Gibson Township

Gibson Township

west in the main by the knobs. The south and west parts are very rolling, although the southwest part is more level. The history of this township is very similar to that of the remainder of the county. Among the early settlers were the Garriotts, Stills, Johnsons, Nichols and Fleenors. The township, including the incorporated village of Little York, has fifteen teachers. In 1898, a centrally located high school building was erected by Joseph Lester, who was then trustee. The first teacher of this high school was Alvin R. Franklin. This same year or the next, high school work was begun in Little York by Clarence Hawn. Several years later the two high schools were consolidated and located at Little York, and is now known as the Little York and Gibson Township High School. This high school offers a three years' course. Students on completing the course offered in this school continue their work in the Scottsburg and Salem High Schools.

While Gibson Township is not to be considered as one of the wealthiest townships in the county, yet she can lay claim to some of the finest farm lands that can be found in the county.

Source changes here: from Centennial History of Washington County, Indiana : Its People, Industies and Institutions : with Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, by Stevens, Warder William, published 1916; 5,228 words in this source stream.

Gibson Township

In the fall of 1809 Mo>es Thonipson canie to Washington county, from Kentucky, on a tour of inspection and liking the country built a log cabin on the north half of section 32, on top of the Knobs. This was the first white man's habitation erected within the bounds of Gibson township. Thompson did much of the work himself, getting some assistance from William McKnight and son, who had located a few miles distant the prexious spring. This cabin was made of round poles, puncheon floor and regulation stick chimney. The following April Thompson brought over his family. His son, John C, was at this time between five and six years old, and seventyfive years afterward gave the following account of the trip with incidents of pioneer life.

Story Of Pioneer Conditions

"We came to Indiana on horseback. Crossed the Ohio at the Falls. In those days you seldom saw a wagon, nearly all the emigrants packing their movables on horses, and perhaps driving at the same time considerable stock. Before starting my mother had taken a strong piece of tow linen and made a huge sack, nearly as wide as a bed tick and about as long. An opening was left in the center large enough to pack whatever they wished to take with them. So wearing api)arel, cooking utensils and bedding all found lodgment in these ])ackN. .\fter tlie\- had packed their little stock of goods, the sack was then laid across the iK^rse like a meal sack and if there were an)' small children w lio were not able to walk they were put in the o])ening of the sack one on each side to lialai.ce up. This is the way my brother and myself were brought liere. My mother rode on another pack-horse and carried the l)ab\ . while nu father and an old ])achelor named John Roliertson drove the stock and kept a sharp lookout for Indians. We slept on the ground, usualK- raking u|i aroimd the fire a huge pile of leri\e~ to keip us off the bare ground,

"IVoni the lime we reached the cabin I enjoved life to lU liille-t extent, r.eing situated on the \ery lop of the knobs we had a liiu- land-cape Mew

Stretching out below us. To the north and east of us the deep gulches lead down to broad valleys as wild, picturesque and impenetrable as primeval forests could be. My mother was very much dissatisfied with our location. The nearest neighbor was three miles distant, across a dense forest, with only a blazed path to show the way from one house to another. There were no roads or beaten paths leading across the country then and in order to make their way plain from one house to another they would take an ax and scalp or 'blaze' the trees and bushes along the nearest route, and they called this 'blazing the way.'

"There were some Indian trails through the country and one passed near our cabin. For a long time about the only passersby were Indians. They were of the 'Old 0.x' family and were friendly. There was a white man named McCollough who lived with them. He had married one of tne chief's daughters. Another was called 'Killbuck,' a sour-looking fellow who they said was in command of the Indians at the Pigeon Roost massacre. Another I remember was called 'Carry the Wolf,' who stayed over night at my father's quite frequently. Most of these Indians were well armed - carrying tomahawks, guns, bows and arrows. They were very careful about saving up their ammunition and carried bows and arrows to be used when game was at close range or when shooting for mere sport.

"My father made several trips to the Falls on horseback to secure bread stuff. Wild meat was easily obtained. Deer and turkey could be had at any time by going down in the bottoms. A few elk were still in the country when we came. It was several years before any hogs or sheep could be raised on account of the ravages of wolves and bears.

"Thomas Thompson and sons came to the county the year before my father moved out. The same year we came Chas. Blithe and Daniel Gray moved their families over. Blythe settled in 1810 near the center of -section 8, Franklin township, and Gray located on the southwest quarter of section 9, both in the neighborhood of Wm. McKnight's One evening just before dark Billy McKnight came to our house considerably excited bringing the information that the Indians had destroyed the Pigeon Roost settlement, and told us we must escape for our lives. Father remonstrated at first against leaving home that night, but mother insisted that we should go to the fort and we went. I recollect how very careful they were that the children should make no noise as we passed along through the woods, for fear the Indians might be spymg out for us. It was quite dark when we left home and late bed time w^hen we reached the fort.

"When we arrived several other faniihes had gathered in and while some slept others kept close watch to see that we were not taken by surprise ; for we expected on their way back the Indians would massacre the entire settlement. But they did not come our way. The next day there was considerable stir to raise troops to go in pursuit of the savages, and most of the men shouldered their rifles and joined Capt. Dawalt's company. We remained in the fort several days, until the rangers returned home and reported the retreat of the Indians to the northern part of the state. After this date very few Indians were seen passing through the country."

Some Of The Early Settlers

Simeon Garriott came to the township some time in 1812 and was the first to locate on Elk creek. Several others came about this time, principal among whom were Murphy D. Still, INIathias Mount and William Garriott, who settled on section 26. Alvin Poor settled at Gooseport. David Owen and Hugh Cathcart came in 1813. The former was a great hunter. In 1 81 7 Philip Zaring settled on upper Elk creek. Between 1818 and 1820 came Samuel Blunt and Samuel Dukes who settled on section 7. Jas. Scifres settled on section 13. George Ryder and David Sayles on section 12. Henry Hawn on section 7. The first white child born was probably Mary, a daughter of Mathias Moimt, in 1817. Daniel Crocket came in 1817 and located on the knobs in West Gibson. Pie was a near relative of the famous Davy Crocket. His daughter Rachel was then two years old. She was born in Clark county. W^hen in her eighty-seventh year she gave the following incidents of pioneer life in that part of the county:

Reminiscences Of Rachel Crocket

"When I can first recollect, deer could be seen ranging in the bottoms in droves. Wolves were thick all through the knobs. We had to keep our cow and calf in the house to keep the wolves from killing them till a log barn was built. Pig(.-ons came o\er like clouds in tlie fall of the year, and we killed all we wanted for meat with clubs. Squirrels traveled in droves and when they came the corn fields had to be guarded to keep them from being destroyed. Wild turkeys cnuUl be had most any day for the shooting. The earliest settlers fnund ^onie butYaln here, and I have picked up their bones. Wild hogs were plentiful in the liottoms. Xo one could \enture among them unless there were dogs along or \\ere on horseback. Hogs were all fatted on the mast, and when this failed many of them starved. The sheep were herded out in daytime and put in a high pen at night. The corn crop, e.xcepting what was stored away for bread, was made into whisky, and there w^ere at one time, in the eastern part of the township, seven stiU-houses and no church.

"The 'Ox' Indians had a village over near the Muscatatuck near section T,T,. but left the country about the time we came. I was in Salem when there were but two stores in it. 1 spun flax to buy the first calico dress I ever had, got twehe and one-half cents a yard for my tow cloth and paid forty cents for calico. The very best sold for seventy-five cents a yard. ^Ien folks had leather breeches for everyday wear, and linen or jeans for .Sunday. They had coonskin caps for winter and home-made straw hats for summer, and all went barefoot except in freezing weather. I never had a pair of shoes till I was fifteen years old and earned money to buy them; wore moccasins of my own make in winter. I earned som.e money spinning for neighbors. When eighty-five years old I could spin my twelve cuts of yarn in a day. Until I married my second husband there never was a doctor in our house, and never spent a cent for doctor's bill.

"I only went to school long enough to learn to- spell in three syllables. There was no school house nearer than two and one-half miles. I joined church at York, in 1844, during a great revival that was conducted by Tribble and Short. Thirty-six of us were baptized in one day. Aaron Gordon planted out the first orchard in the township. I never saw a match till I was twelve years old. When we got out of fire we used the tinder. This consisted of a steel and fiint to make sparks, which readily fired the punk, a sort of soft, spongey wood, found in hollow trees. Sometimes they would load the gun with powder and toe and shoot it off and the toe was thus set on fire. I have killed many a rattlesnake. Two men, Goodson and Blake. were out hunting horses over in the hills near the mouth of Delany's creek when they came across a rattlesnake den, and after killing eighty large rattlers got so sick they had to quit. They got help and one hundred and eighty more were killed around near the den.

"John C. Thompson said that an early settler by the name of Thomas May always wore buckskin breeches, insisting that in a new country infested by venomous serpents they were often a man's salvation. He said they had saved his life once. While hunting in the hills he came suddenly upon a huge rattler, coiled up ready to spring and before he had time to get out of the way it struck at him, and its fangs caught in his buckskins, and thus

The first settlers went to Clarke county to have their corn ground, but later went to Hockett's horse mill, just west of the Quaker church. Simeon and William Garriott built a horse mill, in 1821. the first in the township, but it was scarcely ever in good order and was run onlv a short tiine. The first water mill was erected on Elk creek, near Murphy D. StilKs. Philip Langdon built a horse mill where Little York now is, in 1824, which ran for several years.

Daniel Winslow ,and Joseph Johnson built a saw and grist-mill on Elk creek in section 11, in 1833. It changed hands a number of times and was kept running until about 1868, when it was abandoned. Joseph Johnson and John F. Price built a steam saw and grist-mill on the northeast quarter of section 22, and for several years it was probably the most important industrial feature of the township. Simeon Garriott conducted a distillery between 1820 and 1830, on Elk creek, in section 26. .-XuK^ng others who o]ierated distilleries in the township at different periods were J<isei>h Johnson and John Crockett.

Tan Bark And Other Prodtcts

Tan yards were operated in many parts of the township from an early day. Hezekiah Thomas sunk one in 1836 in section i, antl ran it about three years. Alfred Pringle operated one a few years, a little later, on the southwest quarter of section 10. Uriah Gaddy sank a yard in section 16. in 1872, but it ran only a few years. Isaac and Benjamin Lockwood had quite an extensive tannery in section 36, built about 1835. They ran it several years selling out to Dias and Mitchell, who operated the same a fewyears, when it was al>andoned. Isaac A'aughn had a yard in section 26, built about 1820; probably the first tannery ever started in the townshii). He ran it several years and sold tn .Simeun (iarrintt.

In section 34, Jacob Garriott and William I'ringle. about 1825, discovered a cave back in the knobs containing saltpeter. They worked it a short time, leaching the dirt that wa'^ taken from tlie cave and lioiling down the liquor. .\ very good salt was olitainetl but not in sufficient fpiantitx- to make the business pay.

James Wilson was the first merchant, his store being located in the southeast corner of tlie township. In 1862 \'achel Cravens opened a store in Gooseport. He was in business three years and sold to Alfred Elliott, and he a few vears later to Alfred I^ringle. William Fawbush also operated a small store about one mile from (iooseport a short time in the seventies.

Fist Fights A Common Occurrence

The earl}' inhabitants of Gibson township stood strictly on their "honah" at all times, and at any considerable gathering fights were common occurrences ; in fact, a muster, an election, convention or public sale was considered a rather tame afTair unless one or more fights were indulged in. At a muster in 1832, at Little York, John V. Garriott and Madison Still concluded to settle an old grudge by a "pitched-fight," as it was called. Joseph Cathcart was the former's second, and B, R. Still the latter's. It was a terrific fight and lasted quite a while, when they were separated by their seconds with honors about equal.

A Veteran Of The Revolutionary War

One of the most celebrated characters that settled in the township at an early day was Murphy D. Still, l)orn near Charleston in the state of South Carolina, in 1758. He was one of the heroes of the American Revolution, and was in the .same company with Arthur Parr. He served in the war for five years, being in several battles, and served in the capacity of scout on many occasions. He was a man of remarkable intellect and noted for his probity and honesty. After he came to Indiana he and Arthur Parr, Micajah Callaway and James Garrison used to meet together quite often and "fight their battles o'er again." They were all men of iron will and strong frames, and ready even in their c)ld age to shoulder their rifles to protect tlieir homes and families - or even to defend the liberties of their country, if necessary.

Still married Phoebe Reeves, of Virginia, in 1705. He was a carpenter by trade and assisted in putting up many of the first cabins in Gibson townshi]). In 1707 he emigrated from the East to Shelby countv, Kentucky, about one nule frr.m Shelbvville. On the 8th of August, 1808, he landed at Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where he stopped until the spring of 1813, when he came to Washington county and settled in section 32, in Gibson township. In 1816 he moved down on Elk creek in section 26, where he died in 1831 ; his widow survi'ing him till 1853. Joshua All)ertson was a near neighbor of Still and served in the War of 181J. He lived to be nearly one hundred years old, but never got a pension. When the British burned the city of Washington in that war, many war records were destroyed and among them the record of his services and he had no li\ing witnesses to establish his claims.

Early Churches

The first church was called Mount's meeting house, where the Baptists and Presbyterians alternately met and worshipped. It was also used for a school house. This was built about 1820. The next church was at Little York, erected about 1831. There was a school house built at Mt. Hebron and it was used for a church for several years, until the Methodists erected a new one. The first school house was built near Still's place in 182 1.

Elk creek was so named because there were still some elk to be found in its brakes when the first settlers came. Moses Thompson and Micajah Calloway shot a large elk in the bottoms in the spring of 181 1, the animal's horns being now preserved at the museum at the State Uni\ersity, at Bloomington. Sets of horns were frequently picked up \>y early hunters through the bottoms, and skeletons of elk were found here and there, where the animals had probably been killed by early trappers or Indians. BulTalo had gone farther west when the first settlers came in.

A Hard-Earned Subscription

W'hen the first newspaper was published in Salem, in 1S18. Moses Thompson told his boys that they might take the paper if tlie_\- ctuild pay for it. They got a job at Simeon Garriott's to flail out his flax seed and were to take their pay in seed. They performed the labor and got enough as their share to pay a year's subs';-ription, ..and they "toted" the seed to Salem on their l;)acks and liad their names enrnlle<i on Booth & Patrick's subscription list. John C. Thompson, one of the boys, said lie as well as most of the other cliildren learnetl to read b',' means (.)f this paper, and e\ery line i>f e\ery is^ue was caietully ^canned and the new- w a^ reported tlu-on,L;h the neighborhootl.

on the road leading from Salem to Little York, in 1813. The present road was then an Indian trail. He came west from North Carolina, with a fivehorse team and new Connestoga wagon. This wagon is still in a fair state of preservation in the Stevens museum at Indiana University.

An Abundance Of Game

About 181 3, there, was a family of Johnsons who located near the Thompsons, and the boys would fret[uently hunt together. The Johnsons lived right in the woods and lived principally on wild game and such food as they could get in exchange for furs. The four boys went out hunting one day late in the fall, when turkeys and sciuirrels were fat. Johnsons were bent on killing turkeys, while the Thompsons preferred squirrel. Both parties soon had all they cared to carry home. The Thompson boys stopped over night at the Johnson cabin. There game was dressed. Two rorks were driven into the ground, on which a pole rested, to which the turkeys were suspended, heads down. A fire was kindled underneath the turkeys, and the birds were slowly turned round and round, so as to cook them thoroughly. Being very fat the oil ran down profusely and was caught in a pan, and poured again on the roasting meat. The Thompson boys fried their squirrel and laid down on a pile of leaves to sleep. When the outside of the basted turkey was done the Johnsons would cut off a slice and eat it. The Johnsons kept up their feasting till near midnight, when the two had devoured the whole of a large turkey. The Thompson boys were up early the next morning, and while they were frying squirrel for their breakfast they kept calling for the Johnsons to get up, but they could not be aroused from their slumber. It seems that it was their habit, after thus gorging themselves, to lie in a stupor like a huge snake, for two or three days at a time; and finally emerge from a state of semi-insensibility more dead than alive.

Dangers Of Early Settlements

The first round-pole cabin erected in the township by Moses Thompson was a very rude affair. There was the regulation stick chimney and puncheon floor, with ])ortholes cut through the sides and ends, to look through and observe the approach of an enemy, and to shoot through without danger to the inmates. When there were warlike Indians in the country, they all gathered at the forts, and the men went to their respective places to work in gangs, some stood guard while the others worked. If they concluded to remain over night at a cabin the door was securely barred, the flint-lock titles were all loaded and primed and placed within easy reach, as well as spears, axes, scythes, huntini,^ kni\es, or anything that they could use in offensive or defensi\-e warfare. Thus were they always ready for the wily foe or any "varmint."

Pigeons by the tens of thousands used to roost in the trees on the knobs every fall while the acorns and beech nuts lasted. They would come in like a cloud, extending in every direction as far as the eye could reach. Crowds of men and boys would go out nights and soon come in with bags and baskets full that they had killed with guns and clubs, mostly with the latter. They came in thus every season up to about 1854, when their numbers gradually grew less, until about i860, when they disappeared altogether.

Friends In Time Of Need

In every neighborhood, where families were down sick or there were widows without anyone to look after them, neighbors would gather in of nights and chop up ten or fifteen cords of wood by moonlight. Upon one occasion Johnny Gordon's family was all down sick. His wheat was dead ripe and to save it about a dozen of his neighbors gathered in and put it all in the shock by midnight. When the job was finished one man said, "Well, boys, if we now had a bucketful of fried chicken, gingerbread and pies, together with a jug of cider, we would feel better," Just then Uncle Johnny arose from behind the fence and said, "Well, gentlemen, here it is for you." Someone had hinted to him that his wheat would be cut that night, so he had the supper ready for them. This man Gordon had the first bearing orchard in the township and the people came there from all over the county to get fruit : no charge was made for a sackful or two, no matter who it was that came.

Early Industries

From a very early day Gibson township derived much of her revenue from the e.xportation of hooppoles and tanbark. .After the railroad was built from Jefferson\ille to Indianapolis, cross-ties were hewn and sold in great quantities. A number of men went in together and made baskets, ax-handles, splints for chair bottoms, and shaved out hooppoles. which were loaded on flatboats and '.n the spring, when the back water went down, the boats were floated down to Xew Orleans, where there was alwavs found a good market. The boat itself would be sold for firewood or for some poor fellow a home, and then the boatmen would walk back home. They were seldom charged anything for staying over night, unless they stopped in towns. It was to facilitate flat-boating that Elk creek was declared to be a navigable stream, and was cleaned of old snags and logs.

Some farmers used to practice irrigation on a small scale in their gardens and truck patches by filling gourds with water after sundown, and from a small hole in the bottom of these gourds the water would gradually leak out and moisten a plant or hill.

Soon after Little York was founded, Billy Wilson put up a carding machine and operated the same successfully for several years. He made rolls for the whole country for miles around. The power he used was one large bull. The animal stood on a slanting wheel and walked there all day in the same spot, and his weight gave momentum to the wheel. , Soijietimes he-used a blind horse. "York" was for many years a gre'at place for fights, especially on Saturdays. It was a very tame day if there were n,ot at leaSt two or three fisticuffs in the place. Shooting matches were more common in the "State of Gibson," than anywhere else in the county, in fact they were kept up till quite recent years.

W. O'Hara was a celebrated mechanic and for many years made most all the coffins needed in the "bottoms." Upon one occasion he was a little full of whisky and was making a coffin for good old Peter Huckleberry. A bystander noticed quite a crack in the lid of the coffin and called O'Hara's attention to it; when he replied in his usual clownish style, "Old Pete can't get out of that crack."

The river bottoms were covered with hickory trees, and most every season these trees bore thousands of bushels of fine nuts, shellbarks and some as large as walnuts. It was a great place for wild hogs, and early settlers would frequently go down in these bottoms and lay in their season's pork. It was rather a risky business and the shooting was usually done on horseback. After the drove was stampeded they then went in and gathered up the dead. Later on squirrel hunters frequented these bottoms every fall and would carry oi¥ whole loads of game.

Forest Fires

Fires broke out quite frequently in the knobs and besides ruining hundreds of acres of fine timber would occasionally wipe out some settler's home and outbuildings. There are still to be found, in a few out-of-the-way

Gibson township probably had the last one of the old-time log cabins that dotted the county over one hundred years ago. A picture of this cabin was secured by Edward Berkey, the historical picture man, July 31, 1911. The cabin was found after considerable inquiry, and a long tramp, up what is known as Hooey Hollow. It was made of logs notched down in regular style, with clapboard roof and stick chimney propped up with poles to keep it from falling.

Origin Of A Nickname

For more than three-quarters of a century the township has borne the imposing cognomen of "State of Gibson." The name came in this way: During the memorable canvass of 1840, two young Salem lawyers had a joint debate at what is now Kossuth. A noted local politician of Gibson was present and during the discussion would add a word occasionally to bolster up his side of the case. A reporter of one of the Salem papers, calling himself Capt. Josiah Spanks, in his write up of the political set-to, pronounced one of the lawyers a "Se\enty-tive Pounder," and his backer "Chief Gunner from the State of Gibson," since which time the township has ahvavs l)een called the "State of Gibson."

In educational matters the "State" has not been behind other townships, although it was the last corner in the county to be settled up, on account of its being mostly a low, flat, wet country and full of malaria. But the people who finally brought these swamps and marshes under culti- \'ation were noted for their sterling qualities, as well as for the bright, intelligent voung men who ha\e gone out into the world and made their marks in various occupations. There were schools in the township from its first settling up and among the early teachers who lia\-e been remembered are time good high schools, where it is possible to acquire a better education than the district schools afford. These advanced schools, headed by prominent educators, inspired a desire for higher culture and many were thus induced to go outside the county in order to obtain an education that could not be had at home. The common-school teachers of the township have always stood together with a determination to make the schools equal if not superior to the schools of any other township in the county and right well have they succeeded.

Little York

This village was laid off by George Davis on part of the northwest quarter of section 18, August 3, 1831. Eleven lots were added by.Alanson Langdon, June 19, 1849; ^^'^ more by Hezekiah Thomas, May 25, 1852; twenty-one more by Joseph M. Scifres, February 6, 1874; to which Thomas made still another addition of thirty-four lots. The families -who entered the land were from the state of New York and they suggested the name for the town and it was adopted.

The first house built upon the present town was in 1818, by Michael Richards, and shortly after Philip Langdon, Jr. and Sr., Joshua Powers, Lanson Langdon and A. Cooley came from New York state and took up all the lands in and around where the town now stands. Philip Langdon built a horse mill in 1822 where the town was located, and it being the only mill in the valley for many years, was extensively patronized. It was successfully operated until 1858, with some changes and improvements.

George Davis, the founder of the town, located there in 1822. The country was cleared up rapidly from this time on, and it became necessary to establish a center of trade in the township - hence the starting of the town. In the early part of 1832 the first store was opened up by Asa Glover, his entire stock of goods, wares and merchandise being worth less than one hundred dollars. In 1834 Hezekiah Thomas also started a store which was operated successfully. He dealt largely in hoop-poles which were hauled to the Muscatatuck river and taken south on flat-boats. Other early merchants were David Mitchell, John Miranda, William Wilson, Henry Childs, Darling Jones, A. Cooley, Jonas Johnson, Elza Grimes, T. J. I-ester and others. The first tavern was opened by Darling Jones in 1836, and being on a direct line of travel from the Falls cities to Indianapolis, received quite a liberal patronage.

In the fall of the year large freight wagons drawn by four and six horses were passing (iail\-, hauling grain and pork from points farther north.

to Louisville; returning with loads of dry goods and various kinds of supplies needed in a new country. In 1859 H. Thomas built a good-sized grist-mill, grinding both corn and wheat. He shortly afterward added to it a carding machine. The^e he operated till 1865, when they were sold to J. R. Motsinger. Morris & Riley were the next owners, and they sold to Richard Clark, in November, i8b8. For many years Clark was the leadingman of the town and in 1877 purchased the steam saw-mill, erected the year previous by T. J. Meadows.

Four soldiers of the Revolutionary War are buried in this township, viz. ; Richard Dukes, Conrad Tipps, Samuel Blunt and Joseph Johnson. Of the War of 1812 there are ten: Cleyburn Franklin, John Crockett, Joshua Albertson. Samuel Bridgewater, Capt. John \'aughn. Daniel Johnson, Philip Langdon, John Nichols and William Newman. There were one hundred and seventy-eight men from Gibson township who sacrificed their lives in the Civil War ; most of whom were buried on battlefields where they were slain.

Of secret societies, reported in flourishing condition, there are the Odd Fellows, chartered in 1865; Masons, 1875: Red Men. 1900, and Modern Woodmen, 1901.

Little York now has four general stores, conducted by Pierson Wascom, Frank Hudson, Gross Bros, and G. H. Garriott. A restaurant is operated by W. B. Bridgewater; hotel by Mrs. Ella Hudson. W. L. Wilson is manager of a canning factory. A. V. Criswell is justice of the peace. Doctor Pinkston is the local physician.