The Rev. James Gilruth died before July 12, 1873, a year after publishing these stories, in Davenport, Iowa. He was an abolitionist and preacher of the Gospel. This article was published in the Ironton Register newspaper on March 14, 1872. It is transcribed below.
Our readers must refer to the last issue of the Register to understand the proper connection:
About 1807 or 1808, next below, settled Daniel MCCARTNEY, who, after living some time on the bank of the river, moved back near the center of the bottom, where the road now runs. His wife’s name was Sarah. Their children’s names were Hannah, William, Daniel, Sarah, Vincent, and Peter. Hannah married Vincent SCHUTE (also spelled Shute – smk); William, DAVIDSON (in KY). Sarah married John STEWART; William and Stewart settled on John’s Creek, a tributary of Symmes Creek. MCCARTNEY was a member of the Baptist Church and worked as a farmer.
In his day, he was considered one of the best hands with the scythe in these parts. After living for many years and proving himself, he, with the younger members of the family, also his son-in-law, Richard SHUTE, moved to Indiana and settled near Covington, on the Wabash, where SHUTE, from being a poor orphan boy, became the owner of some nine or ten quarter sections of land with other things in abundance.
About 1800, or perhaps earlier, next below, settled Michael BACCUS. His wife’s name was Margaret. They had a daughter named Susannah. BACCUS cleared a field of a few acres and lived here for some years. He farmed and hunted some, but made himself useful to the farmers by spaying hogs, among other tasks. He moved down below Pine Creek and bought a farm on which he fixed himself comfortably.
After he left, Nathaniel Davidson settled on the place as the landowner. His wife’s maiden name was Elizabeth Kelly. Their children’s names were John, Joseph, Luke, Kitty, and Thomas. John, Joseph, and Thomas have passed away, but Luke married a daughter of James Black, and Kitty married James Collins.
Nathaniel DAVIDSON was a farmer and paid considerable attention to an apple orchard, setting the trees on exact rows and trimming them to make them slightly and of even balance. He hunted for past time and was one of the best of marksmen with the rifle; kept a blacksmith shop with a few blacksmith tools for his convenience; for some time acted in the capacity of Associate Judge of the court; was a good neighbor; lost his eyesight; became a member of the Baptist Church, and died a Christian in his 80th year.
At the same time, next below, settled John BACCUS, a brother of Mike. His wife’s name was Mary. I remember nothing of their children. John BACCUS cleared a little field, and after a year or two, he moved away. The last I knew of him, he was out on Raccoon, engaged in making buhr millstones.
After he left, John DAVIDSON, an elder brother of Nathaniel, settled on the place as a landowner. His wife’s maiden name was Susannah LAMBERT, but she was familiarly called “Sukey.” When they lived here for a few years, they moved up above Storms Creek and opened a farm where Ironton now stands. John DAVIDSON was among the first-class citizens of Lawrence County. He held the offices of Squire, Judge of the Court, and, for one term, that of Legislator at different times. He lived by farming and hunted occasionally.
After DAVIDSON left, the place was tenanted by Samuel CLARK, Gabriel NEFF, and Aaron BROWN, all of whom have been named above. Lastly, Andrew DAVIDSON, the younger brother of the DAVIDSON family, settled on the place as a landowner, but at a period too late to be recognized as a first settler, though between fifty and sixty years ago.
Next, in about 1798, Jacob SUITER settled. His wife’s maiden name was Margaret MASTERS. Their children were Hiram, William, Phillip, Jeremiah, and Mordecai. The falling of a scaffold in middle age killed Hiram. Phillip has been married four times, lives some fifteen miles from me, and is respectable. One of his sons went into the army during our late war, as a sergeant, and came out a captain; he is now the Recorder of Scott County, Iowa. William is dead, and Mordecai lives in Kansas and is a preacher.
SUITER, for some time, lived with his brother-in-law, Joseph CRANK, a quiet and peaceable man. He was celebrated for making the finest canoes that run this part of the river. CRANK was a religious man. He conducted the first funeral I was ever at. The corpse was that of a child, and the grave was in Kelly’s graveyard. When the coffin was about to be placed in the ground, he took out his hymn book, read and sang Dr. Watts’ beautiful hymn, commencing, “Hark from the toms a doleful sound,” etc.
Though I was a child myself, there was something so solemn and impressive in the matter and manner that it left an indelible impression on my mind. Some thirty years ago, there were two of his sons in these parts, viz, Sylvester and Ennoch, but I am rather inclined to think that CRANK and his family have all long since passed away.
After the SUITERS left, the place was occupied in short intervals by Michael BOWEN and family; Henry BARNHART and family; James WINGGO (*) and family, but none of these made much improvement. What became of BARNHART and WINGO, I know not? The BOWENS settled on Pine Creek and became generally known among the old settlers.
About 1805 or 1806, Amaziah DAVIDSON settled on the place as owner. His wife’s name was Sarah THOMPSON. Their children’s names were Edith, Rebecca, Jesse, Nancy, and Job. Edith married Jacob BUMGARNER; Rebecca married Job DAVIS. Jesse married Miss Trumbo; Nancy married Ephraim Oaks; Job moved with his father to Massac County, Illinois.
Shortly after DAVISON (Davisson or Davidson) settled here, he sold his 100-acre farm to Elisha WHITE for $700, with $300 in hand and the balance due on time, secured by a mortgage on the land. WHITE, with a hired man, Joseph GULICK, wrought hard and did a great deal of clearing. WHITE started for New England for money to pay for the place, but was never heard of afterward. Before the foreclosure of the mortgage,
Asa MERRILL lived on it one season. His wife’s name was Elizabeth. Their children’s names were Elisabeth, Henry, and Asa. MERRILL was a regular-bred physician – the first on either side of the river between the Grant and Big Sandy. As such, I have reason to speak well of him, for he took me through the severest attack of fever I have ever had, yet he fell victim to the same fever afterward.
After the death of Doc MERRILL, the place was occupied by Josiah MARKHAM in 1808-09. I never knew his wife’s name. Their children’s names were Jacob, Stephen, William, Moses, and Randall, all of whom had grown up when they came, and all of whom were married, except the latter two. They were all blacksmiths. MARKHAM’S was the first blacksmith shop on the river between Big Sandy and the Grant.
They were strongly suspected of making counterfeit money, whether justly or not, I know not, but I do know that pewter dollars were very common about this time. After this, Davidson foreclosed on his mortgage, returned to his farm, lived there, and raised his family. He then moved to Massac County, Illinois, and died there.
After George Stewart left his improvement at the foot of the hill, the place was occupied by William Knox for a short time. He died there, and his family was so scattered that I lost track of all the children but three, Sarah, whom Nathaniel DAVIDSON raised; Jeremiah, whom John KELLY raised; and Martha, whom Joseph POWELL took.
After this, John CANON () lived there for some time, then moved out and settled on a tributary of Pine Creek, which took its name from him. Then Moses CRABTREE (*) lived here for a season or two. Lastly, in about 1818, George TRUMBO occupied the place as owner, moved in on the riverbank, and died there.
(*) Were not landowners.
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