Year: 1870




IN the latter part of the eighteen cen


tury, the Grandfather Of the writer Iiv-


ed in the immediate vicinity of the ma


tural Bridge. Rockbridge county Vir-


ginia. The spirit Of emigration prevail


ed in those days as will as now, and in


order to better his condition temporarily,
concluded to move with his family to


Eastern Tennessee. Accordingly on


beautiful autumnaI mOrningin the fall of
1875, the family, consisting of a number


of children, together, with such goods


as they had in their possession, took up


their line of march for a settlement on


the Nolichucky River, some fifty miles


East of Knoxville. Here they made


temporary halt for about one year. Be
coming dissatisfied, they determined to
remove to Kentucky. In the Autumn


of 1857 they settled on the Elkhorn Riv-
er, near the City of Lexington, having
passed through Cumberland Gap, a place
of considerable note during the late war.


Remaining on the EllIhorn but short


time, they subsequentlys settled on Indi-


an Creek, some five miles east Of Gym


thiana, Harrison County Ky. The fami-


ly in a few years, consisted of fourteen


children, eight boys, and six girls. The


means, for the maintenance of so large


family being somewhat limited, as


fast as the children grew up to the years


of maturity, each began to provide for


themselves. Among those who left the


parental roof at an early day, was the


said son. Having chosen for his wife,


young lady noted for her beauty, he at


once set out in the direction of New Or


leans to seek a livelihood. The rest of


the family in their turn married, and


while some settled permanently in their


adopted States, others came to Ohio,


while some found their homes near the


Mississippi River. Finally, the entire


family became settled in life, and vet


Nc tidings Of the lost Uncle came. Af-


ter I had grown up to early manhood
and learning that a beloved brother of
my venerable father had become lost to


all knowledge of the family, I resolved


to hunt him up, and relax no effort un-


til I found him. Having gotten the i'm


preston that he lived in a certain coun-


ty of one of the Southern States, I at


once addressed a letter to my uncle, at


the country town, of which I had rea-
son to believe he was, or had been a
resident. Yet no answer came. Iwrote


again to the Postmaster, and still no IL


dings Of the lost Uncle came. During
the progress of the late war I had oeea-
sion to pass through this same country.


made diligent inquiry of almost every
aged person I met, both, as approach


ed the town, and after I reached it, but
yet no tidings of the lost Uncle came
And now while almost all hopes were
gone, yet was slow to think that I
would not be successful in the end. In
the fall of 1867, was on a business err
rand in Indiana, and while there I visit
ed a friend in Delaware County. While |
sitting in the house of this friend, mo
ticed a gentleman pass the street whose
external appearance showed him to be a |
man Of first order. Learning that he
was from the South, and first. class
Physician. resolved to follow him to
his office. After introducing myself, I
asked him from what part of the South
he came, and to my utter astonishment
he told me he was from this same county
where I had reasonIto think the lost IN
Gle had lived. And now my hopes be-
came bUOyant. I asked him at once if
he had any knowledge of my Uncle. He
told me he had none, and further, that
no such man had lived in that county
for more than twenty years. I left the
Doctor with a promise that I would call
at his residence in the afternoon. This
[ done, and during my brief stay, the
Doctor gave me the name of an eminent
Judge, Of this same county, who had
been aresident Of it for more than fifty
years. After my return home I wrote
70 this Judge, to know, if he had any
either directly or indirectly
If the lost Uncle. About a month after
had written to the Judge, I received
etter from him telling me that he had
'nee known the Uncle many years ago,
lut that he had left that place many
years since, and for the last quarter of Z
century he knew nothing of him, and {
'losed his letter, by referring me to a
'itizen of the vicinity where the Uncle !
lad moved many years before. Having /
that was on the right track,


again wrote to this second reference, J
md to my nstonishment in a few days I 7