Montgomery County – Its Early Officers and Citizens

By A. H. H. Rountree, in the Hillsboro Democrat, July 9, 1873

A. H. Knapp was the same Artemas that lived near the Charley Seymour place.  He was a son of Aaron Knapp, and one of our earliest mechanics.  They emigrated from northern New York about the year 1830 and settled in Hillsboro.  Aaron Knapp and wife both died some years ago leaving two daughters, Thirsa and Mahala and one son Artemas.  The daughters still reside at the old homestead, but Artemas died a few years ago.  Neither of them ever married; and hence Artemas leaves no descendants.  He was a skilled mechanic and one of the early members of the Presbyterian Church.

James B Williams was son of Joseph Williams, who was in our county previous to its organization and frequently an office holder since; James was brother of Alex. T. Williams.  James married Miss Patten, step-daughter of Jacob Fowler, and raised several children, of whom one son and two daughters still live.  Mrs. _____ of Bond County, Mrs. Kirkland Wm. Williams of our county.  Uncle Jamie has resided in our county nearly all of his life.  He is now a widower.

Easton Whitten came from Kentucky in 1818 or 1819 and settled on the Hurricane.  He settled the place we believe now owned by James Kirk who at one time was his son in law.  He was the father of Easton Whitten (Jeff David Easton).  He was at times elected to office and at one time represented our county in the state legislature.

Samuel Peacock came from North Carolina with John Harkey about 1830 or 1831, a single man and with no relatives.  He afterwards married a Miss McKenzie, niece of Newton Coffey.  They both died leaving no children.  Mr. Peacock was a very kind but inefficient man, and did not accumulate much of this world’s good’s

Michael Tanner we do not remember as one of our citizens, nor can we learn anything about him from his fellow soldiers, except that James M. Rutledge thinks that he was discharged at Beardstown and consequently did not serve out the campaign and he thinks that Mr. Tanner now resides in Christian County.

Ephraim Kilpatrick was the son of David Kilpatrick who settled in our county previous to our organization.  He became quite a scholar through the instructions of his father.  Ephraim enlisted in the first company ever organized and served one campaign, at a time, too, while with Hiram Rountree, he studied law and obtained a license as an attorney at law.  After leaving Hiram Rountree he engaged in mercantile pursuits with Dr. R. O. Warner, in addition to the practice of law, and was also elected to the office of justice of the peace.  He married Hester Ann Davis of Washington County, to which county he removed and resided for a time in Nashville, from which place he removed to Iowa and settled at Mt. Pleasant, where he raised his family, some two or three children, daughters.  On the death of his wife he married Sarah Davis, his present wife.  We understand that his children are married and gone west.  Ephraim has been clerking in some of the offices in Washington City, though he claims Iowa for his home.  He was, we believe, county judge of his county in Iowa.

Daniel Steele was here at an early day on his return from the war married Miss Beadles, and on her death he married, we believe, a Miss Clark, sister of Mrs. Van Gordon.  He was on of the earliest of those who moved to Kansas, where the troubles were so great that he returned to our county, but then again sold out and moved we think to Missouri.  We don’t think he was a relative of Major John Steel and Luke Lee Steel though of the same name.