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the Indian’s moccasin could be traced through the woods that covered the land now within hearing of the factory whistles of the thriving count}* seat, when the plow with the wooden mold-board was an institution, and brimstone matches and ten-penny nails were luxuries; when two dresses of home-spun material, seven yards in each, made up the greater part of a belle’s wardrobe, and the search for pleasure that now produces the Fifth avenue soiree cropped out in “apple-peelings,”— not only came those whose hair has turned white and fallen out as the log houses and stick-chimnies have fallen ia, but their descendants, the middle aged, the stalwart young men and bright-eyed maidens, and the children, all came with them withoutstopping for county lines, from Franklin,and Union, and Wayne, and Kush, until the managers of the old settlers’ meeting rejoiced in their hearts, and the small boy of Connersville marveled and stood on his head in the midst f his mother’s onion-bed as the long lines of carriages passed through toward the Fair grounds.The particulars of the day’s exercises are given here more for the purpose of preserving them in print as a part of the history of Fayette county, than for any present interest they may have for the readers of the Examixer. Twenty-five or fifty years hence, when this paper upon which the details are printed shall have grown yellow and brittle with age, they will be read bv the descendants of those whose names are here given, and it is for their benefit, in great measure, that the accountis lengthened.The procession u hich formed in front ofj^cry lcum uou iudflrame or brick dwellfuV| iiieujj uauand some bad barns andruit-bearing orchards, ?at nearly all the improvements on our vrestern border were of a primitive character; and it is mainly of this part of the county in which I lived for forty-three years I would apeak.Farms ranged In size from a forty-acre tract to a quarter section, and nearly all of them had some improvement. The log cabin was the prevailing dwelling, and it was almost always surrounded by a cleared patch, or deadening, ripening for the Are, by whose agency it was cleared up for the plow. So dense was the forest that the only evidences of other occupied farms near by was the sound of the ax, thecrowing fowls or barking watch dog.D1aroundPaths leading from cabin to cabin large trees or logs and over streamlets fead ns through the tangle of spice wood or pawpaw in our neighborly visits, and highways were marked out and corduroybridges bore us over marshes on our way to market, public worship or to mill In our wagons, up hill anddown the same, and through streams which were all without bridges. The stumps, roots and log* gave the beaten track a serpentine direction, which required great skill in the teamster. If Levi Conwell were here he could teli you all about it, or if you ask Uncle Billy Simpson bow be nsed to freight A. B. ConwelPs whisky and flour to Cincinnati and return with a load of store goods, he can describe it better than I can Pork and the articles named were our staple productions. Cincinnati was our only market. Our pork was driven on foot, requiring an average of eight days to reach our destination, three to close out the sale aud two more to return. The cnt?re trip Consumed about two weeks time.Wheat sold in Cincinnati lu IS34 at 50 cents per bushel, flour for S2.T per barrel, aud Uncle Abe can give you the price of whisky, as I did not handle it my memory is at fault. We got but little money, and we spent little. Our food grew on our farms and our clothing was mostly home-made, growing in the flax patch or on the sheep’s back, and its manufacture was mostly domestic. The flax-pulling and wool-picking were frequently done by combination or neighborhood frolics, and were occasions of great social pleasure. There are mothers present who could tell how they used to race with their Bwcet-hearts at the flax-pulilngs, and some of them recollect bow the points of their fingers ached after pulling the bnra and stick-tigbts out of the wool. Yes, ana how they enjoyed their trip on foot to the spelUngmatch or singTng school with their beaux by their side, just to help them over the fences and mud holes; or, perchance, they rode behind on the same horse, so that if the horse stumbled they could hold on! I can answer for the other sex that a girl behind me on a stumbiig horse was rather awkward, but not at all unpleasant.Don’t you, grand-dames, recollect how the flyers ofV I:the flax wheel hummed w hilst your gent sat by you, or how lightly your bare feet tripped over ,he puuch-con floor to the sound of the big wheel a* you drew out those long threads of yarn which were to beconverted into the winter’s wear. I assure you it was a pleasure to sit by whilst the shuttle flew from hand to had as that yarn grew into cloth. The wheel and loom did not sound so refined as the organ aud the piano, but their product was far more useful. Most families were thus clothed. We used but littletea or coffee, and the sugar camp furnished ournoWm ConnorGeorge Creelraan Yf G Crcelman Mrs Hugh Wilson John Spivevft*John Winchell G W Jones John I Stevens Mrs J P Daniels Marj* WilliamsIIARftlSOK TOWXIIIIIP.S G Tyn«r and wife J Grouendyke “Wm Monteeth Warner Broaddus Samuel Pavoy and wife Wm Stephens Wm Chrism an Wm Wolf George Wolf David Wolf James Dehaven J W Ferguson and wife W W Thomas Mary A Honeywell Benjamiu Thomas . Josiah Kerr Potter Kerr Margaret Kerr Elizabeth Kerr Mary Moffltt C G Dehaven Stephen Thomas and wife C M Stone L C StoneI. W M'Cormick and wife H Hackleman Thomas Campbell V BTingley Cbester Meeker Anson King Rachel Hackleman Hannah Murphy Asenath Trowhri'lge Jacob Dehaven and wifeftlt;44ft »* ftft »Eliza Florea Franklin Iiooe and wife Jane Lambert John Ludlow S B Ludlow Hannah I.udlow Daniel Tavlor aud wife Lewis Ellis Rachel Meeker Xanev Hackleman Marv Jordon Thos Shipley and wife Joseph Caldwell Sydney Taylor David Gordon Sanford Guard Caroline Kalb Zenos Powell and wife Hiram Sparks ** John Bates Miss E M Rea “ H J Rea Emaline Sims Sanrl Caldwell and wifeXnncy Webb S J ShipleyEliza J Merri field Garrett Wolf Mr; E Rogers J B Bush Sarah Smith John H Dehaven Ivouden Smnllen Elizabeth BrvantElizabeth Smuilena:.v.vix(is township.Joseph R Darter Abraham Sutton Abraham Lyons and wife Xaihan Stanley James R Darter Grcetibury Hansen Asberrv HansonJarvov Ball Sarah J Murphy James Hulgan ' John Xewlaud Elizabeth Veatch Isaac Louderback Margaret ElliottItKC A PITVI.ATXONsweetb. 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Newspaper Details
Connersville Examiner
Connersville, Indiana, US
Thu, Aug 21, 1879
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 06 Jun 2019
Other Publications Near Connersville, Indiana
Connersville Times
Connersville Weekly Times
Connersville Evening News
Connersville News Examiner
Connersville Daily Examiner
