HISTORY OF
ORANGE COUNTY

CHAPTER 6

It is erroneously thought that the town of Paoli was originally laid out by Jonathan Lindley on land belonging to himself the year before the county of Orange was created, though this is a mistake quite natural and is readily understood when the facts are known. The land upon which the original town was laid out - the northeast quarter of Section 1, Township 1 north, Range 1 west-was purchased from the Government by Thomas Lindley May 27, 1815, and the northwest and southwest quarters of the same section were purchased by Thomas Hopper, September 12, 1811. Early in 1816 the county of Orange came into existence under an act of the Legislature (see elsewhere) which appointed five Commissioners to visit the county, examine all the eligible sites. and permanently fix the seat of justice. This was done, the Commissioners fixing upon the northeast quarter of Section 1, above mentioned, on the land of Thomas Lindley. As they wanted more land than the northeast quarter, they also selected a tract of seventy acres on the east side of the northwest quarter of the same section, owned by Thomas Hopper. It became necessary for the Commissioners to secure the transfer of the title of this land to the county, and accordingly they bought of Thomas Lindley all of the northeast quarter-160 acres-for $1,000, and seventy acres of Thomas Hopper on the northwest quarter for $500, or a total of 230 acres for $1,500 bought for county purposes. At the time this land was conveyed to the county, certificates of sale were made out, and Lindley and Hopper were required to enter into bond with good and sufficient security to complete the conveyance by deed to the county. Lindley did this April 23, 1817, and Hopper April 22, 1817, or about one year after the sale of the land, and over a year after the creation of the county and the establishment of Paoli as the seat of justice. For some reason unknown to the writer, Lindley received only $800 for his land, though Hopper received $500, the amount named in the certificate and the deed. It is thought that Lindley received several lots in Paoli in lieu of the other $200.

The reason why Jonathan Lindley came in for so much credit and prominence in the affairs of the town now follows. At the first meeting of the County Board in the early spring of 1816 Jonathan Lindley was appointed County Agent, with full authority to have the county seat laid out into lots, and to transact all business concerning the land bought as above mentioned for county purposes. In his official capacity as County Agent he made out every deed to lot buyers, sold every lot, received the proceeds, whether in the form of money or negotiable or other paper, and on the other hand received the deeds in his own name, but in his official capacity, of the land purchased of Thomas Lindiey and Thomas Hopper by the Locating Commissioners. In other words, he bought this land as County Agent, but as a matter of fact did not own it himself at all. By virtue of his office, and under the direction of the County Board, he laid out 223 lots in April, 1816, a plat of the new town of Paoli being made on a large sheet of paper and copied into "Deed Record A," in the Recorder's Office. The first sale of lots, which occurred in April, 1816, aggregated proceeds to the amount of $6,423. Lots sold for as high as $300, and many of the settlers living in the vicinity of the town became buyers. The fact that all the transfers of these lots were made by Jonathan Lindley, and the further fact that he laid out the town as County Agent, gave rise to the present prevailing belief that he laid out the town originally on his own land.

THE EARLIEST RESIDENT FAMILIES

Although many lots were sold at the first and subsequent sales, the growth of the town was slow, owing to the fact that many of the lots were bought for purposes of speculation. Among the earliest families to locate in the town were those of James Pearson, John Pickard, John Brown, William Hoggatt, Daniel Dunihue, Jesse Towel, James Sutton, Zachariah Lindley, Jacob Dishon, Joshua Nichols, Mark Trueblood William Runnells, Jonathan Jones, Thomas Fulton, Jonathan Lindley, Ebenezer Doan, and a little later John McVey, Thomas Lindley, James Clark, Maj. Charles Dewey, Alexander Kearby, John Patton, Dr. Allen, Ephraim Doan, Abraham Bosley, Duncan Darrock, Jonathan Braxtan, John G. Cleudenin, Thomas F. Chapman, Enoch Blanchard, Thomas Stephens, Josiah Hazlewood, Daniel Dayhuff, Robert Liggett. Joseph Potts, Joseph Strain. Robert Paterson, Zachariali Moorman, Edmund Newby, J. T. Throop, John Dawson, J. Johnson, Hiram Braxtan, Gabriel Baldwin. Alfred Athon, B. Johnson, Thomas Coffin, William A. Bowles, F. Liggett, Thomas J. Brooks, Solomon Bryant, William Freeman, James Collins, Matthias Lemon, David Adams, Abraham Osborn, Elijah Atkinson and several others. The above list comprises all the leading families, but few, of the town prior to 1830.

EARLY BUSINESS INTERESTS

o far as can be learned, James Pearson was the first to sell goods in Paoli. He obtained his license in 1816 within a few months after the lots were laid out and sold, so that if any one preceded him it was only by a very short time. It is asserted that James Russell sold goods in the town in 1816, but of this nothing trustworthy could be learned. Mark Trueblood opened a tavern in 1817, but James Pearson was the first tavern-keeper as well as the first store-keeper and liquor-Seller. John Brown was the "stray keeper" in 1848. Daniel Dunihue opened a tavern and bar in 1818, as did also William Runnells. Samuel Chambers began selling goods in 1822, and Thomas F. Chapman, Robert Liggett and John G. Clendenin about the same time, or in 1823. Edmund Newby and John Dawson opened separate stores in 1824. Hiram Braxtan brought in a store in about 1825. At this time the leading merchants were Chapman, Pearson, Clendenin, Braxtan, Dawson, Newby and Liggett. They all had small stores of general merchandise, such as was needed in the woods at that day. Nearly all, if not all, kept liquor on their counters for their patrons. Abigail Chapman was in business in 1826, and Joseph Potts started a store at that date. Ephraim Doan engaged in merchandising in 1828, as did Wible and Lingle. William A. Bowles opened a liquor store in 1828. Thomas J. Brooks & Co. brought in about $2,000 worth of goods in 1829. J. & B. Johnson also opened a good general store. Matthias Lemon was one of the tavern-keepers at this time. Solomon Bryant and William Freeman were selling liquor. Liggett kept tavern. David Adams began with a store in 1830; Doan & Hagan did likewise about the same time. Patrick Dougherty opened a tavern in 1831. H. M. Kennedy commenced selling liquor in 1831. as did also Alexander Morris. Alexander Moulder opened a store in 1832. Bowles & Morris formed a partnership in the liquor business in 1832. Ephraim Doan was tavernkeeper in 1833. The merchants at this time were Newby, Braxtan, the Johnsons. Adams, Clendenin, Moulder. Isaac H. Pierce sold liquor in 1833; also Josiah Hazlewood. In 1834 Abner W. Wilson, Joseph Johnson, Jonathan Lindley, Josiah Hazlewood, Isaac H. Pierce, and perhaps others had liquor shops in town. So much drunkenness resulted from this that the great majority of the citizens of the town petitioned the County Board not to grant any more liquor licenses, but the Commissioners refused the prayer of the petitioners and continued to issue licenses, for $50 per year. This was a source of revenue which they could not well do without, they doubtless thought. The town had a newspaper at this time. Alexander and William Moulder had a large store, in 1834. William Lindley and Abraham White in partnership opened a fine general store in 1834. Bowles, Dixon, White and Windom were the resident physicians. Campbell & Simpson were in the mercantile business in 1835, and William Braxtan also. Alexander Moulder engaged in the liquor business in 1837. If one man could have obtained a monopoly on the liquor business then, he could have made his fortune in a few years. John T. Throop had a store in 1838. In 1839-40 the merchants were: J. H. Campbell, Lindley & White, J. G. Clendenin, Zachariah Moornan, John T. Throop, Polson, McGuire & Co., J. T. Mox. ley, Hiran Braxtan, Henry Jordan, and perhaps others. Mrs. Meriam kept the old "Mansion House." Mrs. Ruth Bray was milliner and mantaumaker. Pat Dougherty and Grigsby & Albert were tailors. S. Campbell. Jr., sold saddles and harness. Henry Miller and W. E. Liston conducted cabinet shops. A. Davis owned a small store. Campbell & Simpson had drugs. Peter Coruwell and William Marshall were hatters. Col. John Murray kept the hotel "Union Hall," in which was the customary bar; he also kept a feed stable. Z. Moorman sold drugs. Payne, Guyer and McGargy were shoemakers. The above were the leading merchants. liquor dealers, hotel-keepers. etc.. before 1840.

MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES

Ephraim Doan was a hatter; so were John Dawson and Thomas Stevens. These men began late in the twenties to manufacture fine fur hats from the fur of coon, otter, mink, beaver, etc. It is said that this industry at its most prosperous period in the town turned out over 500 hats in one year and that each sold for from $5 to S12. Dawson at first worked for Doan, but later opened an establishmnent of his own. These establishments supplied a large section of country with hats which would often last ten or twelve years. In about 1828 David Adams, who had before taught several terms of school in the town, erected a small building and began the manufacture of black salts. He bought large quantities of wood ashes from the surrounding country, would often go to the huge log heaps after the same had been converted into ashes and load his wagon and take the ashes to town, paying from 3 cents to 7 cents per bushel in money at first, but later, after he had started his store, giving goods in exchange for ashes. He hauled the salts to Louisville and brought back loads of goods to be given to his patrons; or sometimes he shipped the salts by flat-boat down the streams to Southern markets, where his goods were purchased. William Lynch manufactured plows. William H. Hudelson says that the first plow he ever owned he obtained from Lynch in 1831, by trading ashes to Adams, and then with the proceeds buying the plow of Lynch. Alexander Moulder was also a hatter in Paoli late in the thirties. His father, Jacob Moulder, who lived about three miles east, was one of the first wheelwrights in the county, and for years furnished the settlers for miles around with large and small wheels and all the articles necessary for spinning and weaving. Early in the thirties John T. Throop and Zachariah Moorman manufactured an improved wheat fan, which they peddled in wagons throughout the surrounding country, charging $25 each. Thomas Coffin was a saddler and harness-maker. Josiah Hazlewood was aa excellent blacksmith. Thomas Lindley owned a small water grist-mill near Mavity's. John Brown was also a miller, his building standing as early as 1822 near the fair ground. It was a tread-mill operated by both horses and oxen.

After a few years he and Abe Osborn built a grist-mill on Lost River. Old Man Stevens, fatber of Thomas Stevens, was a Methodist minister, who often preached for the society at Paoli. James Clark was a tanner, and manufactured a considerable quantity of leather, which he sold mostly at Louisville; he made considerable buck-skin also. He had about twelve vats, and about five or six hands. It is said that the hatters of Paoli employed a total of ten men to carry on that industry. Jesse Towel, who lived about where Abraham Noblitt now lives, owned a sawmill on Lick Creek, which supplied the town with poplar, walnut and oak or other lumber. The liquor sold in the town was brought mainly from Louisville, though Bosley, Pinnick, et al., who owned distilleries in the county, furnished considerable. The home distillers furnished a good market for corn and rye. If they did no better they would maunfacture grain into liquor on shares, but quite often they would buy the grain. Early in the twenties W. H. Hudelson, then a small boy, was sent by his father with about fifteen bushels of rye, for which a market could not be found, to Bosley's distillery, near Chambersburg, and the proprietor agreed to make the grain into whisky on shares, and accordingly did. There were several kegs of it, all of them being traded off except one. One of the Clouds owned and operated a combined saw and grist-mill down the creek from Paoli at an early day, It was well patronized. Clark's tannery was started as early as 1824, and soon afterward two others were started by Mr. Peck and Jere Merritt. All three ran quite extensively during the remainder of the twenties and all of the thirties. This was an important industry, as large quantities of hides were tanned and shipped to Louisville. They were discontinued early in the forties. Late in the forties Thomas N. Braxtan began to manufacture a considerable quantity of oilstones, whetstones, etc., which became famous all over the country for their excellence, and were shipped to England, where they found a ready market, being in great demand. He continued this business for many years, even to within a short time ago. He employed five to ten hands.

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