STORIES OF HATFIELD, THE PIONEER: EMBRACING A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF HIS EXPERIENCE IN THE WILDERNESS OF EAST TENNESSEE, KENTUCKY, AND SOUTHERN INDIANA. Third Edition. Emmanuel Hatfield, as told to E. Inman, with a foreword by Fontella Hatfield Singley (Dorrance & Co.: Philadelphia) 1978. ISBN 0-8059-2524-4

Note: This is a third edition, with the second having been published in 1889. All traces of the first edition have been lost, although it would date between the last event described in the book in 1872 and the second edition in 1889. Emanuel Hatfield "told" the book to his grandson (the E. Inman above), who transcribed it.

p. 1     BIRTH AND EARLY SURROUNDINGS (Proof of origins)

      "I, Emmanuel Hatfield, was born in Campbell County, East
Tennessee, December 22, 1805. My parents came from Virginia to
that state at an early day, and were one of the pioneer families
of the section in which they settled. They depended for
subsistence almost wholly upon wild game, which was then to be
found in that country in abundance. I had three brothers, Aph,
Washington, and Mordecai; I being the eldest of the children. I
also had three sisters, making in all a household of nine. The
home of my father was situated on the South Fork of Cumberland
River, within six miles of the Kentucky line, and within thirty
miles of the Virginia line."

p. 30      FLIGHT FROM WILD CATS AND CATAMOUNTS       (Location)

      "Those old enough may well remember how the unsettled
wilderness of this country was at one time infested with wild
cats and catamounts.  These animals, at a time when they were
numerous, were very annoying to the man who was caught out in the
woods at night; and they would indeed attack a man when he was
alone. Especially the catamount was dangerous.  The few persons
who lived among the mountains of East Tennessee at the time when
I was a boy would frequently go on journeys to their neighbors
houses several miles away; and they all knew that if they were in
any way delayed so as to compel them to be out after night, a
struggle with these beasts was almost inevitable. Though there
were certain districts which were inhabited by them more
extensively than others.
      As was mentioned before, there were beavers in large
numbers to be found along the Little Cumberland River and along
the small creeks, which I have heretofore spoken of�Station Camp,
Parched Corn, and No Business creeks. On Parched Corn Creek they
were more plentiful than in any other place in reach of our
house; and I usually trapped for them along that stream a great
deal. This creek was about .two miles from home; and in the woods
running from the cabin to it and extending some three or four
miles southwestward beyond dwelt hundreds of wild cats and
catamounts."

p. 42     PARTY ON A TEN DAYS  HUNT   (Mention of Uncles Bill & Joe)

      "As was before mentioned, Father and myself, and sometimes
others, would often go on a long hunt several miles from home;
and it is one of those hunts which I will now endeavor to tell
about. It was in the autumn of 1823.
      We had all been busy at work in the crop during most of the
spring and summer; and we looked forward with a longing to the
first of November, the time when we had set to start. Uncles Bill
and Joe, living considerable distance away among the mountains,
had been to our house that spring and had said they desired to
accompany us on our fall hunt if we would let them know when we
were ready to go. There was an old pioneer by the name of
Thompson, living on the west bank of the Cumberland, who had also
said he would go along when we went.  I had not hunted very much
during that summer, for we had under cultivation a pretty large
crop of corn, oats, and hemp, and we besides cleared off a good
deal of ground and made the rails to fence it. And I was very
impatient for fall to come; for I knew that the hunt which we had
planned to take would be one to be enjoyed. When we had gathered
in our grains and supplied ourselves with our winter s wood, we
began making preparations to go. We ground our knives and
tomahawks, cleaned our guns, and provided ourselves with an ample
supply of bullets. We also sacked up about what we thought a ten
days ration for our horses, which we could carry on our
pack-saddles.
      On the 29th of October Father sent me to inform Uncle Bill
and Uncle Joe of our intended departure on the following Monday.
And he also sent brother Aph to tell our friend Thompson. Uncle
Joe and Uncle Bill told me that they would come to our house on
Sunday evening before we started and stay all night. Also
Thompson sent word that he would be at our cabin on that night.
Well, when Sunday evening rolled round they all came, bringing
their horses, food, and hunting accoutrements. Uncle Bill brought
an old deer hound along with him, and Thompson brought two hounds
which he said were as good hunters as ever ran the woods. We had
three dogs at that time, two curs and one hound. Old Drum had
been killed by a falling tree. Well, we now had six excellent
dogs, and every thing necessary to such a hunt, we had.  After
supper we tied our dogs to keep them from running the wolves
which came around the cabin at night; for we wanted them to be
fresh and vigorous when we started on our hunt.  When dark came,
we gathered around our blazing fire while Father supplied
Thompson, Uncle Bill, and Uncle Joe with tobacco and they with
Father sat smoking their pipes and talking as to where would be
the best district in which to go.
      Thompson said it was his opinion that down along the Little
Cumberland about twenty- five miles distant, where the mountains
ran close up to the river bank, would be the best region for
bears and deer; for he said he had been in that district during
the winter of �21; and there was an abundance of such game, and
of all kinds, there.  Father agreed with him that that would be
the richest game country, but Uncle Bill and Joe said they
thought it would be best to go into the mountains about twenty
miles distant, and farther to the west; as they thought that
there was not much hunting done in that part, and the game would
not be so wild. I didn t spend my opinion for I only wanted to go
on a hunt, no difference where it might be. But after some
discussion they all decided to go to the district designated by
Thompson. We sat around the fire till the hours wore along toward
midnight, first one telling some interesting tale, then another."

p. 63     COURTSHIP, MARRIAGE AND REMOVAL     (First marriage)

      "Boys, your manner of courtship in the present age is far
different from that which prevailed in my day. The manners and
customs of the society in which I was raised (you know what I
mean when I speak of the society of my early day) were such as
would be indeed ludicrous to the society young men and women of
the present time.
      As you know there is now a certain ghost or
delusion�perhaps some one else could better name than I�going
about known as the "Latest Style." That is, unless every young
man or young woman is wearing the dress or suit of the latest
style, he or she is out of the fashion�not up with the times.
This phantom did not haunt the people of East Tennessee when I
was a boy. The "Latest Style" and the only style was that of the
homemade goods worked out by the hand of the wives and daughters
of the hardy pioneers.
      When we went to see our girls in that day, instead of
standing before the mirror for half an hour preparing ourselves,
we only threw on our huntingblouse and spent our looking-glass
time in preparing our guns and weapons to protect ourselves along
the route, or to have a little sport hunting. And if, when we
reached the home of our sweetheart, we found in conversation with
her occasion to speak of each other s clothes, it was always the
quality of endurance and protectic ~ of the body that was the
important consideration; while the matter of appearance was of no
moment.  The maid of that time had no parlor in which to take her
lover; but we could well content ourselves sitting around the
fireside of the one-roomed cabin. And if we became hungry we only
had to pull down a hunk of the drying venison. I will tell you
the manner in which my courtship was carried on. In the early
part of the winter of 1823 I had been over in Kentucky on a big
hunt; and on my return home I stopped at the house of a Mr.
Anderson in that state, and about twenty-five miles from Father s
house. Mr. Anderson had a daughter of the name of Nancy, who
attracted my eye on first sight; but not being accustomed to talk
very much to the ladies, and especially on such subjects as love,
I did not know how to express to her that I had fallen in love
with her. If I had only desired to tell her something of the hunt
from which I was just returning, I could have sprung a
conversation with ease; but to leave my old conversational range
and enter upon a new topic so tender and embarrassing was a task
of almost insurmountable difficulty. I talked with the rest of
the family about different matters with perfect ease; but when I
turned to speak a word to the girl, it just seemed that the whole
family knew that I was trying to make love to her, and my heart
almost rose up in my mouth.
      Thinks I, "Now I certainly have found the girl which heaven
has intended for my own, and I can not leave here without asking
her what she thinks of me." Well, I did not know how I could get
an opportunity to ask her without the rest of the family hearing
me. I finally decided that I would start off and then ask Nancy
to bring me a drink of water to the door, when I would venture to
put the dreaded question to her.  So, I shouldered my gun and
hides and started. On reaching the steps of the cabin I turned
round and said "Nancy, I wish you would fetch me a drink of water
before I go." At that the girl arose and quickly brought me a
gourdful of water, leaning herself against the door facing while
I drank, with a mingled blush and smile playing upon her
countenance like the golden tinge of a morning sky.  I drank the
water and handed her back the gourd, and she turned to start
back.  Says I, "Wait, Nancy, I want to speak to you a moment."
So, says I, "Nancy, what do you think of me anyhow?" "Oh, well,"
says she, "I guess you re all right." "Well, ~ says I, "can I
come to see you?" "Yes, I guess so," says she. "All right," says
I, "I ll be back some of these days." So I bade her good-bye and
departed.
      Well, I now had something to think about along my way home;
there was a different feeling over me. My heart was many miles
away. I had not told the girl just when I would come back to see
her; but I thought I would pay her a visit on the following
Saturday night. I was very impatient for the time to come; for it
seemed to me that it had been a month since I had seen her.  When
Friday came I took up my gun and other weapons, and calling my
dogs, I got on my horse and started to see my sweetheart. I
intended to hunt a little along the way and camp out during the
night and reach the home of my girl late on Saturday evening.  I
was fortunate to kill a young deer before noon, which lasted me
till I reached Mr. Anderson s. Encamping for the night, I hunted
till I thought it was near time for me to fall in upon the
Andersons. So I called up my dogs and put straightway for the
cabin of my girl. I carried with me two turkeys and a
considerable amount of venison. I rode up to the cabin door and
hollered, and Nancy came to the door very much surprised and
somewhat embarrassed. But she gave me a cordial welcome and soon
busied herself getting my supper.  She cooked some of the turkey
and some of the fresh venison which I had brought with me, and
myself and my dogs ate very heartily.
      It was not long till the rest of the family came in from a
hunt, bringing with them an abundance of game. They received me
quite warmly and treated me with highest respect and amused me
for some time after supper with the story of their day s hunt.
But they knew what my business was, and pretty soon after sundown
they retired, leaving Nancy and myself to enjoy the peace and
stillness of the happy fireside.
      We sat that night by the crackling fire and talked about
some of my experience in the woods, every now and then the course
of our talk slightly edging the delicate question of love. We
conversed until, I suppose, nearly four o clock, when we retired
for the remainder of the night, to dream perhaps of a sweet and
happy life stretching away in the future before us like the
beautiful flower of spring. Next morning they awoke me bright and
early to a luxurious breakfast, and after having eaten, I mounted
my steed, called my dogs, and bidding my hostess a kind farewell,
I rode off in the direction of home.
      That was my first courtship, and I will never forget how
much pleasure and enjoyment the first long conversation with my
future wife gave me. I was then approaching nineteen years of
age, and for nearly two years I continued to go to see my girl;
sometimes going to call on her in the midst of the week, and
sometimes calling on her on Sunday, always taking my gun and
other weapons with me, and very often taking my dogs and hunting
along the road.
      I had not gone to see her very long till I determined to
have her for my wife, if I could get her. So from the time I set
that resolution, I began planning to secure myself a start to
make a living independently of my father. But I did not for
considerable time let Father or any the rest of our family know
about my intentions. Though the whole family saw from the
difference of disposition which had -me over me that I was loving
Nancy Anderson and would perhaps marry her.
      In the autumn of l825 I made a trip to see my girl, when we
agreed that we would marry; and before I left the cabin I asked
the consent of the parents, and we set the time for the marriage.
Then in the last days of November of that same year, I took two
horses, my gun and dogs, and started after my bride. When I
arrived I found the old preacher there waiting, and Nancy was
setting in the cabin door with her new home-spun dress on eagerly
watching the path through which she knew I would come.  I
alighted, and in a few moments we were ready for the ceremony. At
two o clock in the afternoon we stood up and were pronounced man
and wife.
      We now gathered up those gifts which were tendered my wife
by her parents, and placing them on our pack-saddles, we bade the
family good-bye and took our departure for Father s cabin. It was
then moving on toward evening and we had twenty miles to travel.
There was no house between where we were and Father s cabin; and
our way lay through a strip of country which was infested with
all kinds of most ferocious beasts. I had killed a deer along my
road to Mr. Anderson s and had preserved the best part of the
meat, as I knew that we would have to cook our meal along the way
home; and it might be that we would have to encamp over night. We
traveled until it was supper time; and thinking we would better
stop in time to prepare a comfortable camp for the night, we
decided that we would not continue further on that evening. We
halted in a beautiful spot beneath some large oak trees; and near
the site was a pure sweet spring bubbling up from the earth, as
if it had been placed there specially for the purpose to supply
water for a wedding feast. As we drew rein and sat on our horses,
Nancy remarked that that was the prettiest place for a camp she
had ever seen, and we sat for a moment viewing the situation. We
then dismounted, tied our horses, and began kindling a fire.
Having roused a good fire, Nancy set herself to work cooking our
supper; while I fed the horses and with my ax chopped down some
small poles out of which to construct a temporary camp. Before I
had quite finished my chopping, Nancy called to me and said
supper was ready.  So, I laid down my ax for the time being and
went to my supper.  Nancy had prepared an excellent meal,
noticeably better than I could cook myself. There was something
of sweetness in the meat she had cooked which could not be found
in the victuals a man might cook, thus we sat happily eating our
first meal, in the wilderness, and many miles away from the home
of any human being, and in the midst of thousands of dangerous
beasts.
      Finishing our supper and feeding our dogs, I resumed my
work of preparing materials for our camp. I cut a number of slim
and limber poles; and placing one end in the ground, I tied the
top ends of them together in the center and spread some hides and
blankets over them, making a genuine little tent.
      It was now growing dark, and the low whimpering of the
wolves could be heard on all sides. As the darkness settled
thicker round us, we could distinguish among the myriad voices in
the forest the cries of the fierce panther and the sneaking wild
cat. The combination of all these awful yells made the still air
of the night almost completely tremble; and Nancy, never having
been out from home among the beasts at night before, was
constantly expressing her fear that they might attack us. But I
assured her that there was no danger as they were afraid of fire,
and besides, our dogs would protect us in any event.
      The night passed away, and the animals did not come much
closer than rifle shot distance. The next morning we arose at
daybreak, and Nancy cooked our breakfast while I fed our horses
and packed our saddles ready for the departure. Having eaten our
meal, we mounted on our steeds and resumed our journey homeward.
We reached the cabin of my father about one o clock in the day
and found the family very anxious to see us. My folks gave my
wife a very cordial reception, and they were soon busy setting
our dinner. Nancy liked out situation well and was well satisfied
with her change of residence.
      We remained with Father until the middle of the winter,
when I purchased myself a farm of one hundred and fifty acres,
and we removed upon it. My farm lay eighteen miles southeast from
Father s house upon a spur of the Cumberland Mountains. There was
no house between my farm and Father s cabin, and there was
scarcely any house in that territory for many miles around.
      We removed to our farm upon pack-horses, as there was no
road running to the place over which one could take a sled, and
besides, we did not have so much but what we could easily carry
upon horses. There was a small cabin on the farm which had been
built by the man from whom I had purchased the land, consequently
I was under the necessity of building myself only a small stable.
It was not long till I began clearing away the timber from a
piece of ground to tend in corn the following spring. I worked
very hard, and Nancy did a great deal of work on the farm. Many a
day had she piled the brush which I chopped up. I usually put out
at least ten acres of corn every year; and what time I was not at
work in my crop, I was hunting. We used wild meat wholly and at
times we had an enormous amount of bear and deer meat in our
smokehouse.
      Our home was in a very wild and unsettled region, and the
beasts would come around it at night yelling and fighting among
themselves and would often attempt to get hold of our dogs. Nancy
was pretty brave and often stayed at home alone two or three
nights in succession while I was gone many miles away on a
hunting expedition. I had three large dogs, and I always left one
of them with Nancy, while I was absent from home, to protect
her.
      There was a small stream running along the east side of my
farm, known as Philips Creek, which was full of trout, perch, and
buffalo; and in the summer season of the year I was in the habit,
after having completed my work for the day, of going to this
little creek with my hook and spending an hour or two in fishing.
I never failed to catch enough fish to supply us for two or three
meals. And bees were so plentiful in the hollow trees of the
woods that, in order to find the dwelling place of a swarm, it
was only necessary to look into the tops of the trees for a short
time on a sunny day. We had all the wild honey we wanted; in
fact, all those things which would today be considered the rarest
table luxuries we had in abundance and considered them very
commonplace table supplies.
      I lived upon that farm six years, doing most of my work
during the spring and summer seasons of the year and spending the
greater portion of the autumn and winter seasons in hunting. I
made considerable money in hunting, as I would usually first
secure an ample supply of meat and hides for my own use; then I
would carry the rest of what I could secure to the market at
Jacksborough, which was several miles distant but was the
best�and, in fact, the only�market place for many miles around.
      That six years was a period of almost perfect solitude to
myself and my wife, but in that region and in those days to be in
solitude was to be desired; for the company which is most
commonly preferable to the pioneer is his gun and dog and the
wild beasts around him."

p. 78     REMOVAL TO INDIANA  (Migration, Bill & Joe again)

      "My two uncles, Bill and Joe, had removed to the State of
Indiana and had been living there for several years. Father and
myself had been reviving word from them, describing the country
as being just t in of a place for men who desired to enter land
and to hunt; as it was not at all settled�not so much even as the
portion of Tennessee which we inhabited�and there was an ample
supply of game of all kinds throughout the country. So in the
winter of 1831 Father and myself had a consultation in regard to
the matter, and we decided that if we could sell our farms in
Tennessee, we would remove to Indiana.
      We each put out a small crop that spring and then set out
to see if we could find sale for our land. It was not long till
we succeeded to sell both our farms with the understanding that
we were to give possession the following fall. I was very anxious
for autumn to come; for I anticipated an enjoyable journey to
Indiana, as I knew there was plenty of game of any sort one
desired along the route; besides, the fall was the most pleasant
and suitable season of the year for such trips.
      During that spring and the early part of autumn, Father and
myself spent a great deal of time in hunting in order to supply
ourselves with meat enough to last us through the coming winter
in Indiana. We did not sell any of the meat which we secured that
spring and fall, and by the middle of September we had a copious
supply on hand. We set the first day of October as the date of
our departure from Tennessee. So, during the last days of
September I packed my horses with what provisions and household
property I desired to take with me, and Nancy, myself, and three
children�Jeremy, William, and Ale�took our last look at the old
cabin and started for Father s house, from where on the first day
of the following month we expected to enter upon our journey to
Indiana. When we reached Father s, we found them all ready for
the trip; and it now being the thirtieth day of September, we set
our stakes to leave on the following morning.
      I had three horses, three dogs, all the provisions and
clothing necessary, and plenty of ammunition with which to start;
while Father and family were well equipped for the emigration.
And as to just how far into the State of Indiana we would go
before we settled we were not certain; though we had heard of a
district known as Putnam County, which, if it proved to be of the
qualities it had been represented to possess, would be a suitable
territory for us to settle in. So, the result of our deliberation
upon the matter that night before we retired was that unless we
struck a region which met our requirements before we reached
Putnam County, we would continue on to that place.
      Early the next morning we were up and loading our pack
saddles ready for the departure. Just at sunrise we rode slowly
off up the valley, looking back with tender fondness upon the old
cabin in whose walls we had spent so many happy days, and which
now stood desolate and forsaken. There lay scattered and
bleaching in the sun the bones of the deer and the bear; there
lay silent, and following our tear-wet vision far off up the
valley, everything which called up reminiscences of the happy
by-gone days. We were no more to hear from that sacred fireside
the howling of the wolves; we were no longer to listen in the
wilderness of Campbell County to the voice of the restless
panther.  But turning our eyes and our thoughts forward, we could
not but forget the old homestead to revel in the happy
anticipation of a prosperous future. I could behold in my fancy
far up in the untouched wilderness of Indiana a land rich in its
resources for the success and gratification of the pioneer.  I
knew that game from the largest to the smallest dwelt in as great
abundance in the borders of our intended destination as among the
mountains of East Tennessee; and I had reason to believe that it
was more plentiful in Indiana than in Tennessee.
      We traveled on until noon, when we halted and cooked our
dinner.  By nightfall we had traveled some ten or twelve miles in
Kentucky. We encamped for the night, and early on the following
morning we took up our journey, crossing both the Cumberland and
Green rivers that day. The sixth day s travel brought us to the
Ohio river where the city of Louisville stands.  Crossing the
river, we coursed on toward Putnam County, traveling very slowly
and closely observing the lay of the country as we passed through
it. I now saw that we had found a glorious hunting ground; for
numerous and large herds of deer were constantly bounding away
from our approach, and the wolves, wild cats, catamounts, and
panthers kept the woods in an uproar at night around our camp.
      Traveling for four days after crossing into Indiana, we
reached Monroe County, in which now stands the city of
Bloomington, the seat of the University of Indiana. Here we found
plenty of game and all conditions favorable to our location, we
thought; and we decided that we would postpone our continuation
to Putnam County until we saw further as to the advantages of the
section in which we now were. So we unloaded our horses and set
ourselves to work constr~icting us a temporary camp.  We remained
at that place for two days examining the country, and we became
doubtful as to whether we would better proceed on to where we had
intended to go or not.
      Uncles Joe and Bill were at that time living in the
southern part of Greene County near the present site of the town
of Scotland, and Father and myself concluded that we would leave
our families where they were encamped, and we would go down to
see Uncle Bill and Uncle Joe; and perhaps they could give us some
advice as to the country. So we mounted our horses and rode to
where they lived. They received us very heartily and spared no
pains in giving us all the information possible in regard to the
new territory.
      Remaining over night with them, they told us on the next
morning of a situation in the south-eastern part of Greene
County, which�then occupied by a man who would sell his
improvements, his cabin and stable, very cheaply�would be a
favorable location for us, as game of all kinds roamed its
borders plentifully. They said they would accompany us to the
place, if we desired. So we all started that morning bright and
early, and by noon we arrived at the site. It was the ground on
which stands the present town of Owensburg, Greene County, and
the ground on which I now live.
      Arriving at the cabin of the man who occupied the land, we
dismounted; and being thirsty, I went to the spring only a few
rods distant for some water.  Its pure, cool, and sparkling
waters, bubbling forth from the base of the lofty precipice with
all the beauty that nature could give it, charmed me on first
sight; and I determined to have that situation, if it was
possible, before I left the spot.
      I returned to the cabin, and it was not long until we had
made a trade, according to which the owner was to give possession
in two days, by which time I was to return to Monroe County for
my family to his situation in a few days.
      I returned to my family in Monroe County on the day after
making the purchase, and we started immediately for our new home.
On reaching it my family was highly pleased with the
surroundings, and it was only a short time till we were
permanently settled.
      The country, as a matter of course, was very sparsely
inhabited.  There was not a single cabin except my father s for
many miles around, and the throughout was an untrodden
wilderness. In connection with the game which was inexhaustibly
plentiful, there were a number of creeks running through the
country in all directions, which were rich with beautiful fishes;
and the wild bees were as abundant in the timber as they were in
Tennessee, if not more so. None of the surrounding land had yet
been entered from the government; but it was not a great while
after I located till I entered the trace of land which I now
own.
      People here made their own harness for their horses, and
the means of hauling from one place to another was the sled.
There were no schools here at that time, and you may know what
education I have been able to acquire has come from the practical
side of life.
      My first work, when I had settled, was to clear off a scope
of ground for a corn crop the following spring. And I thought, as
I had sufficient meat to last me till mid-winter, I would spend
most of the fall in clearing my ground; then during the months of
December, January, and February, I would hunt. Thus begins my
career in Indiana from the middle of October 1831, when I first
came into the State, continuing down to the present time. And I
must say that during the period intervening between my advent
into this State and the time when I became too infirm with age to
continue my hunting, I have had some of the most amusing
experiences and interesting adventures in the woods connected
with my life."

p. 112     MY DOMESTIC SORROW AND SECOND MARRIAGE

      "For many long years my wife and I had trodden the path of
life together, hand in hand, sharing each other s joys and
sorrows and striving to make our rugged way as smooth as was in
our power to do.  We had passed through many a day of shadow and
many a day of sunshine since the hour we joined hands in the
solemn rite of matrimony in the cabin of her birth among the wild
unconquered hills of Kentucky. She knew well the woman s sphere,
and within her element nothing which claimed the touch of her
ready and clever hand, went neglected or undone. But more, she
was ever ready to bear self-sacrifice that she might contribute
to the happiness of others. Ever on my return home after days of
absence and loneliness to her, and even when I returned to our
cabin from a day s toil, she would hail my coming with
expressions of delight and pour out kind and pleasant words
falling upon my wearied soul as sweet, gentle showers upon a
sun-parched meadow. If it was true that heaven bestowed on her
the mission to make me happy for the period of our united lives,
it was equally true that she fulfilled that mission. And she
looked in the hour of death to the source whence came this and
all good missions for that reward, which is promised to the
faithful and good.
      We had dwelt together for five years in the wilderness of
East Tennessee, we two and two small children, constituting all
the society there was to be found in that wild country for many
miles. We had removed to Indiana in the hope of a long and
blissful life within its borders. And it was the pleasure of the
Almighty that we should for the period of twenty-one years enjoy
the blessings of health, peace, and contentment in our new-found
home. But the long continued and unbroken happiness which crowned
our union was at last to be marred by the sting of that domestic
sorrow which follows the death angel into a home. In the close of
the year 1852 my wife became afflicted with the disease, under
which, after some days of suffering, she yielded her spirit to
its Maker and left me to continue in life s toilsome march
alone.
       We tenderly laid her in the bosom of the earth beneath the
soft green sod, shedding tears of sorrow upon the sacred mound
which rose above her cold and lifeless form. We placed upon her
grave the beautiful rose-bush, whose fragrant bloom, emblem of
the soul s eternal bliss, each year revived the memory of her
love, her kindness, and her charity.  Following this domestic
calamity was to come an interval of gloom and sorrow over our
humble home. We now for the first time realized the
ever-nourishing and protecting care of a kind and noble mother.
We now learned how essential and sweet was the mother s element
in the family circle, even in the lowly hovel of the wilderness.
This interval of heavy-heartedness and grief served to suggest
thought of that Higher Power and His mercy, whose will it was to
remove from us the domestic idol of our hearts. But now the
beloved and fallen was in the arms of the Master to never more
return, and we could only look to the lapse of time to heal and
soothe our bleeding hearts. It s true that I myself was wedded in
second love to adventure in the woods, and I could best secure
relief from gloomy thoughts by retiring from my cabin to the
district of the game, where I could slay the bear and deer by day
and listen to the noise of the wolves by night.
      During the two years following the death of my wife I took
many great hunts, sometimes going thirty or forty miles from home
and spending two or three weeks, and sometimes taking my old
routes along the neighboring creeks and remaining a few days
only. During these hunts I slew large numbers of deer and turkeys
and also several bears.  But all along I felt the necessity for
someone to stand at the head of my family during my long
intervals of absence from home; for as all who have gone through
such experience know, how much uneasiness it gives one absent
from home to reflect upon its condition under the management of
only a large household of children with no one to advise or guide
them!  And the counsel of my friends was that the best step I
could take under the circumstances was to secure myself a
help-mate. I began studying seriously about this matter; and
after considerable reflection upon the situation of my family,
upon the advice of friends and upon everything that pertained to
the unhappy condition of one left alone in the world as it were,
I decided that if I could succeed in finding a woman after my own
heart, I would marry again.
      So I began to cast a searching eye over the field to see
whether I could discover a suitable mate. In fact, my reader, the
flocks from which I had to pick in that day were very sparse,
only here and there among the wooded hills. I had silently
searched nearly the entire settlement without finding the woman I
thought I wanted, when suddenly my eyes fell upon the woman who
bore an attraction for me and appeared to possess all the
qualities requisite for my wife. Her name was Mary Edwards, and
she lived several miles distant from my home. I did not make
known my intention or my desire on first acquaintance; but on
meeting with her I determined to have her if possible. So in a
few days I thought I would go to her home and squarely face her
with the question. On one morning in the autumn of 1854 I
shouldered my gun, called my dogs to my side, mounted my horse
and rode off on the business of asking Mary Edwards if she would
be my bride. lt seemed to me, however, that to confront her,
almost a stranger, with such a bold question as whether she would
be my wife, she perhaps never having thought of such a matter,
would be a mountainous undertaking; and the nearer I approached
to her home the more gigantic appeared the task.  But I
determined to advance the proposal in few words and in as nearly
businesslike manner as I could summon courage to do. On reaching
the Edwards cabin about one o clock in the day, I pulled rein at
the front yard fence and hollered, "Hello!" Mary came to the door
and spoke to me kindly, inviting me in. Says I, "No, I ll not
come in now; but you come out to the fence; I want to talk to you
awhile." So she came out, and leaning against the fence, she
asked me what I wanted. "Well," says I, "Mary, I came to ask you
if you would marry me." She hung her head for a moment and said,
"Get down and come in and we ll see about it." So I dismounted,
and we went into the cabin. We sat down and talked only a few
minutes when she decided to accept my proposal and told me she
guessed she would have me.  Well, my reader, my great task was
finished, that of asking her the cumbrous question, whether or
not she would accept my hand; and I felt my mind emancipated from
bondage to this pressing embarrassment. I then asked her what day
we would set for our marriage. She said she would leave that
matter to my decision.  So, I told her, if it was suitable to
her, I would appoint the day following the next. "All right,"
said she, "I will be ready on that day." So I left for home. I
secured the service of the old preacher of the neighborhood and
got all things in readiness for the wedding.
      On the morning of the appointed day I started with two
horses after my wife. Reaching her home at twelve o clock I found
there the minister ready to pronounce the ceremony. I dismounted,
and in a few minutes we joined hands as husband and wife. After
dinner my wife and I turned our horses heads through the
wilderness homeward, reaching our cabin just before sunset.
      Mary seemed well pleased with the situation of her new
home, and especially was she delighted with the pure, beautiful
waters of our inexhaustible spring. From that day to this have we
lived together in peace and happiness upon the same old
homestead. And having one under whose kind and careful management
I felt my home was safe, I was now able to resume with full
content the occupation of my highest fondness and delight,
hunting and trapping.