USA > Tennessee > Old times in West Tennessee : reminiscences, semi-historic, of pioneer life and the early emigrant settlers in the Big Hatchie country > Part 13
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of municipal ordinances and regulations. Every town along the river had its vigilant committee and patrol, for the protection of life and property. Ran- dolph had its vigilant committee and organized patrol, and every stranger that entered the town and neighborhood was "spotted "until his business and personal became satisfactorily known to the guard- ians of the town.
The Clansmen's most usual place of crossing the Mississippi, was a short distance below the "Benton place." In tracking their way to and from the "Grand Council Tree," a notable sycamore, stand- ing in the tickest of the deep forest, towering above all other trees-discernible for miles around-a beacon to guide the foot-steps of the Clan in gather- ing. They seldom traveled over the same trail more than once, that they might elude the vigil of all who were not of their clan. The size of the "Council Tree," at its base, equaled the notable In- diana sycamore at the mouth of the Big Pigeon, which is said to measure, at its base, seventy-five feet around, and capable of stabling in its capacious hollow, twenty-four horses at a time. It was at this tree, and in its great hollow, that John A. Murrell and his Clansmen met in grand council, and formed their dark plots, and concocted their hellish plans. Most of their depredations were committed along the river, and in the night time. Seldom a night passed at Randolph without the capture of suspi- cious persons. It is keenly remembered by the writer, who was a member of the patrol at Ran- dolph, in those "dark and bloody days," that one
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dark night (the darker the night the better, for their wicked purposes, and the greater the neces- sity for the patrol to be on the alert), the patrol were out on the river front above town. In the dead, silent hours of the night, the gentle rippling of the still waters from the sharp prow of a boat came gliding down near the shore. The patrol had taken a position at the mouth of a deep cove, formed by the flow of the waters from the high bluff. r.It afforded a safe mooring for small boats. The sus picious craft moved in close to shore, and ran into the cove. Several yards from the river's edge, waiting until they had made fast by running an oar down in the soft mud, when the Captain of the patrol threw the light from his dark lantern full upon them, the patrol at the same time leveling their double barrels. Three stout, broad-shouldered sinners stood before us; an old gray-haired lark, and two younger-father and his two sons. The old man, who stood in the stern of the boat, dropped something from his shoulder into the water as soon as discovered. The water being shallow, however, he was required to fish it up. It proved to be a wallet filled with burglar's tools. They were marched up to the headquarters of the vigilance committee, and immediately put upon trial under the code of Judge Lynch. The wallet contained sufficient evi- dence to insure conviction and speedy execution. On account of the gray hairs of the old sinner, and youth of his two sons, the penalty was modified to corporeal castigation. They were sentenced to be denuded of every vestige of their clothes, stretched
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across a cotton bale, and striped with a three and a half foot "cowhide," at intervals, until day began to break, the old man to receive two licks to the boys one. That when day began to dawn, that they be taken to their boat, stark naked, tied hand and foot, and fast to the bottom of the boat, face upwards, gagged, with a placard posted upon their foreheads, written upon each, that if "ever caught again on the east bank of the Mississippi, in Ten- nessee, a twenty-five pound bag of shot would be tied around their necks and they become food for the catfish;" the boat to be carriedout in the mid- dle of the current and sent adrift without oars. The sentence was fully executed, and their up-turned faces greeted the first rays of the morning sun.
It was during those bloody days that an occur- rence happened some twelve miles below Randolph that shocked the whole country. A most atrocious and diabolical wholesale murder and robbery had been committed on the Arkansas side. The crew of a flatboat had been murdered in cold blood, disemboweled and thrown in the river, and the boat- stores appropriated among the perpetrators of the foul deed. The "Murrell Clan" were charged with the inhuman and devilish act. Public meetings were called in different parts of the country to devise means to rid the country and clear the woods of the " Clan," and to bring to immediate punish- ment the murderers of the flatboatmen. In Cov- ington a company was formed to that end, under the command of Maj. Hockley and Grandville D. Searcy, and one, also, formed in Randolph, under
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the command of Colonel Orvil Shelby. They met at Randolph and organized into one company, un der command of Colonel Shelby. A flatboat suited to the purpose, was procured, and the expe dition, consisting of some eighty or an hundred men, well armed, with several days' rations, floated out from Randolph, and down to the landing where the wholesale murder had been committed. Thei place of destination was Shawnee Village, some si or more miles from the Mississippi, where the Sheriff of the county resided. They were first to require of the Sheriff to put the offenders under arrest, and turn them over to be dealt with accord- ing to law. To Shawnee Village the expedition moved in single file, along a tortuous trail through the thick cane and jungle, until within a few. miles of the village, when the whole line was startled by a shrill whistle at the head of the column, answered by the sharp click! click! click! of the cocking of the rifles in the hands of the Clansmen, in ambush, to the right flank of the moving file, and within less than a dozen yards.
. The chief of the Clan stepped out at the head of the expedition, and in a stentorian voice commanded the expedition to halt ! saying:
" We have man for man; move forward another step and a rifle bullet will be sent through every man under your command."
A parley was had, when more than man for man of the Clansmen rose from their hiding places in the thick cane, with their guns at a present. The expedition had fallen into a trap; the Clausmen had
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not been idle in finding out the movements against them across the river. Doubtless many of them had been in attendance at the meetings held for the purpose of their destruction. The movement had been a rash one, and nothing was left to be done but to adopt the axiom that "prudence is the better part of valor." The leaders of the expedition were permitted to communicate with the Sheriff, who promised to do what he could in having the offenders brought to justice; but, alas for Arkansas and justice ! the Sheriff himself was thought to be in sympathy with the Clan, and the law was in the hands of the Clansmen. The expedition retraced their steps. Had it not been so formidable, and well known by the Clansmen, every member of it would have found his grave in the Arkansas swamp.
It was not long after, when, through the heroism of Virgil A. Stewart, John A. Murrell fell into his trap, which resulted in the Clan being scattered, and their organization broken up.
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CHAPTER X.
Lauderdale Formed out of Big Hatchie Territory-Key Corner Established by Henry Rutherford, in 1789 Rutherford and Porter the First Permanent Settlers David T. Porter the First Born-Cole Creek Bluffs-In. teresting Topographical Features-Discovery of the Three Graves; Their History Worked out in Romance.
TIPTON, north of Hatchic, together with a slip off the northwestern corner of Haywood, and a fair loaf off of the southwestern part of Dyer, formed the present limits of Lauderdale, which was erected into a county by an act of the Legislature in the year 1835.
The first magistrates appointed for the county were Robert C. Campbell, Benjamin F. Johnson, Jeremiah Patrick, Milton G. Turner, John II. Max- well, Able HI. Pope, William Strain, Elijah B. Foster, Henry Critchfield, Cristopher G. Litsworth, HIenry R. Crawford and Henry R. Chambers. They met at the house of Samuel Lusk the following year (1836), and organized the first County Court, electing Robert C. Campbell, Chairman; William Carigan, Clerk; Guy Smith, Sheriff; Isaac Bradon, Coroner; Samuel Lusk, Ranger; Thomas Fisher, Register; William T. Morehead, Trustee; Milton G. Turner, John H. Maxwell, Able II. Pope and Robert W. Campbell, Revenue Commissioners;
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Griffeth L. Rutherford, R. S. Byrn, Hiram C. Keller, Henry R. Crawford and Robert W. Campbell, Com- missioners to sell the lots in the newly established county town, Ripley.
The first Circuit Court was held at the house of George Byler, in 1836, and David Gilliland ap- pointed the first Clerk. It is not within the limits of the plan fixed by the writer of these reminis- cences to treat of the period when Lauderdale became an independent county. The territory forming the county, being within the limits of the Big Hatchie country in "old times," takes in "Key Corner" and the "Cole Creek Bluffs," which is not more interesting for its wild and romantic scenery, than bordering the famed hunting ground of Davy Crockett, and the many incidents in pioneer life.
KEY CORNER
dates its history from the year 1789. When the State of North Carolina meditated the transfer of her territorial rights to the lands embraced within the limits of the present State of Tennessee to Con- gress, with a view of its being erected into a State, certain owners of North Carolina land grants ob- tained the services of Henry Rutherford, a surveyor, to push forward west of the Tennessee river, upon the lands then owned by the Chickasaws, and make certain locations. Rutherford, organizing his sur- veying party on the Cumberland, descended that river in the fall of the year 1789. Working their way down to the mouth of the Forked Deer, he poled up that stream until he struck the first high Jand, which happened to be at the point of inter-
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section of the Cole Creek Bluffs with the Forked Deer river. There he landed, and made his first mark upon a small sycamore tree in the shape of'a key, which he established as the corner of his future. surveys, from which time (1789) it has been known as the "Key Corner" upon all the maps of subse- quent surveys.
In 1819-20, Henry Rutherford and David Porter found their way down the Cumberland and up the Forked Deer, and made a permanent settlement at the "Key Corner," which became the nucleus of the first settlement on the Forked Deer river, which, before the counties of Tipton, Haywood and Dyer were formed, was known as the "Key Corner Set" tlement." Henry Rutherford and David Porter were among the first prominent settlers in West Tennessee, and among the most pominent men. The first "grist mill" was built at "Key Corner," known as " Rutherford's Mill." The first settlers about Brownsville sent their corn to the "Key Cor- ner" to be ground. Rutherford was made County Surveyor, which office he filled as long as he lived, preserving to the day of his death, which occurred but a few years ago, remarkable good health, and a most wonderful recollection of the early incidents of his life, and marked with clearness and precision the surveys made by him more than three score of years back.
The first child born on the territory embraced within the limits of Lauderdale county, was
DAVID T. PORTER,
in the year 1820, at the "Key Corner." Reared in
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the house of his birth, he is honored by having never lived anywhere else. Like the fixedness and stability of Rutherford's sycamore, he has lived fifty-three years at the same place, having, during that time, resided in three counties by continuing to live at home. Prominent among his neighbors, and highly esteemed for his courage and manly bearing, he was made a Captain in the Confederate service, which position he filled with honor.
John Flippin came from Knox county and settled near the "Key Corner" in the year 1822, and shared with the carly pioneers the perils and hardships of the wilderness, and left his name identified with the land of his early adoption through his sons; the most prominent of whom, Benjamin M. Flippin, is yet living in Lauderdale in the vicinity where his father first settled.
The Cole Creek Bluffs, beginning at the "Key Corner," on the Forked Deer, range southwest to the upper point of the first Chickasaw Bluff, on the Mississippi river, a distance of some fifteen or more miles, and constitute the most interesting topo- graphical features of Lauderdale county. They
overlook that large body of bottom land lying to the west and north-the land of the many newly- made lakes-the famed hunting-ground in "old times," when the screw-cutter and Davy Crockett hunted together, before the rents and cracks pro- duced by the shakes of 1811-12 had all healed over.
It was on the highest knob of this range of bluffs, within near distance of the great Father of Waters, the god of day, which had been intensely bright,
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was fast losing its force upon the hills, its glancing rays diffusing a gentle fading crimson through the yellow-tinted foliage of the wild-woods, reflecting back a bright golden luster from the tops of the far off trees to the east; looking to the far west, over the tops of the ocean of tall trees that shaded the broad acres below, the eye no longer contracted by the "sharp sunbeam," the full vision gazed upon one uniform glory. The lakes had received into their placid bosom the last lingering ray of the sun- set. 'Way yonder, across the mighty river, the flitting fragment of a cloud, with its purple edges, lingers, the fading luster of the crimson blending until the shades of night gain possession of the heavens. How good it was in "our Father in Heaven" to give us the "moon and stars to shine by night;" how cheerless and gloomy the world would have been without them-the very thought of black darkness makes one shudder. Gloom and ghostly apparitions seize hold of his very thoughts. - The moon and stars never shone brighter, however, than they did that night on the screw-cutter and his little hunter companion. By accident they had
:
pitched upon the loveliest spot on the bluffs, far
above the gloom of the dark shades of the deep woods below them; through the tops of the tall trees the eye penetrated and caught glimpses of the bright waters of the lakes trembling in the silvery luster 'neath the full moon in mid-heaven. Upon that lovely knoll they yielded to "tired nature" their first night upon the Cole Creek Bluffs, in the early part of the month of November, 182 -. Rolled
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up in their blankets, they sought the " sweet restorer, balmy sleep."
Neither cloud nor displeasure marred the glory of the morning. The gray streaks of the early morn gave promise of a fair day. Taking their morning meal-tender steaks cut from the loin of a yearling deer the screw-cutter had shot down the evening before-they wandered away to find a spring of fresh water. Winding down the high hill, they struck a bright little stream of running water, and followed the course of its curving up a deep gorge. Soon the gorge narrowed, barely allowing room to pass between the branch and the high overhanging bluff sides. Going through the narrow pass, they stepped into a lovely little glen of several rods in width-a most enchanting little spot, the margin of the bright little branch grown over with tall water-lilies, em- bowered by the thick overhanging foliage from the steep hill-sides, terminating at the head by a per- pendicular bluff, from under which gushed a bold spring.
"See! see there! it's an old, abandoned hut in a state of decay. Yes, it is the remains of an old mud hut, the front and one end crushed in by the shivering of that stately oak; 'twas a thunder-bolt that did it. Well, if this isn't a discovery in this wild, uninhabited country. Halloo! the world is coming to an end, surely. No, those who once in- habited this quiet little nook found their end; for, as. I am alive, they are dead. Here is three well- marked graves. One of them seems old-old of long standing; the other two seemingly of more
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recent date, yet quite old enough for their friends, if they have any, to forget them; it is so odd. Off that the dead could speak from their long and lonely resting place; what a tale, perhaps of sorrow and tears, could be told here."
"Sit down under the shadows of this grove of elm and oak by the side of that gurgling spring of bright water, and after thou wilt have refreshed thyself, let the imagination work it out. . .
"Many years ago I had a young and fast friend. We were in the habit of hunting these woods? hunting down the Obion to its mouth, and up -Reel- foot, spending months in the chase together," said the screw-cutter. "Young, handsome and brave: hearted, I loved him dearly. The sight of those graves revives in me a sad remembrance; they bring to mind what I had well nigh forgotten. Sad mem- ories ! Could the living reunite the dry bones be- neath those little hillocks and clothe them in the freshness of youth. what a tale of romance eould be told of these woods. Enough is remembered, however, to remove the mystery that hangs over them.
"On the occasion of our last hunt in these woods we had been out several weeks. My hunting com- panion became strangely afflicted for a hunter. After our morning meal, he would take his gun and be gone all day, returning to the camp after nightfall happy and gay, without reporting the kill- ing of any game. In answer to inquiries as to his day's hunt, he would express himself the happiest man in the world, giving a most glowing description
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of a beautiful lake he had discovered some three or four hours' walk from the camp.
"A more noble fellow or braver hunter never shouldered a rifle. He became a maniac. Those graves must have had something to do with his going crazy. The lake we got a glimpse of last night is doubtless the same he was so fond of talk- ing about.
"The story is a long one, I will tell it as we go along. We must go back to our horses now."
They started back to their horses, continuing the narrative as they went along.
"My hunting companion returned to camp one night more thoughtful than usual, expressing him- self tired of the hunt, and urged that we break up camp. We had killed more bear than we could well pack away; beside, the hunt, from the turn of mind my young friend had taken, had pretty much lost its interest. We ended the hunt and returned to the settlement. We separated. He returned to his home. He lived with an aged mother near the Madrid settlement.
" When the next hunting season came round he did not join us. It was a year after before we met again. Wild and uncontrollable, he had abandoned himself to the wild haunts in the woods. It was in the woods that we met. He threw his arms around me, embracing me with the fond affection of a brother, shedding tears as a child. The scenes when last we had been together seemed to haunt him. The burden of his wild talk was of the beautiful lake and his lovely ' White Lily.' Icarried him home
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to his old mother. He neither ate nor slept. I re- mained with him until he died.
"After his death his old mother took from an old secretary a roll of papers. Handing them to me, she said:
"' Victor's last request, before he lost his mind. was that after his death I should hand these papers to you ; that they would unravel a mystery.'Je gui " Thus the story runs:
"'Curious to examine the sunk lakes, lower down from where our camp was pitched, I had. walked several hours in a southern direction, when I came upon a beautiful open lake, the loveliest I had dis- covered in the bottom. I struck the head of it, from which point I obtained a full view of its length and size. Tray-shaped, it was longer than it was
broad-perhaps three or more miles long.
Like
most lakes, it was shallow around the margin, getting deeper in the middle; judging from its being open in the middle, and other appearances, deeper than the tallest of surrounding forest trees. It being free from undergrowth and fallen timbers along the mar- gin, I strolled around it. In passing along, my attention was attracted by the fish darting from near the shore into deep water. The lake seemed to. be alive with them.
"'Coming to a shady spot, where a large tree had blown up, falling over the lake, its strong roots hold- ing it suspended over the surface of the water, I halted to rest. Setting my gun by the roots, I walked out on it several feet from the shore and lay down upon its huge trunk. My attention was soon
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attracted to a clump of tall water-lilies growing in the water near the shore, by the jumping and floun- dering of the fish; so charmed with the countless numbers of the finny tribe darting through the clear sunny spots upon the bright surface of the water, passing to and fro among the lilies, that I must have been there an hour or more when the sound of a gentle rippling of the waters, rapidly approaching from behind me, arrested my attention. Without rising from my reclining position, I turned my head and eyes full upon the loveliest form in human flesh I ever beheld-a young woman standing erect in a trim little canoe, driving its sharp prow swiftly over the surface of the placid water. So great was my amazement that I felt transfixed to the log. Her long golden hair thrown back upon her shoul- ders, her head uncapped; fair as a lily, and fresh as a new-born rose, she was a very picture of female beauty and loveliness just budding into womanhood. Looking neither to the right nor left, her eyes fixed upon the clump of water lilies, she gently raised her long slender paddle out of the water, the sharp bow of her little boat gliding in among them. She had not observed me, so intently were her cycs peering down into the clear water. Schools of the bright scaly tribe closed in around her, flouncing and cutting up all sorts of finny antics. Running her long paddle down in the soft mud to steady her little boat, intent alone upon the object of her mis- sion, she stooped forward, her long golden locks falling over her face. She seated herself in the bottom of her frail little craft, burying her head
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among the tall lilies, humming in a soft musical strain, as in converse with the countless numbers of fish that gathered around her. There she remained, feeding and chanting to her little lake companions within a rod of me.
"'My eyes, from gazing so intently upon such dazzling beauty, began to grow blind. I expected every moment that the loud beating of my heart would arrest her attention. In such a delirium of delight and amazement, I felt pinned fast to the tree. The opportunity, however, was favorable for rising from my recumbent position. In an instant I was upon my feet, as yet wholly unobserved by the fair queen of the lake.
"'Getting through with her little charities and talk with her finny companions, now and then running her long white hand under the clear water, the little silvery-sided tribe gathering around it, and passing through her long tapering fingers, bidding them good-bye for the evening, she arose to her feet, and we stood face to face. The excited amaze- ment which had held me spell-bound, had began to pass off. It came her time to exhibit surprise and amazement. Throwing her large, clear, blue' eyes full upon me, raising both of her hands, throw- ing back her long, yellow tresses, she imploringly said: ' Who! and what are you! and why are you here?'
"' Her manner was bewitchingly earnest. In words as gentle and soothing as possible, I replied:
"'I am a hunter, and came in these woods to: hunt; that in rambling about in the woods, I came
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upon this lake, and was attracted to this enchanting spot, where I have been for hours, amusing myself with the movements of the numerous beautiful fish passing to and fro among the tall lilies.' Having replied to her two pointed questions, I then asked her to tell me who she was, and why she was alone upon this beautiful lake in the wild-woods?'
"' Who I am, I beg you will not inquire, or seek to know. I am here to feed and commune with my little lake companions, where I have not failed to be since my childhood. I beg that you will ask me no _ more questions, or seek to find me out, and that you will not again come to this lake,' her voice soft- ening and becoming more subdued as she finished speaking, still keeping her large blue eyes in a fixed gaze upon me.
""'I begged that she would not lay upon me such a burden, or to seal my lips against nature's ardent promptings. That I would have to be more than human to abide her biddings. That it was asking more than the human heart could stand. ,
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