in Scioto County, Ohio, contrary to the wishes of her Father, about the year 1825. About eight months after their marriage, my brother was killed by the falling of a log at the raising of his own smokehouse. After his death his wife had a son whom she called James, who, at the writing of this (1866) resides in the Irish Bottom, Adams County, Ohio. James married for his first wife, Lettie McKinley and for his second, Elizabeth, both daughters of John McKinley. James and John McKinley both were strong sympathizers of the enemies of the government the War the Rebellion of 1861-1865. This caused a bad state of feelings to exist, in relation to public affairs, between them myself, I being strongly Union and anti slavery in principle.

My brother Robert married in Vanango County, Pennsylvania, Harriet Ball, by whom he had several sons, to wit: Isaac, Matthew and Clinton, and four daughters, to wit: Martha, Slovenia, Mary and Sarah. His wife dying, he managed to raise his family to be able to take care of themselves when he married one Harriet Waldo, a widow lady of sterling worth. My brother Roberts' land in Vanango County, Pennsylvania proved to be rich in oil. He sold his land in lots, first at low and afterwards and high rates so that he realized a fortune of some $200,000.

Having given a short sketch of my brothers and sisters I will now proceed to give as concise a statement of myself as my poor memory, at this stage, will permit. After the death of mother in 1814, I lived for about one year with my grandfather, James Johnson was a blacksmith by trade living in Vanango County, Pa., On the public road leading from Franklin, the county seat of said County and Pittsburgh, 5 miles from the former place. Not long after mother's death, I grandmother was burned to death in trying to save her house up from Bernie was my grandfather was absent try to save the neighbors plantation from the flames, the woods being all on fire and the country sparsely settled. I was not present, having gone to the sale of my father's property which was some 12 miles distant. You cannot conceive the horror of all this especially of my grandfather, on returning home in the evening to find his house the smoldering ruin and my grandmother a corpse lying about two rods and from the ruins. Some of my father’s property was consumed in the house. After this it was hard times for a family is large and helpless as we were. Grandfather's barn was not burned and in that was stored a good portion of my father's household goods which were consequently saved. This barn was what was called a double log barn consisting of two log pens I think about 20 ft. square and about 20 ft. apart between which was a good threshing floor with both sides closely plank up and both large and small doors well hung. This was our bedroom and was a comfortable place and which to sleep during the summer. One of the pens was used to stable my grandfather's mare. We cleaned out the other pen and made a fire in the center by which to cook. About this time, my uncle Joseph, who lived in Harrison County, Ohio, came to Pennsylvania and invited my grandfather to live with him. The old man disposed of his pigs and cattle, took me with them, and started for Ohio. I walked a good part of the time and the balance rode behind my grandfather. He, by the way, was fond of a strong drink and occasionally become intoxicated, though not often, and fall from his mare and lie insensible until he had slept off the effects of the toxic intoxicant, When he would proceed on his way. Now, reader, you cannot imagine the feelings of a poor orphan boy, 12 years old, among strangers and surrounded by such circumstances. I say "Orphan " for I felt as one. My father was a major in the War of 1812, a hunter and a keel boatman and was nearly always absent from his family even during my mother's life and after her death continued his old habits which were not of a very moral nature. Now, while I have given the dark side of both grandfather and father, I must, in justice say that, they were both high minded men, liberal and merciful. Soon after our arrival at my uncles my grandfather put up a shop and went to work at his trade. I had to blow the bellows and strike for him which was not new work to me as I had done this before the death of my grandmother. The older gentleman was very and good to me and seem to think so much more of me that any of uncles boys, one of whom was older and others younger, that it created in them quite a prejudice against me. This led to many a quarrel and sometimes to a fight. My aunt always took the side against me though at the other times she was kind and good. My uncle was always kind and good to me and took my part as did my grandfather's which cost in one instance some disturbance between him and my aunt, which, however, was of short duration.

After about the lapse of one year, my father came to Ohio and took me back to Pennsylvania, where I got to see all my brothers and sisters. My father had rented a small overshot gristmill and house. Here my eldest brother James was the dependence of all the younger children. He was kind and affectionate and exerted himself for their support and comfort. He was naturally a mechanic and could keep the buckets in the wheel and run the mill. A neighbor dressed the stones when needed. The toll from the mill furnished us with bread. My grandfather had given the family a choice cow when he started to Ohio. In this way of the children were supported. Father, in the meanwhile, coming home but seldom and furnishing very little. He eventually sold the cow for $50. After he got through with that money which took but short time, he broke up housekeeping and scattered the children, one here and another there. Several years elapsed before the family was again altogether. My father had now married a second wife and was living in Kentucky. My brother Samuel the had made his home with a very poor but kind family by the name of Hayes, which family having also removed to Kentucky was the first to live with the new mother. In the fall of the year 1817, by brother Frederick and I came down the Allegheny to Pittsburgh on a keelboat. There be engaged with one Walter Curtis to go to Kanawha Licks and Virginia, where we spent part of the winter. Mr. Curtis engaged us at 75¢ per day to take care of the boat. That trip was a very severe one. The river was dead low and we had frequently to get into the river and lift the boat over the shoals. Mr. Curtis sold his Allegheny boat at Charleston, Virginia and took possession of a large Ohio keelboat which belonged to him and had been commanded by a Mr. Abott. Mr. Curtis loaded this boat with salt and started for Cincinnati. One Gabe Dawson being our pilot over the principal shoals of the Kanawha River. He, at the same time, being so much intoxicated that he could scarcely stand on the deck without great danger of falling overboard. I find this a very strange but nevertheless it was a notorious fact, that Dawson was considered a safe pilot. Of arriving at Point Pleasant we found the Ohio River covered with floating ice. This caused us a great deal of trouble. We landed for the night and having tied up our boat went to our sleeping compartment but had scarcely gone to sleep when the wind arose and drove the ice so hard against the boat that she was in danger of being cut down by it, consequently the captain called up all hands and we cut loose as it is called and drifted with the ice. At daylight we found ourselves opposite Greenupsburg. After daylight we could make some headway faster than the current by avoiding the ice which did not cover the River all over, it following the current and sweeping the bends. On arriving at Portsmouth We land, but ice running into the landing there quite heavy crowded our boat hard upon the short. With some hard work we succeeded in getting her afloat. Making our way among the ice we landed in what was then and for many years after words called McCall's whirlpool, now called Rockville Eddy. The weather being very cold that night we found ourselves in the morning surrounded by a sheet of solid ice some 50 yards outside the boat. Here we stayed about three days. The weather continuing very cold the ice increased so that it was not safe to try to run the boat.

My brother and I were anxious to get on to see father in his new wife, who lived near the Upper Blue Licks in Fleming County, Kentucky. We found our brother Samuel here. All seemed very glad to see us and made us quite welcome. Our intention and going to Kentucky was to go to school but alas! In that we were disappointed. We had good clothing and money to pay for schooling for a year but my father was engaged building flatboats for one in James Blair, a Methodist preacher, who owned a flouring mill on Fleming Creek not far from the mouth of Poplar Run. My brother Frederick and I turned into work at the boats as there was quite a hurry for them. Mr. Blair would come over every few days, or at least every time the weather would turn soft and rain, and raise quite a storm because of the boats or not done. This caused my brother and I to work harder than we otherwise would have done. Blair threaten my father with a suit for damages if the boats were not finished by the time the ice was out of the Licking River and the water high enough to run the boats out. Flour was then bearing a high price at New Orleans. During this time my father borrowed what money I had and nearly all that my brother had, promising to pay as back in a short time. This he never did, but, when spoken to about it, said that we and our money where both his and that he intended to do as the pleased with us as we were minors. He kept us hard at work and controlled us entirely. This caused many a bitter and hard feeling towards our father. However, he quit boat building and rented a farm in Nicholas County close to the upper Blue Lick. That year, I think it was 1819 or 20, was a very dry season and we raised a very short crop. My brother Frederick and I frequently talked about runaway and leaving him but this week considered would be disgraceful and concluded it to bear our hard treatment as best we could. That spring before the corn was planted my brother Frederick was furnished a horse and money to go back to Pennsylvania and bring to Kentucky my two sisters, Margaret and Nancy. My brother remained up there for nearly quite a year but finally returned with them. By this time my father had taken a lease of Licking River Bottom from a Thomas Fletcher, a land jobber of Kentucky. Here we raised a cabin and cleared out some ground. The chips made by the erection of the new building had been raked up into piles and burned. My little half sister, about eighteen months old, walked into the hot ashes and sat down and was so terribly burned that she died in few days after. This occurred the day of the arrival of my brother and sisters from Pennsylvania. With my father and I returned to the home in the evening after having been absent all day we were filled with both joy and sorrow. And glad to see my brother and sisters but agreed that the suffering of my poor little sister who was a great pet of mine.

In the course of a few weeks Licking River rose to a boating stage. My father hired us both to go to New Orleans on a flat boat for James Blair. The boat was loaded with flour consigned to a commission house at New Orleans. It was late for us to take such a trip. With difficulty we got out of Licking into the Ohio. That river being very low we did not reach New Orleans until about the first of July. Our boat was steered or commanded by one Solomon Parker who had been down the river on a boat a time or two but was no waterman. He had no knowledge of the river, and was a drunken, worthless fellow. We ran our boat, lashed together with another boat belonging to Joseph Blair. While passing the head of island number 99 in the Mississippi our boats struck what is called a planter. A planter is a large tree, uprooted from the bank and standing nearly upright in the river. It having taken that position during high water and the sand mud setting around it so that it stands as permanent as on land. The shock was so great that Joseph Blair’s boat sank to the roof just as they reached the shore. In order to save our boat we had to cut loose from the sinking boat and make landing as best we could. We stopped here three days. We unloaded the flour and after unsuccessful attempts to raise the boat, we left Blair, his hands and the flour on the island. After several days he reached and shipped on a steamer to New Orleans. Steamboats were few and far between in those days.

Our boat, having been built about a year before, caused my brother and me a great deal of hard work. One or the other had to be bailing out the water all the time both the night and day. This caused us both to be sick before we reach New Orleans. However, we sold out a good part of the load on the coast and $5 per bbl. and carried the money to the consignee with the balance of the flour. This was a saving to the owner of two dollars per bbl. For it was worth but $3 in the city. By this time, were both very sick; too sick to walk about but very little. We were advised by some older persons of our acquaintance to leave the city immediately, to get across Lake Ponchatrain a trade in to the pine wood if we wanted ever to get well. We did this but with difficulty and heavy expense. We had to be hauled out to the basin (about 100 ft. square) in which there was ample room for all of vessels the sailed on that lake. The largest and most comfortable vessels being a dirty little schooner of about 10 tons burden and no accommodations whatever. We embarked in the basin, followed the serpentine course of the Bayou Saint John through brushwood and a deep swamp inhabited by many reptiles, such as alligators, bullfrogs etc. etc.

On passing out into the lake some 10 or twelve miles, a breathless called fell upon the lake and water was as smooth as glass. It was forty-eight hours before we reached Madisonville on the eastside of the lake. The crew aboard transport including captain, mate, clerk, sailors, deckhands, all told, consisted of one dirty little Spaniard of whose language we could understand but very little. At length, we reached Madisonville and took lodgings at rather a poor place in an old dilapidated building occupied by a man a wife who pretended to keep a public house. Here we were imposed upon by one of those false friends we so frequently met with in this life, as follows: in New Orleans we made the acquaintance of one of Scripture Chancy, or Chancy Scripture, I have forgotten which. However that maybe, my brother Frederick paid his passage over the lake, he being without money, and in returned to was to have some care of us both but more particularly of my brother who was indeed very sick. Here in Madisonville this man attended a my brother a little, gave him a dose or two of medicine, and bled him once. After about three days, this man Chancy came in from stroll through the town and said he was going to leave and presented a bill for $20 for services rendered. Here we were, both of us in bed and be young and inexperienced in rascality, paid over to this villain about fifteen dollars and he left us. In a few days we employed two men (Frenchmen or Spaniards) to take us in a small canoe up the Chaffinch River tool little town called Covington which was about 17 mi. by water at least seven by land for Madisonville. About midway between the two places, they landed the canoe in one of the most dismal looking places I ever saw. My brother overheard them in conversation as he understood it they intended to here to kill us to take what we had (which indeed was not much about sixty dollars). My brother was considerably alarmed. I cannot say that I was. I tried to calm his suspicions by saying that he had misunderstood them. However we ordered them to go on, which after some hesitancy, they did. We arrived at Covington about sundown and took lodgings at another of those dirty filthy taverns where we were nearly eaten up by fleas. The next morning, in looking for conveyance to take us on further out into the pine woods, I came across a Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell with whom we spent that day and night. They were Americans and treated us very kindly. Here we had a good bed and a good night's rest. The next morning Mr. Maxwell started with us in his carriage for a place that was then called Jacksonville Springs in Washington Parish. This had been a place of resort by the people of New Orleans during prevalence of yellow fever. On our arrival we found but few persons there as there was no yellow fever that summer in the city. We arrived about dark and took up our stay with one George W. Jones who kept a public house. We stay here some twenty or twenty-five days. My brother got so very sick but I suppose that he would die. His disease was said to be bilious fever while mine had become a shaking ague. With the exception of three or four hours every day, I could wait on my brother notwithstanding that I was not entirely clear of fever from one shake to the next. After remaining at the House of Mr. Jones for a few weeks, our money became scarce and Mr. Jones advised to us to get board out at a farmhouse. The country, at this time, was very sparsely settled. I had by this time got the ague broken and was beginning to get some strength. So I started out to find a new home. After traveling three miles I arrived at the house of a Mr. Richardson, a Justice of the Peace. I made a contract with him to board brother for one an a half dollars. I paid my board by taking Mr. Richardson's shotgun and shooting squirrels and guarding his cornfield from their ravages. Here we both improved some in health. Here for the first time in my life did I see a man tied up to a tree and whipped on the bare back until the blood ran freely down. It was an old man with as well they developed a framed and muscle as I ever saw. But his skin was BLACK and for this cause he had been kidnapped in his own country and with others crowded into close confinement on board a slave for before reaching this land of FREEDOM. Boasted Freedom! Alas! What crimes are committed in the name of Freedom? It was the land of bondage and oppression to the poor African far from his home in a strange land, denied the right of citizenship and protection from insult and abuse, but compelled to work under a taskmaster without pay and frequently sold in the market like sheep and oxen. This black man and responded to a white man who was abusing and the companion of this a black man by striking him with a hand spike breaking his arm. For this offense the old man was tried before Squire Richardson's and the jury of white men who brought in a verdict of guilty and 39 lashes on the bareback the penalty. This was the most humane punishment that jury could inflict under the law as they were sworn to observed.

In a few days after this we started for home. Along journey before us, but little money, and barely able to travel. But onward we moved until we reached the line between Louisiana and Mississippi. Here I took to shaking again and shook every day until we got out of the Indian Territory when it left me. I shook no more until I reached home. At this time route from New Orleans to Kentucky through the Indian Territory was shortened considerably to what it had been in former years. Formerly the route was up the river to Natchez then about three hundred miles through the Choctaw and Chickasaw lands. However, the hero of the battle of New Orleans after he had licked the Indians, killed Peckingham, defeated the flower of the British army, he who hung all traitors can shot deserters, could not be idle in time of peace. He employed the Army under his control in cutting a road from the Lake Ponchatrain to Nashville, see Tennessee. This road, called the Jackson or Military road, shortened the distance through the tribes one-half. This is the route traveled by us. On arriving home there was much joy for they had heard that we were both dead. Indeed a man had told our eldest brother, who was yet in Pennsylvania, that he had seen us both buried in one grave. Shortly after our arrival home my brother James also came from Pennsylvania and there was another joyful meeting. James, being a house carpenter, my brother Frederick was allowed to work with him for some time. About this time the man from whom my father had rented the farm the previous year was urging him for the rent. The only alternative was for me to work it out at thirteen dollars per month, which I did. I finished about the middle of May at which time I went to raise a crop with one Samuel Oweings. Part of the crop being already planted I was to get one fourth of all the corn, each gathering his own. My father said that I should have that crop to myself as I have worked so faithfully to pay his debts while others of my age were taking the benefits, if benefit it were, of every public day and in those days there were many opportunities to idle away, or rather lose time. There were quiltings and rail maulings, spinnings and woodchoppings, sewings and brier cuttings etc. This brought the young men and maidens together and universally a dance at night, an amusement of which I was very fond. Notwithstanding I preferred to forgo those associations rather than lose the time. Indeed my wardrobe was not at all times such that I felt free to appear in company. While I was tending my crop with Mr. Oweings my brother James became disgusted with the manner in which my father conducted his affairs. James, being of age and a man of steady habits, industrious and persevering, the left home and I think was never at home again, he having come to his death about two years after.

On finishing my crop or indeed before, my father, stepmother and all the children were taken down with chills and fever. So I had to enter upon all the duties of the household as well as to wait upon the sick. I could please all but my father who I thought peevish and fretful, finding a great deal of fault with me and at last striking me considerable of a blow, ordered me away. (They were now all getting better.) This order I readily obeyed. But first he said I must give him my crop of corn and that I could never do any good anywhere. I signed over to him the article between Mr. Oweings and myself which we had made by my father's consent. I could write some and made the assignment. I also drew up an instrument releasing me from his control in any way also releasing him from any responsibility on my account whatever. This signed and pocketed I started out anew. I went about three miles and hired with one Joslin Hopkins for nine dollars per month. It was now the fall of the year. I was to make rails. I had only worked a few days when I agreed to make so many hundred rails for the months work, which I completed in about three weeks.

About this time of my brother Frederick arriving at his majority left home and came to me and proposed that we go to the State Furnace and chop wood. I readily consented. My wages from Hopkins were not due so neither of us had any money. But brother had a rifle which he had brought from Pennsylvania. We pawned this in Owingsville for our bill over night. The next morning through snow about eight inches deep we went to the furnace about two miles distant. We engaged to cut a lot of wood, got a peck of meal and shoulder of bacon and proceeded to the coaling ground. Here we match up with an acquaintance who was about leaving the wood chopping. He gave us possession of his camp and the couple of old quilts. Here in this manner we spent the winter and spring months and cut and put up in that time seven hundred sixty-two cords of wood for which we got fifty-six and fourth cents per cord, taking iron at twelve and one half cents per pound (Now of these were the days of State Script or what was then called Commonwealth's paper of Kentucky). He paid us twelve and one-half cents either in currency or in axes at one-(missing) handled and ground were worth three dollars at the furnace. Be it remembered that a good ax was a rare thing in those days.

About this time my brothers James and Frederick went down to the Ohio River near Ripley and worked for Barney Terhune at boat building until the next spring. I stayed that winter in the vicinity of the Upper Blue Lick. In the spring I joined them at Terhune’s are all three of us in gauged to work for one Robert Courtney and his son John Courtney at the rate of fifty cents per day in a specie and board. At this rate where work all summer building flatboats in Scioto County, Ohio near what is now Buena Vista. In the fall of that year four of us, my two brothers, John Courtney and myself undertook to build two flat-boats at the mouth of a stream called Kinnykinnick on the Scioto River in Ross County, Ohio about seven miles above Chillicothe. These were for Ex-governor Thomas Worthington. After we had the boats considerably under way, Courtney had to leave us to attend to other business at home. We bought him out and about this time were all taken sick with either bilious fever or fever and ague. After a pretty severe time, we finished the boats, received our pay and came back to the Ohio River again. In the spring I visited my old acquaintances and friends and Kentucky. And among them a daughter of one William Hawkins who, by the by, occupied considerable of my attention. About Christmas time, from my own imprudence, took a severe cold that came near making finish of me. But I was so weak and my cough so hard that I could scarcely travel two miles in a day. Eventually on the opening of spring and by the use of allicampaign syrup I resuscitated like magic and in about two weeks was able to go to work again. About this time I formed the acquaintance of one William Huntsman whose brother Robert was a special friend of mine. William and I started from Foxe's Creek and Fleming County to Vanceburg. There being no road directly through, we took our course and struck Salt Lick Creek and what is now called the Escalope Springs about dark. The next day we reached by brother James who was then boarding with one Benjamin Elliot. After looking around a day or two Huntsman and I took a job of whip sawing for one David Tucker with whom we worked nearly all summer occasionally doing jobs of whip sawing for others. All the settlers along the Ohio River those days were boat builders. That is, they would build a flat-boat or two for sale. At this time steamers were few and far between and there was not a toe or lug boat on the river; so that when a flat boat started downstream no one ever thought of bringing her back but downstream continually she must go until she reached the great mart New Orleans. All the products of the Mississippi Valley were carried to market of those flat boats.

That fall my brother James, Huntsman and I jointly built what we then called a scow-boat that could carry about 300 lbs. of salt. We did some freighting in this boat. This boat was one of the first ones of her dimensions that I ever saw made of Poplar, gunnels and about 3 ft. deep, 10 ft. wide and her length I have forgotten, rounding in the bottom, planked lengthwise with one and one fourth inch oak. This boat we frequently took upstream. The next fall 1821or 2 we took this boat to the Kenhawa Licks. Stayed there all winter. Huntsman did teaming and my brother and I did whip sawing and other jobs for we were always ready to take hold of almost any kind of work. Towards spring we bought Huntsman’s interest in the boat and a load of salt. On landing again at the house of our old friend Elliott learned for the first time that he had been dead sometime. The widow being left with a large family of children all small. I was prevailed upon to stay and take charge of the family to some extent and the farm entirely. That summer I raised a good crop of corn which I sold in the field to my brother James. I mounted my horse, which was a very fine one, and started back to Kentucky by the way of Maysville, Flemingsburg and Poplar Plains to my brother Frederick’s. He was then married and living on Foxe's creek near where father then lived. Here I was received warmly by all who knew me and particularly by a young lady by the name of Elliott, a daughter all of old Major Elliott. I was much attached to this young lady and really thought I loved her. I made a few calls and was kindly received by all excepting her mother. She made it her business to interrupt us in our conversation to which I took offense. I called for my horse and left. I had no objection to the girl, but I felt myself, though poor, as good as anybody. That evening I returned to my father and his presence asked my sister about my clothing. Father asked where I was going or was I going to marry the Elliott girl who was a favorite of his. I told in no that I was going into Nicholas County to see my old sweetheart, Miss Hopkins, from whom I had been estranged for nearly two years. On arriving at her father's residence I was received with kindness and treated with respect by all. As the saying is, "the old coal was soon kindled." My wife was a member of the Baptist Church as was also her father and mother. This had a restraining influence on me for I loved my wife and did not want to her feelings and indeed I had always had due difference for the feelings of Christians though at that time I was just as wicked as the devil could make me. But was never a vial blasphemer adored dishonest man and I have great reason to thank God that he preserved me, in a good measure, from the vices and immorality that surrounded me even from my boyhood up.

At this time I was twenty-two years of age, six feet high, weighed one hundred eighty pounds with a good constitution, strength and action far excelling most men.

I lived the first year with my father-in-law and help tend his farm, but made very little.

On the 21st of September 1825 we had a son born whom we called William Hopkins Hiner. During this time I had made arrangements to move to this Scioto County, Ohio, where my brother James was living. He had married Mitchell's daughter, as before stated.

In the spring of 1826 I started to move to Ohio having taken a lease from Judge Mitchell on the land were now stands Buena Vista. On arriving at Foxe's Creek where brother Frederick and father lived brother persuaded me to stop with him and take part of a lease that he had. I did so and let my father have my lease of the Ohio to which placing moved immediately. I said to work, built a cabin, cleared out and fenced in some four or five acres and raised a good crop of corn. In the fall of this year (1826) my father-in-law sold out his farm and Nicolas County and proposed if I would move with him to Indiana, which was then the far West, he would give me eighty acres of land. So I disposed of by the across and a few hogs, bought an additional horse, pack up and put it all on the backs of two horses, one of which, a very spirited one, my wife rode. The horse ran away with her and her foot hung in the stirrup. Her life seemed to be almost miraculously saved. Although she was carried some thirty or forty yards after she had fallout from the saddle with the child in her arms neither of them were seriously hurt. That evening it rained and we were compelled to stay in an old waste house by the roadside after having fruitlessly tried at a farmhouse for admittance. The owner of this House was called a Christian, a member of the Presbyterian Church, whose compassion cannot be moved by my entreaties nor the pelting storm beating upon my poor wife and child. The next day we reached my wife's father's was all was in a bustle getting ready to move in a wagon. I put my little one in the wagon, my wife on one of my horses and my mother-in-law on the other. My brother-in-law drove the wagon. The little boys and I drove a loose horses and cattle. On arriving at the Ohio River in Covington the only conveyance across the river was the old leaky boat propelled by for blind horses. The boat came near sinking before we got across. In those days and nearly every steamer carried a swivel and on arriving in port would frequently fire several times. This was very annoying to our stock. However we got back to the rear of the city and camped about one hundred yards south of the courthouse in Blue Grass Canyon. After spending the forenoon in the city we moved on and crossed the Great Miami that evening and stayed all night in the vicinity of Harrison and finally found our way to Hugh Smather’s on the Bull Fork of Salt Creek. We got houses here and wintered. During the winter we made a selection of land on a Clifty Creek west of Greensburg and near where the town of Hartsville now stands.

By this time (1827) the eighty acres of land promised to me had dwindled to forty acres. On this I commenced, in a dense forest with the wolves howling all around us. Here is that the price of my life. The country abounded in deer. There was not much other game except turkeys. An occasional panther passed through the settlement. I can hear tell some seemingly unreasonable tales, though true, which occurred in my hunting excursions. For instance, killing two large beer at one shot, shooting want and scaring another until it ran against a tree and killed itself, and killing two deer in one day in carrying the same ball that killed them both home with me in my gun at night etc. etc.

During the winter of 1828 there was quite a revival among the Baptists. They preached from house-to-house in the old Apostolic style and the Lord blessed their labors to the saving of many precious souls. I attended the meetings with my wife and became awakened to a sense of my condition. By refuge of self-righteousness was all swept away. I saw myself a ruined and lost sinner. I was deeply penitent and like them of old required, "Men and brethren, what must I do to be saved?" The answer was the same as then,

"Believe and be baptized and thou shall be saved." I went to God in secret prayer at night, morning, and noon. The very beating of my heart were, "Lord, save or I perish." At last, God, in His goodness, turned my mourning into joy. I could praise Him nor did I care had the whole world been there at that time. I saw a fullness in Jesus to save whole world nor do I now view His mercy less from that time to this. I have made many a crooked step. I have followed my Savior at two great a distance. I was received into the Baptist Church called Union after my immersion in the middle fork of Clifty by one Adam Cantwell. Here some of the old pioneers preached the Word. Among them were Daniel Stagsdill, Mignor Baas, James McEwin, John Vaniter Sr., and John Vaniter Jr., Thos. Hill, John Reese Jr.

In the year 1829 on the ninth day of January, we had another son born whom we called Robert Johnson Hiner. He now resides in Miami County, Kansas.

On the 22nd day of November 1830, we had a daughter born whom we called Sally for my wife's mother.
On the 14th day of October 1831, we had another son whom we called James Freeman Hiner.
On the 19th day of May 1834, we had another son whom we called Eldridge Hopkins Hiner. He now resides in California.
On the 12th day of December 1836, we had another daughter born whom we called Abiah for mother who died about thirty hours after her accouchement. These were days of sorrow to my poor heart. However about five years before her death, I had been elected and Justice of the Peace. This brought me much in contact with my fellow man. The time passed more swiftly than it otherwise would have done. About this time my term in office expired, however, the people elected me again to the same office. On the 17th day of November 1837, I again intermarried with one in Charlotte Gray, a beautiful young widow with whom I lived, never more happily in my life, for something over six years, when it pleased God to take her to Himself of which I have no doubt whatever. Oh, that we may all be as ready and happy in death as she was! This was another heavy affliction, though mingled with joy, knowing that she had gone to heaven and was free from the cares of this world from which she almost entirely relieved me during her short stay with me. My wife, Charlotte, bore three children to me; namely, Samuel, Nancy and Henry Clay. Samuel was born August 8th 1838, Nancy was born November 30th, 1840 and Henry Clay born February 26th 1843. After the death of my beloved wife, I was ill-prepared to keep house and could not bear the idea of separating my children or of breaking up housekeeping. My first wife's brother, Eldridge Hopkins, who lived joining formed with me, took my little son Henry Clay, to raise. He, being only about 6 months old was too young for us to take care of. Mrs. Hopkins being a very amiable lady, I was well satisfied and well pleased to have her be, as it were a mother to my motherless child. How well they acquitted themselves in training up my son and the way he should go, I leave with the Hopkins and entirely to subject to their control until he married. This he did very young, I think about at the age of nineteen years.

In my lonely condition after the death of my wife, I formed the acquaintance of a young lady by the name of Lucinda D. Osman to whom I was married on the 21st day of November 1843, and with whom I lived very agreeably for some 20 months when Death laid his icy hand upon her and took her away. She was a devoted Christian, a kind and affectionate companion and a good stepmother. She bore me one son who was born September 10th 1844. We called him of Lafayette. Now for the third time, by was left a widow or. It was surprising to me to see what interest some of the young ladies, as well as some of the older ones, took in my welfare. Whoever, on the 10th day of January 1847, I married again to one Eliza B. Johnson who had come from Louisiana to Indiana to see to the education of a younger brother. At the time of writing this she had born to me nine children, seven of whom are now living, to wit; Zachary Taylor Hiner, J. Lacy Hiner, Hartsell Hiner, Emma L. Hiner, Elizabeth V. Hiner, Edwin S. Hiner, and Louisiana Hiner (Joseph and Frank having died in the fall of 1865).

In the year 184? I was elected one of the Associate Judges of Bartholomew County. This office I filled for nearly seven years, I being a Henry Clay Whig although the Democracy (so called) had a majority of some 500 in the county.

Near the close of the term for which I was elected judge, at the solicitation of many of the best men of the county I consented to have my name used as a candidate for the legislature. But this was more than unterrified, whiskey drinking and democracy could stand for. I would neither buy whiskey myself for them nor allow my friends to do so. Consequently, I was left at home. The leading Democrats of the county on several occasions proposed to me that if I join their party they would send me to the legislature and by that means I could go higher, perhaps to the U.S. Congress. My political sentiments were fixed and religiously observed, consequently I was not their man. Neither did I wish to be on their terms. This was the only time that I was ever defeated for office and was the last time that I ever ran.