The Richmond palladium., 1860-07-26
COMMUNICATIONS.
F.ir Palladium.
OLD SETTLERS OF WAYNE CO.
10. I

live on the banks OF stream 10 KNOW IN
i, source and head springs OF that stream -
|, Historians carry back their readers to th'
twiligh. age, Of the people. and nation
whose rise aud progress tiny record. anf
carefully de!ineate their persons, manners
and costumes they emerge from oarbar
ism to civilization.
The Bible gives the history of Adam and
Eve in the garden. and the names and 10
calties of the patriarchs when the world
was governed by q Theocracy.
/! we look into history Of Greece, Rome,
France. England, or any other country. its
opening chapters are devoted TO dsscrp-
ton OF the origin of the country. and the
distinguishing characteristics oil the first
settlers, whether native born or exotic, ami
after extravagant fables are interviewer INTO
those early histories. which. while they Hat
tered the vanity Of the people, at the same
time taxed their credulity to prod'gious
extent 1t was a difficult matter Tor such
wise men as Plato, Aristotle, Solon, Con-
fucius and Socrates to subscribe to the doc
trins OF forty thousand divinities. and to be-
lieve that they had earth born relatives sit
t,ng in conclave with the celestial gods and
goddesses, directing and controlling the at
fairs of men and of nations.
As the present census, which will soon
be completed. will show Old Wayne to be
one Of the most populous aud wealthy coun-
ties in Indiana, l trust it will not be deemed
amiss for one who was born in Wayne coun-
! ty. forty mine years ago. to give your read
ers . few scraps Of authentic information IN
regard to the first white family that settled
in Wayne county. the time and place, when
aud where the first rude cabin was erected.
with few incidents connected with the
early settlement Of eastern Indiana.
/ In February 1905, Richard Rue, George
Holman and his two sons, Joseph and Viii
liam. (ths former aged III years, the lat
ter 16. Joseph Cox and Mary. his wife,
formerly Mary Rue. eldest daughter OF
Richard Rue. Esq, Thomas Mccoy and
William Blunt. crossed the Ohio Ut the
mouth OF the Kentucky river TO explore
the seven mile purchase in the White wafer
country, with the intention of settling there.
provided they liked that new region. lately
brought into market by tn. general Gov
ernment Joseph Cox and his young spouse
broughs the sum to.si Of their goods and
clxtsles upon pack horses prepared 10 pitch
their tabernacle in he wilderness whenever
they found q plsce that suited their fancy.
The company passed near where Hamilton
and Rbssville are now situated on the MI
ami. where there was sn Indian trailing
house and a few scattering families, mostly
from kentucky and North Carolina. North
OF Hamilton there were no white Inhaoitants.
The exploring party passed up the east fork
ot Waite water AS Jar a. Short creek, ana
struck their camp about two miles and n
half south Of where the city of Richmond
stands. From this point they examined
the surrounding country IN every direction
Westward they passed over the fertile lands
along the streams after wards known by the
names of Lick Creek. Clear Greek, West
Fork, Green's and Nolands Forks of White
w ater. Nettle and Simonds' Greek. Flat
Rock. and their tributaries On the east
they examined the lands on Four Mile. Sh
YER and Hanna's Greek and concluded
.hey had found as good country as lay out
Of doors. The Wslnu, Level. on the west
fork of White water. they thought was not
excelled by Tempe's wales or the plains of
Windsor.
After . few weeks Of examination of the
new country. the party, with the exception
OF Cox and his wife. Holman's two boys
and O'Harra. returned to Kentucky to make
preparations to move 30 the White water
valley Their glowing description Of the
soil. timber. stone. water privileges. and
other advantages Of this new country pro-
duced quite an excitement among their
| friends and acquaintances in Kentucky,
many OF whom were anxious to accompany
them. and be Of this Kentucky colony,
formed to settle along the banks OF White
water.
Rue and Holman had The year before en-
tered quarter section of land each at the
Cincinnati Land Office, which land was sit
uated near Joseph Cox's camp on Short
creek, and when they returned to Kentucky
10 make preparations to bring on the colony,
Rue left An Irishman named Patrick O'Har-
IN, to assist his son-in law, Cox. to open a
clearing. and Holman left his two boys 10
work on his land during his absence.
| AS the returning party expected TO move
| to White water III few weeks after arriv
ing at their homes. it was thought that the
camp they had erected on their first arrival
III the country. would be a sufficient tene-
meut for their friends who remained in the
new country until they returned with their
families. when they would. as a colony. en-
ter pretty largely into the cabin bull ling
business. and making such other improve
ments as would be necessary tor their com
fort and convenience in their new and will
derncss home. Unforeseen difficulties. how :
ever. prevented the colony from reachiog
Whitewater for more than txo months. and
and the TWO boys. were compelled during
,, that time To remain IN the Wilderness filled
with Indians and wild beasts, shirty miles
: from any white settlement
. Wives and daughters oi the present in
hahitants OF Old Wayne. how would You
like to nave been placed in the CONDITION o,
that young woman! The how'ins Of wolves
aad screaming of panth-rs were not the
most fearful SQUADS that tell on the ear OF
that young heroine-the whoop OF the saw
age. whose hostile incursions were still
dreaded by the f6ontier settlers. often broke
. the stiffness of her midpigh, slumoers. and
srrayed before hsr imagination and mixed
in her dreams the deeds o: death perpesrased
by these bloody minded savages, who
years before. had held her flasher in cao.iv
ity for three yesrs and hall. and split the
blood Of some of her near and dear relA