The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-09-02
X For the Palladium.
"Reminiscences Oi the Past.


Gle following in the Cincinnati Gazette,
and as it may be Of some interest to
others, will ask its insertion in the
Palladium, accompanied by some of
my own recollections ofthe same year,
1914.
On the 10Th of May of that year,
with my fathers family, / came to
that City, was a little @.overI eighteen
years old, exactly of the age to see
what was to be seen. AS far as re-
collect. the article is about correct.
That new Court house was built that
year. I saw men pulling down the
old stone court house to be used IN
the new, which was then being built
on the,.east side Of Main street, to-
wards the canal, since made. The old
court house stood on the square be-
tween Main and Walnut, and Fourth
and Fifth streets.
The writer speaks of three news
papers being published there then,
one of them was the Western Spy.
My elder brother Micajah I, who
was there before the family came, was
writing in that Office, and he was part
owner and editor soon afterwards.
Sometime in that year l think, the
first steamboat built above, came
down the river and stopped, to afford
chance for citizens to take ride,
who desired to do SO. My brother as
editor, wishing to notice the interest
ing event, desired to make one Of the
company, and that the family also,
or part of them. should do SO. Two of
my sisters, one Of them Sarah 7. Mem
denhall, now here, were of the party,
and my younger brother, Jesse L. of
Fort Wayne, then only seven years
ld-notiexpecting, or expected to be
of the party, but boy.like, was there
to look on; and as the boatlwas mov-
ing off, Micajah took hold of his hand
and pulled him on. And this acci-
dental trip on the first Ohio River
steamboat, he remembers yet, and
speaks of with much interest, and it is
quite natural that he should, for his
life from boy, or lad, to the present
time, has been devoted as assistant and
engineer on canals and railroads in
Ohio and Indiana, most Of the time
for so years. - =, -
l have spoken of the ride on the
first steamboat, but was not myself
one of the party. Most likely | was
then looking about here where our
city (Richmond) is now fourishing;
for, in the month of June, / came to
this settlement, and saw what was
then to be seen. There was then
quite settlement Of excellent people,
here, Friends and others. Friend
John Smith had sold goods at his
brick house built in 1872, now owned
and occupied by Jeremiah Hadiey
but there was no talk Of any town
here, then and no thought ofany
The first sale Of lots was in August
1876. The first lot sold, No. l, the
court house lot. at the price, | was
told, OF $50 90, the..frst bid on it was
50 90. | was at the houses..of j ohr
Smith and jeremiah Cox, the origina
proprietors, and saw and talked will
Robert Morrison, and these three
were the only persons or families
then living on the three quarter sec
tons, on which Richmond is princi
pally built. That summer, 1914,
returned to the South; returned t,
Ohio, Spring of 1915; back to Eth
South fall OF 1915; married and live,
there two years; moved out to Ohio il
the fall of 1917; and came her
in the spring of 1918. In tn
fall of 1920. with my family, made
visit back to the South, there an,
back made seven times / had travele,
the road or. roads, in about six and
half years l began to think wa
ahead Of anyone in that line, and if
was not little proud, sometime
spoke of it; but judge of my NORTH
cation on learning that woman, an
a small one, had made the trip eleye
times; but hers were all by "rail
road, mine when we would not fav
known what was coming at us, had "
met train in the road; but there is n
end to my recollections-he hence I mus
stop.
ACHILLES WILLIAMS.
The following is the article allude
to: .1tasfs fpF
CINCINNATI IN 1914. -
The Navigator, published. in 1871
has this appreciative and prophet
; notice Of Cincinnati: @is@9s}
Cincinnati is handsomely situate
on first and second bank of the Obi
opposite Licking River. It is fou
, ishing town, has rich, level and we
a absashIssd 4 country arennd it; It contain
house. Jail and three market house
and land Office for the sale of Col
gress lands, two printing offices, ISIS,
, ing weekly gazettes; thirty mercanti
!, stores, and the various branches :,
mechanism are carried on with spiri
! Industry of every kind being duly Ell
=, couraged by the citizens. Cincinnati
likely to become considerable mani
, featuring place. 1t is the princip
town IN what is called Symme's ru
, chase. and is the seat of justice Fl
8 Hamilton County, Ohio. 1t has bar
3 issuing notes under the authority
the State, called The Miami EXPO
ting Cnmnany The hnalthiness-tan