Oxford eagle., 1909-01-28
COLLEGE HILL CONTINUITY.
ascoIlastiaas Of It's Early Days and
First Settlers, By an Oh Citizen.

park OF garden. At that early
day there was no underbrush: an
OCCASIONAL large tree was the only
obstruction 10 the landscape. In
spring the native grasses and
flowers made n picture which no
a-sist could paint. The Indians
had trails Or paths from one set
.iemsnt - another. The tribe
owning these lands vas the Chick I
asawss What | say Of the In
dams is traditional. except that
] remember seeing them.
Aiy father, Goodlce W. Buford. +
was Iuch with the Indians and I
learned much Of their life and (
habits and have often heard /
him say that he felt more secure :
With the Indians than with many
.ot the whites who were at that
time roaming through this new
country seeking piuuder and ad-
venture. The lands Of North /
Mississippi were most desirable .
and inviting to the new settlers, /
Sho IN most instances, bought I
their families and slaves 70 make I
their homes here. The table
lands and hickory fats caught
their eyes and they soon had
Inc plantations opeEed The
unsightiy gullies SO familiar ar
this day was rarely seen until
freedom came and brought the
slovenly system now prevalent.
The old system kept the fields
cultivated On the level with hill
side ditches which prevented the
land from washing and saved the
fresh virgin soil for future crops. /
There was great abundance
Of food stuffs raised for man and
beast, and never was there a
more liberal, generous hospitaH-
ty dispensed than by these first
settlers The main crop. the
money crop. tne staple crop was
then a. It Is now, cotton. The
prices then much the same a.
now, though perhaps not 80 much
as now Memphis and New Or
leans were the markets never
bale sold IN Oxford then. Ii was
hauled to Memphis on wagons OF
to Classy Browns bluff on TalIa- /
aaiehie rives, and shipped thence
oy hat-bOat or steamboat to New
Orleans. These new settlers had
oeeome planters now. and the
planters would sometimes 70 to |
market With his crop. or ship I
as commission merchant, and
follow later On. Sometime ; seve-
"a. OF the family would make the
trip, and IL vas more notable than
touring Europe now, the HoIv
Land included. The return o
the travellers was even a NOR.
notable and joyous event tor
every one Of those left at h9us. I
the negroes included expected tu
ne remembered xi;a soale gift or
present. Then too. tie yeaf,s
supply Of all the necessariss
clothing. shoes. blankets. were
Distributed 10 the families Of ne
groes.
A large majority of the irst
settlers were Prssbyterians. The
only organized body of christians
N the bounds Of the community
were Presbyterians and tae
schools were and still are con-
trolIed oy tbs body of christians.
Many of tie original families on
the list have long since disap-
peared, others are sill well rso-
resented by their descendants.
aud the saIne Is true of the negro
race. | shall have something t.
say OF the individual members o. |
The community as | recall their |
peculiar characteristics.
They were temperate people. |
Not much was said on the sIb- !
lect, but they lived temperate /
lives. recall but two or three
who we're habituaIly addicted to /
the immodera,s use OF ardent
spirits, though think il was
kept IN many families for medi,i-
nal purposes. | recall an Incl
dent related by Rev. Da.ieI
Russell, teacher and preacher.
who lived at the time on what
was atterward the Smith proper
y. Mr. Russell was aroused
late one night ty some one ap-
parently in distress, calling for
nelp. He went to the rescue and
IN the darkness he asked VINO
are you? No answer. He NJ
sisted on knowing who it was
and AT Last the answer came. II
IS Pettis. Mr.. Russell recogniz-
ei Frank McGuire's voice. who !
did rot want him TO know that he /
sas N such a sorry plight. Me- !
Juire had fallen from mis- mule )
Russell helped him on, leaving n
lin 70 suppose that he was icno- I, !
ant OF his identity. =
Mcclure and Pettis were best
II friends and neighbors, both
'achelors. Pettis afterward mar
led and Lamed son Frank, un-
ess | am much mistaken.
There were families from North y y
md South Carolina, Alabama b
md Tennessee. Virginia was v
ilso represented in the counu- {
MY. Plain people they we're in :, =
iress and manners. and habits il
They we're social often spending 4
ne day with one and another q
ne men discussing questions :. !.
concerning the county or state. Y
ne women matters of interest to b
A kl.rF -. =