The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1871-09-29
The Early Settlers--i Saline
Interesting Rc,ninisccMe sf Early Bays
in Saline CouDty-NOted IN ofthc Times.
Correspondence Kansa~<s,y Times


Correspondence Kansa<<e,y Times
First and earliest amor, ser settlers was
Gen. Thomas a. Smith. r;gadier general
i'll the regular army, who-.aaked Scott and
Gaius at the time of hissresignntion. Just
after the close OF the last v i with England.
About 1878 he resigned 4 his place in the
army, was, rendered and Igcapted the ,ap-
pointment of receiver of 1ie land office at
! Frank in. No., then the u ut lucrative and
responsible office in the West He held
this rflice for many years j lived at Frank
iin-at the time the Sc end town in the
State. but now washed tito the Missouri
river-and while there estered five thou
Salt Fork" eight miles S. athwcst of Mar
shall. About 1926 lie removed to it and
opened a farm. Being "a man Of wealth
and cultivation he hcsa- by planting a
great variety of ornamental trees. am,
groves of locust, poplar, etc, for pr otection
frotn the wind in the winfc- and shade frees
in Summer, and called the place Expert
ment." A prairie farm at that time was
considered an experiment by the illiter:te
pioneers who hpggcd tie timbered cnun-
try with disastrous tenasity. cxhausting
their time and strength in clearing ont trees
aud grubaing up rocts. while there was
prairie without limit, and much the better
seii. Experiment" sooa blossomed as the
sose became the headquarlrrs of Intelligence
refinement aud hosritalii. 3s tiie wilderness.
Officers -ef tae arsry re 4 fsund iiterury
So, Sra. IS were consi'nna SitoFs. j.
81. B.nion, then tsDpolitical head of
the State. was fas,fricna # Gen. Smiths
He. loaned Col. Benton he hair-trigger
Derringers with which be fought and killed
Lucas on Bloody Island and they are.
now The property of SON # the generals
Dr. G.. r. Smith, who resides in st. Lonis
county. The white pines, figs. chestnu's,
etc. set out in the prairie by the general
in 1896. are now two feet is diameter, aud
present an Interesting sntrrast to the in
digenous Forest near by. Experiment is
Ire fl:cNt farm III the c,in;,i,v, and is a last
ieg monument of the iasie and foresight OF
Gen. Smith.
Judge Beverly Tacker If Virginia, a
half-trnther tuJehs Randolph Tucker. uu-
ssor ph!i;ician aai journalist. settled in
Saline at an early day ait,l married the
danehts.s of Gen Sy,h. sig'@ Judge wrote
II good novel. "George BaleDuio." the scene
Il; which war laid ii..this c'aIty, and after
bis return frop, Virginia. u l0:6 wrote the
'.partisan !l,ae;er,"a book :s@sp>7 subsequent
cseafs isi,iisltl induce soS !; read IT ynn
have nsYar dsue 50 b-f,u,.. In the same
vicih.,Y lived Goy. MarnadrAs- Gov. u.
.sas $50 an Intimate. fr-uI ''id n,:mirer .:
I'd. Benton to the last. bis' III governor 5
pol siGaI iif,. was a sbors ose-; retiring. he
5ecs3la Il successful faralsr, ..9i died Il I "
yegss ago a.wealil,t man.
,,r. john Sypasnsien srfii d IN 5 II u
VIII tie country yas in is,teipitoriai ean'
cit.',... and vas a .,faaiaas.ss s.an in many
rcsp peots- | saa issi il.y medss IL men ilas
he the s.isco,erri, or ra'i'ts first intro
dueed the prae'ic. ~ giving uniniue as a
sp., tiie Ter calls ana ievee, l.,s, Sou know.
a,!stl:ited iapsa the s.were;sr sefly. How
essi tbs may be, Or. Sli,ii, - maiVfac
lu..z; qaiuine pills %xies:si.eiys sold thrn' !
the Western country and be-