The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1877-06-06
FRAGMENTS OF the EARLY HISTORY
OF OHIO COUNTY.
ny II. d. TAYLOR.
CHAPTER VIII

We closed the last chapter with notice
OF the two first lawyers that practiced at
the Hartford bar. The next two were
John Davies and Christopher Thomkins.
The first named WAS a resident Of Hsrt>
ford for come years, and was both Com
monwealth and County Attorney. Ills
plesdings and other papers drawn up by
him indicated good, plain, practical sense,
and no want of the essential legal formu-
Ia, but in some measure stripped of its
surplus verbage Tradition speaks Of
him as a promising young man, little, if
any, inferior to his celebrated brother,
Joseph possessing, however, none OF the
latters eccentricity.
The hopes entertained by his friends Of
his brilliant career at the bar, were cut
rlrUrt by hts marrying, ana retlrlng to n
farm on the Ohio river, where he devoted
his time to what in these days would be
considered an incompatible and antago-
nistic trio, namely: farming politics and
religion. it is due, however. to his mem-
ory TO say, that he succeeded better than
most men at all three. As a politician
he was Frequently elected to the State
Senate and Legislature, before and after
Daviess county was formed. He made
several races for Congress, but was de-
feated partly from the late period at which
his friends forced him on the track against
his will but mainly from manly independ-
ence. in refusing to submit to the party
shackles and drill, so necessary TO secure
success in political life. As a farmer, he
WAS hospitable. Industrious. and frugal.
and lived to a good old age and died in
a Christians faith. Few men surpassed
him as an orator, or oAShsnd debater.
Modest and unassuming in his private
intercourse, none would suspect the
fiery eloquence that lurked within his
brain, until aroused in public discussion.
Old Remus Griffith, an observant but &C.
centric character, was heard to swear
after listening TO him. that old John
Davies could get up and say things in
public speech, that he had never heard of
before and would never think of again.
His brother. Joseph Himilton Daviess,
was, for period OF years, a citizen Of
the county, residing on the Ohio river
near the present city Of Greensboro. and
though never resident was frequently
at Hartford. He seems TO have been
the agent and owner of most Of the lands
now constituting Davies county, and a
suit, which he prosecuted for those lands,
constitutes the most voluminous record
now on record in our court. He also de>
Tended Bill Smothers in his celebrated
trial Tor murder; an interesting descrip-
ton of which WAS given some few years
ago in the Greensboro Monitor. To give
all the Evolutionary stories of his eccen-
tricities would swell to volume. One
fact, however, may be stated to show
that his physical was full match for his
mental powers, which fact was, that he
spent the whole Of the celebrated cold
Friday, of 1906, in the woods, surveying
the big pond above Greensboro, which
pond was, many years afterwards. drained,
cleared, and put ia cultivation, and its
first crop of corn produced the lawsuit,
on the trial of which. the insult originated,
which resulted in the celebrated duel be-
tween Robert Triplett and Philip Thomp-
son.
Christopher Thompkins seems only to
have taken Hartford on trial, and has
not left many marks Of his legal abilities
or record, and all the present generation
had forgotten his residence here, and few
would have known the fact il he had not
visiied the place many years afterwards,
and told us the following story, which
is fit parallel to Ralph Ringwood's cell
ebraied party at Bob Moseley son the
Pigeon Roost Fork, on Muddy creek,
which will hereafter appear. 1t seems
that some family, blessed with an abun.
dance of venison, buffalo. coon, opossum
and bear meat. together with hog and
hominy to suit, gave a big frolic, to which
everybody, that is. the you,ig folks, were
invited. Even at this early date rivalry
had sprung up between the town aud
country, aud Thompkins and his town
party were met by their rough, uncouth,
but stout athletic country rivals, with
rather a scornful supercilious air. Sup
per was not delayed until the present
fashionable hour, but was announced
while there was daylight enough to see
how to eat; and the repast was most
abundant, even including tea. Tea did |
saYf Aye teas. and it was right amusing
to hear the young country beaux, detailed
10 wait on the table. approach the ladies
with the inquiry: "Well, Miss, which
will you choose-ditney. balm. sage, or
sassafgY' Supper was dispatched, and
the table and fxens removed, and to the
utter discontinue Of our town gentry,
every country fellow ssized on his gal, and
pulled her down to a seat on his lap.
'Oh hush! Lorrid vulgar" cries the
young Miss of the present dsy-holding
up both her little ringed jeweled hands.
Well, sweet little Miss, we will not at
tempt TO defend that mode of courtship
but will only compare it with the present
fashions and customs of our times. 1t is
true such customs nowadays would be
greatly to the advantage of the gentle
men, but to the lnfnite injury of some
of our most plump. symmetrical, statn'
esque bellies; for it would give the gen
tlemen a chance to judge the makeup o.
his sweetheart; whether she was really
composed OF natural flesh aud blood, hOiI
and hide, or was a composition of false