Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1870-01-29
lwritsef for the clarkstilis. ohronicle.i
TRAPPER OF THE HALF.PONE.
nv SIMON. ~
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER I. -r~v ~ 4
IL there heart in the whole State
of TENNESSEE that does not dilate
and send Its warm current swifter and
stronger at The recall of the dark
days that lowered over our grand
parents, when they, with their strong
arms, were tanning the Wilderness,
battling with the savage orgrappling
in the death struggle With the Pan
ther, the bear, and the wolf? Whose
breast does not swell with pride when
they remember that their ancestors
settled the land where Jackson, COT
fee, Sewer, Cannon, Carroll and
Blount shed luster around the sword,
the bench, and the executive chair !?
Little did these noble sires think
that the hills and plains they loved
would gain the honorable soubriquet
of 1.-THE Volunteer State, Many In
cideiits, chapter in themselves, have
been allowed to mould into legen-
Diary form, for the want of chroni-
cler., How few of the trials, troubles,
privations and difficulties, that beset
the paths of our honored fathers, are
now preserved In o historic form. In
dividual Instances of heroic fortitude,
and daring courage, come to us
through the mist of the past In dim
and imperfect manner. The war
whoop Of the painted savage has
given place to the whistles of the
locomotive and palattal steamer
The hunters rife, knife and Ratchet
have been thrown aside by the pillow,
the spindle, the anvil and Jack plane.
Great fields OF corn, of wheat, of cot
ton now occupy the place of the forests
that had stood unmolested for ages,
and as We take retrospective view
of the past, we are lost in astonish-
ment of the gigantic strides of civil
ization. 1.-THE days Of Rip Van Wrinkle
were not over, what would our white
haired sires say, could they now see
their once loved Tennessee? The
year of 1855 witnessed large influx
of noble pioneers to these grand old
hills, and mountains and fertile
plains. Tennessee was then the beu-
lah of many hopeful hearts. Here 1t
was that they hoped to find home
and lead that kind Of life coAgenial
to their tastes. William Bell, tired
Of the monotony Of his Virginia
home, and broken in wealth by the
crisis that came Immediately after
the close of the war, determined to
cross the mountains and. come to
Tennessee, there to find that kind OF
life that he loved. Extravagant &C
counts had reached him ofthe beauty,
fertility and abundance of game IN
this then far distant country. Excl
ted by these reports, he was SOON
with his little family crossing the
mountains with the determination b.
east his lot with the rising west. The
country was ut peace with all the In
dian tribes--Jackson and Sewer had
not as yet acquired reputation as In
dian fighters. Nashville was the
Mecca where all who crossed the Blue
Ridge directed their steps, and from
there they selected themselves home
as suited their tastes, or as they heard
from others. Some settlements had
been made west Of Nashville. Red
River and its tributaries had their
their block houses or forts. One fort
had been built at the confluence OF
the big and little West Forks, between
the two, this was of u Gordon that
extended from that place to Nashville.
One had been built where the Sulphur
Fork empties into the Red river an
other at the head of what Is now
known as the Sycamore, but then as
the Tioga, or Swift Water. Another
between there and Nashville. The
settlements confined themselves ex-
lclusively to the block houses and i'm
mediately around them, an OCCASION
al scout would take up his winter
abode on some eek to hunt and trap
beaver, otter, etc. l.
William Bell, after having reached
Nashville and gathered whatever In.
formation he could concerning the
country around, determined to go and
find him home that suited him
and as his idea was, in common with
all the rest OF the immigrants, that
the best land, the most game, a super
abundance Of other essentials, lay
further west; he, more daring than
many others, determined to pursue
his journey farther westward. Leav-
ing his family in Nashville until he
should return, he shouldered his rifle
and was soon in the woods, and Nash
vile was at his back. He past what
is now known as Whites creek,
the Sycamore, and Sulphur Fork,
without seeing any place that suited
him. He kept on until he reached
the station between the Westforks.
Seeing plenty of game, and fertile
land, he determined 10 cast his lot
here. Rich, alluvial bottoms greeted
him on the south, east, and north,
while to the west, hills covered with
giant trees greeted his sight. Game
in abundance filled the forest, while
duck and fish sported In almost UNI
disturbed security In the water. Al
soon as he had marked out his home
he started on his return after his fam
lily, Arriving ut Nashville, he soon
prepared to join hesitation, which he
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