Some peoples of the earth-tribes are said to even worship their ancestors. In America we do not do that. But our patriotic ancestors, when declaring their Independence of the British crown, referred to "a decent respect for mankind," and such has been a marked characteristic of Americans ever since. Washington and his Immortal Band, had a decent respect for mankind, when they whipped Cornwallis and his co-oppressors, and compelled King George to retire from the rule of the American colonies. General Jackson and his gallant soldiery had a decent respect for womankind, when they so decently thrashed the old British General's dirty crew at New Orleans who had threatened disrespect for American women of that city. Abraham Lincoln had a decent respect for mankind, when he took his stand in favor of the American Republic and the Federal Union, whatever became of American Slavery. The writer, having received his education in the old log schoolhouse that the pioneers, of which he writes builded, lived upon the products of the fields and gardens from which they removed the primeval forest, and enjoyed much of the more modern condition of society, of which they laid the foundation and planted the germ; a decent respect for worthy sires and noble, toiling mothers, demands a passing tribute, a fitting, though brief memento, to a generation brave and patriotic, renowned for many and noble virtues. The memory of our pioneer fathers and mothers will be forgotten, only as we recede from their virtues, their patriotism, their generosity and their honesty.

      Traditional narrative tells us something of these. They were a scattered few of stalwart frontiersmen, sometimes half-breeds of Indian ancestry, who preceded the actual settlers or land entries and even government surveys. Our narrative does not propose to traverse this ground, but begins with the settlers who entered or purchased lands or homesteads of the government. However the "oldest inhabitant" tells us of one Kill-buck, a half-breed or chief, and semi-civilized, who had his cabin near the "Bald Hill" on the northern border of the Stillwater Settlement, who a few years onward about 1810 went to the Indian Reservation in the territory of Indiana. It is said John T. Ward, a pioneer boy of our narrative, in the late fifties met Kill-buck's son in a Kansas town who was a leading lawyer of the place. Of the "Old Squatters" there was said to have been one Conner whose "camp" or cabin was on some western hill of old Swamp Creek to the north. He was an old trapper or "copper distiller," who went out to the Cranberry Pararie about as soon as he heard the settler's cow bells ringing. We are told he took his bag of corn on ox-back from the "Cranberry" to Ft. Rowdy, now Covington, Ohio, returning with his meal by the same conveyance, and then it may be said his food was the "corn-pone," venison, and turkey. He is said to have carried on his "still" operations near, or on the grounds of the old tanyard, and parties have said they have seen the relicts of his old furnace. He manufactured Snake-Root Bitters known as whisky, the standard remedy for the Chills and the chief ingredient of "panada" for the mothers.
      It is said one Isaac Finkbone, a stalwart frontiersman and fond of the fistic sports, was his successor in this line. He resided on one-half of a quarter section that is now East Versailles. He enlarged the business, and besides selling it for medical uses, he sold it as a beverage for log rollings, "rais'ins," sheep-washings, and husking-bee occasions; for it must be remembered that the catechism, the prayer book and

the old long crooked necked bottle of Snake Root Bitters, was all kept on the same shrine. It was then considered in concord with the Catechism, Democratic and Whigmatic. This was however before the days of the "Tea-Tow-Tallers" or total abstainers, a tidal wave of which swept over the country from Maine to Indiana about the year of 1840. Some communities went so far as to even cut down their orchards and would not as much as use hard cider; since which time we have those in the community who indulge the drink habit in the old fashion, and others more ancient still, like old Noah, and some are tetotalers, while others would compel all to be such, and in politics are called Prohibitionists. This leads us to make historical mention of the liquor and drink question in the old Buckeye State, pride of the Earlier West. First, Free Whisky; second, the License System; and the bar of the old tavern keepers. Then, after the adoption of the New Constitution in 1851, Statutory Regulation, followed by the tax-license system of today, and to which either of the aforenamed class we may belong, the State allows, and the courts have said, the sale and the dealers therein, have a right to be.