Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-03-27
For the Fayetteville Observer.
For the Fayetteville observer.
The Legend Of Leman's
Hollow. f

rates the waters OF OlmleJ dllu
West Mulberry creeks, a little
to the north Of the road crossing
the ridge that runs from Boone
vile to Oak Hill, stands a beech
tree with the following inscrip-
ton, James Porterfield, aged ~
years, July the 27, 1907" This
inscription was cut seyenty-two
years ago; that was before Ter
nessee was organized into a State
she was known only as the
Western portion Of the State of
North Carolina, or the State Of
Franklin.
In the Eastern portion of the
State, near the city of Knoxville,
stands beech tree with this in
scription, I'D Boon ciled Bar
June 10 1760." Daniel Boone
was on a hunting excursion, he
we-s> through the Cumberland
gap into what is now the State
Of Kentucky. AS he passed out
of the gap he looked into the
valley and saw immense herds Of
buffalo, and it is said he exclaim-
ed in the language of Job, "Be-
hold the cattle Of a thousand hills
are mine." @s
Daniel Boone is the first man
that left the mark of civilization
upon the soil Of Tennessee; it is
thought by many that he is the
first white man that put his foot
upon her soil-James Porterfield
is the first man to leave the mark
Of civilization in this section.
Boone made his mark one hum
dred and nineteen years ago
Porterfield, seventy-two. Daniel
Boone was alone when he cut
his inscription-Porterfield had
two companions. They had left
the Nashville settlement three
days before, came by the black
fox spring and Indian trading
post, where the city Of Murfrees-
boro now stands; when they ar
rived at this place they took an
Indian trail called Hanah's, it
being the trail of a noted chief
Of that name, crossed Duck riv-
er in the neighborhood of the
village of Pennington, came on
to Elk Ridge to the gap called
Hanah's until this day; here the
trail divided going in several di-
rections, the Western ran along
the main Ridge to Mussle Shoals
on the Tennessee river, the East
ran along the main Ridge to the
prail'ies now known as ,Tulla-
homa. There were several trails
going South from the mainRitlge; i
our party.took the,tail that run
down.the point near where Mr..
Nealliyes5 and where or near
Mulberry village now stands
were seSeraI trails, fine crossed
Elk,riVer at tlie1mUueh of Null
berry creek and went over into
the great hunting grounds, the
prairies, What are now known as
the bafrens. IN that day that
country was one vast prairie.
Porterfeld and COMPANIONS were
wearied and hungry, they were
without provisions; as they ex-
pected to meet with some friend
ly hunter or settler they had
started without one day'sfations;
while ineditating and admiring
the glory Of the Western sky
at sunset they saw asmoke curl
ing above the tree tops in the
valley below. They exclaimed
Water and hunters 6rel"
They commenced winding their
way through the tall cane in the
Of the smoke. just a.
hove where Henry . Dunn now
lives, they met a large wolf and
shot it. 1t was now growing
dusk, the reverherations of the
report Of the gun were so power
ful that it alalmed them, they
imagined that they had been fir-
edupon by some skulkingIndian.
However, they worked theirway
on until they came in sight of
Leman's lonely cabin OF. shanty;l
it was a rude structure, for Le-
man had no assistance in build
ing it save what his wife could do.
The talking and noise the three
made in struggling through the
cane attracted the acute watch
fulness of Leman's dogs. Le-
man at the sharp bark of his dogs
picked up his gun which was
leaning against stump near by,
examined the printing and hissed
his dogs, suspecting an attack
from Indians as they had Just
the moon before captured two
Young hunters named Skidmore
and Yates and carried Them off
prisoners. They afterWard made
their escape and settled in Bed
ford county. Skidmlore settled
on Flat creek and about fifty
years ago left there and went to
Texas and was living three years
ago. Yates lived and died on
Sugar creek, where Kin Pibus
now lives, and was well-known
to all the older citizens of this