THE American people are much given to reading, but the character of the matter read is such that in regard to a large proportion of them it may indeed be said that" truth is stranger than fiction." Especially is this the case with respect to those facts of local history belonging to their own immediate county and neighborhood. This is, perhaps. not so much the fault of the people as a neglect on the part of book publishers. Books, as a rule, are made to sell, and in order that a book may have a large sale its matter must be of such general character as to be applicable to general rather than special conditions-to the Nation or State rather than to the county or township. Thus it is that no histories heretofore published pertain to matters relating to county and neighborhood affairs, for such books, in order to have a sale over a large section of country, must necessarily be very voluminous and contain much matter of no interest to the reader. The publishers, having received a liberal patronage from the people of Washington county, have endeavored to prepare a work containing a full and minute account of the local affairs of the county.
       The following pages constitute a history of the Northwest, and a detailed account of the early settlement, natural resources, and subsequent development of Washington county, together with reminiscences, narratives, and biographies of the leading citizens of the county.
The work may not meet the expectation of some, and this is all the more probable, seeing that it falls far short of our own standard of perfection; however, in size, quality of material and typographical appearance it is such a book as we designed to make, and fills the conditions guaranteed in our prospectus.
       To the early settler who braved the dangers, endured the hardships and experienced the joys of pioneer life, it will be the means of recalling some of the most grateful memories of the past; while those who are younger, or who have become citizens of the county in more recent times, will here find collected, in a narrow compass, an accurate and succinct account of the beginning, progress and changes incident to municipal as well as individual life.
The old pioneer, in reviewing the history of the county, all of which he saw and part of which he was, will find this work a valuable compendium of facts arranged in analytical order, and thus will events which are gradually vanishing into the mists and confusion of forgetfulness be rescued from oblivion.
       The rising generation which is just entering upon the goodly heritage bequeathed to them by a noble and hardy ancestry, will find in this work much to encourage them in days of despondency, and intensify the value of success when contrasted with the trials and compared with the triumphs of those who have gone before.
       In the preparation of this work we have been materially aided by numerous persons in sympathy with the enterprise and solicitous for its success. To all such persons we feel ourselves under great obligations and take this method of acknowledging the same. In this connection it is but proper to mention the names of those who have rendered the most important assistance: Hon. N. Everson, A. R. Dewey, Esq., and the newspaper men of Washington, especially H. A. Burrell, whose material aid in the preparation of the work, and whose words of' sympathy and encouragement have contributed much in making this

iv

PREFACE.

"book what it is. We are also indebted to J. A. Keck, Esq., for the use of valuable papers and manuscripts.
In presenting this work to our many hundred readers we have the satisfaction of knowing that they are of sufficient intelligence to appreciate merit when it is found, and errors will be criticised [criticized] with the understanding that book-making, like all other kinds of labor, has its peculiar vicissitudes.
Whatever of interest, or of profit, or of recreation the reader will find in perusing the following pages, will be a source of satisfaction, gratitude and happiness to the

PUBLISHERS.

Return to top