From a copy of the census of Giles County, taken by Charles C. Abernathy in 1820, it appears that the following inhabitants of Pulaski designated as "heads of Families" and entered together, and, as it may be interesting to some of their descendants to know that their parents or relatives were here at that date, I will give their names, to-wit: James Perry, Samuel Y. Anderson, Thos. Wilkerson, Jas. Connor, Jno. E. Holden, Wm. English, William Conner, Francis Guthrie, Nathan Alman, William Boyle, Bernard M. Patterson, Lunsford M. Bramlette, German Lester, William R. Davis, Robert Gibson, Tryon M. Yancy, Amos David, John Brown, Jesse Day, Francis Hix, William Hamby, Matthias Sharon, Jno. B. Connor, Masterson C. McCormack, Aaron V. Brown, Elizabeth Berry, Judith Burch, Elizabeth Hooks, Mary Scott, William Ball, Thos. White, Joseph H. Hodge, John McCracken, William Rose, Jacob Templin, Peggy Cyrus, Francis Alexander, Joseph Trotter, Robert Crockett, Henry Hagan, Fountain Lester, George Lovell, James Terrill, Archibald Story, Jesse Peebles, Samuel Pearson, Jeremiah Parker, Alf M. Harris, Thomas Smith, William H. Fields, Rebecca Crenshaw, Shadrack Nye, Nathaniel Moody, James Lynch, Alfred Flournoy, James Patterson, Elisha Eldridge, Sallie Collier, John Keenaw, John Hamblett, William Flippen, John Wladrop, Thos. Martin, Charles Perkins.

MORIAH CHURCH, WEAKLEY'S CREEK

Robert Reed, father of Levi Reed, Esquire, settled on the East branch of Weakley's creek eight miles from Pulaski near where the "Bumpass trail" crossed. He moved from Logan Co., KY, came by the Bumpass trail-by Columbia; he built his first cabin on the Chickasaw line and a year or two afterwards had to move it back. John Agnew settled at the mouth of Agnew's Creek for whom it was named. Isaac Lamb, Levi Cooper, John Kitchen and David Campbell settled near the same place and used water from the same spring.

Lawson Hobson settled the place on the east fork of Weakley's Creek, known as the Hobson place; his hands came out with son Newton a few years before the old man came out. They were among the first settlers and came about the time Reed did. Some of them may have come before him. Valentine Choate settled on Choate's Creek, from whom the creek took its name. Major Jurlston settled on Dry Creek, at a very early date and built the first cotton gin that was run by water on Dry Creek where Col. Jas. T. Wheeler now lives. Owen Sherman and William Wren were among the very first settlers. Wren lived near Robert Reed, Weakley's Creek, it is said was named or took its name from Robert Weakley, who was one of the early surveyors. In the Fall of 1809, John Reed the father of Robert Reed came from Kentucky, with eight sons and settled on Weakley's Creek; after he settled on Weakley, and about 1810, Robert Reed and his eight brothers came, of whom was the late Rev. C. P. Reed, and Levi Reed, a son of said Robert Reed all went to school together. The first school taught in the neighborhood was in 1810 by Jno. Morgan. In 1811 a school was taught by the Rev. James B. Porter. Captain James L. Henry was one of the first settlers and was the first constable in his "beat".

Robert Reed and Jonathan Berry were Magistrates in their "beat" (or Captain's Company), at an early day. Old Reese Porter and his sons, Reese, John, David, Jas. B., and Thos. C. came at an early day and settled near Mt. Moriah Church; the old man owned a large tract of land in the neighborhood and settled near what is now Mt. Moriah Church. His sons, David and John settled on the Lawrenceburg road at what has since been called the Connor and Porter places.

The Rev. James B., on the Kennedy farm, Thomas C., on the Pullen place at Wales Station; Reese Porter, Jr., died early. He was the father of Reese W. Porter, for many years a merchant and citizen of this county.

There is some discrepancy in dates as to when the Porters came. James L. Henry, who is now in his 87th years says he came to the neighborhood of Mt. Moriah church early in 1808 and his recollection is that old Father Porter was there when he arrived. He says he knows that Owen Sherman and Wm. Wren were there also; John Black thinks Sherman and Wren raised corn in the neighborhood in 1806. It is difficult in some cases to reconcile the recollection of old people as to dates; but from the fact that one of the Porter family informs me that he was born in Davidson County in 1808 as he learned from his parents the year or year before they moved to Giles and from other information, I think it probable they came in the latter part of 1808 or early in 1809. In November 1809 the Legislature appointed David Porter one of the first magistrates of the County. He must have been recognized as a resident citizen at that date.

Sampson McCowan and McAllily were early settlers. A man by the name of Gibson first settled on the place where Samuel Gibson now lives, but very soon afterwards was settled by Colonel John Bodenheimer, who lived and died there. He was the father of David Bodenheimer, Esquire, long a magistrate and prominent citizen of our county. Captain Henry says the first marriage in the County that he remembers was Jesse Beaver to Miss Harben, in a little cabin with a dirt floor in the cane-brake, near where Mt. Moriah church now stands. Says they had bear meat, venison and corn bread for dinner, and hot toddy in tin cups, sweetened with tree sugar. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Mt. Moriah was organized in the Fall of 1811. Rev. James B. Porter was the first preacher. Major Hurlston, Thos. Ruby, Reese Porter and Jonathan Berry were the elders. This was the first Cumberland Presbyterian Church organized in the County. In the same Fall a camp meeting was held at that place, and camp ground established.

CAMPBELLSVILLE AND BIG CREEK

John Dickey, Esquire, father of James R. Dickey, Esquire, moved from Logan Co., KY., and first stopped in Maury and thence to this County in 1808. He cut the cane near the Big Springs at Campbellsville and sowed turnips that Fall, and made a crop of corn in 1809. James Ross, the grandfather of Jas. R. Dickey, came the same Fall and settled in the place old Andrew Yokley lived on until his death.

Ross was one of the Commissioners appointed by the Legislature to locate and lay off the town of Pulaski. They traveled the Bumpass trail. The only road at that time coming south from Columbia was the Bumpass trail. They came up Little Bigby, crossed Elk ridge at what is now called the Yokley gap, and came down the eastern or Yokley branch of Big Creek. The first corn raised in that part of the County was in 1809. Hamilton C. Campbell and Jacob Baylor came about the same time that Dickey did. Jacob Baylor and John Dickey were appointed by the Legislature in November 1809 Magistrates for the "beat" in which they lived. Jas. Ashmore was among the first settlers. He settled the old James Hannah place, one mile north of Campbellsville. He was elected the first constable in his Captain's "beat." Daniel Allen was one of the first settlers and settled at what has since been known as Wright's spring. He erected a powder mill and made powder there for several years. Dan Allen was the father of General Richard H. Allen, for many years a prominent citizen of this county, and afterwards of Lawrence County. John Dickey was elected Representative to the Legislature in 1817. The settlers went to Williamson County the first year for corn. Jacob Bayler built a mill on Dry Creek about one mile west of Campbellsville about 1809 or 1810. This was the first mill built in that part of the country. A mill was built about the same time or soon after on Richland Creek below Moriah Church opposite James Hayes' place, called Mayfield's Mill. James R. Dickey was about twelve years old when his father came to the County; says there were but few houses in Columbia when his father moved through there and but few on the road after he left Columbia. Gideon Pillow lived on Little Bigby three miles south of Columbia. It was several years after that before he settled the Pillow place in Giles at Wales Station. He says the Bumpass trail came down the eastern branch of Big Creek, by the old man Ross' and by Mack Alexander's or rather between the two thence south leaving Campbellsville about one mile to the right hand; it then left big Creek and took the Dividing Ridge between that creek and Dry Creek, bearing towards Dry Creek and crossing it where Samuel Wilson now lives, and where old Colonel John Bodenheimer lived and died. This trail went rather a zig-zag course to avoid the large cane. Cunnigham, who settled the place now owned by John English on the East branch of Big Creek; Jesse Foster, who settled on Dry Creek where Sam Wilson lived; and Kirkland who settled where Jno. I. Morris lived were among the first settlers. Isaac Morris Sr., and his sons, Matthew Benthal, Peter Swanson, John Wright, Andrew Yokley, Walter Locke, the Gibsons, Reas, Caldwells, Englishes, Alexanders and McCutcheons, Hannahs, Brownlowes, Keltners, Wilcoxes, Shulers, Normans and others, were early settlers; all came before 1820, and some of them among the first; but the dates at which they have not been ascertained.

OLD LYNNVILLE AND LYNN CREEK

The first settlers in the northern part of the County on Lynn Creek and Robertson's Fork crossed Duck River, mostly at Davis' ford, came by where Culleoka now is, and crossed Elk Ridge at Dodson's Gap or went higher up Fountain Creek and crossed farther west. John Fry, father of Captain Wm. Fry moved from NC in the Fall of 1805, crossed the Caney Fork at Stone's River and came by Nashville to Williamson County and stopped on the Harpeth and remained two years and then moved to this County. He came the Davis ford road to Fountain Creek, kept up Fountain Creek by John Richardson's big spring, and crossed Elk Ridge at a gap west of the turnpike gap; went down a branch of the middle prong, and crossed over to the Western prong of Lynn Creek where he settled the eighth of March 1808. William Dearing, George Malone, Gabriel and John Foulkes, and Daniel Harrison settled on the East prong of Lynn Creek in the Fall of 1807. John and William Rutledge, Jacob and Andrew Blythe, Joel Rutledge, and Parrish Simms, settled on the middle prong of Lynn Creek in the Fall of 1807, Nicholas Absolom, and Hugh Barren, Thomas Mooney and Andrew Pickens, settled on the west prong in 1807; most of these raised corn in 1808. John McCabe, John Angus, James Wilsford, James Brownlow and others, settled a little south of John Fry in 1809. John Laird came in December 1809 and settled the place he lived on for many years on the turnpike half a mile north of Old Lynnville. He crossed Duck River at the Davis Ford, came by John Lindsay's crossed the ridge at the Dodson Gap, came to old Mrs. Follis' who lived where Col. T. M. Gordon now lives, and to Lynnville, and from thence to Old Lynnville; he built a mill on the main branch of Lynn Creek, and started the first cotton gin that run by water in that part of the County in 1811. He packed cotton in a square box and pummelled it in with pestles and mauls. He opened a store near his house at an early day and for many years sold goods and without previous training in the business, became a successful merchant. An incident is related illustrative of his character. At a time when he needed an assistant or clerk in the store he made enquiry of his farmer acquaintances for an honest respectable, industrious young man of good mind and good habits. One was suggested, but at the same time he was told that the young man had been raised on the farm; had never been from home and knew absolutely nothing of the mercantile business. He replied that was the kind of a young man that he wanted if his other qualities suited; said he had his own way of doing business and he would rather undertake to learn a teachable young man who knew nothing about the business than one whose training differed from his mode of business. John C. Walker and Elisha White came about the time Laird did, and settled at Old Lynnville. Walker settled first where White and Walker's store was, and a year or two afterwards moved east of Elk Ridge church where he resided until his death. Elisha White owned the land on which the town was built and sold out the lots. he was an energetic and successful man in business. William Dearing settled the Dearing place one mile north of Old Lynnville and kept tavern on the road. His house was a favorite stopping place for travelers and a noted stage stand for many years. George Malone first settled by Dearing, but soon moved to the place one mile south of Old Lynnville on the turnpike where he lived for many years and died. He was a successful farmer and one of the first in the County who raised cotton in considerable quantity for the market. Gabriel Foulkes first settled where Laird's mill-pound was. Gabriel and John Foulkes worked in a salt-petre cave, three-fourths of a mile southwest from Dr. Rutledge's old brick house. John McCabe settled the Rutledge place about the time Laird came out. The Tuckers, Wilsfords, Evanses, and English were early settlers but the dates at which they came have not been ascertained.

LYNNVILLE AND LYNNVILLE STATION

John Campbell, William Follis, Nathaniel Moody, John Parchment, Richard and Martin Flint, John Graves, Joel Lane, and others settled in a colony around what is now Lynnville Station on Robertson's Fork in the Fall of 1809, and raised corn, the most of them in 1808. Mrs. Follis settled the place on which Muck Gordon now lives. Nathaniel Moody built the first mill in the County about half a mile south of Lynnville on Robertson Fork, near where the railroad crosses it. This was built in 1808 or early in 1809. The county was established in November 1809 and the act establishing the county appointed Nathaniel Moody one of the Commissioners to locate and lay off the County Seat, to be called Pulaski; he was also appointed one of the first magistrates of the County. Soon after the location of the County Seat, he moved to Pulaski and built a mill on Richland Creek at Pulaski. Hiram and Boyd Wilson settled the lands over in the valley now owned by Martin Fry at a very early date, as early as 1809.

BUFORD STATION

John Jones, the father of Mrs. Benton R. White and Mrs. A. A. Dickerson settled the place east of Buford's Station, long known as the John Jones place; but at present known as the Fitzpatrick place.

In the early part of 1808, this was for many years a noted stand on the Davis Ford road from Nashville to Pulaski and considerable business was done at it in the early days. Andrew M. Ballentine opened a store there in 1815, and sold goods there for a number of years before he moved to Pulaski. At the same time John Jones settled the place aforesaid, Samuel Jones, his brother, settled at a place about a mile east, now owned by Mrs. Judge Spofford. John White settled near where Buford Station is, and built a mill on Robertson's Fork, just above the Station. Ostin Carter and John Pate settled on lands now owned by A. A. Dickerson, Robert Guthrie and Colonel L. Cleaveland of King's Mountain memory, came about the time John and Sam Jones came, or soon after. They all raised corn in 1808. Col. Cleaveland settled on part of the farm now owned by Mrs. Judge Spofford where he died; and his grave is near the building occupied by the Superintendent of the farm. John Jones died in 1823, and Sam Jones in 1815. He was killed by a tree falling on him. About the time John Jones came or soon afterwards, David and Alexander Jones settled in the same neighborhood. Rebecca Jones, widow of David Jones, is still living and is over 90 years of age. Col. Robert Steele, brother of Thomas and David Steele settled on the west side of the creek opposite Buford Station, about the time the Joneses came. he was Colonel of the first regiment organized in the County. William and Henry Sheppard settled the place on which Albert Buford lived at an early date. Richard, Matthew and John Johnson and Jack Miller settled the places long known by their names on Haywood Creek at a very early day. James Tinnon the father of Robert and Aleck Tinnon, and Joseph and David Abernathy, were early settlers on Richland and Haywood in the neighborhood of Tinnon's Mill.

The settlers on Haywood came some of them in 1808, others about 1809 or 1810. Tinnon and the Abernathys it is said, came by the Bumpass trail, leaving it somewhere south of Campbellsville.

I regret that I have not the information to give a more extended notice of Col. Cleaveland, on of the immortal heroes of King's Mountain. Judge Spofford has kindly furnished the following transcription from the inscription on his tomb:

ELK RIDGE CHURCH

John Montgomery and Sam Montgomery settled on Robertson's Fork near Elk Ridge Church early in 1808, and crossed the ridge at what was first called the Sam Montgomery gap, and afterwards known as the Dodson Gap. Leander M. Shields, father of John M. Shields, came in 1809 and settled near the church where he lived many years. Samuel Shields and James Shields came about the same time or soon after and settled in the same neighborhood. Samuel Shields was the father of the Honorable Ebenezer J. Shields--for several years a Representative in Congress from that district, and one of the most graceful and elegant public speakers our County has produced. Joseph Braden, the grandfather of Major J. B. Stacy, Archibald Crockett, Alexander Shields, Robert Crockett, Samuel Copeland and James Montgomery were early settlers. John C. Walker, after remaining a short time at Old Lynnville settled on the road east of the Church where he lived for many years and until his death. East of Walker's and in the same neighborhood were Presley and Robert Topp; William James; William Urssery; and Hugh Caruthers; Samuel Patrick; Ephraim Patrick; Ephraim M. Massey; and William Marr. These were all early settlers; some of them among the very first but the dates at which they came have not been ascertained with sufficient certainty to give them.

BRICK CHURCH and ROBERT GORDON NEIGHBORHOOD

Robert Gordon with his sons, Thomas K. and John, settled on Richland Creek near the Brick Church at what was long known as the Gordon place--the third of March 1808, and made a crop that year; cultivated 11 acres in corn; he moved from Kentucky ten miles from Crab Orchard to Williamson County, TN, and settled nine miles west of Franklin and two miles from Gideon where he lived two years and then removed to Giles. He was in the outside settlement when he lived in Williamson. In coming to this county he traveled the old McCutcheon trail. It passed east of Spring Hill, crossed Duck River at what was afterwards known as Holland's Ferry above Davis' Ford; passed by the widow McNutt's not far from where Mooresville is situated. The old trace passed a little west of where he settled; went by the old Brick Church thence south to Elk River at Shoemaker's Ferry near Latitude Hill. From McNutt's to where Gordon settled was twelve miles and McNutt's was the last house he passed; and there were but few settlers between McNutt's and where he moved from in Williamson County. Two or three families were in the neighborhood before Gordon came. A man named Vaughan was living at the spring on the widow Mary Gordon's place, half a mile north of where Robert Gordon, Sr., settled. The widow Clark and two or three of her sons had settled on the Marsh and Wood farms.

There were no settlers for six miles in a northeast direction to Jno. Henderson and James S. Haynes; they came about the same time Gordon did, and settled the places long known by their names near Cornersville. Going west down Richland Creek there were not any settlers nearer than John or Sam Jones' and they were six miles off. In a southern direction, it was ten miles to Robert Alsup's who lived on the southwest side of Pisgah Hill. Soon after Gordon came, Joseph Jarmin and old John McCandless and his sons and their families came. A man named Nation, with several sons, settled the Robert H. Laird place south of the old Brick Church. For the first two years they packed the most of their meal on horses from Williamson County. The first year some of the settlers used hand mills. Martin Lane, Sr., and his son-in-law, Thomas Lane, Esquire, came about two years after Gordon. The Fraziers, Tungetts and Samuels came about the time Lane did. Gordon's oldest daughter, Elizabeth, was married the first of Feb. 1810 to Joseph McDonald, two weeks before the courts were organized in Giles and they went to Maury County for license and were married at the widow McNutt's by John Lindsay, Esquire. The father of William and David Maxwell owned the land on Pigeon Roost settled by them and sent out a man named Milroy with his stock to improve it. This was before Gordon came and a year or two afterwards William and David came out to live on the land. Richard McGehee lived one and a half miles west of Gordon; was an early settler and one of the first magistrates in that part of the county. John Dabney, Sr., settled about one mile north of Gordon at a very early day. James S. Haynes and his father, John Haynes, old William Henderson and his brother, John Henderson, and Jno. Andrews were among the first settlers in the neighborhood of Cornersville and came about the time Gordon did. At that time there was a trace from Cornersville that intersected the McCutcheon trail south of Gordon, near where the old Brick Church stood. The cane had been chopped so that people could ride along it. This trace and the old McCutcheon trace were the only roads opened when Gordon came.

BRADSHAW

Odem Hightower, father of Hardy Hightower, was one of the first settlers on Bradshaw Creek, and came either the latter part of 1807 or early in 1808. He raised corn in 1808, which was the first raised on the creek.

Hardy Hightower, John Kennedy, John Elliff, James McKnight, and Samuel McKnight came the latter part of 1808, or early in 1809, and settled the places known by their names. Joe Jarmin came in the early part of 1808, John Young, Esquire was one of the first settlers. John Young settled the place known as the Archibald Young place. Nicholas Holly, father of Jno. Holly, came in Feb. or March 1809.

Those mentioned above were all here when Holly came. The first year the settlers beat most of their meal in a mortar and ground some in a little hand-mill. Hardy Hightower built the first mill on Bradshaw. Old Nicholas Holly moved from South Carolina to the State of Ohio, and from thence to Tennessee. He came by Columbia, by where Jno. C. Walker, Esquire, lives; by Dabney's and by old Robert Gordono's.

MT. PISGAH

The first settlement about Mount Pisgah was by the Reverend Alex MacDonald and his brothers, Joseph, Robert and John; and his relatives Major William MacDonald and James MacDonald, all of whom came in the latter part of 1808. MacDonald settled the place now owned by Sterling Abernathy, John MacDonald, where Col. Willis Worley now lives. Joseph Alsup came before the MacDonalds about the first of 1808, and settled in the hollow over the hill south of Alex MacDonald's. Laban Westmoreland, the grandfather of Dr. Theo. Westmoreland settled near the John Neal place west of Mt. Pisgah hill. He came to the county about the time his brothers, Jesse and Thomas came in the latter part of 1808 or early in 1809.

He raised a crop in 1809, although his family might not have come until the latter part of the year. Aquilla Wilson, the Stovalls, Tilman R. Daniel, George Oliver, the Bradleys, Rickman Williams and Craft were early settlers in the neighborhood but the dates have not been ascertained. The first camp meeting at Mt. Pisgah was in 1811 and held near where William Oliver lived about half a mile north of Mt. Pisgah Church. In 1812 the camp meeting was held at Mount Pisgah and kept up for many years.

BLOOMING GROVE CHURCH and LEATHERWOOD CREEK

Thomas Marks, father of Edward and Major Lewis B. Marks came to the county the first of January 1811, and settled the place Jacob Reasonover lives on. James Dugger, Esquire, came at the same time, and settled on the place Carroll Marks now lives. They came from Davidson County by Columbia, crossed Richland Creek at John Jones', now Fitzpatrick's; came the Gideon road to Pulaski; camped the first night at William Gideon's near the factory, and thence traveled over Locust Hill to Leatherwood Creek; kept on the ridge because the cane was small on the ridge, and there was no undergrowth of timber or bushes, and in some places, no cane. Where there was no cane the ground was covered with peavines. They kept along the ridge and went down at the point where William Arrowsmith lived; and when they struck the creek they kept up the bed of the creek to avoid the large cane, and even cut a log that was across the creek and rolled it out to travel the bed of the creek as far as they could, in preference to cutting their way through the large cane on the creek bottoms. Major Nathan Davis settled the Daniel Abernathy place and Captain Thomas C. Stone, the place now owned by John M. White at a very early day; as early probably as 1808 or 1809. They settled a year or two before Marks came. A man named Stevens lived where Edward Marks now lives in January 1811. Old Tom Webb lived west of the creek on the top of the hill on the place owned by Arrowsmith heirs. Thomas McKerly built a house near where Mrs. Arrowsmith lives. Old man Patite first settled on Locust Hill, where old Silas Flournoy settled. Flournoy came about 1813. Shade Harwell and Henry Loyd moved to the county the winter that Thomas Marks came. Austin Smith settled the place east of the Creek that Doll Hopkins lives at. Allen Abernathy was one of the first settlers in the neighborhood as was Austin Smith. At the time Thomas Marks came to the county about the last of December, 1810, or the first day of January, 1811, his son Edward was ten years old and Lewis B., eight years old.