The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
In the early days of what is now Henderson County, every man made his own road for no fences, barn lots, or yards obstructed his movement from point to the next. Generally, Indian paths were followed which led along the banks of streams, midst shady groves with a campground here or there by a bubbling stream or meandering creek nearby.
In 1831 when Henderson was a part of Warren County, Field Jarvis and others petitioned the commissioners to lay out a road from Yellow Banks past James Ryason to Col.Redman's at the head of Ellison Creek.
In accordance, James Ryason deposited six dollars hard money with the clerk of court to pay the expense of viewers in case they gave an unfavorable report. (This was the frontier and commerce was usually conducted with the exchange of goods, not cash.
Whether the money belonged to James Ryason or was a pooling of petitioners resources, this was a large sum of money.) Otha Craig, Adam Ritchey and Nathaniel Armstrong were appointed as viewers.
However, in June 1831 James Ryason is back in court saying that the viewers fail to do their job and he wanted his money back and that others in the original petition did not like the points designed. The court nevertheless ordered the work accepted and costs be paid out of the County Treasury with his bond given up. Warren County Commissioners Record, 1830-1837