Daviess Co, IN Information

This Page created: 3/25/2005

Early Means Of Subsistence
Most of the early settlers came from the Southern States, about 1/2 of them from SC, 1/4 from KY, and the rest from NC and TN. Their object in coming was to secure homes in the prairies and timber lands in this portion of Indiana Territory. To obtain a livelihood was the first prime and principal duty of all, and in accomplishing this purpose, it was necessary to use considerable ingenuity and all the means nature had placed within their reach. Their houses or cabins were for years wholly of logs, round or hewn as the case might be. During "forting times", most of these were abandoned for the forts, but some families, possessing an extraodinary amount of courage, recklessness or means of defense, remained at their homes. The food of these early settlers, consisted in part of game,which abounded in great variety in the woods. Deer were very plentiful for several years. If "Friend Spears, who lived down in the edge, of what is now Salty Row, or Jacob, Charles, or Abner Cosby, all of whom lived just beyond Veal Creek, wanted a mess of venison, they would take a little walk out in the barrens, be out an hour, and return, having killed the deer and hung him up; then take a horse, bring him in and live fat until they wanted more. As it was with them, so it was in most places throughout the county, and for many years after I moved on this lot, I bought venison hams, at 12-16 cents per ham. At 2 different times while in the peltry trade, I had in the house 800 deer skins, all bought in that winter's collection, all killed that season."* there were also immense numbers of squirrels, quails, wild ducks, wild geese and wild turkeys. (*Recollections of Robert Stephens who came to this co in May 1822, and is still living. "History of Knox and Daviess County Indiana" Goodspeed Publishing; Chicago; 1886, p587)


FAMILIES WE'RE STUDYING IN DAVIESS CO, IN

Baldwin
Gregory
Purcell


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