These early settlers did not immediately plant churches and
school-houses, as the settlers of New England did. Still they were not
altogether illiterate. A public document still in existence has the
signature of 112 out of 114 of their number who signed the paper, two
only making their X.

In 1779, the first Court House was built at Jonesboro. At about the
same date, the author informs us, "The school mistress was to be found
at nearly every cross-road in the older settlements. She occupied a
small log-house, generally about sixteen feet square, and often
without floor or windows." The author might have added that she, or
one like her, occupies the same school-house to-day.

In 1779, the first "church-house" was erected, and Rev. Tidence Lane
became the "first settled minister beyond the Alleghenies."

To those of our readers who have recently followed the missionary work
of the A.M.A. in this Mountain region, these books will be of great
interest.

CHAS. J. RYDER.

* * * * *

We have received from Rev. Austin Willey, author of "THE HISTORY OF
THE ANTI-SLAVERY CAUSE IN THE STATE AND NATION," a gift of one hundred
copies of the book for gratuitous distribution among our workers in
the South. We gave a brief review and a warm commendation of the
volume in the AMERICAN MISSIONARY for June, 1886, and we renew our
endorsement, and tender our thanks to the author for his benefaction.