...I .,. ()Ir-, rf', r r. ci 1"-".. C) (,.,.: ';1 (...J R.,4_ '-1' I-.' e. .!' t c_, \J of, -p;. c I to~ il "lov-.A • '"' ( p :;- z.- HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES . PRECINCTS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY. f- ')!"~ SEATONVILLE PRECINCT. price on his right of priority and claim land or The land in this precinct is poor in sections, money. the cou~try very uneven, hills and ravines The early settlers of this precinct left but lit­ predominating. The roads are also very irregu­ tle record of themselves save mere threads of lar, and generally take the course of the traditionary events. They usually, as was the creeks, the bedi of which constitutes the high­ case always at first, settled along the water way. · Now ,af!d then some road angles across courses, or near perennial streams of water. In the country, and through the wood land, but in an early day attractions were probably as great many places, especially in the southern part, in this section of the country as were found any­ there are ribne save some bridle-paths, leading to where in the county. Louisville had abundance and from the neighbors' houses. of water, but good land was found at Seatonville, The original mistake made m granting patents and as for the metropolis of the State, there was to posaession of lands on merely paying a fee of as much likelihood of the latter place being that ten dollars, with the privilege of as much land city as the former in the minds of the first set­ in lieu of same as the speculator would map out, tlers. has always caused much trouble. · One of the first settlers of this precinct was a With auch liberties it is easy to see how ambi­ Mr. Mills, of Virginia, who came in a very early tious speculators would seek out this land, blaze day, riding an old gray mare, for which he was a few trees, as indic~s to the boundary lines, no offered ten acres of land, now the central portion mattrr how irregular that might be, and then of Louisville city. One of his sons, Isaac by have the same recorded properly in the archives name, born in 1796, was an early settler of this of the State. The numerous surveys, the irregu­ part of the country, also. Jari~ of laid out farms frequently led to serious The F'unks-John, Peter, and Joseph-were trouble. Claims would overlap each other until early settlers in this precinct. John and Peter II many as twelve or fifteen owners could be owned a mill near Se~tonvillc, probably the first found for one dry spot of earth. No sooner in th,;: county. 0£ this family of brothers, would some stranger from another State secure John and Joe had no children, but Peter has de­ hi1 possessions with a snug cottage than would scendants living at the present time. , come along an owner of some parcel of his / George Seaton, was born near Seatonville, April grou!ld with a right prior to his. 3, 1781, and died July 6, 1835, and from him These things were tolerated at first with a the village of this precinct takes its name. They patience characteristic of a man always wanting were a family of marked characteristics, and have to be at peace with his neighbor, but the pest of descer.dants living at the present time, and did prior claims was not removed until the shot gun much to advan::e the interests of the new settle­ was called into. requisition, and it became a ments. George Seaton was one of the first aerious matter for any one to saddle a good magistrates of the precinct. 9 10 HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALU; COUNTIES. Fieldinp: Wigginton, at thirteen years of age, Mr. Mills built in the year , 866, a saw-mill, came here in 1803, hut finally settled in Bullitt and in , 870 attached to it a grist-mill, both of county, where he died. A name to be revered which are in good condition. The saw-mill has as among the early settlers was a Rev. William a capacity of three thousand feet. The grist­ P. Barnett, a minister of the _Baptist church for mill runs two buhr of stones- on~ for corn and over forty years. He was married twice, his sec­ the other for wheat. ond wi fe being the mother of John Wigginton's The first church in this precinct was the Old­ wife. school Baptist church on Chenoweth run. ~ The Bridwells were also very early settlers. , church was in successful operation by that de­ Mr. John Wigginton's mother was one of this nomination up to the year 1820. family. Rev. J ohn C. J ohnson, an old Baptist Hezekiah Pound came from New Jersey in preacher, ministt:red to the people in an early an early day, and settled upon :t tract of land a day. The building was a simple log structure, little southeast of Seatonville, where J. M. Pound probably thirty by for ty feet, and stood where the now lives. graveyard now is. Among the vcrr early pre:.ch­ At that time there was a sentinel station where ers might be mentioned the names of William Mr. George Welsh now lives. His son John H ub, Zaccheus Carpenter, Rev. Mr. Garrett, Pound was born in this precinct July 31, 1784, the Wailers, I<.ev. Andrew Jackson, "Rev. A. and died August 261 185 r. H e married a Miss Mobley, and Richard Nash. The church Paulina Boyer November 18, 18081 and had built in 1849 or , 85or is a frame, thirty-five by eight children. The grandfather was in the Rev­ fi fty. The membership at the present time is olution, and several of his chiidren were in the about one hundred and sixty. Elder Clif­ War of 1812. ton Allen is at present the preacher to this In the southern part of the precinct, on Broad congregation. T he elders of the church are river, Mr. George Markwell settled in a very early Jeff Young, George W. Welsh, and H. C. Mills; day. H e was a native of Wales, and after com­ Kenner Mills, superintendent of the Sabbath­ ing here entered three or four hundred acres of school. land. The stone at the head of his grave on the BIOGRAPHICAL NOT ES. old homestead, owned now by J ohn B. Mark­ Radham Seaton, the first of that family in well, gives his birth date ac; 17 5 r. He d ied in Kentucky, and grandfather of Charles A. and December, 1828. Jane, his wife, died at the W. Chesley Seaton, came to Jefferson county age of seventy-two, and lies by his side. His from Virginia. Soon after his arrival he married sons, born in the 178o's, are also buried in this Mary Curry, daughter of Thomas Curry, a native yard. of Virginia, by whom he had four children: Sarah, A prominent man of this precinct, from whom Thomas C., Elizabeth, and Kenner, who was also prominent families hd\te descended, was a born April 17, 17 97. Radha111 Seaton had four­ Mr. Wish, who settled near Seatonvilie at a very teen brothers and two sisters. H is wife's mother ei1 rly day. was Sarah M'Carthy, whose sister, Margaret Chen­ FIRST MILL. oweth, was scalped by the Indians at her home The first mill built in this precinct was by a near Linn Station, in the noted Chenoweth mas­ Mr. Mundell, on Floyd's fork, one-half mile be­ sacre. Radham Seaton died when about forty low Seatonville. This was probably uefore the years old, from injuries received while logging. year 1800. Mr. Mundell operated by the water His son Kenner lived on the home place and was power gained by this stream both a saw-mill and a farmer. He was married September 26, 1833, a grist-mill. The Funks finally purchased this and had seven children, of whom four are living. properly more than sixty years ago, and operated He died in the room in which he was born on the these mills for a number of years. The new 26th of August, 1872. C. A. Seaton was born mill was buiit as early as in 1832. January 8, 18361 and W. Chesley, October 22, Mr. Isaac Mills worked there as a stone 1847. T hese brothers were educated in the mason. T he mill was in successful operation as common schools, and have until recently been late as in the year 1876, when it stopped. farmers. In l 87 2 the elder of these brothers IIISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES. 11 erected a building and cng:iged in general mer­ twenty, and carried on a shop at Jeffersontown chandise business. The l,rotlier nfterwards be­ for thirty years. Some eight years ago he moved came a partner. The village of Seatonville was upon his farm a half-mile southeast of Seaton­ founded by them, nnd the prednct received ville, and has since engaged in farming. On their name. C. A. Seaton is now serving a February II, 184.7, he married Sarah Seaton, second term as magistrate of this precinct, who .vas born in this county March 3, 1828, by besides serving as deputy marshal of the whom he has had eleven children, of whom county, an office to which he was elected last eight are living. Her father, Kenner Seaton, August. January 24, 1856, he married Mary E. was born April 23, 1781; married February 3, Kelly, a native of Jefferson county, and daughter 1863 1 and died July 6, 1835.