Stevens Letter, Dec. 5, 1878

There was no other Post-offices in this county I think (for I write from memory) for twenty five years at least, and these settlers being intelligent, reading people as those at this day and as willing to take newspapers.  I will say how their papers were delivered.  There were pockets out side the mail bags and the papers were put in them.  The mail boy as he was called with a tine horn that could be heard a mile or more, leaving each man his papers as directed, some ion boxes and some in hollow trees fixed for that purposed, many of the subscribers living several miles off on each side of the road.  After the Lick was abandoned the place went down fast, oak bushes grew up thick, the post-office being moved away a mile or two, it seemed to be a deserted place.  After the county was districted, about in 1850, it was my voting place until 1874.  There was at one time but one family in that place the election was held under a big elm tree or at a blacksmith shop.  About 12 or 15 years ago the place began to build up again, and at this time it is doing a good business with the old post-office at home again, running three stores, two blacksmith shops near the spot where the first store and shop stood, also a steam saw and grist mill, two taverns and a large Baptist church with a good house, a large and well-attended Sabbath school and a District School-house.  By invitation of J. J. Stevens, my son who lives in Persimmon Grove, this county, near the farm on which I resided for 50 years, I partook of a birthday dinner prepared expressly for my 82nd birthday.  Among the good things which the table was loaded were a nicely baked peacock and an opossum, of which I was very fond in my younger days.  Among those present were the venerable Samuel Todd, the fathers of Mrs. J. J. Stevens, a Mr. Simmons, of Kenton county, and Judge Ratliff, of Alexandria, and others, with a wealthy neighborhood on all sides.  It was also a noted place for rioting fist fighting, biting, gouging, cutting and hair pulling.  John W. Stevens

From the Newport Local,  December 5, 1878