In addition to the churches enumerated the Methodists have a society known as the Bethel congregation, which is one of the oldest religious organizations in the precinct. The early records not being accessible its history was not learned, although it is reported in excellent condition at the present time, and is one of the aggressive churches of the county.
The Town of Cadiz .*- On the 15th day of May, 1820, Mr. Dion, Mr. Givens, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Sharp and Mr. Vance, five Commission- ers appointed by law to locate permanently the seat of justice for Trigg County, made their report, from which the following extract is taken : "After mature and deliberate examination of the many different places proposed as sites for the administration of justice in Trigg County, we are of the opinion that the seat of justice be fixed on the lands of Robert Baker, where he now lives on Main Little River on the top of the emi- nence above the spring, to include the lot whereon his stable now stands, it being the most central, convenient and eligible site for that purpose."
* The principal facts and material for this sketch of Cadiz were furnished by Maj. Mckinney .- ED.
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Whereupon the said Robert Baker proceeded to make a deed of transfer of the said stable lot, together with fifty acres of land adjoining, to the newly-organized county.
The first court held in the county was held at Warrington, a place known as the old Carson farm, situated on the Canton & Cadiz turnpike about three miles from Cadiz, and owned at present by Alfred Thomas. By reference to the order books we find at this court the following order, to wit : " It is ordered that the books, papers, etc., of this county be moved to the dwell- ing of Mr. Robert Baker, and that this court be adjourned until court in course, and then to be held at the dwelling house of the said Baker, afore- said." The next term of the court, on the 19th day of June, 1820, was held as directed at Baker's residence, and the order books show that it was continued at that place up to the October term. At that term on the 17th day of October we find the following order made: "It is ordered that the said fifty-two acres of land shall comprise and constitute a town, and the same is hereby established as such, to be known and called by the name of Cadiz, which shall be contained within the following metes and bounds, to wit: Beginning at a white oak standing south of Baker's stable lot, from thence north 52, west 17 poles 14 feet and 8 inches to a stake marked with two notches, thence north 38, east 17 poles 14 feet and 8 inches to a stake marked with three notches, thence south 52, east 17 poles 14 feet 8 inches to a stake standing in Baker's yard northeast of his dwelling-house, thence south 38, west 17 poles 14 feet 8 inches to the place of beginning, containing the public square of 52 acres and 50 acres besides, which are bounded as follows, to wit : Beginning on the north- west corner of the public square, thence south 38, west 46} poles to a gum bush and the black stump on Baker's line, thence with said line south 21, east 103 poles to a sugar tree on the south bank of the river, thence north 388, east 117 poles to an ash and two elms, thence north 52, west 70 poles to the east corner of the public square, crossing Little River at 20 poles, thence south 38, west with a line of said public square, thence north 52, west with another of its lines 17 poles 14 feet and 8 inches to the beginning. The whole town of Cadiz aforesaid containing according to the foregoing metes and bounds the quantity of 52 acres and the part besides the said public square that by former order of this court has been laid off into lots of one-fourth of an acre square, being four in a block, and the main and cross streets of the width of sixty feet each, crossing each other at right angles." With the foregoing plat begins the history of the town.
The early inhabitants of the place were the two brothers Robert and Alexander Baker, James Thompson, their stepfather, and his sons, Fred- erick Holland his son Austin W. Holland, Wayman Crow, Spotswood
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HISTORY OF TRIGG COUNTY.
Wilkinson, Richard Poston, W. P. M. Scott, M. Mayes and Collins D. Bradley. W. P. M. Scott and Robert Baker were the first merchants. The former occupied a small house not far from the present location of Rash's drug store, and the latter sold goods from the corner house on Main Street just opposite the grocery house of G. W. Lindsay. These stores were stocked with miscellaneous assortments of merchandise, and seem to have been extensively patronized by the early inhabitants of the village and surrounding country. James Thompson kept the first hotel in a two- story log-house situated on the lot where John L. Street's large brick storehouse now stands, and if he failed to accumulate a fortune by plying the occupation of "mine host " we may find a partial elucidation of the mystery in mentioning the fact that law only allowed him to charge 12} cents for a pint of whisky, 25 cents for a quart of porter, lodging per night 122 cents, and furnishing a stable for a horse twenty-four hours with three feeds, including corn, oats or fodder, 50 cents. We may men- tion too as a singular fact that Sevier Tadlock, William Redd, Charles Jones, Absalom Seavills, David Cooper, Levi Harland and James Har- land comprised the first Board of Trustees, and none of them living at the time resided within less than four miles of the town. The second board was composed of the following gentlemen: James Thompson, John A. Caudle, B. Alexander and Richard Guynn, all residing within the corporate limits of the town. This board continued in office until May, 1823, when the third board was elected, composed of Richard Guynn, James Thompson, Robert Baker, William McWaters and George Venable, who continued in office until 1830. The members comprising the fourth board were the following gentlemen, to wit: Philip Frayser, Robert Baker, Henry W. Crow and William Cannon. We have been thus particular in mentioning these early boards, not because their official actions con- nect them with any great public enterprise, but merely to recall and aid in perpetuating the names of respectable bodies of old citizens that few of the present population will remember at all.
No positive material improvement of the town was attempted until about 1850, and the entire duty of the Boards of Trustees seemed to be con- fined to a few town ordinances, such for example as imposing a fine of $3 on all shows or exhibitions of any kind that should charge an admission fee within corporate limits of the village; $3 for showing a horse within 100 yards of the court house ; $5 for delivering a load of tobacco on Sun- day, or if it be a negro, twenty stripes in lieu of money, and $1 for all violations of the ordinance that forbade the washing of clothes within sixty feet of the spring lot.
In 1833 the Town Assessor was instructed to make out a full list of all taxable property within the corporate limits of the town and report the
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same to the Board of Trustees. This he did, the whole amounting to $375.90. No tax, however, was imposed on this amount, and the only object in taking the list was doubtless an ambition to make some official record of the immense wealth of the growing city. A town tax, however, was levied the same year, at the rate of $1 on each white tithe.
In October, 1820, on application and motion of Robert Baker, a part of his land adjoining the town, containing eighteen acres, was added to the original plat. In January, 1821, John G. Reynolds platted an addi- tion to the town, containing twenty-six acres.
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