The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-01-10
For the Jasper Courier
AAeminiscenccs Of Early Settle
ments In Dubois Counfv-

D"Oois county.
WITH COL. EDM0NsfON
MR.: roR.-Sincc our last article =,
"reminiscences we have again inter
viewed tie Col. and gathered 4 fe~
more items which We give tor publics
lion In your columns.
a man by the name OF John NJ
Donald built cabin nj what was ~,
called Mud.holes. on the trace lcaJ;na
rom Louisville 10 vincenncs. ~ ~
year 1902. and was probably tbe 6rs,
permanent settler within the nrc.a.,
limits OF Dubois county. However
very soon after this q family hv III
name or Risley emigrated 10 The w;lds
10! ms county and settled I'm the some
vicinity. The old man Risley acc;,lem,s
ally ielI into small creek and vot we'll
Z" "dncked." which circumstances vsve ~.
n.me KisIey's creek" 10 . stream
Mnlcn retains The name until the present
usy' The Mui-holes," though oulv 4
;saWwplng a. wg ana watering place, was known
The trace we have spoken or wa
called Mud-hole Trace. until Geners,
Harrison marched through with h;s
army ana changed the route IN some
places, after which IL was called TIC
uovernors trace. John Mcdonald ~.
!frwsrds built double-log cabin where
ne lost his wife. She was buried rosr
mere, on what 10 now the Sheriff farm
ina mus the first grave 4 was starred
~ dubois county. Then came h;s
brother VIM. Mcdonald and occnn;ed
he second cabin John had bniIt while
ne Indians occupied the first. A few
err aHer Tins, man by the name of
ne Mnd-h"Ics' and kept whisky for
a'e' An Indian came one dav. and
iier getting pretty well "corned.v took |
ONE OF the children By the top Of ,he
ead ana slowed, In q playful manner. i
ow 70 scalp them. This little bit al
iir'h cost'hlm his life. for there were
.ree OLD hunters present, who followed
IN out and shot him Off HE nnnv
Aiier VIM. Mcdonald had lived here
'r awhile, the Indians had becoms
cst'le. and he aud few Others were
'mpelied TO take their families back 70
on pack-horses. The men Ii
turned to raise their crops. A part ofl
'em would work while the others STOOD II
lard and scout up and down White river !
see u Indians were in the nejyhbor.
'od. Mcdonald had three horses ~, e
'e night the Indians stole them ali. I
tracked fhem 20 White river, and r
ere aiscovere that the Indians had j
aue Dark canoes for themselves and v
- SWAIN the horses over. The Land '
~ me McDonald's occupied. was en- d
req by Dubois, n Frenchman from
ncennes, in 1907. Old Judge Harbi- Iii
v entered some land In the same VI lr,
NY about the same year. The Ind;. d
became quiet again and these oil Ia
Tiers brought their families back. viii, 81
her families. Some time after this II
Indians sgain broke out, but the I,
'i'es this time. instead OF moving n
av, buiIt = Fort or Stockade NJ Nc cs
'nald'~. and prepared 10 defend them- d,
yes. In the years 1917 and 1873. CIR. "
= Conrf was held at McDonald's rcsi- lei
,ce' Junge Doty on the bench and hs
nges HARRISON and Jones ne associates. cr
one OF these terms OF cont John el
". afterwards 50 famous as an aftor- Ipe
aud Judicial officer. made his first. hi
maiden law speech. There was ~ Sc
1n'e no county seat laid out nor MI
nrt-house built. d.
ne Col. states that he helped carry CO
chain when the old road from Paoji Of
petersburg was being SURVEYED. ".
rIy sixty years ago. Gen. Harrison III,
'ched his army through this county. lthi
me old Mud-hole Trace mud WI
ped about seven miles cast or whore lac
iersville now stands, on the farm .
afcrward became WIN. Edmon.
y and near the Ap. 1Iarbison farm. :
h's ground Gen. Harrison lost gold 10,
ca, the outside case Of which was pro
~ . few years afterward. a part of to
works were found and sent to the ans
Fary ~ indianapolis. by Col. Edmop- uIe
T: 70 be kept as relic Of a great and 81
man, who aiterward gained the sui
est Office in this government. ne,
ARcrs. cor
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