The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1877-08-29
FRAGMENTS OF THE EARLY HISTORY
OF OHIO COUNTY.
BY II. d. TAYLOR.
CHAPTER Xxx.

Before giving sketch OF the progress
of agriculture in this country, it may be
well to give a geographical outline and
description OF its soil, mineral and forest
productions, BY reference to the map OF
Kentucky, it will be seen that Ohio. after
being so repeatedly curtailed in forming
new counties, is now bounded by the
counties of Butler, Muhlenberg, Mclean,
Daviess, Hancock, Breckenridge and
Grayson- Green river forms large por>
ton OF its southeastern and south>wes
tern boundary. This stream is the most
gentle. deep, and beautiful stream in the
interior Of Kentucky; passing through a
low, wide bottom, mostly subject TO over
flow, but where not too swampy, ex>
tremely fertile. Rough creek is also
among the largest tributaries to Green
river, and divides the county into two
nearly equal portions. Hartford lie situ-
ated on this stream twenty eight miles by
its meanders above its mouth. 1t also
has q deep. gentle current, and wide
belt Of bottom lands, many Of which are
equal in fertility to the Ohio river bot
toms. Besides these two, there are many
smaller streams emPtying into them, as
well as Panther creek. Adjacent to all
the streams Of any magnitude the lands
are fiat, or gently rolling and undulating
and ascending to higher grades of billy,
broken lands, sometimes too poor and
rocky for cultivation. The coil is gener>
ally Q mixture Of clay, sand and loan,
with but little lime or limestone. Coal
is cropping out in nearly every locality,
not only in the beds Of the stream, but at
various attitudes on the hillsides. The
appearance OF iron ore is also abundant,
and small portions Of lead ore have been
found, but never yet in any large amount
Copperss is also abundant; other valua>
bIe minersls no doubt exist, but the coal,
iron ore and timber, everywhere abun-
dant, are ample guarantee Of the future
wealth and prosperity Of the country.
Perhaps no portion Of Kentucky was
ever covered with more dense forest Of
large and valuable timber. consisting OF
the different varieties Of oak, poplar,
hickory, black and sweet gum, black and
white walnut, cherry, sugar, maple, ash
sycamore. and various other kinds, many
Of which are Of extraordinary size. A
sycamore near Green river, in the sum-
mer OF SO, measured forty-three feet
around the base, a few feet from the
ground, and the body and top were pro-
Portionstely large and we'll shaped
looking sound and vigorous: and on the
same stream, near the mouth of Rough
creek, q wild grape vine measured three
and seyen>tenths feet in circumference.
A sycamore is still standing on the farm
OF Mr.. Warren Griffin, above Hartford,
measuring sixly-three feet in circumfer>
ence,
These dense forests, now that the tread
and snort Of the iron horse lie beginning
70 reverberate through them, are being
looked upon as the source of unbounded
wealth; but in the early settlement Of
the country they were the greatest OBJ.
struction TO the farmers progress. Tc
cut down and clear up all the trees thai
stood on the ground, was a herculear
task that few undertook. The usual
mode was to belt or deaden all the timber
save the smaller saplins, and commence
cultivating before the roots were out O.
the way. The consequence was that but
a small portion of the loose mould was
plowed or brought into cultivation, ant
1t required but few rains if the GROUND
was billy to wash it all away, and by tn,
time the roots and stumps were decsyed
to render the land really fit for cultiya.
ton it was worn out and worthless. or a.