The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-02-12
DROPPED STITCHES
. in LOCAL HISTORY.
The Pioneer Of the Yellow
Banks and
An Assistant in the First Settle
ment Of Hartford, Calhoun
And Henderson.

The following interesting story is
taken from the owensboro Saturday
night, and delineates in part the Char
acter and career OF one of THE very
first settlers I'm this region:
Not In history and not in romance,
is there a more Interesting a more
uniue character than Bill Smotheqs,
the man who built the first cabin in
Daviess county. on the site OF Ow-
ensboro In many respects, he was
the equal OF J. Fenimore Oooper's
"Natty Bumpo" or "LeatheHstock-
ings," though ne more nearly resem-
bled Wayne Reid's "Rube Rawlings"
II his history had been written, he
might rank with Kenton and Spen-
Ger. But his deeds have remained IN
sung and, for the most part, mre-
corded. A mere meeting with him is
recorded by Washington Irving in
one of his books descriptive of the
West. A chapter in a history of Da-
That is all. A majority Of reasona-
bly, well-innomed citizens OF Daviess
county know no more of him than
that he killed a man and was de-
Tended by the great 10 Daviess. one
of the deathless dead of the field of
Tippicanoe.
No adeuaqte account of his life
could be written here, even df the
available data were not so pitiably
scanty. A few facts, however, can be
stated. and they may serve to change,
to an extent, the general impression
of Smothers' character. After the
death of his parents, he lived for a
time with a maternal uncle, but ran
away on account of i'll treatment. He
was with SEWER and Shelby at the
battle of Kings Mountain whereat a
critical moment a decisive blow was
struck for the American cause. He
afterwards attached himself to Gen.
eral Green's command and took part
in the bait les Of Eutaw and Guihord
Court House, was wounded and
granted a discharge.
Like Boone,o flesh, and 'Bumpo'"
of friction, Smohters longed for the
solitude of the wilderness. The
sparse set dement's seemed crowded.
He came to Kentucky, found Lexing-
ton and the country round about too
populous,and came west with a par
ty of pioneers. He assisted in the
building OF a font at Hartford. A hit
tie later his hand helped to dig rhe
ditch and plant the pallsade at Fort
Vienna. where Calhoun now stands.
And, in all the battles with The In
dams, his rifle rang in defense of the
settlements.
Then the settlements became
dense" Smothers made another re-
treat into the wilderness. Coming to
the Yellow Banks, now Owensboro,
he built a log cabin on the river
bank. probably in 1897. He was the
only settler in a wide expanSe of
country. From Panther Creek to the
Ohio, and from Blackboard to Greed
River, he was monarch. His only
visitors were flatboatmen who came
down the river, and occasional hunt
ers from the settlements. He stalosd
no land-perhaps he felt sort OF
ownership over the vast unpeopled
expanse. He knew no need of |
neighbors. Once a man known as
'Leatherlegs," from the Pond River |
settlement, called on SmotheTrl and,
after partaking of a smptuous meal,
remarked, "Smothers, believe | will |
pull stakes where / am and come
down here" Smothers' response was
that he expected to pay a long visit
TO the Pond River settlement. II
like to hunt in the hills" he said, the
water is SO much better than 1t is in
the bottoms. And then,you are clear
Of the black gnats. and mosuiqtoes
OhdI oWdihu III UHcct liEtto
"Smothers," the visitor replied,
you are taking a great deal of pains
TO tell me that you don't want me-
won't come. If i break up where
am. l win go to the Red Banks"
{ Henderson,
but 'Deatherlegs" was not dhe only
one who wanted TO live in the fertile
lowlands, spite OF the gnats. Pretty
shortly, Smothers awoke to the
TACT that at least twenty families had
settled in his territory in THE eastern
portion of what is now Daviess
county. He became sufficiently rec
onciled 10 pay them visit and found
hat one of the SETTLERS was his BROTH
er, James. whom he had left as boy
In Virginia. With him, was a sister.
who later became the innocent cause
Of Smothers' committing a homicide
md getting the reputation, with 6u-
lure generations, of am outlaw.
This sister was at Smotheus' house
'ne day when the crew of keelboat
listed the house. One Of them. a