Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-08-15
JOHN ]. AUDUBON.
InterestIng "Reminiscences OF the
Great OFnithOloR1sL's EARLY Life
in Kentucky.


Great OFnithOlOglst's EARLY Life
In Kentucky.
Henderson lKy) Reporter.l n
AS near as we can learn, Mr.. Au-
dubon moved to the Red Banks, or
Henderson, about the year 1910 or
1879. He married Miss Louisa
Bakewell, of Louisville, who bore
him two sons. Mrs. Audubon and
the two sons accompanied Mr., Au-
dubou to his new home, and they
all lived here until about the year
1929 or 1923. He was a French
man, and, possessed of all the en-
ergy, fire and vim SO characteristic I
of the French people, he soon en-
barked in business, His first enter
prise was to open grocery and |
dry goods store in a little one-story |
log house which stood upon the
corner of Main and First streets.
He lived with his family in a little |
one-story brick building just in the
rear of where the Odd Fellows
building now stands. Just where
the postofiice is now located was a
pond, in which he used to catch one
or more turtles every day. which he
used in making into his favorite
dish, turtle soup. Shortly after this
he operated q very large corn and
flour mill at the foot of Second
street. This mill was of very large
capacity for those days; in fact, it
would be regarded as Of very re-
spectacle size these times. In this
mill, upon the smooth surface of
timbers, were to be found the most
life.like paintings of birds, fowls,
and animals of every description
which inhabited this country at
that time. Mr.. William T. Barret
has now, it is said, the first paint
ing Audubon ever made of the
woodpecker The bird is repre-
sented as sitting upon the limb of
an old tree ard listening to the IA
miliar call of its partner So per-
feet is the picture that persons have
frequently mistaken it for a genu-
Inc stuffed bird.
While Mr.. Audubon was engaged
in the milling business it was his
custom to bathe in the Ohio. This
he continued until he became the
most noted of all the swimmers
who INDUCED in that delightful
pastime. II is said of him that
when the first steamboat landed at
the town some of her machinery
had become disarranged, and the
boat had to remain here for several
+ hours making necessary repairs.
: AS might be expected upon SO ex-
traordinary an occasion as this, the
people turned out en- masse to see
something new under the sun-the
steamboat. A number Of country
visitors imagined the thing had life
in it. Mr.. Audubon and other
citizens were among the visitors,
and during the time they were on
board concluded they would in
dulge in their favorte amusement
swimming. They undressed and
began to dive from the side of the
vessel. Several members of the
swimming party made successful,
dives from the inside of the vessel
next to the bank coming up on tho
outside. This was regarded as won
derful. Mr.. Audubon walked tt
the bow OF the boat, sprang int
the river, and after sometime haC
elapsed made his appearance beloV
tie stern, having gone clear unde
from one end to the other. Thi
feat was regarded by all who wit
messed it as a most remarkable an'
daring undertaking, and he wa
awarded the greatest praise for thi
uneuualed performance. 1t is SAT-
he did this several times during tn
time the boat lay at ibe bank. Mrs
Audubon was also a greGtSwimmel
Mr.. II. Z. Rouse told us that h
had frequently seen her 60 into tn
river at the foot of First street an
swim to the Indiana shore. Sh
dressed in a regular swimming cos
tune, and was regarded by all VIII
knew her as the next best to he
husband, if not his equal.
During Mr.. Audubon's life i
Henderson he pursued the study q
ornitholOgy, frequently going t
the woods and remaining there 70
two or three months at vlsi
Upon one occasion he followed
hawk, peculiar to this country, an(
SO anxious was he to become III
possessor of the bird, he pursued
for two or three days, finally SUI
ceeding in killing it. He was nevt
known to stop for streams Of an
kind; he would swim rivers {
creeks in pursuit of any game ,
bird he might be in search Of. 4
one time he watched a flicker,
whatis commonly known as a ye
jow-hammer, until he saw it 60