The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1903-05-08
"REBEL BILL"
Early Lii. and Adventures Of
Col. VIM. S. Smith, Noted
Rebel Scout.

a TREND OF tne late tOl. NHllu
has handed us the following auto
biography, with the privilege of
publishing 1t
was born on Whites Creek in Cabell
county, Va, now Wayne county, w.
Va. Feb. g. 1880 My father, John n.
Smith, was born and raised in Beaver
county, Pa Ny mothers maiden name
was Sarah Ann Brown native of Big
Sandy valley My father emigrated
from Pennsylvania to the wilds of West
ern Virginia in early manhood, where
he soon after married, and / was the
fourth son born to them In my child
hood days nothing of interest occurred
except in the usual routine OF farm life
in sparsely settled mountainous coun-
ty. One accident occurred, however,
tlat came near ending my youthful ex-
istence. AT the age of fifteen | was a
passenger on the steamer A. n, Johnson
new boat making its initiatory tripup
the Ohio River. Near Manchester, O.,
its boilers exploded killing and drown
ing abont one hundred persons and to-
tally wrecking the boat. AT the time
of the accident | was sleeping in bed
made on the floor with several other
men, some of whom were severely scald-
ed on either side of me. | was caught
in the wreckage, but Nat Davis, Tack
Bryant and Hance Kinner extricated
me, l then ran out on to the Hurricane
roof, jumped off ON large piece Of
floating Allegheny ice, drifted into the
willows some distance below where
rsen threw in rail- and landed
? WI dry shod and unframed. The
ooat burned to the waters edge.
Ny father was physician, had man
aged to supply himself fairly well for
men of those days, and in that section)
with the necessary means Of living;
and of which he had contributed liber-
ally to the education of my elder broth
ers, encouraging myself to remain on
tne tarm WIN assurances that = 100
should receive good education
Early in the month of December lS47
when was seventeen years of age,
became dissatisfied with affairs as they
eAis'eu' anu Resolves 70 aoai''oh noiile'
the auVlce anu pio'ectloh VI lIieiius'
anu Slil. ior inYseil ! aoeor.unely'
purchased d shln VI oiiiltu o AuhiiiS'
merchants at lrauls nun w va DaV-
III 9liiiln' lne senloi 'ai'her' peins my
elaes' pro'nel' anu = nov 'uuse Vi .ne
Dist. oourt az 0unniso" NY Coi' MY
Drolner hau peoome inseres'eu III my
WeiIare' ana ciahues'lhely ASSISTED IN
my departure Al'er hau seouIeu my
clothes NIUE money 0ll'eeh uollars'
as relneiioeil run my plo'nei niiii'
l. without lnt'nat'hg such tliing 10
my parents OF any oheeAcePV my oroln-
er ana nus partner' iaune'iep N sAill On
tne turoiu lweiFe'Poie' " seeming muir
Key current .nen o'e'io"ins panAs
lrOin niii - mn anu y" "iios' oai i'Se
was porile "urilt every 'ouoeiNaoie
tning thM Wouiu iioa''
MY skiii snoV uown tne wiz noun,
IAN stream almost IKE an arrow flaa
l not oeen an auep. AT rowips, my perl
ious Journey woulu uouo.ie7s nave soon
terminated. AS passed py my la'ner
home one miie peiow' ne ana my noun
or stood IN me view, Watching WIN in-
terest my neet anu dangerous winnings
on a mp tnat 10 Ordinary minus wouiu
inevitably emu IN u's'ruc'lon' no. Know
ing VINO was from my having cnauseu
my ei'tire apparel .. .he S'o'e
s'ar'eu a. 'en sio'N Vn " ''"oOa' u
morning. ana Notwithstanding my mum
erous delays IN surrounding Niit'' aVoluI
ing collision, ana rowing acro's ,ne
OHIO River 1 iaideu = D"'lins'on' -
before four O'Clock '1e saiiie evening" ili