HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                          149

than in the commercial history of any other pioneer town of the county.
No one now living is able to bring them all to mind. A former history
of the county makes the statement that in 1825 Abner Hill opened the first
store at this place, the first in the county. This statement, however, is
contradicted, not as to fact but as to name—that the name of this pioneer
merchant should have been given as Abner Hall. Jesse McIntyre, John
M. Melton, John Rizley, Jesse J. Burton, Hanna & Williams, and Shal-
lum Thomas were among the very early merchants of the town. Others
were Moss & Sloan, Wakefield & Parker, R. M. Wingate, Elkin & Son,
0. H. P. Ash, D. A. Conover, Elisha Adamson, Wingate & Peyton, Pey-
ton & Thompson, Black & Thompson, Long, Orman & Keith, Long, Not—
ter & Murbarger, Barr & Boothe, Senseney & Smith, F. M. Pickins,
Thompson & Thompson, W. S. Geiger, A. J. Montgomery, McGregor &
Son, Givens & Dial, Royer Brothers, Dresler & McCann, Tapy & Gil-
brech (furniture), J. C. Horton (jewelry, etc.), Shaffer & Son (stoves
and tinware), Waugh & Orman (stoves, etc.).
    Bowling Green was the first and is the oldest postoffice in the county,
through which have passed during the time it has been in business over
three hundred tons of mail. It was made a money-order office August 6,
1866. There is no one now living who can enumerate in regular succes-
sion the postmasters at this office. Thomas Harvey, James Gildea, Jesse
J.  Burton and John S. Beam were among the very early ones. Clinton
M. Thompson and 0. H. P. Ash officiated in this position more than fifty
years ago. Then came J. M. Vial, Samuel Miles, Lewis Rice, Samuel
Pinckley, Abner Bohannon, W. H. Miles, Charles Cochran, Charles
Smith, William Folsom, Harry Rodenberger, Samuel Carrithers, Walter
C. Smith.
    Bowling Green was incorporated in the year 1871. A petition having
been filed with the Board of Commissioners at the March term of court,
an election to take the preliminary vote was called, which was held on
the 3d day of April, when 96 votes were cast, 77 in favor and 19 against
the proposition. The first election of town officers was held on the 30th
day of June following, when William H. Atkins, Enos Miles and Fred
Stucki were elected Trustees; Luther Wolfe, Marshal and Assessor;
Hiram Teter, Clerk and Treasurer. An assessment of the incorporated
territory for purposes of taxation showed a valuation. of $171,479. The
town had previously been incorporated, at some time in the forties or
early fifties, perhaps, but for reasons which do not now appear, the organ-
ization was not maintained. Succeeding the later incorporation the town
authorities proceeded to build the substantial two-story department brick
school house, on the south side of the town, which has now been used
for the third of a century, by which the ability of the municipality to pay
was overburdened, the bonds having been issued for the purpose remain-
ing still unpaid.
    The old court-house, which has been used by the town as a public
hall since its vacation by the county, may continue to serve in this capacity
for another period of a third of a century.
    The Free Masons, Odd Fellows and Knights and Ladies of Honor
maintain lodges here. The first named is the oldest, having been insti-
tuted sixty years ago, and is reputed to be one of the strongest in the
state. This society recently celebrated the event of its having reached the
one hundred mark in membership.
    The population of Bowling Green as shown by the census of 1900