CHAPTER XIX.

            SETTLEMENT OF BEE RIDGE AND INSTITUTION OF THE

                            PIONEER CHURCH.

    In the geography and history of Clay county “Bee Ridge” has been
a familiar name for three-quarters of a century. It designates a locality
in Dick Johnson township, an elevation, or ridge, on the south side of
Otter creek, crossed by the old Bowling Green-Rockville road, a mile
and a half north of the old Kennedy crossing of the National Road.
It was given this name by the early settlers because of the many bee-trees
found there in pioneer times. “Bee Ridge” has all along served a
triple purpose—naming a locality, a church and a school. One of the
earliest colonies, or settlements, in the county was planted on this terri-
tory and the immediate surroundings. Settlements were made, also,
correspondingly, in point pf time, at Williamstown, Cloverland and the
Wools hill, in Posey township. The colonization of this territory dates
back four score years. For the period of the first ten years, from 1828
up to and including 1838, the coming of the founders of this colony and
their immediate successors, as remembered by the oldest survivors, may
be enumerated as follows: John Huffman, Sr., and family of four
sons—Jacob, John, Abram and Henry Huffman—Jacob Goodrich, Daniel
Webster, Luke Akers, Joshua Webster, Lewis Fortner, Stephen Barn-
more, Alexander Cabbage, John S. Downing, John S. Yocum, Francis
B.  Yocum, Berryman James, Hiram Fortner, William Yocum, John
Stewart, James Fortner, Pleasant Baldwin, William Fortner, Thomas
James, George W. McCullough, Arnold Cabbage, Jonathan Murphy,
Daniel Dunlavy, James Downing, William Wyatt, John Lewis, Jesse
Sanders, Charles Culver, Nathan Compton, John Summerville, Peter
Sarchett, George W. Willoughby.
    Bee Ridge church was the first religious society in the north end
of the county, organized in the year 1833, at Elder Lewis Fortner's
house, Elders Crossley and Scrogans participating in its institution. Of
the membership of the original organization there is now no one living,
Mrs. Orpha Cabbage and Mrs. Mary Tiffee having been the last survivors.
Having no house of worship, meetings were held from house to house
among the membership. At some time the following year (1834) Elders
Fortner, Crossley and Scrogans emigrated westward, when Elder Will-
iam Yocum followed in their footsteps, holding meetings at the respective
residences, preaching the word and exhorting the brethren. Within the
three years following came Elders Jonathan Murphy and William Wyatt.
Having then held a series of meetings, Francis B. Yocum and Alexander
Cabbage were ordained, who took an active part in promoting the cause

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