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purchase of a drove of beef cattle. In the summer of
this year (1803) I purchased 100 acres of land, West of
and adjoining to the town of Monticello, at the price
of ₤100 (One hundred pounds) paid in Horses, & settled
upon it, in the fall. Our first child, Thomas
Paine Taul, was born in Monticello, on the 7th Day
of March 1803. I thus became a father more than
two months before I was 18 years of age!!! In a
year or two afterwards, built a comfortable
log house, & altogether we have a most desirable
& comfortable residence. On pages 25 & 26 I have spoken
of the manners, customs, amusements, &c of the people
in the interior of the State. The population of Wayne
county, consisted principally of imigrants from Western
Virginia & East Tennessee; they were a rough, hardy
race of men, very large & stout, & altogether an
excellent population for a new Country. We have
monthly courts, & of course monthly meetings
of the people. Everybody came to court, & this
day was spent in drinking, fighting & [?fying?]
just "for fun" The people would have their
fun. There were a few Horse thieves, but the
great mass of the people were honest and in
every way to be depended upon. In the year
I was elected as a Militia Captain in opposition to
William Jones - a new Company had been formed
by dividing an old one. Jones had been the Lieutenant
in the old company & expected to be elected
Captain of the new one without opposition
When the election came on, to his great surprise
I was put up as a Candidate in opposition to him
& was elected by a large majority. I am not
now certain, that I had previously been on the
Muster Roll. Jones was so much disappointed
that he became quite enraged -swore I should
not command the Company, & that he would
whip me on the spot. He considered himself
a very stout man & advanced upon me, in a
menacing attitude. His rage unmanned him
and as "luck would have it" I " whipped him"