The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1912-03-13
The Much Noted Pioneer
KentuCkian.
WHOM IRVING WROTE ABOUT
He Lived Near Hartford, on
the pigeon ROOSt Fork
of the Muddy"
AN INTERESTING NARRATIVE

If you have ever read "The
Sketch-Book of Godfrey Crayon,
Gent" you perhaps did not pass
over the EARLY Experiences of
Ralph Ringwcod," told in his most
delightful way by Washington IT.
wing. The scene is laid in the back
woods of Kentucky in the lower
Green river section, before there
were county lines well established,
but, without question, in what is
now the County of Ohio.
A hayward youth, chafed by the
restraints CT q testy old uncle, left
his widowed fathers home in Vir-
ginia and cast his lot among the
ardy pioneer hunters and trappers
in these western wilds. But it is
related of them that after the la
bors Of the hunt were over, these
widely scattered camps of deer
s!ayers would be brought together
az one Of the settlements, where
there were few houces, on which
occasions they enjoyed a few days
Of festivities such as icasting and
dancing.
One rf those took place at Bob
Moseley's, on the "Pigcol Roost
Fork of the Muddy, which is a
branch Of Rough creek, which is a
branch Of Green river
1t is not my purpose to tell the
story of this meeting at Bob Nose
ley's on the Pigeon Roost Fork,
for it is not written in the afore-
said "Sketch-Book.
1t is of Bob Moseley, Uncle
Bob" himself, | would extend the
description beyond the limits un-
dertaken by the distinguished au-
thor. For it is due to the pioneer
habits of my ancestors that ! was
placed in position to know more
about this character than the au-
thor himself who got the wool of
his story from the real Ralph, after
he became Governor of Florida and
was visiting in New York.
Hartford, one mile from Bob
Moseleys home, was my native
town, and remember the place
and its owner and always with that
delight are summoned into MEM
ory's view what has most pleased
us in childhood.
The house sat back a pace from
the public road and two large oak
posts were the only sentinels at
the entrance gate. These were
overgrown with ivy, and, If it was
in the fall, flung out a banner of
salmon and red which challenged
your admiration if it did not fill
you with fear. The fencing along
the road was of rails grown rank
with hazel and bramble. Entering.
we are in the midst of a grove of
immense walnut something
unusual in this country of oak and
beech forests. A sprinkle Of blue
grass added its mite in natures eff
fort to picture in this expanse of
freestone soil some glmpses Of the
famous Bluegrass region, but how
the seed should have got there so
early. is hard to say.
There were several acres OF this
grove of walnuts with now and
Then chestnut tree-its fruit
bursting in glossy richness from
spiny burrs and shattorirg on the
ground. What joy to gather
nuts in Uncle Bob's lawn! and
low welcome all good" little boys
were made, What trips we made
to this haven of delight, hullinY the
wainuts until stained from head
to foot with the hrowny sap. What
'1n hauling the nuts home ~ our
rade little homemade WAGONS,
Across this lawn we come to a pick
ct fence, wicket gate and within
an old-fashioned flower garden, in
June gorgeous of color, and, even
after frost red and brown with
seed-pod and berry and fragrant
chrisantfemum 4 path led through
these to the door of Bob Nose
ley's" homo on the Pigeon Roost
Fork of Muddy.
1t was a plain story-and-a-half
dwelling with one large room below
and a stairway leading up to two
smaller ones above. An extension !
in the rear gave a dining room and
further along were the servants
quarters. etc. Shade trees and |
fruit trees EMPOWERED the house !
until only glimpses were to be had |
of gable and roof as one approach
ed It. AS there was no attempt at |
ARCHITECTURAL beauty or ornamental
ton, we may well let the friendly
tree blend in October sunshine a
screen to hide what might offend
the eye and instead, present