The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1877-10-24
FRAGMENTS or the EARLY HISTORY
OF OHIO COUNTY.
BY II. D. TAYLOR.
CHAPTER XVIII.

Largely intermingled with the present
population of our county is the Rowe fam
lily, George, Edmond and Robert Rowe,
were among the first settlers and best
farmers on Walton's creek. Industrious
in their habits, honest in their dealings,
aud social and jovial in their Intercourse
with others, and fond Of all kinds OF
Jokes, never failing to have some good
humored story TO tell on each other.
George Rowe was remarkable man in
various respects. lie could neither read
or write. yet his powers Of mental arith-
metIc or calculation were remarkable.
For many years he sold the greater
amount of meat sud vegetables that
we're bought by the citizens of Hartford,
Perhaps he was never known TO fail in
filling his engagements, no matter what
was the state Of the weather. or how dark
the previous night. be would be in with
his marketing, and ready TO sell before
the citizens were fairly out of their beds.
And no matter how many different arti>
cles the purchaser might buy, Rowe,
without slate or pencil, could tell to a
cent the amount OF the bill. So, with
equal facility he could perform almost
any ordinary calculation involving addi-
ton, subtraction, multiplication, and di>
vision. HIS marketing was always equal
10 what he represented il to be, and peo-
pie who traded with him never had any
right to complain. Possessed Of large
portly frame, fine intellectual head and
face, and sound practical sense, with a
proper education he might have been
leader among men.
1t is O most remarkable fact that men
of iron will and strong intellectual fac
ulties, contentedly live to old age with
out an effort to obtain an education. Yet
among our early settlers were q number
of men Of this character. Men whose
mate principle of right, strong perceptive
aud analytical powers Of mind, had
reared them to the first standard Of re-
spectability in their neighborhoods. Few
such men have such wife as the illus
trious Andrew johnson. or even friend,
in their youth TO point the way, and aid
them in taking the fret steps, else they
would surely make some advance up the
hill of science, if done by torch light and
at the sacrifice Of hours spent in idle,
frivolous amusement
Each Of the elder Rowes LEFT large
families, and q large portion Of their de-
scendanis are frugal, industrious. aud
punctual in their dealings, and remarks
Die for the good quality of their market,
ing. To know that an article OF mar
keting comes from Rowe. is still a
pretty sure gusrsnte of it's good quality.
No old settler occurs more wildly TO
the mind Of the writer than old Elijah
Williams, living near Hartford, on the
South side Of Muddy creek. Mild, mod.
est, and unsssuming, never involved in
any family, church, or neighborhood
feuds. He and his good lady lived and
died at a good old age, leaving unfair
nished memories. Other parents pointed
out to their children, the quiet, good Or
der and sffectiouate harmony Of this
family Of children as an example and
Il was, no doubt. a misfortune to our
community that all the sons. save one
died in early life, for all those sons, un'
less they had been unfortunate in select
ing wives, might have reared equally re-
spectacle families. The only surviving
son. Mr.. Jerry Williams, seems to have
walked in the footsteps Of his father.
Genealogy, or the study Of families
might be one Of the most useful studies
that we could indulge in. Nations, states
families, and even neighborhoods, hav'
their peculiar, marked characteristic
traits, in a greater or less degree Thii
lie owing partly to the force Of example
and manly to the transmission Of quail
ties from parent to child. These quail
ties, when possessed by each parent. sci
dom fail to be transmitted to the offspring
But, unfortunately, We pay too little at
tention to our matrimonial alliances. w
see two brothers, apparently equal il
moral, social and intellectual qualities