Page 1 Dear Editor, Your request that I would furnish you some reminiscences of early life in Illinois is, I think, a reasonable one, when I take into consideration the fact that I came to Illinois when the population of the United States was not more than double that of Illinois today. I was born in Livingston County, Kentucky, in the year 1798, and was said to have been the first white child born in the county. My father, James Conyers, emigrated to this state in the year 1805, and though I was but seven years old, I can recollect of him killing buffaloes in Kentucky. Illinois had not been at that time acquired an independent existence as a territory, but all that part of the county was then called Randolph County. We made our first halt and went into camp where Cairo now stands. It was then nothing but a wilderness. Heavy timber extended in every direction, and wild game, such as turkey, deer, bear, wolves, and wild cats were very plenty. I have killed a good many bear as well as other game in the vicinity of Cairo. I recollect on one occasion, I went out hunting and had only two balls for my gun; the first shot I killed a large bear dead in his tracks, with the second ball I slightly wounded another. Although I was but sixteen years old, I thought I could kill him wit my hunting knife, so I followed him up and went into the fight in earnest, but after a short tussel in which neither of us got much hurt, I beat a hasty retreat. The bear retreated at the same time I did, but from some cause went in the same direction and only a few feet behind me; but I soon got out of his way. I then cut a good stout club and followed him up, but was more cautious. I soon came up with him, and after a little maneuvering hit him a fair lick right on the forehead. I expected to see him fall; but all the effect it had to cause him to take right after me again. In this way we continued the fight for at least one hour, when I accidently hit him on the back of the head, which knocked him down, For the first time my knife came in good play, and I soon finished him. I might relate some incidents that would be interesting, having spent about five years hunting on the frontier, a part of the time entirely alone as far as white people were concerned, having only Indians for my associates and bed fellows; but I suppose you want to know who were the early settlers of what is now known as Alexander and Pulaski Counties. My father, James Conyers, located twelve miles from the mouth of the Ohio in 1805. America was built where he settled. There was no other white family living in that country at that time. The Indians were very friendly and were frequently at our house.