Jefferson County History and Biography

SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTY BY WHITE PEOPLE--WHO THE PIONEERS WERE, AND WHERE THEY CAME FROM--ANDREW MOORE--HIS MURDER BY THE INDIANS--MOORE'S PRAIRIE, AND THE PEOPLE WHO SETTLED IT--THE WILKEYS, CRENSHAWS, ATCHISONS, ETC.--SETTLEMENT AT MOUNT VERNON--OTHER PIONEERS--HARDSHIPS, TRIALS, PRIVATIONS, MANNERS, CUSTOMS, ETC., ETC.

SOME OF THE PIONEER FAMILIES OF THE COUNTY--THE CASEYS--THEIR EMIGRATION TO AMERICA--HOW THEY SERVED IN THE REVOLUTIONS--FACTS AND INCIDENTS OF THEIR RESIDENCE HERE--THE MAXEYS, ANOTHER OLD FAMILY--THEIR WELSH DESCENT--WHERE AND WHEN THEY SETTLED--THE JOHNSONS--THEY ARE AN OLD FAMILY, TOO--SOMETHING OF THEM AND THEIR DESCENDANTS--OTHER PIONEERS--INCIDENTS ETC., ETC.

THE BENCH AND BAR--SUPREME COURT--ITS LOCATION AT MOUNT VERNON -- THE JUDGES OF THE SAME--BREEZE AND SCATES--OTHER LUMINARIES--THE APPELLATE COURT--SOME OF ITS GREAT LIGHTS--CIRCUIT COURT--JUDGE TANNER AND OTHERS--EARLY CASES TRIED IN THE COURTS--MARSHALL, BAUGH, ETC. -- PRESENT MEMBERS OF THE BAR, ETC., ETC.

POLITICAL HISTORY--BIRTH OF THE WHIG AND DEMOCRAT ORGANIZATIONS -- PARTY STRIFE AND SCRAMBLE FOR OFFICE--JOEL PACE, FIRST CLERK OF THE COUNTY--POLITICIANS OF THE TIMES--ZADOK CASEY--HIS LIFE AND OFFICIAL SERVICES--GOV. ANDERSON--SKETCH OF HIS PUBLIC CAREER--NOAH JOHNSTON AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED CHARACTERS--SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES, ETC.

SOMETHING MORE ABOUT THE PIONEERS--THOSE WHO CAME IN LATER--THEIR SETTLEMENT--GAME AND WILD ANIMALS--PIONEER INCIDENTS--MRS. ROBINSON AND THE PANTHER--SOME RATTLING SNAKE STORIES--FEMALE FASHION AND DRESS--WOMAN'S LIFE IN THE WILDERNESS--HARD TIMES, FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES, ETC.

WAR HISTORY -- THE REVOLUTION AND THE WAR OF 1812--WHAT WE GAINED BY THEM--THE MEXICAN WAR--JEFFERSON COUNTY'S PART IN IT--HER OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS--THE LATE CIVIL WAR--SKETCHES OF THE REGIMENTS IN WHICH THE COUNTY WAS REPRESENTED--GEN. ANDERSON, COL. HICKS AND OTHER VETERANS--INCIDENTS, ETC., ETC.

ODDS AND ENDS--DE OMNIBUS REBUS ET QUIBUSDAM ALIIS--A BRIEF RETROSPECTION--MILLERS AND MILLS--BLACKSMITHS AND OTHER MECHANICS--BIRTH, MARRIAGES, DEATHS--A BATCH OF INCIDENTS--BUCK CASEY PLAYING BULL CALF--DONNY BROOK FIGHTS--FOREST FIRES--A RUNAWAY NEGRO--COUNTERFEITING--THE POOR FARM, ETC., ETC., ETC.

MOUNT VERNON TOWNSHIP--DESCRIPTION, TOPOGRAPHY, ETC.--EARLY SETTLEMENT--OLD SURVEYS AND LAND ENTRIES--A CLOSER ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE PIONEERS--WHO THEY WERE AND WHERE THEY LOCATED--THEIR GOOD TRAITS AND PECULIARITIES--THE SELECTING OF A SITE FOR A TOWN--MOUNT VERNON CHOSEN AS THE COUNTY SEAT, ETC.

CITY OF MOUNT VERNON--THE LAYING-OUT AND BEGINNING OF THE TOWN--SALE OF LOTS--ERECTION OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS--THE FIRST COURT HOUSE--STRAY POUND, GAOL AND CLERK'S OFFICE-STICK CHIMNEYS, COURT HOUSE LOCK, ETC.--THE PIONEERS AND FIRST SETTLERS IN THE TOWN--THEIR GENEALOGICAL TRESS, ETC.

CITY OF MOUNT VERNON--MORE ABOUT ITS EARLY CITIZENS--SOME PEN PHOTOGRAPHS--THE SECOND COURT HOUSE--MOUNT VERNON FROM 1824-1880--A FEW OF THE OLD HOUSES--RELICS OF A BY-GONE PERIOD--MORE TOWNSHIP ITEMS, AND A TRIPLE WEDDING--LATER SETTLERS--COUNTY ROADS--THE FIRST CHURCHES OUTSIDE OF TOWN, ETC., ETC.

CITY OF MOUNT VERNON--THE DECADE FROM 1830-1840--GROWTH OF THE TOWN--NEW BUILDINGS AND NEW BUSINESS--A LOOK BEYOND THE TOWN--BRIEF RETROSPECT--ANOTHER COURT HOUSE--SOME OF THE BUSINESS MEN AND WHAT THEY DID--STILL ANOTHER COURT HOUSE--THE JAIL--ORGANIZATION OF MOUNT VERNON TOWNSHIP--OFFICIALS, ETC.

MOUNT VERNON--ITS RELIGIOUS HISTORY--THE METHODIST, THE PIONEERS OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE COUNTY--A LIST OF MINISTER--THE FIRST CHURCH--PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH--BAPTIST--CATHOLICS AND OTHER DENOMINATIONS--CHURCHES OF THE TOWNSHIP--SCHOOLS IN AND OUT OF THE CITY, ETC., ETC.

MOUNT VERNON--TOWN SURVEYS AND ADDITIONS--MORE THAN ANY MAN CAN NUMBER--CASEY'S ADDITION--GREEN'S, STRATTAN'S AND SEVERAL OTHERS--THE NUMBER OF ACRES COVERED BY THE CITY--MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT--CITY OFFICIALS--ETC., ETC.

MOUNT VERNON--TEMPERANCE MOVEMENTS--THEIR GOOD WORK IN THE COMMUNITY--VILLAGE OF EAST MOUNT VERNON--MYSTIC ORDERS--MASONS, ODD FELLOWS, ETC.--MISCELLANEOUS--WHICH COMPRISES FIRES, FIRE DEPARTMENT AND MANY OTHER LOCAL ITEMS--BIRTHS, DEATHS, ETC., ETC.

SHILOH TOWNSHIP--GENERAL DESCRIPTION--TOPOGRAPHY AND BOUNDARIES --EARLY SETTLEMENT--PIONEER HARDSHIPS AND PRIVATIONS--MILLS, ETC.--AN INCIDENT--BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES--ROADS AND BRIDGES -- STOCK-RAISING--SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES--WOODLAWN VILLAGE, ETC., ETC.

PENDLETON AND MOORE'S TOWNSHIPS--GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND TOPOGRAPHY--THE FIRST SETTLERS--MOORE'S PRAIRIE A HISTORICAL SPOT --PIONEER HARDSHIPS AND DIFFICULTIES--EARLY INDUSTRIES AND CUSTOMS --TOWNSHIP OFFICERS--CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS--LYNCHBURG--BELLE RIVE AND OPDYKE--THEIR GROWTH, BUSINESS, ETC., ETC.

ROME TOWNSHIP--TOPOGRAPHICAL AND PHYSICAL FEATURES--OCCUPATION BY WHITE PEOPLE--WHO THE PIONEERS WERE--THE MAXWELLS AND OTHERS --HARDSHIPS AND TRIALS--MILLS AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS--TOWNSHIP OFFICERS--SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES--VILLAGE OF ROME--GROWTH, IMPROVEMENT, ETC.

SPRING GARDEN TOWNSHIP--GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND TOPOGRAPHY -- SETTLEMENT OF THE WHITES--THEIR EARLY TRAILS AND TRIBULATIONS--ROADS, MILLS, ETC.--SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES--TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS--SPRING GARDEN VILLAGE--ITS GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT, ETC., ETC.

WEBBER TOWNSHIP--INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTION--BOUNDARIES, TOPOGRAPHY, ETC.--EARLY SETTLEMENT--PIONEER LIFE AND TRIALS--PIGEON POST OFFICE--A LAW SUIT--TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS--SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES--MARLOW, BLUFORD, ETC., ETC.

ELK PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP--TOPOGRAPHY AND PHYSICAL FEATURES--COMING OF THE PAGE FACES--INCIDENTS OF THEIR SETTLEMENT--HARD TIMES, ETC. --ROADS, MILLS AND BRIDGES--SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLHOUSES--CHURCHES, ETC.--TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS--VILLAGES, ETC.

FARRINGTON TOWNSHIP--GENERAL TOPOGRAPHY, BOUNDARIES, ETC. -- SETTLEMENT OF WHITE PEOPLE--EARLY INDUSTRIES--SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES -- TOWNSHIP OFFICERS--VILLAGES--STOCK RAISING, ETC.

GRAND PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP--BOUNDARIES AND TOPOGRAPHY-- EARLY SETTLEMENT--HARDSHIPS OF THE PEOPLE, ETC.--FIRST MILLS AND ROADS -- BIRTH, DEATH AND MARRIAGE--AN INCIDENT--FIRST VOTING PLACE--TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS, ETC.--SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLHOUSE--CHURCHES, ETC., ETC.

McCLELLAN TOWNSHIP--INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTION --TOPOGRAPHY--EARLY SETTLEMENT--TRIALS, HARDSHIPS AND GOOD TIMES --PIONEER IMPROVEMENTS--ROADS, BRIDGES AND MILLS--EDUCATION, SCHOOLHOUSES AND TEACHERS--EARLY CHURCHES--TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS, ETC., ETC.

FIELD TOWNSHIP--TOPOGRAPHICAL, GEOGRAPHICAL, PHYSICIAL, ETC. --SETTLEMENT BY WHITE PEOPLE--LIFE ON THE BORDER--EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES--CHURCHES AND CHURCH BUILDINGS--AN INCIDENT--TOWNSHIP OFFICERS--SUMMARY, ETC., ETC.

CASNER TOWNSHIP--TOPOGRAPHY AND PHYSICAL FEATURES--EARLY SETTLEMENT--ROUGH FARE OF THE PIONEERS--SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES -- LIST OF TOWNSHIP OFFICERS--POLITICS, ETC.--ROACHVILLE VILLAGE, THE CHICAGO OF THE COUNTY, ETC., ETC.

DODDS TOWNSHIP--DESCRIPTION AND TOPOGRAPHY--COMING OF THE WHITES --EARLY AND INCIDENTS--THE MAIN SETTLEMENT--ROADS, FIRST MILLS, ETC. -- EARLY SCHOOLS--MODE OF PAYING THE TEACHERS--FIRST PREACHERS AND CHURCHES--TOWNSHIP OFFICERS, ETC., ETC.

BLISSVILLE TOWNSHIP--DESCRIPTION AND TOPOGRAPHY--KNOB PRAIRIE SETTLEMENT--HOW THE PEOPLE LIVED--NAME OF TOWNSHIP AND ITS LIST OF OFFICIALS--ROADS, BRIDGES, ETC.--THE VILLAGE OF WILLIAMSBURG -- CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS--RETROSPECTION, ETC.

BALD HILLTOWNSHIP--ITS GEOGRAPHICAL AND PHYSICAL FEATURES--ADVENT OF THE PIONEERS--THEIR TRIALS, TRIBULATIONS, ETC.--MILLS AND ROADS--ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWNSHIP AND THE LIST OF OFFICIALS -- SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, ETC., ETC.