Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-09-23
NORTH Cows, Mcdowell COUNTY, IN. c.)

now write from log cabin situated on the Calawba ri
YER and in one Of the beautiful Of valleys My rid
from Ashvlle to Burnse distance of forty miles
unattended by single interesting incident and afforded
only one mountain prospect that caused me to rein in my
horse But the pospec, alluded embraced the entire out
line Of Bald Mountain which, being one OF the loies il
this section Of county, and particularly barren, presented
magnificent appearance On the extreme summit OF tbs
mountain is very large and intensely cold spring Of
ter and in i,s immediate vicinity small and the
Of log cabin, which associated with a singular bing
named David Greer who once made this upper worldhis
home He first appeared in this country about fifty ybrs
ago. bis native and the story Of his brh and bis early
tory, alike unknown Soon after his arrival among he
mountains he fell desperately in love with the daughter
farmers but his suit rejected by the maiden and
ousy opposed by all her friends Soon after this dissppot
the lover suddenly disappeared, and subsequently,
found residing on Bald Mountain in the already m-
toned. Here be ed the life Of literary recluse, ands
said to have written singular work upon religion, and a.
other which puPored to be treatise human governmer
in the latter production be proclaimed himself the sole pt
pretoi Of Bald Mountain, and made il known to the VOID
that all who should become his neghbors submo
the laws be had himself enacted The prominent actions
bis life few and far between" but particularly ind
The first that brought him into notice follows:
few years after sscerained that be had taken po
session Of this mountain the authorities Of the county
messenger 10 Greer and demanded potsx Of seventy
cents. The hermit said he would attend to il the
couday, and bis word accepted. On the day in que
ton Greer punciuay made his appearance but instead
paying the money, he peed the windows Of the court
house with stones end drove the judges lawyers and client
all on, Of the village and them with rife in hand returned
to his mountain dwelling For months after this even
he amused himself by mutlang all the cattle which he hap
pencd 10 discover what be called his domain and is said
in the habit Of trying the power Of his rife by shooting
down upon the plantations Of his neghbors The browning
event Of David Greer's e however, consisted in his shoot
ing to the ground in cold blood and in the broad daylight
man named Higgins. The only that he offered fo
committing this murder that the deceased had been found
hunting for deer that portion Of land which he claimed
his For this offence Greer brought TO trial. and
acquitted the ground Of insanity. When this decision
made known, the criminal greatly entaged and
when released started for bis cabin mucrng loud and deep
curses against the injustice Of the laws In process Of
time number Of attempts made to take his life and i
a common with him TO be awakened at mid
night by bal passing through the door Of bis cabin After
living upon the mountain for period Of twenty years, he
finally concluded to abandon bis solitary life, and took up bis
abode IN one OF the settlements on the tennessee SIDE oil bald
Mountain. Here for year two, he worked regularly in
iron forge, but having had dispute with fellowwok
man, that he would shoot him within FIVE hours, and
started after his rife. The offending party named Temp
kins, and after consulting with his friends to what
be ought 10 pursue, Of the uttered threat he adj
vise1 to take the law his hands He took this advice
and David Greer discovered walking along the road
with nile in hand, Tompkns shot him through the heart and
the buralplace Of the hermit unknown. Public opn-
ion on the side Of Tompkns, and he never sum-
moncd account for the defensive murder he had committed
In coming from Burnsvie TO this place, enjoyed two
mountain landscapes, which supremacy beautiful and
imposing. The 6rst was northern view Of Black Noun
tain from the margin Of the South Toe river and all it's cliffs
de6es avines, and peaks seemed light dreamke, and
airy the clear blue world in which they Aoated The stu
pendous pile appeared have risen from the earth with all
its gOres in their prime, IL join the newly in
his passage the heavens The middle distance Of the
landscape was composed Of two woodcrowned hills which
stood before ike pair Of loving brothers, and then
lu1urisnt meadow, where noble horse quietly crop
ping mis- food while the immediate foreground Of the picture
consisted Of marvclously beautiful stream, which sded
swiftly by, bed Of golden and scarlet pebbles. Tn,
only sounds that fell upon my ear this
were the mumurngs Of distant waterfall and the hum
insect wings