Stevens Letter, Nov. 7, 1878

Dear Sir,  I think Jacob White, My Grandfather’s son-in-law, from Fayette county, near Bryan station in 1793 and settled on land that joined my Grandmother Stephens, his being the second family that settled in this neighborhood.  At the close of the last century the people settled as close to one another as they could get land, so they soon formed a little neighborhood East of Alexandria of such families as Reileys, Shaws, Trusdells, Griffeys, Eckerds, Coons, Bowles and others.  As I expect to give a short account of the trials and hardships through which they had to pass since my recollection, I will not write of it at this time, as the Editor thinks I have plenty of time yet to write all I ever knew.  But I will write something of the settlers West of this place: Frank Spillman (Grandfather of the late Rev. H. E. Spillman of Dayton, Ky.,) bought land adjoining that of my Grandmother in 1795 and settled upon it.  He layed off the town of Alexandria in 1818.  The first lots being sold in April of the same year.  It may be said of the town, as the colored boy said to his master when he poured him out a dram of liquor telling its age, the boy eyeing it closely said: “He very small of he age,” [?] but Alexandria will come out yet, as it is a very healthy place, and people live here to a very old age.  There is now one man living who came here about the close of 1700’s and has lived here ever since; he is now in his 93rd year and quite sprightly.  When we get a Narrow Gauge R.R. running between Alexandria and Newport you will see your businessmen of Cincinnati and Newport seeking homes in the town as it will not take longer to make the trip than it formerly did to cross the river in the old time ferry boats.  If I should live one fourth the time for which the editor says he has engaged me to write for his paper, he will see old Uncle Johnny riding in the passenger cars bringing his own production to the newspaper office instead of sending it by mail or otherwise.  John Stevens

From the Newport Local, November 7, 1878