HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                      105

leaving Harrison and Lewis townships unrepresented. On the 1st of
September, this board adopted a premium list, and appointed the fair for
the 22d and 23d days of October, but one day only was given to the
exhibition.
    On the 3d of September, 1856, the board convened, and chose Will-
iam L. Cromwell, president; N. D. Walker, vice president; Milton A.
Osborn, secretary; and Hale C. Conaway, treasurer, for the ensuing
year. The directors chosen for the third year were Alfred West, Posey
township; W. F. McCullough, Dick Johnson; Thomas Snow, Van
Buren; William Lowdermilk, Jackson; George Donbam, Perry; Calvin
Reed, Lewis; G. W. Duncan, Harrison; James P. Thomas, Washington;
George Grimes, Sugar Ridge, and Samuel Rizley, Cass. At this meeting
it was determined to hold the fair for the year 1856 at Center Point, on
the first Friday and Saturday of October. More than two hundred arti-
cles were entered for competition at this exhibition. Martin H. Kennedy
then proposed to donate four acres of ground for the use of the society on
condition that the fair be permanently located at Center Point, which
proposition was accepted at a meeting held at that place on the 8th of
November following.
    The next meeting of the society was held at Bowling Green, April 8,
1857, when all accounts and claims were audited and a number of new
members received. The president reported that he had one-half pound Chi-
nese sugar cane seed for the use of the society. By motion, it was resolved
to divide the seed equally among Ira Allen, M. H. Kennedy, A. J. Baber
and John Murbarger, with a request to cultivate to the best advantage and
exhibit specimens of the product at the next annual fair. The act of the
society in locating the grounds at Center Point, for some cause, was not
regular and not recognized by the state department. On the 30th of
May following, at a meeting held at Bowling Green, to consider permanent
location for five years, A. J. Baber submitted the following propostion:
“For the location anywhere in Lewis township, the citizens of said town-
ship will sign 100 members at $1 each, provide five acres of suitable land,
well fenced, together with all necessary sheds, stalls, feed, water, etc., and
$50 in cash.” This proposition was laid on the table, and a special com-
mittee appointed to co-operate with the board of directors in canvassing
for donations and further propositions on permanent location. On the
11th of August, at a meeting held at Bowling Green, it was determined
definitely to locate at Center Point. Exhibitions were held annually on
this ground until the expiration of the five years, when, at a meeting held
at Center Point on the first day of November, 1862, the society voted to
relocate at Bowling Green.
    The grounds at Center Point, as first located, were on the north
side of Main street, or Bowling Green-Brazil road, but two years later
moved over onto the grounds adjoining the town plat on the south side,
in order to vacate the site on which the grist-mill was located and built.
When relocated at Bowling Green, the site procured was seven acres on
the Campbell place, a half-mile south of the town, with a privilege of
eight years.
    The war having broken out and absorbed the public attention, and
many of those prominent in the society having enlisted in the service of
their country, active interest in matters pertaining to the society waned
for a time. But the following year the accommodations on the ground
were removed to Bowling Green, where several efforts were made to