on Tuesday and hold over till the next Tuesday. The tents would be built in a circular form around the auditorium where the people would be seated. Peter Acres, Peter Cartright, William Rutledge and Rev. Shunck we recollect as preachers in those days. Uncle Robert enjoyed a campmeeting and always took part in the exercises.

We have heard an ancedote that occurred at one of these meetings that will hurt no one connected with it, which we beg leave to relate: It was the custom for the men to sit on one side and the ladies on the other side of the grounds and a committee was appointed to see that this was carried out. The meeting had got to be quite warm and interesting and some of the men had gotten on the women's side. Uncle Robert was near the altar and motioned to Aaron-who was one of the transgressors, to come away while Aaron mistook his signals for him to come to the altar. "Not tonight Mr. McReynolds." Another signal was given and still Aaron mistook it for an invitation to come. Mr. McReynolds now getting impatient went to him and said. "I tell you, you must come." "Not tonight Mr. McReynolds." About this time Aaron seeing that he must do something left the crowd and did not go to the altar.

Mr. McReynolds stood in high esteem in the democratic party and was elected to nearly all the offices in their gift. Was county assessor, judge, justice of the peace and filled well all these offices. He moved to Havana in the fifties and was a highly respected citizen. His word was as good as his bond. No stain of character ever rested on him. He was an ideal christian citizen, was ever ready to bear any burden that would advance the cause of christianity or better the condition of his fellow man. Would that there were more Robert McReynolds.

THE HOWELL FAMILY

The oldest was Charles who lived up near the Quiver mills and at one time was a cabinet maker. My father bought a set of chairs in 1849 of him that now are in good order and are good enough for a parlor. He owned one hundred and sixty acres of as good land west of Howelltown as there was in the country. My brother R. J., broke forty acres of it for him with a big ox team referred to in a former letter.

Charles Howell, while he made Quiver his home was of a roving disposition. He made a number of trips west and the last we heard of him he was down in Texas. He had some brothers whom we do not remember except Bart and Theodore. Bart lives in the corporate limits of Havana and for fifty years has been a good quiet citizen. The penitentiary would never have been built had all men been like Bart Howell. He will never have any use for the new jail in Havana. The lawyers will never get rich with the bills they collect of him.

Theodore Howell was the youngest and moved to Missouri some years ago. He was a pretty good fellow. We often met him at corn huskings or wood choppings at night at the social gatherings where Theodore was always ready to do his part. We learned while at Havana Chautauqua from Bart that he was not expected to live. He had just received word from Missouri.

OTHER OLD SETTLERS

Mention might be made of Pulaski Scovel who lived at Waterford and at whose mill all the lumber was made that was used till the canal was finished, which was in 1850. The families that lived in the town got their living from the saw

mill. The whole country was heavily timbered, the bottoms with burr oak, walnut and hickory, while in the uplands was the finest of white oak. The mill at Waterford sawed some of the finest oak lumber that was ever marked, and Pulaski Scovel was the man that sawed it. Scovel owned a fine farm east of Havana where Rube Henninger now lives; but in after years moved to Leases Grove, where he lived and died fifteen years ago, an old but much respected man. He delivered his lumber at Havana with ox teams. George Moranville was one of his drivers and could make an ox do anything he wanted.

The day of oxen has passed away and a new era has dawned. Gore Palmer said at Old Salem that the horse race and shooting match had to go as the Chautauqua had taken its place.

A circular sawmill at Havana in 1854, run by the Webbs, worked up the elm and cottonwood. I recollect getting a couple of thousand feet of it that shrunk four inches endways and that twisted around like a gin barrel.

Yet the people were happy in those days, their wants were about in keeping with their income and there was more friendly feeling among the people. A man was measured by what he was worth, mentally and morally. Now we have so many pumpkin fed aristocrats that a modest man is kept in the back ground.

As before mentioned we drove an ox team at Havana for years. Most of our hauling was from the bluffs above Waterford in Fulton county, where many good people lived and some that were not so good. There were the Mileses, Pottses, all good honest

the Warners, the Arnots and the people. We often drove up there and stayed over night and the neighbors would come in to hear the news from town and to get us to do their figuring for them. Most of their figuring was as to the number of acres or rods they had grubbed for their neighbors. The land would be in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Sometimes they would want to know

the amount that their rails would come to.

There were no

schoolhouses in the neighborhood at that time.

But finally they agreed to build a schoolhouse and it was located on Tom Arnot's land. The people turned out and hewed the logs and built the house. Then the question arose as to who should teach the school. Tom Arnot thought as the building was on his land he could teach the cheapest because he could board at home. Mrs. Potts objected. Her daughter, Hulda Ann had better "larnin." "Now," said she, "Tom Arnot has got no book larnin." He says there is only two rules in grammar; one is to write the English language correctly and the other is to write it properly. "Now," said she, "I know three more than that myself. There is ettymology, sintax and prosidy and I don't know how many more." But Tom got the school.

There were many outlaws living in the bottoms and onthe bluffs above and below Waterford who would steal, rob hen roosts and drive off cattle and hogs. They would hide from the officers during the day time and make their escape at night. Dave Waggoner, who was sheriff for twenty-five years, would take Tow Ellsworth, who now lives at Forest City, go out and lay for the outlaws at night and capture their men before daylight the next morning. Mr. Ellsworth can relate many thrilling experiences he had with Waggoner.

冰

CHAPTER XLIII.

DR. CHARLES NEWTON

NE OF the notable characters that settled in Lewistown was Dr. Chas. Newton familiarly called Dr. Newt. He was an eastern man and

was well educated and was considered a very good and skillful doctor. He was the only practicing physician in the county for about two years. He kept no office but made his home with O. M. Ross. He would occasionally take a drinking spree that would last a day or two but aside from this was as perfect a gentleman as any person could wish to have in their house.

He was a good deal attached to Ross and often said that there was no place that seemed so much like as Ross.' A year after Dr. Newton came down to live with Ross' he was the first doctor in Lewistown and the first in Havana while living at Ross.' In Havana Harvey's mother started him out to hunt a girl to do the house work. He crossed the river and struck off into south Fulton and every house he struck he inquired for girls and finally he was directed to an old gentleman who lived down in the edge of Schuyler county by the name of Londerbach who was said to have four girls. He found the place and told his business and one of the girls agreed to go. It was a long trip and they did not arrive home till after dark. The doctor had gone to bed but called Harvey to his room and wanted to know what kind of a girl he had brought home. He was told that she was a