Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-03-04
Audubon County
Early History
HON. ii. f. ANDREWS

'f natnre'S noblemen. His mauked
are worthy of record.
lis courage was undaunted and he
Vas kind, friendly and courteous. In
| rude way his utterances often as
,umed remarkable, poetic charm and
'0rce.
His hospitality was of the peculiar
Did fashioned Kentucky style, always
With AN open Welcome: and to offer
recompense for entertainment, even
by stranger was almost equal to an
insult, never desired and almost stern
ly refused if offered.
His book learning was deficient and
he was evidently reared in the stern
of pioneer life better
acquainted with acquiring the neces-
sarics of life than the accomplishment
of social enioyments.
In his younger days it was consi-
dered honorable for men to engage in
contests for physical superiority with
only such powers and advantages as
nature provided, for the mere gratiti-
cation of deciding, who was the best
man i'm a hand to hand fight.
| have heard him relate being en-
gagged in such contests. His friends.
and admirers desired to match him
with noted champion, on a public
occasion, for a fight. He was then re-
covering from spell of sickness and
did not consider himself in condition,
but was pursuaded against his judge
ment and made the fight and was de-
feated. t wounded his pride and re-
putation and he decided to fit himself
and fight the victor again. They ar
ranged another meeting at a general
muster OF the militia and made a
long, savage fight, in which they used
striking, wrestling, graphing, choak-
ing, gonging, etc. and in the end Mr..
Jenkins Won the victory and COM
pletely vanquished his antagonist.
He used to relate after telling the
story: But, my God Sir, how he
gouged me! And my eyes have never
been right since.n And this fact was
always noticeable that his eyes had
been injured. Gouging, which was
employed in such encounters consists
ed in one fighter forcing his thumbs
into the eyes of the other until some
times the eyes We're forced from their
| sockets. Barbalous and inhuman as.
| this practice now seems, such events
were common in old times in Ken
lucky. a champion in such cncoun-
tiers was considered popular and
| prominent citizen and excited admira-
ton. This remarkable custom leads
us to remark the extent which habits,
customs and environments lead peo-
| pie for good or ILL.,
An old Kentucky gentleman told
me years ago that in his youth every
man was expected to be ready for a
fight if offered, and that unless a man
was a fighter the girls wouldn't have
any thing to do With him. That he
was looked upon as a coward" What
a marked change in public opinion on
this subject exists today
After Bradshaw attempted to Jump
Mr.. jenkins claim his party made
claims to some of Dr. Ballard S claim
and the settlers collected and called
on them. They had Il meeting in the
| I,nl. ri IiS,., 4 Il
were informed OF DR. Billiards. selec-
ton and that the other settlers had
approved OF his claim and had pro-
missed to support him. The doctor
}, was present, addressed the meeting,
, explained what he had done and said
he proposed TO become an actual set
III tier and desired large estate, which
: he had selected, and asked for protec-
: ton etc.
Bradshaw and his party urged that
. the doctors action was unfair, that
: that they had as much right to the
land as the doctor had and that they
S intended to hold and settle on some
t of the lands chosen by the doctor
: This brought the matter to an is
Il sue. Mr.. jenkins, who was Captain
e of the Settlers club briefly addressed
o the meeting and delivered an ultima
:. tum- Said he: "Men we think W,
l. understand you. Now if you are TO
n peace, we are for peace; but if yol
are for war we are for war by -, sirs
B. Now you get off from this land. y
d 1t had the desired effect. None o
g the Bradshaw party settled on tn
\ lands claimed by Dr.. Ballard.
e Continued Next Week