Mexico weekly ledger., 1905-05-11
SOME OF THE PROMINENT
Men in Fulton in the olden Times,
BY DIR. II. K. nrSDr.

Correspondence OF the ledger
What l have written in former let
tiers was related In some way with
mylasylum life. had not intended
to write any further, chiefly from the
fact tina. my old friend, Allen Russell,
has been coveIing the ground en-
braced in my urigial plan. | feel,
however, that | cannot conclude this
series u letters without some refer
ence TO a few OF the prominent char
acters | knew in Fulton 10 those early
days.
have already mentioned the names
OF two prominent lawyers, Judge
Ansel, and II. O. Hayden, and two
Others, members Of our board, c. A
Hardin aud jefferson Jones. Col.
JEFF Jones, as he was Familiarity called,
was a unique character, and perhaps
better known in Galloway county
than any other man, He was promi-
nent at the bar, and a leading poll
tician Of the day. More than once, /
think, he represented the comfy in
the Legislature. l remember him
chiefly as a hunt, outsp0ken man. full
OF wit and humor. His military ca
reer, as / remember it, was rather a
humorous, than a brilliant one. He
named his chileren after the points OF
the compass "North,' EAST
"South'' and West"
My acquaintance with C. II. Hardin
and his accomplished wife ran through
a long series OF years, beginning in
Fulton and ending in Mexico He
was my neighbor at the time Of his
death, and | was present when his
body was taken To it's final resting
place at William Jewell cemetery,
near Columbia. And there, only a
few months ago, / was one Of the pail
bearers that buried his devoted wife
along by his side. Within a few feet
Of them lies buried the body Of my
old friend, Or. T. Il. II. Smith Gov.
Hardin was too well known by all OF
my readers for me TO say anything
more about him than simply a refer
ence to the beautiful married life Of
those two loving old people as | wit
messed it in the last days, in their
quiet country home near Mexico.
Whether in the Governors mansion
in Jefferson City, or in the secluded
country home, Governor Hardin and
his wife exemplifed most beautifully
the simple life," about which we
read so much OF late. With the name
Of Gov. Hardin is very naturally associ-
ated the name OF Gen. John A.Hocka-
day, who wa Attorney General under
the Hardin administration, and who
ought TO have succeeded Hardin as
Governor Of the State For many
years he stood at the head Of the bar
in Fulton, was State Senator and Cir
cult Judge. In all the relations Of
life, public and private, Judge Hocka-
day was a model man, and one Of the
best rounded characters | have ever
known. l was glad TO know that he
was my friend. Galloway county
never had a more honored citizen.
Another lawyer that l knew In the
Dlden time In Fulton was Nathan
lie was a genius, though In
some respects quite eccentric. lie was
young man OF many gifts. AS a
he ranked high, and had con-
siderable reputation in the various
fields OF literature. 10 his published
book OF poems are some gems Of high
merit. Once quite skeptical Ia his
religious views, when | knew him he
was a Christian, somewhat " lay
preacher, and a theological writer OF
some repute-an extensive contributor
the st. Louis Christian Advocate.
the wal when / was living In
Palmyra he was, for some time, a
rebel prisoner, and was accustomed
10 lecture to the other prisoners every
sunday afternoon. On n occasion
became highly offended at Col.
John Glover, and challenged him for
duel. This was q OF his eccen-
.ricities OF genius. 1t was while a
prisoner here in the Palmyra jail with
Aouns, that Capt. r. e. Dunn made |