Jefferson County, West Virginia       The Autobiography of Lemuel GLASSCOCK

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AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF LEMUEL GLASSCOCK

The attached is the 27 page autobiograph of Lemuel Glasscock.  Lemuel
grew up in Jefferson Co, (then Virginia), WV.  Many names and places are
mentioned.
                      
                                
                      THE LIFE AND TRAVELS
                               OF
                        LEMUEL GLASSCOCK
          


                            Forward

     This autobiography was written by Lemuel Glasscock about 1840 while he was
in prison in West Union, Adams County Ohio.  Lemuels book is part of the Library
of Congress rare books collection and as far as I know it is the only existing copy.
It was collected in 1870 by the library.

     The original has some damage that makes it difficult or impossible to read some
of the words. Where these damaged passages occur I have used italic print for my 
interpretation of the words.  I have left the spelling and punctuation as it was 
written.  I did capitalize all names for the benefit of researchers.  I also have
included notes in parentheses in italics. 

     The original book was printed with different size fonts probably because it
was printed in a small print shop, in Maysville Kentucky about 1841, with limited
type face, this is why some pages have more or less print on them, I kept the words 
on the same pages as the original book.  This page in the original book was blank.

     Lemuel was later released from prison, I do not know under what circumstance,
and moved his family to Lewis County, Missouri where he remained until his death.  
Date of death undocumented as of this date.


Transcribed by Larry Parks, December 1999.  
Lemuel Glasscock was my 3th great grandfather.


Library of Congress

                    LC Control Number:  ca 17000508
                    Call Number:        CT275.G48 A3
27 p. 24 cm.

     LEMUEL GLASSCOCK, a son of PETER GLASSCOCK and SARAH his wife, was born
in Fauquier county, Virginia, on the 16th of May, 1801.  My father being a house 
carpenter and a poor man, about five years from my birth, concluded to quit the 
business and try some other occupation for a livelihood.  He finally did so, and
moved over what is called the Blue Ridge mountain, in Jefferson county, Va (now WV).
On a small stream called Blue Skin (Bullskin Run).  He there got in with a man by
the name of HENRY GANT, to be overseer for him, and remained in his employ three
or four years.  By this time he had gained right smart to the world.  My mother 
had two children living, my sister HARRIET and myself, having lost several.  She 
being in bad health, the doctor advised her to take a child and raise it and finally
one was brought to her.  The child was about two weeks old and my mother took it 
and raised it.  About this time my father had a better offer made him in Frederick 
county, by a man named ORR, a doctor, and he accepted it.  He was to get a certain
share of the crop, and he raised abundance of wheat, and grain then demanding a high 
price he picked up in the world very fast.  About this time I was sent to school.  
I was yet a small and mischievious boy, and cared nothing about learning.  
My father's time with ORR, with whom he had lived for years, being up, and his name 
of being a good farmer was also up and was spread all through the country far and 
wide.  And now the rich men of that country was anxious to get him to do business
for them.  Now Judge WASHINGTON (Justice of the Supreme Court Bushrod Washington),
guardian of JOHN A. and BUSHROD C. WASHINGTON, his nephews, who had very large estates
left them hearing my father was a good farmer and sober man, employed him to farm 
the young men's estates.  Their farms were in Jefferson co; on the road leading 
from Charles Town to Winchester. The farm my father lived on lay near a place called
the white house (White House Spring, near Summit Point WV) , about three miles from
the other two farms.  I think he had about three hundred negroes under his notice. 
He received a certain share  of all that was raised on each farm.  I remember he 
drew at one place the tenth, at another the eleventh, at another the twelfth of all
that was raised on the farm.  He had considerable money to loan but on interest. 
My sister and I were kept at school as the school house was very handy to my father's.
I was a very mischievous boy and did not like to go to school as my bad conduct 
occasioned a frequent application of the birch necessary.  It did but little good
however, for if I got off with one whipping a day I did remarkably well.  About 
this time my sister ELIZABETH was born.  There were then four of us with the one
who was adopted into the family.  She appeared as dear to me as any of the rest, 
and in fact there was no difference made by my parents between us.  About this 
time the war between Great Britain and America.  My father now joined the old 
regular baptist church.  He then held family worship in his house regularly.  He 
would often talked to me, and told me of the goodness of God, and how God loved 
good boys and girls who obey their parents and love him and keep his commandments,
and love to read good books, and go to meeting, and behave themselves well while
there, and pay strict attention to what the preacher says.  He also told me, also
what became of bad boys, who disobey their parents, who do not love God not keep
his commandments, but go on sinning against a most holy just and merciful God. 
He would offer up prayers in my behalf.  But it appeared as if it were all in vain,
for, when out of his sight I was as bad as ever.  He never permitted me to swear. 
If he heard of my having done so I was sure to catch a drubbing.  I never heard 
him swear or utter a profane word.    Some time in 1814 or '15, I was afflicted 
with the white swelling to my right ancle, which stopped me from going to school,
and kept me under the doctor's hands for a long time. They told me I was out of 
my senses, and the doctor thought they would have to cut off my leg and ??? it to
my father, who told him to save it as long as he could, for says be??? a ???? of 
a foot is better than none.  He paid the doctor $50 ??? ??ing for attending upon 
me.  When I got better there were thirty six small s???? of bones come out of my 
ancle, and for near two years I went to school on crutches.  At school I was kept
whenever I was able to go and badly enough I hated it.  I was put a English
Grammar and hated it so bad I hid my book and said I lost it.  They talked of 
sending to town to get me another book.  I thought I might as well get my old 
on as to put them to the trouble of getting a new one.  The teachers name was 
EDWARD HALY.  He was so severe that I seldom passed a day without a whipping.  
Whilst writing a circumstance which happened about this time recurs to my
mind.  I concluded within myself not to be abused any longer.  So I got me a 
butcher knife and made a scabbard for it, and carried it inside my vest concealed
from any one, and set a firm resolution that if the teacher under took to whip 
me that day, to kill him.  I was so determined to kill him that I never
once attempted that morning to get my task in grammar.  When we came to school 
we were as usual called on to recite.  When the teacher asked if I had the lesson 
I answered boldly, No sir!  He did not request the reason as he had always done 
before, nor did he keep me in at play time.  I have often times thought of that
circumstance and do believe a kind providence prevented him from whipping
me that day and me from carrying the knife any more: for I lay and studied about
it that night and saw it would not do.  I left my knife at home ever afterwards.  
The next day I went to school but did not escape a drubbing.  I formed a 
resolution within myself if I ever lived to be a man to compensate EDWARD HALY, 
if his head was as white as a sheet, for his kindness to me when a boy.  Now my
dear readers, in 1825 I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. HALY.  I was then 23 years
old I had moved a family from Harrison co. Ky. To Frederick co.  After visiting 
some time among my relations and friends I started home and concluded to take 
Harpers Ferry in my route.  That night I put up a William's Hotel and next 
morning I rose very early and walked out in the porch and the first man I
saw was EDWARD HALY; and I knew him very well although it had been nearly 
ten years since I had seen him.  The promise I had made came into my mind.  
I thought in a moment it will never so to fulfil that promise.  For at that 
time I was young and called very stout, having a short time before whipped 
the bully of that county.  I walked up to him and said good morning, Mr. HALY.  
Says he, "sir, you have the advantage of me."  "O no sir, I reckon not.  Do
you not remember the boy you used to whip so much at the White house when you 
taught there?"  I expect he saw something in my countenance that was not right.
Says he, "is this LEMUEL GLASSCOCK?"  "Yes sir."  "Really." Says he.  
"You have grown out of my knowledge.   LEMUEL, you were a very bad boy."  
"Yes sir, but you whipped me often when I did not deserve it."  
"Yes but often when you did deserve it I did not whip you, so the accoun's about 
balance.  Let's take some bitters."  After washing I went into the bar room 
with him and drank good friends and parted.

     My father kept me to school constantly about the time the soldiers were 
marching to Norfolk. I yet had to go on crutches, and wanted to go with them
but my mother made the negroes bring bring me back.  Had my health permitted 
I would have gone, in spite of my parents.  My father compelled me to write 
every night, what the negroes had done during the day.  This improved me in
writing very fast, so that I was considered a tolerably good scribe.  Whilst 
I had to walk on crutches BUSHROD WASHINGTON gave me a horse to ride, and 
JOHN A. WASHINTON gave me a saddle and bridle. I was then fixed off completely,
for it was my delight to work amongst horses and was considered a first rate
hand with them.  I loved horses much better than my book.  Little cared I about
learning, though being kept at it constantly I could not help learning some. 
My father would often make me read to him Sundays, and this mortified me
exceedingly, so that whenever I could slip away from him he seldom ever saw
me till night.  Hunting, fishing or in some other way profaning the sabbath day,
were my occupations at such times.  About this time my brother, JOHN P. GLASSCOCK, 
was born. My father still kept me at school and badly enough I hated it.  
Had I been as studious as some boys I might have been as good a scholar as
the state of Virginia could afford, as I was kept at school, off and on 
eight years, and but little good did it do me.  My parents were kind and
tender, for being the oldest son they thought the world and all of me, and 
did all they could to bring me up in credit, but I was bad and mischievious 
and had to be often scourged, and was never hit amiss except when struck
at and missed.  When I went to school it was customary for teachers to have 
an exhibition or examination once a year.  The last school master, to whom 
I went, had one, and the subscribers throw in and made a great dinner.  
Many people attended, for they came in from every quarter and it was
almost like a camp meeting.  A large stand was erected and curtains put
up to screen us from the people until we came out to speak, and also for 
us to shift our clothing, as we had to dress in different forms according
to our speeches or dialogues.  I had a part in several dialogues and had
learned a speech of sixteen pages in a book.  The small scholars were 
called on first.  I was the largest boy in school and therefore supposed 
they would expect something grand from me.  Being called on I came
out from behind the curtain to speak my piece.  Seeing as many people 
before me, some in carriages, others on the benches I was so intimidated
I could not recollect the first word of my piece.  The teacher being seated 
behind me with the book open spoke the first word, and at length the fright
let me, and he said I never missed a word nor a stop nor a shift of the 
hand nor foot of the whole sixteen pages.  When once I got a start I spoke
bold as a lawyer.  Shortly after this, my father took me from school and 
put me to work which pleased me much.  My father continued doing business 
for the WASHINGTONS for six years; and in that time he had collected a 
considerable amount of money and got in a great notion of the western country.
This was in the year 1817.  So he wound up his business and prepared for 
moving to the west.  He bought two wagons and sold out his property and
hired a man to take us out to Brownsville (WV).  We were about two weeks 
getting to Brownsville.  The roads were very bad.  I was taken sick on the
road and my father had to hire a wagoner to drive his team.  My father 
bought an Odean boat which cost him near one hundred dollars.   We remained
at Brownsville four days.  The creek arose suddenly and broke the boat loose;
a man caught it a few miles below, and took it across the river, to the 
mouth of Red Stone.  We there parted the wagons and put them in the boat.  
He also took two other families in his boat.  We came down to Maysville
(KY), and here my father rented a small house for which he paid $10 dollars
per month rent and $4.50 for a small stable.  From this place my father moved 
to Fleming county (KY) and remained there during the winter of 1818.  The
next spring he came over the river on the little east fork of Eagle
creek (near Ripley OH) and rented a farm of the Rev. JOHN MEEKS.  Shortly
afterwards Mr. MEEK moved to West Union (OH), I remember a circumstance 
that took place before Mr. MEEK moved away.  I was working with my horsed 
in his barn yard and got in a pet and used words that I ought not to have 
used Mr. MEEK thought it was his duty to chastise me.  I did not like it 
and you may depend my answer was not such as one he should have been
returned to a preacher giving me good advice.  My father sold his road
wagon for $175, and his negro woman for $500.  In the fall of 1818 he went
into Logan co, Ky, and bought 365 acres of land and was to give $1110 for 
it.  What amount he paid down I do not know, but he did not pay all.  At 
that time he got out of the notion of moving into Kentucky and gave his 
papers into JOHN WILKIN'S hands, to sell or trade for land in Ohio.  My 
mother and myself were very much opposed to trusting it in WILKIN'S
hands but whenever I said any thing to father about it he would say 
"whenever I want to do any thing my wife or children are against it."  
I then desisted and WILKINS cheated him out of his land.  All he ever
got for it was a rifle worth $87.50 and one barrel of cider.  WILKINS 
was man of property but he put it all out of his hands so it could not 
be come at, and so it stands to this day.  In the spring of 1819 my 
father built a house on Mr. JOHN LANEY'S land, joining Mr. MEEK'S place
and there remained some years.  He and myself turned in to making wheat
fans and trunks.  We also made considerable by Wagoning, for wagons were
very scarce in this country at that time.  My father was a very industrious
man and a man who strove hard to bring his family up in credit though he had
become poor through the rascality of others.  It is the worst plan in the 
world to trust too much to other people's honors.

     Now in the spring of 1821, I was taken down with the pleurisy and lay 
under the doctor's hands for some time.  It was not expected that I would 
live; in fact the doctor gave up all hopes, but through the kind and tender
mercies of God my health was restored to me.  When I got well it appeared
as though I had been in a dream.  The reason was I suppose, because I had
been out of my senses the greater part of the time during my sickness.  
I promised to do better for the future, but soon became as bad as ever.  
My old grandfather who lived about a quarter of a mile from my father's, 
would often talk to me and give me good advice.  He was at that time eighty 
years of age and had been one of the first Baptists in Virginia; but it 
appeared that as much advise as he gave me was all to no purpose.  Like 
young people generally I cared nothing for advice, and thought it would
be time enough to serve the Lord when I got old.  At that time, it is true,
I was very wicked but I made but very little use of spirituous liquor, 
though my father always kept it since my first remembrance.  He could 
scarcely ever get me to taste a drop of it unless it was sweetened, I would
then sometimes take a dram.  But, dear reader, it is a growing evil, and in 
the course of a few years I became very fond of it, and when I got in good
company, as I considered it, would drink a little too much; and wagoning 
and boating is the worst business a young man can go at for they get into all
sorts of company particularly bad company.  In 1822, my father moved to 
ROBERT SIMPSON'S place.  We rented land of JAMES TAYLOR, and LEWIS JONES, 
which we put in corn.  We had to go a great ways to attend it, but raised
a great deal of corn, but the squirrels destroyed several hundred bushels
of it for us. We put in a very large crop of wheat on SIMPSON'S place and
raised a tremendous crop in the fall of 1822.  My uncle WM. HAINES moved 
out from Va. and stopped at my father's some time.  He rented a farm in
Harrison co. Ky. on a creek called Little Beaver, about eight miles from 
Cinthian.  When he got ready to move he had nobody to drive his team so he got me
to go with him.  But before we got off my grandfather died.  I think he was 
about 89 years old.  My uncle bad but four horses and I put in one of our
own and moved him over to Kentucky. Being of age my uncle proposed to me to
come and live with him and join teams and  to wagoning.  I had lived with 
my uncle, when a boy going to school.  I readily took him up at his offer.  
I remained with him some time and hauled him wood and corn and meat and 
other necessaries, for he knew nothing about driving wagon himself.  I 
came back to Ohio, and fixed my affairs to return to Ky.  I left home on 
the 14th of feb.  I shall never forget that day, for I had been sparking
the night before and had to part from my sweetheart that morning, and 
the snow fell all day, and the weather so cold as nearly to freeze me. 
I traveled on until I got to Lieking river at the mouth of Big Beaver. 
The river was frozen over and the ferrymen were cutting a way across it 
for the boat to go.  I got my horse across at last and took some refreshment 
and started to my uncles and got there that evening.  I turned to wagoning 
and made considerable money for myself and also for my uncle.  When ploughing 
time came on I had to stop my team and put in a small crop of corn for he 
knew but little about managing horses.  After that I went to wagoning
again.  Some time during this spring there was a application made to me 
to go on a trip to South Carolina with a load of bagging.  I came over 
to Ohio to see my parents and sweetheart, for I was then very much in 
love with a girl and to be parted six months went very hard with both of us.
So hard was it parting with her and father
and mother and sisters and brother, that I cared very little about the trip to
South Carolina.  My father went with me as far as the bars and thus advised me.
"My son, you are going to leave me.  Remember that one thing needful.  I never
allowed you to fight.  Now let me give you a piece of advise.  Never, as long
as you live, impose upon an old man, nor a drunken man, nor see one imposed upon." 
I returned to Ky.  I could get no team to go with me to the south, so I gave 
out the notion of going.  My uncle and his family became dissatisfied and
concluded to move back to Virginia in the fall.  This was in 1823.  He wanted 
me to drive his team for him and I agreed to do it.  He sold out in September
and wound up his business and we started for Va.  We crossed the Ohio at Maysville,
and stayed a few days at my father's.  We had a beautiful time.  Our journey 
lasted twenty three days and we had not a drop of rain during the whole trip. 
There was great rejoicing among my friends and relations, for we had been 
separated nine years.  I turned into work with my uncle, JOHN WARE, at the
carpenter's trade.  He had under taken to frame a grist mill and saw mill. 
We framed them and raised, and I made the shingles and put the most of them on. 
I then undertook to attend my uncle's mills, for one or two months and after 
that turned into work for a man by the name of MILTON, at the Shannon Dale 
Springs.  Here I got among my old school mates, and it is the greatest place
for mirth I ever saw.  In 1824 Mr. MILTON and myself built a barn for a man 
by the name of JAMES ROPER.  I knocked around and made a great deal of
money but spent it about as fast as I made it.  There was to be a camp 
meeting about ten miles from where I lived and having taken a load of 
flour down to Alexandria, myself and partner bought a load of water melons
to take there, now to tell the truth it was not to hear the preaching that
took me there and the more is the pity.  I returned home again and went to
work for the widow CARLOW.  During the spring season I became very well 
acquainted with the young ladies through that part of the country and when
I talked of coming back to Ohio they could not bear the thoughts of parting 
with me; for indeed I was a great toast among them.  I did not like to 
leave some of them myself but I was too far from home to marry.  Most of 
my relations thought I would not go back to Ohio, and would not believe 
it until they saw me put off.  One of my sweethearts was so loth to part 
with me that she held to me clear across the yard and then I had to break
loose from her.  You can depend this went very tough with her.  I hope 
she has done well for she was a pretty girl.  I came into Frederick
co. (MD)  to my uncles WM. HAINES, and PHILIP ARHEARTS and stayed there 
a few days and then started for Ohio. On the second day I engaged with
a man to drive his team across the mountain to Wheeling.  When we got
there the river was so low steamboats could not run.  There was a keel
boat loading for Louiseville and I would willingly have worked my 
passage down the river; but when I went on board the captain had but two
hands and wanted to hire and said he would give 37 cents per day.  I very 
readily took him up at his offer, but if I had been cunning I might have 
got full wages for I was tolerably good at boating.  We were nine days 
coming down to Maysville.  After we landed I saw my father's wagon coming 
down the river bank to come across to Maysville.  A neighbor, JOHN W. 
GAMES had borrowed the wagon to bring over a load of marketing.  The 
captain of the boat was a gentleman for he paid me all he agreed to
and more and offered me a year's work at good wages.  But I wanted to
go home, so when Mr. GAMES got through with his marketing I was ready.
So we came on out to his house and it was into in the evening and I 
wanted to come on to my father's but he insisted on my staying for 
he was going over in the morning.  So in the morning we started to my
father's and when we got there, there was great rejoicing.  I had been
gone upwards of a year.  Some time was spent by me in visiting
my old neighbors and acquaintances, I then turned in with my father 
and help him about getting in his crop and next spring he wanted me 
to crop with him, which I agreed to.  I was to get a third part of
his share.  A man by the name of SAMUEL SWEARINGREN lived a nigh 
neighbor to my father and he had a couple of very fine daughters and
I went to see one of them and fell in love with her, and concluding 
I had run about long enough married her in September 1825.  I rented
a place of WM. PENCE, and put in a large crop of small grain.  We 
went to house keeping that fall, agreed very well and all things 
went very smoothly, for I considered my wife as "the fairest among
ten thousand and all together lovely."  Our oldest daughter, HARRIET
LOUISA; was born on the 16th of January 1826.  In April I had a 
logrolling and asked a good may of my neighbors and my wife had a 
spinning frolic and asked a good may girls.  When work was w?? ??? 
the ??? and girls came together to have a play, and during the 
evening ??? ??? ??? ??? ?men to get their hides filled with whiskey,
for they knew I had ??? ??? ???? threw one or two of the girls on the 
bed and was playing with them when SAMUEL BOWMAN took hold on me by
the heels and jarred me considerably ?? unexpected and threw him
on the floor.  BOWMAN hated to be thrown where there were girls about.  
NATHAN BOWMAN, his brother, stepped up and said something in behalf 
of SAMUEL, which made me mad and I ordered him out of the house,
and he ???sery high and I being full of whiskey, went out to him, 
and we yoked very quickly, I bit his lip nearly off and he gouged 
my eye out.  I suffered enough in ??? ???? ???, and for seven or 
eight days hardly ate or slept.  Shortly after ploughing time came 
on, and I in this fix.  Not able to see, without means to hire, my horses
so wild few could work them, my wife beggered my children starving 
I but through a kind Providence I made out to get my crop in which 
turned but very well.  My friends and especially my dear parents 
begged me to quit drinking.  I was a little more cautious for some
time.  It was some time before my eye got entirely well.  Some
people advised me to put the law in force against BOWMAN, but I did 
not for he was my brother in law, we having married sisters (Drucilla 
Swearingen), and I knew whiskey was the principal cause of it.  So we made
up the breach and became as friendly as ever, and all things went on 
smoothly again.  We continued on this place until the spring of 1827, 
and there being in the neighborhood 3000 acres of unoccupied land, called
HUMPHREY BROOKS' survey, my father and myself concluded to move on it
and improve it, thinking when the owner came he we could show us some
favor as we were poor men.  We built a house a piece, moved into
them and turned in o hard labor.  Our second daughter, MARY JANE, 
was born in December 1827.     On the 19th of January following our
house was burned down.  But thanks be to Providence we were all out of it
at the time.  I was at work at a sugar trough about a quarter of a mile 
from the house.  Shortly previous I had been at the house and my wife 
said she was coming to my father's.  After I got through with my trough
I looked up towards the house and saw a great fire.  My first thought 
was that my wife had set the brush heap which was hear the house on 
fire, but recollecting that she had said she was going away, I turned 
to my father and two young men from Virginia, who were with us, and
saying my house is on fire, broke for it.  The door was locked and 
the blaze of the fire coming through its joints.  The whole top of 
the house which contained all my meat, corn and wheat, was burned
and it was with difficulty, I saved my wagon which was standing near
the house with some thirty or forty bushels of bran in it.  Every 
thing was burned.  Not a stitch of clothing was saved.  Not a coat,
nor a hat, nor any other article of clothing except what we had on 
our backs was left to any of us.

     This accident, as you may judge, was quite disheartening, but thanks
to my kind neighbors I was soon on my legs again; for they contributed
liberally of their substance, and turned in and put me up a cabin, and
left us in nearly as comfortable circumstances as we were before the 
accident happened.  I turned in to clearing land again, and was obliged
to sell two colts to pay my debts.  I still continued to drink whiskey 
and very often got drunk and sometimes would fight.  My father expostulated
with me again and again, but all to no purpose.  I raised a first rate crop
this year. We all get in a great notion of moving off to Illinois.  That 
fall I sold most of my property but my father having a good many hogs 
concluded to fatten them and gather his corn and settle up his other 
business.  So I took his family by land and he was to come by water
and bring the heavy lumber to St. Louis, from which place it was to be 
hauled to Springfield (IL), Sangammon county.  Some time late in October 
we started.  My brother in law, HENRY S. GAMES; lived near Frankfort, Ky.
and as he was going to Illinois, would have us come by that way so we could
all go together.  This was more than a hundred miles out of my route, but
as my sister would not consent to go unless we did so, we went there, 
having remained here a few days we started and went on to Louisville,
and crossed the Ohio at New Albany.  A few miles from this place we had
the severest pulling we had ever come across, over what is called Albany
hill.  This hill is half a mile from the bottom to the top.  Two men went
with us to see us pull up the hill and they said we would be obliged to 
double teams.  I told them my horses were all true and if a team had ever
pulled over it, mine would go it!  But you may depend it was severe pulling.  
When we got to Vineenues we crossed the Wabash river.  Here are two roads,
the straight road and the shortest to Vandalia, is called the purgatory
road, and from all accounts must be the worst road in the fall or spring,
that ever man traveled.  Even in Kentucky, we were advised to shun that road
and also the Vandalia swamps.  We took the left hand road at New Marysville 
and went on to Carlisle within fifty miles of St. Louis, and there turned 
to the right and went to Springfield.  This is the prettiest country I 
ever saw and also the richest land.  My brother in law's father ABSOLOM 
GAMES, lived east of Springfield about fifteen miles, on the north
fork of the Sangamo River.  So when at Springfield we struck out for 
that place.  When we came on the main Sangamo river, we found the ferry
boat very bad, and being heavily loaded I was afraid to risk it.  So I 
took out one of my horses and tried the ford.  Although it was tolerably 
deep I preferred it to the old boat.  The women and children were taken
across in the boat, and I, by hard pulling, succeeded in crossing the ford. 
My brother thought, as he was not heavily loaded, be would try the boat 
and being as awkward driver, made a false motion getting into the boat,
and his saddle bag fell down, and his saddle fell into the river.  He 
and the ferryman were both so frightened they knew not what to
do.  I took one of my horses out and went to them and backed their 
horses out and  persuaded to ford it.  We went to his father's that 
day.  Winter now set in and empty houses were scared, but I had the 
good luck to get one, and good luck it was for there were so many 
people moving to that country that many were obliged to camp in the 
timber and erect some sort of shantee to winter in.  My brother in 
law's father gave his son eighty acres of land and gave me privilege
to build on his land and live there so long as I pleased by taking 
care of the land.  So my brother in law and myself built each of 
us a cabin and we moved into them.  Our third daughter, SARAH, was 
born on the 6th of March 1830.  Shortly after this the old Mr. 
GAMES died, he was a sincere Christian and died triumphing in the
hope of a glorious immortality beyond the grave.  He suffered much
in his last sickness, yet not a murmur nor a word of complaint 
escaped him.  "Thy will, O Lord, be done," was his constant exclamation.
Often did he desire to see my father, for though not related being 
close friends in youth, they were dear to each other as brothers.  
This was in the spring of 1830, and my father did not reach there 
until some time late in July.  He appeared to be very sorry that he
did not get to see Mr. GAMES before he died.  My mother had rented a 
house about one mile from SAMUEL COX'S at whose house Mr. GAMES died.  
My brother in law and myself lived about five miles from this place. 
My wife had not yet got well, having recently had a child.  But very 
few had settled yet near where we lived and it was with difficulty I 
was enabled to get any land to put in corn.  I at last obtained six 
or seven acres of land about five miles from home, and raised a noble
crop of corn.  Some time in the last of June or first of July I was
taken sick with the fever and was very bad for some time.  I got
better and myself and wife went down to my mother's and whilst there 
I relapsed, and lay under the doctors's hands some two or three weeks, 
and it was thought I would never get over it. But God through his 
tender mercies, raised me to my feet again, and about this time my 
father returned and you may depend there was great rejoicing.  My 
father was very much pleased with the country, and he said such as 
were not pleased with this country, ought not to live in any country.
But alas poor man! he know not it was so sickly.  Shortly  after that
my poor old mother and all the rest of the family were taken sick;
some with the fever and some with the fever and ague.  The sickness 
prevailed all through the neighborhood, so much so, that it was a 
thing almost impossible to find enough persons in good health to 
attend upon the sick.  My father was taken sick with the chills and 
fever and the fever fell on his lungs and he lasted but a few days.  
I was just able to ride about and had been down to see him, two or 
three days before his death.  He was at work hanging some scythes. 
I enquired how all were; and he said he was well but very week. 
Son, says he, I want to tell you some thing and desire you to keep
it to yourself.  Just as he said that I looked around and saw a 
neighbor riding up to us, and says my father some other time will 
do.  But the next time I saw him he was speechless and dying.  The
day of his death I was at the mill and news was brought me that my
father was dying!  When I got my grinding, I came by to see him.  
What a distressing sight met my gaze!  My poor old father lying on 
one bed dying, and my mother on another not expected to live from 
one hour to another, and on a third a sister and brother very sick!  
My dear reader, you may imagine my feelings at that time.  No tongue 
can express, or pen describe them.   After a short time I was obliged 
to leave, to go home and attend to my own helpless family.  Next 
morning my brother in law started to see them, and went past THOMAS 
SWEARINGEN'S, my wife's cousin, and enquired how there child was, 
and was told it was dead.  SWEARINGEN, himself, had no idea his child
was in any danger, and had gone over to my father's to see how they 
all were.  We went down and found my fathers corpse; my mother and 
the rest were on the mend.  We had a sad duty to perform in communicating 
to SWEARINGEN the news of his child's death.  We buried my father near
his old friend Mr. GAMES, who had desired him often in his last sickness.
I trust they have had a joyful meeting in Heaven, where they will never
more part but continually praise the Lamb of God, that taketh away the 
sins of the world, in songs of rejoicing, forever and forever more!   
God through his tender mercies restored us all to health again.  We 
had a very hard winter, for the snow fell four feet and half deep
on an average and lay on from January till March.  The stock suffered 
severely, for nearly all the hogs that run out in the woods perished 
and abundance of deer and turkeys starved.  There were several crusts
on the snow so that deer could be caught with dogs wherever people 
could come across them, and it was almost impossible for people to 
travel with a horse even to go to mill.  Many had to live on hominy
but as luck would have it I and one of my neighbors not having much
to do concluded to improve our leisure time in getting in our winter's
meal, that we might have time to hunt.  We lay in as much as we could 
find room for, but when pinching times came we had plenty of neighbors,
who borrowed and continued borrowing till we were put to shift 
ourselves.  Living in the timber we fared tolerably well for fire 
wood, but those who lived in the prairie suffered severely, for they 
had to burn rails and any thing they could come across that would 
make a fire.  I heard of one man who lived about a mile from timber
who had to burn the puncheons, sleeper, clapboards and joists of his
house.  My poor old mother had to burn several hundred rails, and as 
soon as a track was broken I hauled her some wood, though at five 
miles distance.   Spring coming on I rented a farm adjoining the 
place where I lived.  I put in this spring about twenty five acres
of corn and raised a noble crop.  There was a great stir among the
people this spring, for the Indians broke out about a hundred miles
from where we lived and volunteers were raised to go out and subdue
them.  There was no need of a draft, for more volunteers turned out
than were called for.  They all met at Boardstown and then went to
Rock Island to join Gen. GAINES, and his regulars.  When they all
got to the Indians' town they went on the other side of the river 
and then concluded to make a treaty with Gen. GAINES, and thus ended 
this affray.  This being a sickly country, my mother and brother in 
law determined to move back; my mother to Ohio, and my brother in
law to Kentucky.  My wife also became dissatisfied, and said if they all
went back she would not stay, so I concluded that as she humored me in
leaving all her friends in Ohio to go with me, I, in turn, ought to 
humor her, by coming back.  So we made sale of our property, and started. 
We got on board a steamboat at St. Louis, and were obliged to pay 
$4 per head, for grown people, and $2 for children, for passage to 
the falls of the Ohio.--- From the falls we got so much of our property
as we had not sold hauled to the mouth of Beargrass, and there got 
on board another steamboat and came on to Cincinnati.  We there got
on board the steamboat, Gyan, which conveyed us to Maysville where 
my father in law's team was waiting for us with which we hauled our
goods out to his house and there was great rejoicing, you may depend. 
I continued with my father in law some time, and then rented a house 
from THOMAS BOWLES, and lived there until the spring of 1832, and
then concluded to go and build on the same tract of land that we 
lived on before going west.  I did so, and turned into real hard 
labor, cleared a patch of ground, and worked at my trade to get money 
enough to buy a horse, for at this time I had neither horse nor cow. 
Hard work it was too you may depend, to keep my family in provisions,
buy a horse, and have enough of grog money, for getting among my old
comrades I must needs renew my acquaintance with the whiskey bottle. 
O yes, whiskey I must and would have.  Thus I continued working and 
drinking and sinning, and yet my blessed Lord and Master, who is slow
to anger, bore with it all.  I struggled along until I got a right 
smart place open.  My poor old mother settled on a piece of vacant 
land about four miles from where we lived, and she is living there 
at this time.  On the 4th of Oct. in this year, my sister (ELIZABETH) 
was married to JOSEPH SHELTON.  We still scrambled along and although at times
it was pretty tough, yet thank God, what es did get we got honestly, 
and although rough enough, it was at least as food as I deserved.  On 
the 5th of Dec. 1833, we were blessed with a son, our first male child,
whom we named, JOHN P. GLASSCOCK.  At that time we had four children and 
all in their right shape.  Some time in this year my second sister departed
this life to go home to rest.  This is the child whom my mother took to 
raise when she was two weeks old.  She seemed as dear to me as did any 
of my brothers or sisters.  I made no difference, nor did my parents 
make any, that I could ever perceive.  On the 4th of August, 1833, the
Lord blessed my youngest sister, ELIZABETH SHELTON, with a fine son, 
and she called him, LEMUEL, after me.  I still continued on my new place
and cleared more or less ground every season, for the Lord bore with us 
and gave us our health, so that every thing around us seemed to prosper; and
yet, we still continued in wickedness and rebellion against our Lord and 
Master, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that we might live.  I 
might go on and dwell on the mercies of the Lord, but I will advise 
those who read these lines to search the scriptures for their own 
satisfaction, and if there be any who hear these lines read, and can 
not read the scriptures for themselves, let me persuade you, as a friend,
to go to meeting and hear the precious gospel preached while you have
the chance, lest you meet with the same misfortune that your unworthy 
writer has fallen into and be deprived of the blessing of hearing the 
gospel preached.  When I had this blessed opportunity, I did not make 
a good use of it, for many others, I preferred the grocery and tavern 
to the church.  O wretched man! that would thus go on in the broad road 
to destruction, having the devil for his preacher and the world and 
whiskey for his God.  It makes me tremble to look back and see how I
have been sinning, so many years, against a holy, just and upright God. 
Yet he bore all this and more, for I would get drunk and sometimes fight
and was not very easily handled unless very drunk. I was very good 
natured when drunk save when imposed upon and if obliged to fight I
fought with all my might, and never did I have to cry enough but once 
since I became of age, and since that time I have bad seven fights and some
of them very bard ones.  But my dear readers, this thing of fighting is
poor business, and it is hateful in the eyes of God. We still continued 
to live at the same place and by this time had got a right smart farm 
opened so that we could live tolerably well, by hard scuffling.  I worked 
hard and still continued drinking and sinning against my maker.  O it is
wonderful, that God will bear with such miserable, sinful creatures!  
Yet he bears it all, and showers down blessings upon us with out number,
and gives us warning to flee the wrath to come in many ways, sometimes, 
by sending afflictions on us or our children, our relations or dearest 
friends; at other times, by sudden deaths or night visions; we are warned
in many ways, and yet will not take heed until it be eternally to late.  
During the fall of 1835, there was a great uproar among the squatters that
lived on this land, for there was every now and then a land jobber coming
around, pretending to own it , and trying to get them all under rent.  This 
was a hard matter for them to do, for some of the squatters were very stubborn. 
There were forty five families of them and all too poor to go to law, which,
in fact they had no right to do, having no right save that of possession, 
nor do I believe the land jobbers had a much better right though they produced
some sort of a title, which, of course, was sufficient to overthrow a squatter's
claim.  For my part, I scarcely knew what to do, for I had labored as well 
as a great many others and had cleared considerable land and received but 
little benefit, as yet, for my labor.  I did not like to give it up.  I 
resolved to quit clearing, but determined to hold fast as long as possible,
and not be scared at trifles.  I did hold on for a year after all the rest 
except two had rented.  So they went around hunting the corners with some of
their lickspittles, pretending they wanted to buy, and I believe some of them
were partners with the jobbers, but were afraid to own it for fear of 
catching a drubbing, for they would persuade those who held out to come
under rent.

     In the fall of 24, a curious circumstance happened to one of these
land jobbers living in this settlement, which undoubtedly put a stop to 
his career, for he was going about, trying to bring the people under rent,
and taking the bread out of the children's mouths, and distressing the poor
that lived on the land.  The circumstance is this, somebody was so kind to 
this gentleman, that they made him a coffin and took it to him.  This was 
shocking news indeed, for a man to have his coffin made and taken to him 
and he alive and in perfect health.  It is said the horrid sight was first 
discovered by his son in law, who was living with him.  This man made a 
practice of going or sending to Maysville market once or twice a week, 
and being busy that morning, sent his wife, a while before day.  There
being some two or three fences of bars to go through, he went with her 
to let her through the plantation out into the main road.  On his return 
home at a pair of bars, between a quarter and a half mile from the house
he made a discovery of the coffin, which, he says, was not there as he 
went out.  I do suppose the man was prodigiously frightened, and it is 
said, the little man ran home about as quickly as it is possible for one
of his size to do it.  When he got to the house he was so much exhausted 
as to have nearly fainted, and was some time unable to tell what had 
happened him.  This alarmed the old gentleman, and I do believe was the 
principal cause of his quieting the land jobbing business, for I never 
beard of his being engaged in it afterwards.

     In the spring of 1836, these land jobbers that pretended to own
the land having finished their surveying, and got all the people to come 
under rent, came to me with one or two of their lickspittles and asked 
me if I wanted to rent.  I told them I believed not at present, for I
had a small place here of my own, which, I thought, would do me awhile
longer, as my family was yet small.  I had been taking a dram and was 
in tolerably good plight to talk to them.  The owner, as he called himself,
Mr. WALTER DUNE, said, "Sir, if you will not come under rent I will fetch
the Sheriff and throw your property out of the house."  "Very well sir, 
when you go at that I will help you," responded I.  He was kind enough, 
however, not to come that year.  I put in a tolerably large crop of corn
and as the Lord would have it, raised a noble crop and had no rent to pay
for it, for I sold a part of it as soon as it would bear to be gathered and the
remainder I hauled to my brother in law, HENRY SWEARINGEN'S.  I raised that
year, twenty on bushels of Orleans beans which sold $1.12 per bushel.  I 
raised a considerable chance of potatoes and a food many pickle cucumbers
and sold them.  All my neighbors except JAMES HUGHES, had bound themselves 
to come under a rent of $2.50 per acre.  This they began to dislike as 
they saw that HUGHES and myself had no rent to pay.  They then wished they had not
rented, but it was too late, for when they rented they gave possession at
once.  I continued on this place until the next spring and, at sugar making,
turned in and made as much sugar as I could.  God blessed us all with good
health, and he also blessed us by sending us another son, whom we named 
SAMUEL A. GLASSCOCK.  He was born on the 31st day of August, 1835.  When 
the spring came on, my old father in law persuaded me to move my family 
up to his house and have no more dispute with the land jobbers.  I did so. 
About this time ROBT. LATTY was going out to Illinois, and wanted me to go 
with him to help build a steam mill, and offered me very good wages.  My 
old mother in law and father in law were anxious for me to go and see that
part of Illinois, as I had never been up the Illinois river.  So they said 
they would take care of my family, if I would go, for they had heard such 
great accounts from that country, that they wanted to know the straight 
of it.  My wife being willing I concluded to go.  So I got together my 
tools and clothes, and agreeably to a previous appointment, met Col. LATTY,
at Aberdeen, on the morning of the 7th of April, 1837.  We started for 
Cincinnati on board the steamboat, Swift shore.  When we arrived there we
learned the engine was not done and would not be for ten days.  So LATTY 
gave ANDREW LYTLE and myself the choice to stay there or go on. So we concluded
to go on, and got on board the Paris, bound for St. Louis.  We had a very 
pleasant trip and a quick one, for the waters were up in beautiful order 
for steam boats.  When we got there we shipped on board the steamboat, 
exchange, which was going up the Illinois river to Peru.  There were a 
great many passengers on board this boat.  Numbers had been to New Orleans 
and several families were moving to that country.

     We continued our journey up the river, which was very high, having
overflown its banks in many places, and entirely covered many fine bottoms. 
This put LYTLE and me out of heart, for the boat stopped at a certain 
warehouse, where a town was laid out, to unload some articles, and they
were obliged to scaffold up to take out the goods, and we were told that
the water was at this place twelve or fourteen miles across.  Had an 
opportunity offered at this time, we should certainly have returned to 
Ohio, but none presenting itself, we pushed on.  We landed at a little 
town called Henry about two miles below the place where the mill was to 
be built.  There was not the first lick struck towards the mill as yet, 
although LATTY had told us the frame was to be up and ready when he should 
come along with the engine, but a dispute arising among them, they had 
done nothing towards it.  I went to work a few days after my arrival, for
wages were very good; $20 a month for a common laboring hands; from $1.50
to $2 a day for mechanics.  I thought this was the prettiest country I had
ever seen.  LATTY was so long coming that we became quite uneasy about him,
and I planted some potatoes and cabbage and other vegetables, as I then
thought I would move my family to this place.  Such time as I was not 
attending my vegetables I worked at the mill or something else, for there
was always plenty of work to do; as the people living here are the laziest
I ever saw.  The land in this prairie has not yet come into market, and 
there are but few who have deeded land.  They hold the land by making some
little improvement on it and then claim it as their own.  And this is the 
way they get along in that country.  This is the greatest country for fish
I ever saw.  The man with whom I lived, and myself set a trot line
and caught a prodigious lot of fish.  We caught one catfish that measured 
nine inches between the eyes and weighted 125 lbs.  We many mornings took
off the line a number of fish, weighing from twenty to fifty pounds; this 
country is chiefly settled with New Yorkers, and real skinners they are too. 
When a stranger comes among them, they flock around him like swarm of bees, 
especially, if they think there is money to be made out of him, and each one 
having one of the before described claims endeavors to cheat him into the 
buying of one, to support their laziness, for work they will not if they
can help it.  Col. LATTY came on at last with the engine, which weighed 
7300 lbs.  You may depend it was a great disappointment to him to find 
that nothing had been done towards the mill.  All the parties concerned
soon got together, settled their disputes. And employed a man to frame 
the mill.  They went to work in fine spirits and all things went on smoothly.
They laid off a town which was called Webster, after Daniel Webster, who 
passing through that country called to see it.  Learning his intention of
visiting the place some time before hand, the proprietors of the town sent
off and got some power and for want of a cannon charged a stump to give him
a welcome gun.  When the boats came up there were two lashed together, 
escorted by many others, landed to take a view of the city.  He spoke to
us all as he came up the bank and said, that it was really as pretty a site
for a city as he had ever seen, and hoped, as it had been named after him, 
that it might prosper.  Business went on quite flourishing and LATTY sold 
lots very fast and at a high rate.  There was a great strife among the 
purchasers to obtain the lots nearest the steamboat landing, but for my
part I concluded if the town did prosper, the main steamboat landing would
be at the mouth of the creek.  I went to LATTY and asked him what he would 
take for the lot.  He said he would let me have it for $200, and give me 
two years to pay it in, and take it out in work.  I thought that at the 
wages I was then getting I could soon pay for it, and therefore took it. 
The rest of the boys took their lots as near the public square as they 
could get them, and laughed at me for picking my lot in such an out of 
the way place.  I told them to never mind, that if the town ever went
on that was the place.  And in the course of a short time I sold my lot 
for $250.  The man, who bought of me, said, if he only had the lot 
adjoining this one, he would be satisfied.  I said nothing but went to
LATTY and told him I wanted to buy the lot adjoining mine on the river. 
He told me I could have it.  I immediately returned to the man and told
him I could sell him the lot he so much desired.  After some conversation
he agreed to give his obligation to LATTY for the two lots and me a yoke 
of oxen and $25 for my bargain.  Now the time came on that I laid by my 
corn and I could work for wages, which I did and made money very fast, but 
spent a good deal more than I need have done; my dram of coarse, I must 
have.--- about this time the carpenters had got the mill ready to raise,
and a heavy raising it was, for it took us two days with as many as could
get round it.  We got it up at last and nobody killed, and but one man, 
Mr. ANDREW LYTLE, who received a pretty severe clew across the nose with 
a handspike, crippled.  We were well fixed for raising this building or 
we never could have got it up, for the timbers were very large and heavy, 
and it was the best frame I ever saw put together in my life.  We had two
blocks and tackles, and very hard work it was too at that, for it was a 
very warm day, so warm that many of the hands gave out and could work no 
longer.  I had no use for the oxen for which I had traded, and as I had 
not time to run about and trade them off I got Col. LATTY to trade them 
for me.  He traded them off for a very fine horse brute and got a cow to
boot.  I was very well pleased with the trade as cows were very scarce, 
and I then thought of moving to that country, and for a person poor as I
was, it was joyful news indeed to send home that I had a horse and cow 
already paid for.  When hay making came on I turned in and put me up two 
real good stacks of hay, and I had a stack of oats.  About this time the 
mill wrights were dashing away rapidly.  About seven miles from this town
is a place called Indian town, where the Indians once resorted to bury 
their dead.  I went to see it several times and saw where their old chief
was buried.  His name was SNACK WINE.  The lake near this place and also 
the creek which flows from it take their names from this chief.  The 
Indians had set up a big pole at the head of this chief but the mischievous 
white people would not let it stand.  The dead are buried only two or three 
feet below the surface of the ground, so that the wolves, which are very 
numerous in this country scratch up the bodies and scatter the bones all 
over the burying ground, which is a high bluff and the paths to it are in
some places worn two or three feet deep.  Men of truth have told me that 
there are certain characters in this country, who make a practice of 
digging up the bodies that they may get the treasures that are attached 
to them.  Men who would do this would steal acorns from a blind hog. 
The country about here became very sickly and although the residents 
there deny to new comers that it is sickly, yet it is, and in my opinion,
always will be so on the water courses, for there is but very little fall
for the water and vast quantities of it stagnate all along the river 
Illinois.  Now the calculation was that LATTY and myself should return
to Ohio together and I having relations about 100 miles from this place,
down the river, got on board a steamboat and went to see them.  They live 
near the mouth of Spoon river in Futlin county, I have three brothers in 
law in that county and found them all well.  This is a much healthier part
of the country than that about Webster, being about 16 miles from the river. 
I stayed with them a few days, and leaving my mare with them returned.  
On my passage up the river I was taken sick with the ague, and we landed 
at Webster on the Sabbath day.  During my absence the old lady with whom
I boarded died.  I trust she has gone happy for she was a great friend to
me, in fact she was almost a mother to me, as she appeared to be as kind 
to me as to he own son, and indeed there is nothing strange about that, 
for this ungracious son seldom ever waited on her or paid any regard to 
her whatever.  I had the ague for some days, but getting better I 
undertook a job of hewing and took JOHN BEAM to help score in for me. 
We had a pretty lengthy job of it.  A number of my companions, several
of the millwrights, and in fact nearly every body in that whole section
of country was taken sick.  I never sent for the doctor but took some 
pills and salts, and used prickly ash berries in whiskey.  Sometimes I
used aloes, which, I assure you, is not very palatable to the taste.  
So many getting sick, put me out of all concert of this country, and so 
I tried to sell my corn and other stuff, but money becoming scarce, 
those who wanted to buy held back, in hopes of getting the articles for
nothing, knowing that I was sick and wanted to leave the country. LATTY 
was taken sick about this time and would frequently come to my lodgings,
to try some of my bitters.  He made his home with a Mr. FOSTER, who lived
about two miles from this place on the other side of the river.  Here he 
was taken suddenly ill with the bilious fever, and never returned to 
Webster again.  I was so unwell myself that it was with difficulty I could
go to see him.  He was very much scared when first taken, and as I was told
offered the doctor a heavy fee to raise him again, but this was beyond the 
power of man.  I was fixing to start to Fultin county, whither I intended 
to ride, as I had sent my tools by JOHN BEAM.  Before starting I called 
to see LATTY. We had considerable chat for he said he felt much better 
than he did when I called to see him before.  He said I hear you are going
to start in a few days.  I told him it was so.  Well, says he, do not stay
longer at your brother in laws than you can help.  I told him I would 
not as I was anxious to see my family.  When I got ready to start he had
fallen asleep and the man of the house thought I had better not awaken him. 
The next news I heard from him was that of his death.  I wanted very much
to go and see him, but as that was my sick day I would not venture across 
the river.  Two men had undertaken to make his coffin and one of them took
sick whilst we stood talking with them, and the other persuaded me to turn
in and help him, and this I did, although so sick and weak I could hardly 
stand.  We got the coffin done an hour before sundown, and as it was so 
late it was thought best not to bury him that night.  The next morning it
rained and I did not get to see him.  I trust he has gone home to rest, 
for I have understood that he appeared quite willing to leave this troublesome 
world.

     My dear reader, you do not know my feelings at this time, I being sick
myself and seeing so many sick around me.  It was enough to dishearten a man 
thirteen or fourteen hundred miles from home.  I began to fear I never should
see my little helpless family again, if I remained here much longer, and so 
came to the conclusion that start I would, at all hazards, and I thought if 
I had to die, I might as well die on the road.  So I saddled my horse, bade 
the people good bye, and started.  It was raining at the time and I went but
nine miles that day and put up for I had the ague.  The people were very kind
to me and I stayed all night.  The next morning feeling somewhat better I 
prepared for starting, and asked the landlord what was his bill.  Nothing sir,
says he.  I told him I did not want them to be at so much trouble on my 
account and charge nothing for it, that I would rather be would take something. 
Not a cent, sir, says he, and when a man traveling stops with you, do you make 
the same charge.  And dear reader, I never in my life, charged a man a cent for
a night's lodgings or a meal's victuals.  I went on down the Illinois river as 
far as Chillicothe, and there got me a pint of French brandy which helped me 
considerably.  That day I got to my brother in law's who lived near Louiston, 
in Fulton county, and found them all well. It was on Wednesday that I got there
and one of my nephews being desirous to go to Ohio prevailed on me to wait for 
him until the next Sunday.  We then started, and my brother in law, and JOHN 
BEAM, came with us to the mouth of spoon river.  We there parted with them 
and went on the other side of the river and I there looked up my box of tools,
and left them in the charge of a tavern keeper by the name of FOSTER.  I 
took this man to be a gentleman and therefore took no receipt of the delivery
of the tools to him; I have sent several orders for them and he now says he 
knows nothing about them.  This was about the 30th of September 1837.  A boat
soon came along bound for St. Louis.  We had no time to get provisions before 
starting, so we were obliged to get them as we could catch them at the little 
towns, as we passed along.  We stopped at Alton, and I there boughs a sheep's
ham, thinking it was a venison ham, for which I paid a dollar.  When we arrived
at St. Louis, we bought some bacon and sugar and other articles necessary for
us on our journey, I also bought a buffalo rug to sleep on.  I still had the 
argue and was very weak.  I went to the captain of the steam boat, Orion, which
was loading for Pittsburg, and made a bargain for our passage to Maysville.  I
was to give him eight dollars for SAM BISHOP and myself and I was not to woad,
being yet sick.  So we started off in full sail for Ohio, and when we came to
the Ohio, we found it very low, but being lightly loaded we came on although 
we found many boats aground at the riffles and bars.  At Flint Island bar 
there were seven or eight steamboats that had called a halt. We got fast on
a bar but as luck would have it were obliged to stick there only about an 
hour.  We also experienced some difficulty at French's Island bar, where 
there were four or five boats awaiting the rise of the water.  We came on 
safe to the mouth of the canal, and then went on up to the mouth of Beargrass,
when the captain said he could go no farther.  We had paid our passage to
Maysville and he did not feel disposed to give us back any of our fare, but
part of it we would have, and he finally gave us back a dollar a piece.  We 
got on board another steam boat which took us to Cincinnati, and we then got
on board the Swift Shore.  I still had the ague and was very weak, but began 
to feel thankful that I was so near home, for about the time that Mr. LATTY 
died I was fearful I should never see home again.  We came to Maysville and 
landed between midnight and daylight.  My heart leaped for joy at the thought
of getting home once more for I had been separated from my family six months
and when I started did not calculate on being gone more than three months at 
farthest.  This was a very bad time to land for the taverns were all shut and 
the ferryman gone to bed.  We tried to get a craft on that side of the river 
but could not, and then halloed to the ferryman on the Ohio side, but we might
as well have cried to the winds.  As luck would have it there was a runaway 
match on hand and old SQUIRE SHELTON persuaded Mr. CAMPBELL to come after us,
which he did, and thankful we were for his kindness, although it was his duty
to attend to his ferry.  When we got over we went up to JAMES HELMS', who, as 
soon as he found out who we were, got up and let us in.  He enquired about LATTY 
and seemed to be very much shocked when I told him he was dead.  I tried to get
a horse to ride out to home that night but could not, so I concluded to try to 
walk there, weak as I was, for I knew there were plenty of houses on the road 
where I could stop if I could not stand it.  But thanks be to God I stood the 
journey much better than I expected I could.  We got to my father in laws about 
two hours before day.  We knocked at the door and were told to come in.  SAM 
BISHOP went foremost to see if his grand father would know him.  The old man 
after enquiring about my health, asked about LATTY.  I told him that he was dead,
and his sister, who was in the house but I did not know it, overheard it.  
Poor girl!  She took it very hard.  My wife was up stairs and the old man 
called her and she came down, and there was great rejoicing you may depend,
for this was the longest time we had been apart since we were married.  There 
was no sleep the balance of the night, for we had a great deal to talk about. 
They were all well but the ague still clung to me until the middle of the winter.
My mother who lived about two miles from this place would have me to come and 
live with her.  I moved there and worked at my trade when I could get any of 
it to do, and when I could do no carpenter's work I would turn to some other 
work, for I was poor and needy and had to work hard to maintain my poor, little
helpless, family that thank God we never suffered for anything to eat.  I had 
all my provisions to work for and would have wet rations as well as dry.  In 
the fall of this year 1838.  I undertook a job of digging a mill race for Doct.
HAMILTON, on Eagle creak and I worked very hard, and drank very hard and slept 
in the open mill so at length I was taken quite sick and was obliged to quit 
work and discharge my hands and go home.  I continued to grow worse and worse,
and at length the doctor was sent for, who pronounced me in a very dangerous 
situation.  He took a pint and a half of blood from me and left orders to have 
as much taken from me on the following day.  I knew myself I needed bleeding 
and wanted to do it, but my folks would not let me.  After the bleeding I soon 
got better.  Dear reader, I have not forgotten the promises I made my Lord and 
Savior if he would restore me to health again.  And bless his most holy name
he did restore me to my feet again.  The lord blessed us wonderfully with our
health.  At this time we had five children and it kept me raking hard, to keep 
them in provisions and myself in grog.  But blessed be God I made out to get 
along and never starved; we generally had enough if it was a little rough at 
times.  On blessed comfort is, I can say with a clear conscience before God 
and man, I never had to steal nor do I think I ever shall, so long as I keep
my senses.  Although I am in debt I can not help it at this time.  I trust 
the kind Providence will provide some way for me to compensate my debtors, 
and if I can never pay them, may our heavenly master reward them an hundred
fold in blessings both temporal and spiritual, for their kindness to me a
poor sinner shut up here in prison.  O sinner, follow not the steps your 
unworthy writer followed in days past, but seek ye the Lord while he may be 
found, lest the day and the hour come when it shall be eternally to late.  
In the spring of this year, 1839, I concluded to move off of the place where 
I had lived, for it was vacant land and to be hackeled about by the land 
jobbers as I had been, was more than I could bear.  So I went and rented a 
house and garden spot from a man by the name of HANDY CROPPER, for which I 
was to give him one dollar per month.  The time came on for us to move, and 
we did so.  All things went on prosperously with us for God had blessed us
wonderfully with health although unworthy the least of his favors.  On the 
8th of April, 1829, we were blessed with another child, a girl, whom we 
named Druzilla.  About this time I had a very unpleasant dream which 
troublesome exceedingly.--- I thought I was walking near a branch, and
there was a large rock with a hole in it, and at a short distance from 
it lay a great number of snakes.---   There was one snake that was larger
than the rest and I could not get to kill him, as he always crept in the 
hole, and then I would always awaken.  I dreamed this dream twice or thrice,
and the last time I thought it was at the before mentioned place, and the big 
snake appeared to have a spite at me and attacked me, and we had a pretty 
smart combat and he was like to get into his hole again and when he got about
half way in, I thought, that with my knife or some other edge tool I cut him 
in two.  So ended this miserable dream as it turned out to be.  The last time
I dreamed it was on the night of the 16th of June.  At this I was not well 
and had been for better than a week.  I was unable to do anything but light
work, such as making rakes, stocking cradling seythes, &e.  My sickness, I 
believe, originated from making too much use of spirituous liquor, which I 
had at this time put in roots for bitters, and I assure you, I was very fond
of this medicine.  I had one or two scythes brought to me to put cradles to 
them.  I had something like seven or eight sneeds wrought out, and some 
braces, and finger stuff.  I was getting ready for the business as fast as 
I could conveniently.  I had some rakes and forks made for sale.  This was 
all fetching me something to live on.  On Thursday, the 20th day of June, 
NATHAN BOWMAN, my brother in law, came to my house with a scythe in his hand,
and asked me how I was.  I told him I was poorly and not able to do much. 
He then said I want you to make me the best cradle you ever made in you life.
I promised to do my best.  He then said he was going over to see JOHN CAMPBELL,
to whom he was about to lend some money, and insisted on my going with him.  
This, after some persuasion, I consented to do.  So we went to CAMPBELL'S, 
and finding him not at home, returned.  I turned into accommodate him and 
hung his scythe, and , although I say it myself, it was hung completely. He 
appeared very well pleased with it and said, let's go up to REUBEN CROPPER'S 
and get something to drink.  I told him there was plenty of whiskey in the house. 
O says he, I don't like it, 'tis too bitter, I want some of the pure stuff.  I 
told him he could go, but I was to busy.---   No, says he, you must go and take
a bottle with you; so we started off and on the road going through the field, 
be pulled out a ninepence and handed it to me.  I told him I did not want him 
to buy whiskey when he came to see me, but he compelled me to take it, and we 
bought about three pints of liquor.  We drank a while in the field, where 
BENJAMIN BOWMAN, his cousin, was at work.  We then went down to my house
and we ate our supper.  He would go  to the bottle to drink, as I thought,
and insisted on my drinking.  My wife whispered to me and said you will get
so drunk directly you can't stand; NATHAN only pretends to drink.  I then 
held up.  He wanted to trade knives, and for my knife, offered me a better 
one and fifty cents to boot.  After he found he could not get the knife, he 
got mad.  He first wanted me to go home with him.  I told him I could not
and wanted him to stay all night.  No, he said that he would go home.  We 
stepped out at the door as men would do before going to bed.  He commenced
swearing and said that he wished his soul might sink into hell if he did 
not do something.  Says I, what is the matter? NATHAN, what have I done to
make you mad?  My wife came to the door and told him to go home.  He then
swore he had whipped me, and could do it again an would.  I told him I did
not want to fight and was not able to fight.  Wait till some other time, 
for he knew very well that I was weak as I had had a bowel complaint for 
nearly a week.  My temper then began to raise and my wife begged us to hush,
so we both hushed and went in and took some more to drink, and, as I thought,
it was all made up, and my wife made a bed on the floor towards the front door. 
He wanted me to sleep with him.  I told him I would rather sleep with old 
ANNA.  He commenced abusing me again.  I told him to hush and several times 
he said he wished his soul might sink into hell before day light if he did
not have revenge.  The last time he said so, I sprang out of bed and said 
go out of my house or I will try to put you out.  We met about the middle 
of the of the floor; he knocked the skin off my nose, and, I do believe, 
his intention was to have gouged out my other eye.  Some how or other, I 
got my knife out of my pocket, not with the intention of killing him, of 
this I had no more thought than I now have of killing the king of France, 
but instead of letting me go he crowded on me the harder, and tore the left
sleeve of my shirt.  Somehow or other I threw him on a chest standing between
the two bedsteads, and at this time my wife pulled me away from him, and he 
got up off of the chest and says to me, you have cut my guts out.  I said 
why didn't you behave yourself.  I went out and called my nearest neighbor, 
PERRY CONLEY, who lived about four hundred yards distant, to come over quick.
He wanted to know what was the matter but I was afraid to tell him for fear
of scaring his wife as she was in a situation not capable of hearing such 
news.  So I ran down to his house and told him what had happened.  He 
came up with me and I then went to gather some more neighbors and got 
wet up to the hips going through the wheat.  I then urged some of them
to go after the doctor and at length, one of them did go and brought a 
doctor, but he said he could do no good, for it was beyond the art of 
man to save him.  His friends came in from all quarters, for the news 
spread far and near.  Some of my friends persuaded me to go over in 
Kentucky, and stay a while until we could see how the thing would operate. 
They sent off after a squire.  I remained until ten or eleven o'clock the
next day, I then yielded to the persuasions of my friends and went off.  
Now my dear readers, this man and myself were good friends so far as I 
know except that when drinking he would abuse me, so that I have went
away from places where he was drinking to get rid of him, and he would
follow me from one house to another.  This has been proven before the 
court of Adams county; if I had felt a spite at him would I have dropped 
the work I was at, and fixed his sneed, and hung his scythe?  No, not to
have saved him, for I had plenty of work to do without working for him. 
I do, and always will, think he had some devilment in his head when he 
came to my house.  What ever possessed him to want my knife so much as 
to be willing to give a better one and fifty cents to boot?  Now my dear 
reader, he was too fond of money to have fooled it away, had he not had 
some end to accomplish.  They attempted to prove, and by a cousin of 
BOWMAN, who had been up before court for stealing eggs and butter, did 
prove that fourteen years ago I threatened to have revenge.  If I ever 
made such threats it must have been when I was crazy or drunk, for I 
have no recollection of ever having said any thing of the kind.  Had I
wanted revenge how often could I have taken it when he was drunk and no
one with him but my self?  The truth is I blamed SAMUEL BOWMAN more for 
the loss of my eye than NATHAN.  Witnesses can be adduced to prove that 
I have oftentimes expressed myself thus.  Now he is a poor man who won't
defend himself in his own house; perhaps it would have been better for me 
however, to have given up house, wife, children and all, and fled into the 
wilderness, as David did from Saul in days of old.  My sister in law tied
me up some clothes and I and one of my neighbors started off through the
fields together, and he gave me fifty cents.  We took many drams from a 
bottle of whiskey, which he had and wanted me to take in my budget.  I
shook hands with him, bade him farewell, and went on to the house of Mr.
ROBERT COVERT, a man whom I always did respect.  I stopped there and got
something to eat and remained there until night.  His son had gone to my
house and so when he returned I got to hear what was going on, and bow 
BOWMAN was.  He said there were about sixty persons started out on the
hunt of me.  My friend went off to try to borrow some money for me but 
could not get any.  About dusk I bid them good bye and started and went
on down to the mouth of Eagle creek.  I lay on the bank of the river and
stayed there until morning, and hunted up and down the river for a craft
and heard a man chopping wood on the other side of the river.  I halloed
to him and he took me across the river.  I then started for my cousin's 
and arrived there just as they had set down to dinner.  We had not seen 
each other for fourteen or fifteen years, so we had considerable chat and
I soon told him of the circumstance, and how it happened.  I remained 
unwell for some days, but in a few days I turned in to work for my cousin, 
on a store house, and after this was finished I set in at the new court 
house and gaol, in Brookville the present county seat of Bracken county.


     One of my relatives came over to see me and told me I was running
great risks by remaining in so public a place, but previously I had written
to my wife and had the letter taken on this side of the river and given to 
one to take and read to her, to tell her what to do.  I knew very well it 
would not do to send a letter by mail, as they would watch that, and I was
not such a fool as to be caught in this way.  I remained there until a few
days before the election came on, when my brother came to me and told me 
they had advertized $300 reward for me, and that I would surely be taken 
if I remained here.  My brother and myself went into the woods immediately
back of my cousin's place, and there I wrote a letter. With much sorrow and
many tears I wrote, for the thoughts of leaving my dear companion, and poor
little children, almost broke my heart.  My brother told me I had best go
to Canada, or else I would surely be taken.  I told him I would die first,
and was fully bent on that very thing.  My cousin came to us and we talked 
much about the matter.  They went to Brookville to buy me a pistol, but 
could not get any.  The next day there was to be a meeting of the candidates
at Brookville, and I knew there would he one man, THOMAS PAIN, from Maysville.
So the next morning before day I bade them all good bye and started.  I walked
nine or ten miles before sun up and struck the Ohio river just below the Rock 
spring mills and then went down the river and crossed at a little town called
Mechanicsburg, and then took down the river as if I was going to Cincinnati, 
and went on below Nevilleville, and then turned short to the right and struck
out through the country.  I thought I might come across a man by the name of 
ZEKEL M'CORMICK to whom my father had lent money in 1817, for he allowed to
move down in that section of country not far from the Miamis, and I thought
if I could find him I might get a fresh supply of money.  I struck in towards 
the Miamis, and enquired for him but could not hear of him.  I heard of a 
settlement of M'CORMICKS on the Little Miami.  So I went on there but found
them not the same.  They told me there were M'CORMICKS living a Hambleton on
the Miami.  My shoes being tight blistered my feet so much that I could 
scarcely walk.  I had walked too hard at first, and the weather being 
extremely hot and dry it was hard on me and I got sick and had no stomach
to eat.  For two days a biscuit and a half was all I ate except a few apples.
I suffered very much for water, for good water on the canal is very scarce. 
I travelled on to Dayton which is a most beautiful place.  From Dayton I 
went to Bellefontaine, for I knew a man who moved out of our settlement 
and who lived not far from this place.  On the road I suffered both for 
water and provisions.  I asked at different housed and could not get either, 
for they said they had to carry their water so far they could not afford to 
give it away.  This part of the country is thinly settled, from a little
town called Sidney, and the settlers are chiefly German Dutch, and so 
very tight that it is a query with me whether they have a clear passage
or not.  May God Almighty help the people and save them in the end if 
agreeable to his divine will!  I travelled on towards Bellefontaine as 
fast as I could.  I had plenty of cakes in my saddlebags that I had 
brought from Kentucky, but they had got so very hard that I could not 
eat them.  I concluded to try one place more to see if I could get 
something to eat.  So I went on to a house standing a piece from the 
road on the left side, and asked if I could get any thing to eat.  The 
lady said she would get me something directly.  Says I madam, I will 
tell you before hand I have no money, and 'tis the first time I was ever
without when travelling.  Well says she, sir, we crn't live without eating. 
I soon saw the lady was well raised, and there is not the least doubt in my
mind but she was raised by christian parents, for she had her house in 
good order, and, so far as I saw, her children under good command.  I know
the good woman was a christian herself; her kindness to me, a total 
stranger, shewed that.  She soon got me a bite to eat and apologised 
because she had nothing better.  I told her it needed not apoligies, 
for, hungry as I then was, it was indeed very good.  When I finished I
offered her one of my knives.  She refused it saying, that was a poor 
person who could not give a fellow mortal one meal of victuals.  I would
be happy if I could accommodate the reader with the lady's name, but do 
not now recollect it.  I travelled on and fell in company with an old 
gentleman on foot going to Bellefontaine.  He had been at work at a little
town on the canal called Pickaway.  We went on to town and I there made 
some enquiry concerning my old friend Wm. RILEY, who had moved out there
some years ago.  I learned that he lived about eight miles to the right 
of the road leading to Sandusky.  When I got to RILEY 'S house he was not
at home, but his wife was.  I spoke to her and she did not know me at 
first, but soon found me out and was apparently very glad to see me.  
Her husband came home in the evening and I believe was very glad to see 
me, for we once were great cronies and near neighbors.  We had considerable
chat about old times, and we walked out into the field and I related the 
whole circumstance to him.  This was dreadful news indeed, but it was past
and could not be helped and the thoughts of being deprived of my poor, 
little, helpless, family, almost broke my heart, RILEY and his wife both
appeared to sympathize with me.  I continued with him until I got rested. 
I turned in to work for a widow woman by the name of SULTON.  Her sons 
were sick and unable to work.  She had a heavy oats harvest and also much
meadow to mow; and I hung on with her until I got her oats and hay and 
corn hauled in and stacked for her.  One of her sons got so in the course
of a few days that he could help me and we made out to get through it and
then she wanted me to thrash out a stack of rye and a flail, at 6 cts per 
bushel.  I thrashed out twenty seven bushels of rye for the widow, and had 
got it all cleaned up ready to measure, when a couple of men from Kentucky,
came after me.  They had first came to RILEY'S and got his son, a young man,
to come and show them the way.  When I saw them I was helping young SULTON 
to fix his sled to haul a gum to put the rye in.  It popped into my head 
when I first saw them that there was something going on not right, but
when they drew near I saw that one of them was my cousin; but Satan was
in me and had they resorted to rash means at the start, it would undoubtedly
have made bad worse; but thanks be to God for my great deliverance at that 
time and all others.  I have been thankful to my blessed master times without
number, that there was no person undertook to take me only the ones that 
did, for I was well armed with a good pistol and a knife to second the 
motion.  When they came up I soon found they were both cousins, although
one of them I had never seen but once before, and did not know him until 
cousin SNOWDEN SUMMERS had given me an introduction to him.  I enquired 
how the people were in Kentucky, and asked them what they were doing in 
this state.  They said they were looking at some land and happened to see 
Mr. RILEY and heard him mention my name, and they thought they would come
and see me as it had been a good while since they had last seen me.  This
conversation was all before Mr. SULTON, which gave him no suspicion in the 
least what they were after.  We started out in the woods after the gum, 
and in going along we had considerable chat about my family and other 
affairs.  They told me that they saw fight in me as soon as they came up. 
I told them there was fight in me and a considerable chance of it too! 
for I had one hand in my pocket on my pistol, but I took a thought in a
moment that they knew better than to attempt to force me into measures. 
So we came back with the gum and we all turned in to measure up the rye.
I had a bottle of whiskey at the barn and as I was going away we had to 
drink it up.  After drinking we all went to the house, and I settled with
the lady and she paid me off.  She wanted me to thrash more rye for her. 
I told her I would see about it, but I knew very well at the time she 
wouldn't get me to thrash any more for her shortly.  How the poor woman
came out about getting her rye thrashed the Lord only knows for I bade 
them good bye, and have never been back since.  We all went to RILEY'S 
and had considerable chat about my misfortune, and they seemed to think
I could get clear, for they told me that a great many people said they
could not do any thing with me, and they also told me that lawyers said 
a man had a right to defend himself in his own house.  They told me it 
was their father's request and my mother's for me to come back with them,
lest somebody else should take me, and it would be much better to be with
my family, for if I could not have my trial right away I could get bail 
and live with my family.  They said they could fee a lawyer and if they 
could not get the advertisement money which was $300 they would pay it 
themselves.  Now if they had not come at the time they did they would not
have found me there, for I intended to leave there in the course of a few
days and where I would have gone the Lord only knows.---   There was a man
living in this settlement who knew me, and he and his wife had gone on a 
visit to Flemming co. Ky.  I knew very well he would hear of the circumstance 
for he was going right among my relations.  So I thought it would be best
to move my washing, and so I did but it was towards West Union prison.  It
was with much persuasion they got me in the notion of coming with them, but
the thought of being separated from my dear little family was grievous to 
my heart.---   These men brought me to their father's and there we got our
dinner.  The news was soon spread through the settlement and they got to 
hear it at my mother's, and my dear little daughter who was living with 
her grand mother, came running to see me, and Lord bless the child, for 
she would run through fire nearly to see me at any time.  We met but not
without tears; thanks be to my Lord and Master, he hath spared me and my
dear little daughter to meet once more on this earth.  At my request, 
these men, after dinner, started with me to my father in law's where the
rest of my family were.  They went by the widow BOWMAN'S and told her 
they had got the ??? ???? ???ized, and that they wanted her to get an 
officer and take possession of me, and they also told her they would 
take me to old man SWEARINGEN'S.  We rode on to my father in law's, and 
when we rode up they called to the old man and told him it was my request
to see my wife and children. Well says' he alight and come in.  My wife 
was absent but being sent for soon returned.  My dear reader here was a
meeting long to be remembered by me, for never, so long as I tarry on this
earth, shall I forget it.  Thanks be to God for that great blessing.

     When night came on there came a great gang armed with clubs and 
weapons to take me from the men who had me in custody, but finding these
men were not to be trifled with, they desisted, and it is a God's blessing 
they did not, for some of them would, most assuredly, have been killed, 
had they persisted.  They went off and got an officer and took me before 
a squire, and there we were until nearly day break.  The squire sent off 
for two witnesses, and a lawyer to do the business for him, and never asked 
me if I wanted a witness or not, and were until the chickens crowed for day
writing a commitment to send me to West Union prison.  Between the squire 
and his clerk, they made out to write something.  Whilst they were fumbling 
about this business I could have written a small journal.  So they brought 
me back to my father in law's, where I shifted my clothes and from there 
they took me to THOS. SIMPSON'S, for he was the deputy constable, and there 
we got our breakfast; we then went on to the cross roads and stopped at the
famous city called Clayton.  There we had to take some refreshment, for the
company could not pass by two splendid taverns, without giving them a call, 
and of course they had to treat their prisoner, which they did quite genteely,
and it came very acceptably, for I loved it and thought more of it than I 
did of the God that made me.  It being the day of the high muster we didn't 
tarry long in the city.  Several came along who had to come to muster, my 
brother, JOHN P. GLASSCOCK, was one.  All were in tolerably good spirits 
except my self.  I was sorry to leave my family which I hadn't seen for 
several months only once, and then merely a glimpse of them, then hurried 
out of their sight to be dragged off to prison.  But I was so hard hearted
that the thoughts of the prison did not daunt me in the least, for I knew 
nothing about being shut up in prison before I came to this, and in fact, 
I thought I could be bailed out, but in this I was very much mistaken, as 
also were many others, for the Sheriff told me a million of dollars would 
not bail me.  We came on to West Union, and there found the pitiful, stinking
hole I was cast into.  This was on the 15th of Sept. 1839.  Court was to 
come on in the course of two or three weeks, and I expected to have my 
trial then.  There was in the room above me a man by the name of JAMES 
KISCADDON.  He had been put in for killing his own son in law  some little 
time before I left home.  Now the dispute between these men I know not.  I 
shall only tell what I do know.  He told me there were some words between 
them, he, at the time, had a gun on his shoulder, and being intoxicated, 
and out of humor, he took his gun from his shoulder and shot him through 
the breast.  He told me that when he pointed the gun at him he had no 
thought of killing him but did.  I little thought when I was put in here
that I was going to be ironed, but in a few days the Sheriff sent two or
three blacksmiths in to me to put irons on me, such as I never saw before.
They came in looking very much frightened and said it was the sheriff's 
orders to put irons on my ancles.  I  told them there was no need of putting
them on me for I was not going to break out.  They said it was nothing to 
them nor was it their doings at all.  I told them to come and slap them on
if they had to do so and not to stand off like bound boys at a frolic; for 
they stood off in one corner as though fearful that I would hurt them, which
I would not have done for the world, had they not first injured me.  They put
the bands on and fastened me to a large log chain in the floor.  The chain 
was large enough for three or four yoke of oxen to pull by, and yet all this
did not the least daunt me, a poor, sin hardened wretch!  None of my people
came to see me, to let me know whom to summon and court was drawing near, 
and at length came on.  There was an abundance of people came to hear 
KISCADDON'S trial.  He was found guilty of murder in the first degree. 
My attorney told me I had better put my trial off till spring and have 
it at the Supreme court, for says he, these little petty courts are not
fit for such a trial as yours.  I was poor and unable to fee a lawyer so
my dear brother, JOHN P. GLASSCOCK, feed one for me.  And now, my dear 
reader, I thought if a man employed a lawyer or doctor, he ought to go 
by their directions.  I was taken out of prison, to go before the Judges
of the court of Common Pleas, and when I went in the charge was read to 
me, and the Judge asked me what court I wanted my trial in.  I told him 
in the Supreme court.  I was then gallanted back to prison by two respectable
gentlemen.  There was no fire in the prison, nor had there been as yet.  I
told my attorney to see to it, and he said he would, and did I believe, but 
the sheriff cared nothing about the fire nor me either.  I would tell him 
about it every day and he would promise, O yes he would attend to it, and 
so it went on until the first of November.  They then put up a stove in 
another room two or three feet from the door, and this door and iron one
and locked was between me and the stove.  This stove remained there some
time for me to look at but no fire in it.  Now the man who was in the room 
above expected to be hung, though his attorney was pleading for a new 
hearing, but he knew nothing of it.  A day or two before he hung himself
there was a man talking to him, who asked him if he had made peace with 
his maker; he answered, yes.  Why, said the gentleman, some one was saying,
you were swearing a short time since.  To this he answered not a word, for
it was the truth, and I, myself, heard him swearing most bitterly.  Oh 
miserable man! that would go on swearing in that way, when he knew he must
die.  But he was a Deist, and did not believe there was any punishment
hereafter, but I warrant he found the contrary to his sorrow.  His wife
was with him the evening before he put and end to himself, and, it is
believed, helped him make the rope out of an old piece of bed tick.  The
morning that he did the deed, he asked me which would be the easiest way
for a man to die, hang himself, to cut his throat.   I told him I did not
know, I had never tried nor did I want to, I would suppose either way 
would be very severe.  He had signified several times, that if he had 
to be hung the sheriff should not have the pleasure of doing it, for he 
said he got a considerable sum of money for it, and he said had done all
he could against him, and that money was all he cared for.  Now, I do
believe if the poor man had always come as nigh telling the truth as he 
did at that time he would have fared much better.  He and myself were
both up after daylight when the butcher blew his horn, and he said that
man is blowing his horn for the dogs to come and take away the carrion.
now his meaning was that the beef we got was very poor and tough, and 
he swore we always got the neck, for he could see them as they bought 
it, for the market house stood immediately in front of the prison.  Now
there was a very heavy frost that morning, and I having irons on and no 
fire, went to bed again and covered up.  The last words he spoke to me 
were those concerning the butcher and his beef.  Bye and bye our breakfasts
were handed in to me, and I spoke to him and told him they had come at last.  
He made me no answer.  I spoke to him again.  Still no reply.  I then 
looked up through a hole in the floor and saw him hanging by the neck. 
I immediately went to the window and called to Mr. FOSTER'S little son,
to run for his father.  Some time elapsed before any body came, and when 
they did come he was dead.  They took him down and bled him but he was 
gone past recovery.  This was on the 29th of September; it was some time 
before I could forget the looks of him, for when I thought of him it 
appeared to me that I could see him hanging by the neck and this made
me feel miserable.  Knowing he had committed an unpardonable sin it put
me on a deep study, and set me to reading.  I borrowed the history of 
the United States and read it through in four days and a half.  But 
little good it did me for my mind was too mush flustered to remember 
any thing I read five minutes at a time, for when without whiskey, my
mind was running on that, for I thought I could not live without it, 
and the sheriff did not allow any body to bring it to the prison.  I 
got it however, in spite of him, and at one time I remember I had three
bottles full and some in a tin cup, a pint would not last me more than 
a day.--- The sheriffs lady would at times vex me very much, for she 
would let no one come to the window unless they were some of my relations, 
and then she would make her little children watch to see if I got any thing 
from them.  But children can be fooled as well as grown people, for whiskey
I would have, though they had board fence eight feet high, round the prison,
and a gate which they usually kept locked.  Now this reminds me of the
Irishman, when he saw a lock to a pair of saddlebags, for says he when 
I see a lock to a pair of saddlebags it makes my knife laugh.  They were 
so particular as to fasten my window shutters nearly every night which 
they needed not to have done, for God knows, that with the exception of
three or four days after KISCADDON'S death, I would never have tried to 
escape, if I had ever so good an opportunity.  If the materials had been
at hand at the time, I would have made my escape, and would never have
been brought back alive.  About this time the sheriff and his family went
visiting and I think his wife and family were gone something like a week,
but he was backwards and forwards every day or two and then kept the gate 
locked all the time and did not allow any body to come to see whether I
was suffering or not.  I did suffer for wood, water and provisions.  But
blessed be God I am yet alive, and what is better than all, I have a hope 
of getting home to heaven some day.  Now the sheriff rented a house about
two hundred yards from the prison, and moved to it, and then there was no 
person living in the building joining the prison.  I was alone by myself 
and no person could come even to the window, without first asking leave 
and getting the key.  I was very lonesome for some time, but soon got 
used to it.  When all the doors and gates were locked, I was under eight
or nine locks, but I did not mind this at all if people could have come 
to the window to talk with me.--- This I believe, was done to prevent 
people from finding out how I fared.  Now after they moved over to that
house, they got prouder I suppose, for my fare got better in the eating
way but as for wood and water, it was worse.  About this time the 
commissioners came to see me, escorted by the Sheriff.  They asked me
if I got plenty to eat; I told them I did at that time and I thanked 
God for it.  They asked if I got enough of wood and water; I favored 
the Sheriff and told them I was neglected at times but not long at a 
time, and was generally pretty well supplied.  This I did hoping I might
fare the better for it.  But my hopes were all vain for things got worse
and worse, for they depended on their little son to give me wood and 
water.---   The wood was chopped and lay buy the window, in order to 
make people believe that I had wood in plenty; but it should be remembered
that this wood was out of my reach.  This boy would very often go off and 
give me neither wood nor water.  I would tell him I must have them. 
Sometimes he would give me a few sticks of wood at other times he would
make use of the word he learned from his father, "yes, I will," and march 
off, and if in the morning, I would see no more of him until night.  Yet 
I have no doubt he would tell his mother I had plenty, and she knew no 
better, for the woman at that time had a small child, and of course had 
plenty to attend to, and FOSTER, himself, seldom ever called to see how 
things were with me.  As I said before my fare in the eating way was 
getting better and it still continued to mend all winter and may God bless
the woman for her kindness at this time.  Now I read a great deal for God
was so kind to me, a poor perishing sinner, as to give me an appetite for
reading his precious book, and this I read daily, and the more I read the
better I liked it.  This was sometime in the last of November, and at 
length I began to feel a deep interest in the welfare of my soul.  I began 
to feel the weight and burden of sin very much.  I studied about it a great
deal and thought I would try to pray, for who knows but there is pardon yet
waiting for me, a poor, perishing sinner, not worthy of the least of God's 
mercies.  Now there was nobody in prison with me, and the gate was still 
kept shut; and nobody could come to see me.  None of God's people came near
me to encourage me; and my wife was absent from me two months.  This also 
grieved me very much, for she left me on the 24th of Nov. and did not 
return till about the 24th of Jan.  When she left me I was under great
concern about the welfare of my soul, but said nothing to her about it,
nor in fact to any body else, for God had not yet opened my eyes to see
myself a wretched undone sinner, but did it in a few days afterwards, 
blessed be his most holy name.  I was setting at my window reading my 
bible and it appeared to me all a t once that I could see all my sins 
laid down right before me, and it appeared that I could see all the sins 
that I ever had committed from the time that I was a little boy up to 
the present day, and seeing was not all for I felt the extreme weight 
of them and the burden appeared to intolerable for me to bear, or they
seemed as a mountain, yes, mountains upon mountains.  I closed my bible
and cried unto the Lord, in these very words, Lord have mercy upon me 
a poor perishing sinner   O Lord, I beseech thee, have mercy upon a poor, 
penitent sinner; bestow it, I pray thee, or I am undone.  Save, Lord Jesus,
or I perish, was my cry.  I wept.  I mourned.  I lay down on the bed and
tumbled about like a little boy with the belly ache.  What shall I do to 
be saved! was my cry.  Then there words came unto my mind, only believe 
and thou shalt be saved.  Lord Jesus I pray thee give me this power and 
I will believe.  Lord I believe, help thou mine unbelief.  I tried to 
pray but could not, for Satan would tell me it is too late now for God 
will not hear your prayers; time was when you might have repented but 
now it is too late.  Satan strove and I strove and sometimes when I went
to get on my knees, it appeared as if some person was behind me pulling 
me back.  At other times I fancied I heard some person walking round the 
house, listening to me, although the gate was locked and nobody could come
in without my hearing them, nor could any body climb the fence without my 
knowing it.  Now in this way I worried on for some time and had but little
appetite, and could scarcely eat at all.  The sheriff came over and asked 
me if I was sick.  I answered no.  Why says he, you look very pale.  I 
could have told him my sickness, if I had chosen, but I knew he would
only laugh at me and would not help me if he could, and so I kept the 
matter hid now if ever there was a sin sick soul I was one.  Sometimes 
I would pray and at other times it appeared that I could not, for my heart
was as hard as stone.  I at last picked up the resolution that Queen Esther 
had when she went in to the king, I can but perish if I go, and if I must 
perish let me perish at the feet of my blessed Jesus, who bled and died for 
such poor, perishing sinners as I am, for my bible tells me Christ died for 
all and why not for me though the very chief of sinners.  I then viewed him
hanging and bleeding on the cross, and the two thieves, one on each hand
and his sweet reply to the believing thief, when he said at the very hour
of death, Lord remember me when thou comest home to thy kingdom.  O the 
sweet answer my blessed Jesus made, this day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
I then  fell on my knees at the feet of my blessed Jesus loaded with iniquities,
saying, Lord Jesus, I have sinned and transgressed thy laws and commandments,
and deserve thy wrath years ago.  And now; O Lord, I give myself up unto thee,
a living sacrifice.  Take me, I pray thee, and do with me as seemeth good 
unto thee, only deliver me from that horrible pit.  Have mercy on me, O Lord,
according to thy loving kindness and according to the multitude of thy tender
mercies.  Blot out all mine iniquity and cleanse me from all sin.  And now,
O lord, I humbly entreat thee to take full possession of my heart and cleanse
it, for I do acknowledge that it is deceitful, and, above all things,
desperately wicked.  Without thy pardoning grace, Lord Jesus, I am undone. 
Remove this mountain of sin from my guilty soul.  Give unto me the gift of 
prayer and a hearty desire to pray and the praise shall be thine. Father, 
Son and Holy Ghost, world without end.  Amen.

     I felt some relief after I prayed but could not rest.  At length I 
fell into a dose of sleep and wakened myself praying.  I lay there and 
'wept, entreating the Lord to have mercy upon me.  I then thought of 
this promise; he that will come unto me I will in no wise cast out. 
I got out of my bed and prayed with all the powers of my soul, and although,
I cannot say , I heard these words, thy sins be forgiven thee, yet this
I know that I felt an immense burden removed from my weary soul.  Such 
feelings, such love as I then had, no tongue can describe.  Such freeness 
of speech to return thanks unto my blessed savior I never had before.  
It appeared I could pray all night, and indeed, I do not believe I came 
much sort of it.  My soul was filled with love towards my blessed Redeemer,
and it appeared that I loved every thing and every body, and the next day 
as I saw the people through the cracks of the fence, as they were passing,
my soul was filled with love towards them.  Now my dear reader, although I
had never believed in hearing people shouting or crying aloud unto God, I
was so filled with the love of god that I hardly knew how to contain 
myself or to refrain from crying aloud with praises unto that blessed 
Jesus that suffered and died the ignominious death of the cross to redeem
poor, perishing, sinners, such as we are.--- As I told you before, none 
of God's people came near me, for I kept this to myself, lest they should
say I was acting the hypocrite.  Now I had like to have forgotten to tell
you that about this time I was taken with a spell of sickness, something 
like the cramp cholic, which worsted me very much.  I took considerable 
medicine and became very weak, but whom God loveth he chasteneth, and as
David said, it is good for me to be afflicted, for it makes me more humble 
and obedient unto God's most holy word and may I ever be kept low at the feet
of my blessed Jesus, pleading for his mercies which he is always ready to 
bestow unto the humble and thou that are of a contrite spirit.  About this 
time there was a great revival of religion all through the land, and, of a
truth, the Lord visited this part of his vineyard, for all the people seemed
alive and on wings in search of that heavenly treasure that is laid up for 
those who love God and keep his commandment.  Now the big meeting among the
Methodists came on and I could see the people pass by to the people of God,
and my heart was melted with love for them.  I could also hear them preaching 
and praising God, but could distinguish but very little that they said; but
oftentimes did I get up out of my bed and go to my window and wished that 
they were nearer to me that I could hear what they did say.  This was not 
done once or twice but many times and with many tears.  My wife came up to
see me on the 24th of Jan. and one of my brothers in law, JOHN CAMPBELL, 
came with her.  Now my dear reader, this thing was not to be concealed 
any longer.  I told my wife the Lord had converted my soul, and exhorted
her to turn to the Lord, for he would have mercy and abundantly pardon. 
I told my brother in law I wished be had brought a preacher with him.  
Why, says he, I will do it yet if the Sheriff has no objections.  He 
said he had none.  My brother then asked me what preacher I would have.
I told him old Father Meek, if he would come.  O says he, he will come.
And blessed be God he did and more of God's people with him.  My heart 
leaped for joy when they came in at the door.  The Rev. Mr. MEEK, that 
faithful servant of God, stepped up to me and shook me by the hand and 
asked me what was my request.  I said I want you to pray for me.  He said
let us go to prayer.  The room was crowded, and never, never, will I 
forget that sweet hour, for it appeared to me that the Lord Jesus himself 
had come down to dwell with us on earth again.  And now my dear reader, 
though this was one year ago, it is with many tears I tell it you, and 
whilst writing, I have to lay down my pen and fall at the feet of my 
blessed Jesus, and entreat him to draw nigh unto this prison again, as
he did on that day.  They remained but a few minutes after prayer, so 
I had but a few words with this blessed servant of God, nor did I tell
him at that time that I thought the Lord had done something for my soul.
He promised to return to see me again before he went away; but learning 
that the sheriff was to be absent two or three days he sent me word he 
could not come back until the return of the Sheriff.  He made his promise
good but it was a long time before he did come.  But my dear reader, that
though his time was delayed in coming, when he did return it was as 
Noah's dove, for it was with tidings of great joy.  The Sheriff brought
two Baptist preachers to see me and one of them made a beautiful 
exhortation and both of them prayed, and I trust their prayers
for my soul, were not without answer.  I am comforted with these words, 
soul, why dost thou doubt? my grace is all sufficient for thee.  What 
blessed promises are encompassed within the lids of that precious book.
For it says in one place, come unto me all ye ends of the earth and be 
saved.  Now my dear reader, I call that a blessed invitation, and it is
not to one nor two, but to all, for he that will come unto me I will in
no wise cast out.  Lord strengthen thy unworthy servant and guide and 
direct my pen, that I may write something pleasing unto thee, and edifying 
to those who may read in time to come.  May it be done with sincerity and 
with fear and trembling, may that fear of offending thee be continually
kept alive in my heart whilst I remain in this earthly tabernacle, and 
when my days are ended in this lower world, accept of me, I beseech thee,
unto thy heavenly kingdom, and the praise shall be thine, Father, Son, 
and Holy Ghost, world without end; Amen.

     This has been a very had winter and I suffered much with cold by 
not being attended to.  Spring came on and my trial came to hand and they
took the irons off of me to take me out to court.  I could scarce walk at
all, for the irons were very heavy and I was shut up in a small room where
there was but little chance to walk even if I had not had irons on, nor 
had I seen the sun for six months and a half.  I went on to the court
house with them as quiet as a lamb to the slaughter.  There was an 
abundance of people came to hear my trial and their eyes were all placed
on me.  I suppose they thought that I would perhaps be scared and faint.
The charge was read and the Judges asked me if I was guilty or not guilty.
I answered I was guilty in self defense.  So the jury was picked out and
the witnesses sworn and some of them swore to point black lies.  The 
jury hung and it is said, there were but two smart men among them.  I knew
but one and he is any thing but smart.  Ten were for bring me in guilty
of murder in the second degree and two manslaughter.  So I was taken back 
to prison there to remain for another year.  It seems hard for a man to 
suffer so much for defending himself in his own house. There were two 
other men in prison with me and one was a crazy man in the room with me.
One would suppose my own troubles were enough, without being tormented 
with, I may say, two crazy men, for the man they called crazy had a good 
deal the most sense of the two.  They would quarrel and fight nearly every 
day and I would have to part them.  At last the Sheriff took them both to 
Columbus; the crazy man to the Lunatic Asylum and the other to the
Penitentiary.  Now my mistress began to slight me again, and had it not
been for Mister JOHN BROWN'S family, I think I should have died for want
of water.  May God bless them here and hereafter for their kindness to me.
Now the kind and blessed Providence was so kind to me, though unworthy of 
the least of his mercies, as to send his faithful servant, the Rev. JOHN 
MEEKS, to preach a sermon unto me.  He preached from these words, when a 
few more years are come I shall go whence I never shall return.  Never 
shall I forget my feelings on that day, for my heart was melted with love 
towards my blessed Jesus and his faithful minister.  My fare through the
summer was very rough, for they gave me the fat rusty pieces of bacon, 
that were fit for nothing but to be thrown into the soap grease, and one
half of the time it was not half done, and very often I did not get that
but twice a day.  They sometimes sent me out bread that had been made up
for a number of days.  This bread I never could eat.  Frequently  my 
neighbor, Mrs. BROWN, would go on the Sabbath, to 9 o'clock class, and 
return before I got my breakfast.  This kind of breakfast is no rarity
to me and when I had no sour bread, there came very often stewed apples 
that had taken the second sour and beet pickles, I suppose they thought
anything was good enough for any person who is in prison.  If there be 
any Christianity in this sort of treatment I know it not.  So they draw
their money they don't care if Satan had me, but thanks be to God this 
does not lay in their power.  Now my dear reader, I wearied along through
a long and tedious summer not without many trials and temptations, but 
the grace of our Lord Jesus is all sufficient for us.  If we will be 
faithful he will not leave us nor forsake us but we must love him and 
keep his commandments.  About this time the Lord who is merciful and kind, 
gave my poor old mother health and strength to come and see her unworthy 
son.  This was the first time I had seen her since my dreadful misfortune.
I was afraid she could not stand it but thanks be to God that he enabled 
her to bear it surprisingly.  It grieved me to think that I, her eldest 
son, instead of being a joy and comfort to her, was bringing down her 
gray hairs in sorrow to the grave.  My wife came up with my mother and
they stayed with me several days, and then returned home again, and 
thanks be to God, she returned home tolerably well reconciled, considering 
the dreadful situation I was placed in.  On the 8th of August 1840, God's
blessed and faithful and blessed servant Mr. ALEXANDER M'LAIN, came to 
the prison and preached from this text: this is a faithful saying and 
worthy of all acceptation that Christ came into the world to die for
sinners of which I am chief.  The sermon that was preached that day I
trust will long be remembered by many as well as myself.  All I heard
speak about it was pleased with it, indeed I don't see where in they 
could be displeased with it for I thought it was much to the purpose,
and such a prayer as he offered up in behalf of poor, perishing sinners
I think I never heard beaten in my life, and his prayer for my soul I 
trust was not without answer.  May our God, and the God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob bless this, he servant, and his household and save 
them in the end for Christs sake.

     I wearied along through a long tedious summer and had very good
health considering I was shut up in this nasty stinking hole, for a 
stinking place it is and it is a thing almost impossible to get the 
sheriff to clean it out or have it done, for this causes him to call 
upon his purse and this he hates; as a cat about fish so is he about 
his money, they are fond of fish but dislike to get their feet wet;
be is fond of money but hates to work for it.  Now the pride of the 
heart, the love of money, and, let me add spirituous liquor, is the 
root of all evil.  Had it not been for this last evil, I would not be
here at this time.  About this time I got some boiled potatoes, and
some of the neighbors sent me a tin full of butter milk to eat with 
them, for which I felt very thankful, but my mistress getting to learn 
it forbade them sending any more.  This was very hard I thought and 
reminded me of the dog in the manger, he could not eat the hay himself
nor would he let the ox eat it.  September court came on and there were 
two poor souls to be tried, one for putting on another man's coat without
leave, the other for shooting a man.  They were both cleared, and really
I was glad of it, for the man that took the coat was deranged at times, 
and his family did not know where he was until I wrote to them for him. 
The other was a young man and the Jury brought him in guilty but his 
attorney worked it somehow that he was cleared.  I believe he nullified 
the jury.  Before court broke up my mother, my wife and cousin SARAH HAINES
came to see me.  They had sent me word they were coming and my heart 
leaped for joy when I heard them at the gate.  My wife came without her
child and it was only by the greatest persuasion she was induced to 
remain all night with me.  My mother and cousin remained with me several 
days and went away pretty well reconciled considering the dreadful 
situation I was placed in. About the first of Oct. the Sheriff went to 
keeping tavern, and the bell in her coney knew not how to contain herself,
for at times she made a tremendous noise as though she had two clappers 
in her instead of one, but this was only an aggravation, for many times 
the dinner did not come for two hours after the bell had rung.  On the 
25th of Oct. my wife and oldest daughter came to see me, this was on 
Saturday evening and the next day they went home.  I tried to prevailed
upon my wife to remain until Monday morning, she would not but promised 
very faithfully to return in three or four weeks and bring the other two
children whom I had not seen for eighteen months.---   Now this time 
rolled on and she did not come, three months rolled round and still no 
wife.  It appears I have become a stranger to my companion, aed an 
alien unto my mother's children.  My wife was absent from the 26th 
of Oct. until the 31st of Jan., and had it not been for shame I believe 
she would not have come at all.  She heard I was sick and God softened 
her heart and caused to come at last, but she did not bring my children.
She promised to return in three or four weeks, but this was another 
false promise, for the time has passed and she has not come.
     
     On the 20th of March my trial came on and there was much difficulty
in getting a jury, but no difficulty in getting false witnesses; It is
astonishing to me that a man can, without any provocation, get up in a 
court and swear to a point blank lie.  I feet it my duty mention the 
names of two of these two men, GODDARD PENCE and ELISHA TUMBLESON.  And
now I caution the community against these men, lest they should meet 
with the same fate that your unworthy writer has fallen into, men, who 
would as willingly swear a man's life away as take a drink of grog.  
One of these men was so drunk he could not stand still whilst he was 
testifying.  By such witnesses as these the jury brought me in guilty
of murder in the second degree.  My dear reader, this is hard that a 
man should be snatched from a family of little helpless children and 
sent to the penitentiary for life.

     Lord Jesus, I entreat thee, even on this bit of paper to carry out
the work thou hast begun in my family.  Take them into thy precious care 
and make them thine.  Bless them and feed them with the bread of live;
save them and all that are near and dear with thy unworthy servant, and
the praise shall be thine, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, world without end.
AMEN!