The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1877-12-12
FRAGMENTS OF the EARLY HISTORY
OF OHIO COUNTY.
BY u. u. TAYLOR.
CHAPTER XXXIII.

CHAPTER XXXIlI.
The last resident lawyers mentioned in
the foregoing chapters were Moses Cum
mirgs and Philip Thompson. After
their removal there wss an ihterr1gnum
or vacancy of several ysars'in the Hart
ford bsr, aud John Calhoon was the first
to ill the vacancy, aud in a lew years al
forwards D,llis Dyer Henry PlrIle, aud
Iohn II. Mcllenry all became resident
rnrmbrrr, and tor period Of wears per-
'hnps no bar IN Kentucky excellrd that
of Hartford in legal, moral, and socisl
worth John CalEoon WAS the son OF
old Judge CaihoOn, of Daviess county,
was reared up in the wilds aud swsmps
Il Green River. with u most limited sdu>
cation aud had not more than looked into
Blackstone far enough TO answer such
stereoryped questions az judges are in the
habit OF asking, aud came To town as his
brother George afterwards said in a per-
irct state of nature, aud although too
prone TO fall into the Wild, rolicking
'usIomr OF the day INDUCED in 10y too
many citizens of the town and county.
vet his fine personal appearance, his plea
-Rnt address, strong common>sense, clear
discriminating intellect, natural eloquence
and pCr.oual combat during the sitting
Il court. with OLD Phil. Thompson. who
MAS then looked upon as the lion Of the
mar room rendered him popular lawyer.
IL WAS frequently remarked that w,thOu,
an apparent embsrrassmei t"ranyre e :
ence To law-hooks or legal authority, he
would argue profound and intricate ques~
tons Of law. relying aloe upon the
broad principles OF natural Justice aud
equity His socisl qusl:ties were mot
fascinating and his love OF fun unboundcd
~ thus nm amusing instance is given Va n
former chapter in relation to his Getting
old DIR McCrecrt $ neck, after a fall from
ri- horse; another story illustrative 81 the
manner aud customs OF the times, NAV
tmure the reader. There WAS a whole
nei.h horhood mp on Cancy creek remarka>
hle fnr their love of iun and iroic; Young
aud old delighted TO tip the light
isntastic toe" on every occasion. Ii was
Christmas times, aud John CalhOon had
been invited to the ncighborhood the
'rolicing was kept up, and aijourned from
house to house in the neighborhood for
several DAYS and nights Csihoon had
participated until worn ont. Tired na>
lures sweet reriorer. balmy s'crp'. in-
,ited him to repose in the first bed he
could procure The grand Field Marshal
of all tins fun and lrolic was old Jake,
not then all American citizen, hut Of Al.
ricsn decent, WHO. with his wooden leg
and fiddle, seated ia y corner. like
- towne tike, Ilsek, e. I'M ami Isrg@,
T give them music was his charg :"
Now, the same human nature that abo-
rionists claim should bring about an
ANAL gamation of races induced old Jake
to seek rest also. AID. where he sought
il, We will proceed to relate Some lime
in the night, Calhnon's lower extrcmi,ie,
we're aunoye with something too hard
and cold for human flcsh aud blood; hr't
frightened. half asleep and half awake.
he gave Tremendous kick. which land
Ell old Jake on the floor. aud Calhoon
indignant ut the insult. was about tC
pounce upon him; but old Jake, in an inn
precating voice. exclaimed - Fore
heaven, massa. | didn't know it WAS q
gentleman in that bed thought it wa'
Massa Frankr' Master Frank had been
a ring-leadrr in all this irolicing; thi'
made Calhoon reflect on his associations
and the result WAS he mounted his horse
next morning Tor home Had Mr .CslhOou
confined himself TO the law alone. few
men in the State although it WAS then
shining with q galaxy of stars in the le'
gal profession, would have surpassed him
lie had every qualification. except close
application TO study. yet what he faileG
to acquire by reading he seemed to absorb
and gather up by his Intercourse and prac
tice at tie bar. His popular manners
love OF excitement. and young ambition
room drew him into that great vortex o
politics in which he had but tolerabl'
success; he was elected without mucl
trouble to that A B e school Of youn:
poliiicisns-our State Legislature. Mex
he became a candidate for Congress
against Dr. Young of Elizabethtown
Dr. Young's location in the most popu
leus portion Of the district and his ex
tensive family connections, gave him I
decided advantage. yet he only beat Cal
hoon come twenty or thirty votes. Thu
only inspired the latter with increases
ambition. lIardinsburg being NOR
crRtral point in the district than Hart
ford. he removed to that place, in th
mean time the Cog and Magog-th'
Jackson and Clay contest that convulsSC
not only Kentucky. but the whole Union
had doomed up. Mr. Cslhoon. true 4
the instincts of Kentuckian, was 70
the Great Commoner, and the Hero o
New Orleans was represented by the eel
ebrated Thomas Chiffon No man wa