The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-12-07
CORRESPONDENCE.
From Spencer County.

Editors Journal: -
Nothing very strange hasitranspired
since my last, in this corner Of The
earth. With Winter near approach
overcoats and furs are called into ser.
vice, while the first snow fakes bring
boisterous shouts of glee from the
school boys, who preferia heavy snow
storm to all the books In creation. In
nodepartmentE of business have we
greater evidence that the world
moves, than in the means and op
portunities1 for obtaining an educa-
tions as compared with the log school
house days of forty years ago, when
Geography was unknown as a study,
and he was esteemed a 'sNo. !
Teacher who could " cipher to the
Rule of Three In those days the
Master was always turned om' on
Christmas, and a general treat was the
price Of readmission to the school
room. Sometimes when he stoutly
Ff-Ft H -
refused, after being bound, the duck
ing process was resorted to, to bring
him to terms, and that seldom failed,
By this I am reminded of CONVEX
sation with one Of our Oldest citizens
a few months ago, from whom I learn
ed the following facts concerning the
early history of Southern Indiana:
In 1909 or 1910, aman named Meeksi
was killed by the Indians, on Little
Pigeon Creek, in this county, whose
body they attempted to secrete in a.
hollow tree, in the field where heIWas
at work. In the attack upon the.
family residence one of the old mans
sons was wounded, This was the.
last of the efforts of the Red men to
avehge their wrongs in the Southern
part Of the State. When the alarm
was given, twenty men only could be
mustered within the present bounds
of Spencer County, where now are
found nearly four thousand men capa-,
BILE Of bearing arms Capt. Thomas
Spencer, who afterward fell at Tippe-
canoe, led the pursuit, but the perpe-
traitors of the crime were. not found.
At that time there was no, mill
higher than Negley's, on Big Pigeoni
Creek, except horse mill or two
across the Ohio River, and, not until
1885, was it any better In that year
Frank Morton put in operation a
band MILL" some twelve miles from
this place, whereby two men could
grind one bushel of corn meal in an
hour, which was thought to bevery
expeditions. IF cake" was to be
had for wedding or other special oc-
casion, some wheat was ground in like
manner and passed through sieve
made of dressed buckskin or very
coarse cloth, stretched across hoop.
What would some of our modern,
bellies think of a wedding cake made
of such -four? BIS a1a} 80 agi
Those were the days of pure whis-
ky and barshare plows. which steam
and Yankee ingenuity have swept
away, nevermore to return 10 rooq q
Even the luxury of feather-bed
was enjoyed by very few. Dry forest
leaves, With bear, bufalqaud deer
hides, and rousing log fires, suficed
to keep the sleepers of those; days as
comfortable as all the domestic ar
rangements of the present time. It, n7|
Newspapers ard mail facilities were
things to be talked about only by
those ewho had lived "East of the
mountains" 'ai 70 eaaI 4siie3h I.
But enough. One letter would not
suffice TO give q 1.-THE of the old mans
experience of three score years in the
Ohio Valley. More anon. gme9Faq
AS ever, WILLIE BARLOW.
ROCKFORD, Dec. 3rd. 1866