The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-07-20
OVER THE COUNTY.


Mr. Jno. d. McEwen was married
to Miss NJ. Alene Currey, near TreE-
ton, on the 18th inst
Tie Trenton News came our last
week dressed in handsome "patent
outside" 1t is a great Improvement.
James Leach, j. B. Warren and
J. W. Williams threshed in fifteen
days 1875 bushels of wheat, the num>
Der of crops being IS. Also large
quantity of oats during the time.
One of the best evidences of easier
times that we have seen is the fact
that our farmers are able to hold their
wheat for a higher price. Last year
they had to throw it on the market to
get money to pay their debts. Now
tney seem more independent. Exclu-
sively cotton farmers are not 50 well
situated. This fact speaks volumes
in favor of mixed crops.
We clip the following from Mr. A.
S. Currey's speech delivered in Tren>
ton on the 4th of July, it being of
special local interest:
The first white settlement in that
portion of the Choctaw country of
which tits urspecial province tospeak
was made, from the most authentic
information we have, upon the south
bank of the little North Fork of the
Okenor river, lthe Indian name for
Forked Deer, at the place now known
Us the DR. Scott farm, about s miles
east of the present county seat. The
accounts differ as to the precise date,
whetherin 1918 or 10, but we incline
to the belief that it was made subse>
quent to the purchase of the Territo~
nv from the Choctaws or about that
date. Thomas Fite, whose name is
familiar to many of our old citizens,
for the purpose of making his future
home in the west, in December of
this year, prevailed upon his brother
in-law, James Fryar Randolph, and
old uncle Johnny Spencer to accom-
pany him to the Chickasaw country
and assist in raising cabin. The
journey was accomplished on foot
from Warren county, bringing with
them an axe, a handsaw and auger.
With these few implements they
speedily constructed the first log cabin
raised in what is now known as Glib
son county. During the following
winter, the three having returned to
Warren county, he removed with his
family accompanied by Spencer, who
was employed to assist in making a
crop. His family consisted of him.
self and wife, whose maiden name was
Aspasia Randolph, and one child,
daughter, who is still living, in the
person of Mrs Phoebe Levy, wife of
our fellow towns DR. Lewis Levy.
Harvey Fite, of the house of Bryant,
jackson q Co., at Milan, was the
first white child born in Gibson coun-
ty, and it is not saying much for the
antiquity of the county to add that
he is still single and as much of Il la
dy's man as any ofour young men. The
Journey from Warren county, from
where our pioneer emigrated with his
family, was a rough and perilOus one.
Undertaken during an inclement sea-
son Of the year, (for it was mid>win-
ter in an ordinary oxwagon, col-
tanning his few house hold goods,
through region Of country until
then but very little travelled, often
times following nothing but the Indian
trail and as frequently blazing" their
own way, their privations must have
been great as their toll was irksome.
Such, however, were the difficulties
of the pioneer settlers, who "blazed
the way" and opened the route for
the march of civilization. They are
the true heroes Of oar country and
their names should be inscribed upon
the roll Of fame to adorn the first
pages Of history.