OTHER SETTLERS.

In the year 1820 John Hanna, with his wifeRebecca and their nine children-seven sons (William, James, John, David, Alexander, Huel, and Thomas) and two daughters (Hannah and Elizabeth)-left Union County, Tennessee, came down the river in a flatboat, and landed at what is now Cerro Gordo in the month of March. They then moved out from the river and settled between Indian Creek and Smith's Fork.

Among the many who came in and settled about this time (1820) were Jacob Blacksheer, David Robinson (who was an active member in the County Courts), John White, David Kincannan, Ninnean Steele, John Boyd, William Wisdom, Jacob Pyburn (after whom Pyburn's Bluff was named), Temple Johnson, Alec Sloan, John and R. M. Dickson, Robert Forbes, James G. Doren, Jesse Cherry, and Willie J. Duckworth.

James Barnes came in previous to 1820, and was one among the most useful men of the county in his day, and was the second to represent the county in the Tennessee Legislature.

CHAPTER V.

AMUSEMENTS-FIRST MAN KILLED-FIRST

PANTHER Killed.

EANWHILE people began to come in and settle in different parts of the county. The new-comers did not need to raise hogs, for the woods were full of choice game. Deer and turkey were nu

merous, and as the settler sat in his rude cabin at night his mind was attracted by the howl of the wolf, echoing from hill to hill, and the scream of the panther, prowling through the canebrakes along Indian and Hardin's Creeks.

One who delighted in spending his time hunting and trapping in that early day was Solomon Brazelton. He devoted much time in catching the wolf, which was beginning to be a great pest. When he found one in his trap, he notified the citizens for miles around to come with their dogs and enjoy the fun of seeing the dogs kill the wolf.

Messrs. Willoughby and Ross, two gentlemen

who came in still later, delighted in hunting the deer, and spent many happy days in chasing them over the hills in the southern part of the county, east of Savannah...

Among other things for amusement, the citizens would propose a hunt sometimes, in which most all could engage. Those living on one side of a creek would agree to hunt against those living on the other side, and see who could get the most scalps. Some citizen in the neighborhood would prepare a dinner for the hunters, and the party that got beat had it to pay for. They were allowed to kill and scalp squirrels, hawks, crows, and other animals and fowls that were a pest to the settlers. While the hunt was going on, if one of the party was caught across the line, he lost his scalps-if he could be caught.

Hunting and fishing parties of Indians would often visit the county, more especially the western part, on White Oak Creek; and it was during one of these hunting seasons, in 1819, that a man by the name of Blackwell, while hunting and trapping among the Indians on White Oak Creek, stole a pony from one of the Indians, carried him across

the river, and turned him loose in the cane. Soon after the owner followed, took his pony, and told Blackwell if he did so again he would kill him. It was but a short time till Blackwell was trapping among the Indians again, and this time he not only took the same pony back with him, but the Indian claimed that he took a large lot of furs that did not belong to him. The Indian followed Blackwell this time to his

camp, near Garner's

mill, on Indian Creek. A jury of a few white men was called and decided in Blackwell's favor. When the decision was announced the Indian sat down on a log and wept most bitterly for a few minutes, then raised his gun, took deliberate aim, and shot Blackwell dead. He then divided the skins, took what he claimed were his, threw Blackwell's in a pile to themselves, mounted his pony, and left for the west side of the river.

This was the first white man killed in Hardin County, and he was buried about a quarter of a mile north-west of Garner's mill.

A company of men followed the Indian and captured him somewhere on White Oak Creek, took him to Courtney's blacksmith-shop, where

Jonathan Courtney made a pair of handcuffs and put on him, and then Shelton and Elisha Smith took him to Columbia jail, where he remained for some time, and finally was released. The Smith boys received thirty-six dollars for guarding and taking this Indian to jail.

FIRST PANTHER KILLED.

In the year 1818 Miss Elizabeth Berry, afterward the wife of Solomon Brazelton, was returning home one day from a visit to some friends living on the west side of Hardin's Creek, and while riding along a path that led from the Watson ford, on the creek, through the thick cane and across a branch bottom to her home, now known as the McCandless place, about two miles west of the creek, two large panthers ran up a tree that stooped over the path. She rode back a short distance to where her brother, Michael Berry, and several others were cutting out a wagon road, and related what she had seen. Mike shouldered his gun and proceeded to the spot, and sure enough there lay the huge animals stretched out on the body of the tree, just as the girl had left them